Both events are to be run concurrently over the White Peak
Trails, starting at 11.00 am on Saturday 16 May. The marathon is
the traditional route from Thorpe to Cromford Meadows following
first the Tissington Trail to Parsley Hay, then the High Peak
Trail to Cromford, while the half marathon follows the High Peak
Trail from Friden to Cromford.
For safety reasons competitors will be asked to register and
collect their numbers on the day. Registration will start at
8.30 am at Matlock Rugby Club, Cromford Meadows, Cromford, near
Matlock (turn north off the A6 at traffic lights at Cromford,
along Mill Road for 250 yards, Cromford Meadows is on the right,
the Rugby Club is at the far end of the track). This is also the
finish of both events. There will be full toilet and changing
facilities at the Rugby Club. Portaloos will also be available
at the starts, and some facilities are en route at Hartington
and Parsley Hay.
After registration, at approximately 10.00 am, buses will take
competitors to the relevant start and belongings will be
returned to Cromford for pick up at the finish. Competitors can
make their own way to the starts. There will be no facility for
registration at the starts.
Both runs are over firm compacted limestone and cinder surfaces
on former railway tracks making road running shoes ideal. There
is one road crossing, at about 14 miles on the marathon course,
and a little over 1 mile after the start of the half marathon.
This road is not busy, but traffic is fast on it and competitors
are asked to take special care there. Although this crossing
will be manned, competitors should recognise that we have no
authority to stop the traffic.
The marathon starts at Thorpe and follows the Tissington Trail,
up the dales to north of Parsley Hay, where it does an about
turn then takes a left fork to follow the High Peak Trail. From
here it undulates level till it joins the half marathon part of
the route at Friden. After this the track descends in three
stages, at about 21, 22½ and 24½ miles, the last descent being
about 1 mile long down the steep incline to the Cromford canal
at High Peak Junction. At this point it crosses the canal, turns
left along the tow-path and then right into Cromford Meadows,
approximately ¾ of a mile from there.
Please note that there are limited points of access to the trail
throughout. For this reason it is difficult to monitor the
condition of competitors, so to help with safety and security,
competitors in the marathon who have not reached the 10 mile
point at Parsley Hay within 2 hours will be asked to retire. We
also rely upon runners who get themselves into difficulty to
advise the race marshals at the access points so that they can
be picked up.
One year we had one competitor who completed the first 13 miles
in 1 hour 30 minutes, and took an additional 4 hours for the
remaining 13. Although we follow the race by bike, we can only
monitor the condition of the last few runners, so we did not
pick up this person until the rest of the field had passed him,
by which time he was in a state of total exhaustion. So we
really need people to be sensible.
(Remember the 4 deaths in the 2005 Great North Run)
The half marathon follows the later stages of the marathon
course from Friden. The route undulates along the tops of the
dales for the first 8 miles or so, then descends in three
stages, at 7, 8½ and 10½ miles down to High Peak Junction on
the Cromford Canal, where it crosses the canal, and turns left
along the towpath to finish at Cromford Meadows. The total
descent is about 800 feet, and with no steep uphill stretches,
it provides the potential for fast times and personal bests. We
like to think of it as a swift half.
No navigational skills are needed for either event, and there
will be 7 feed stations spaced out as evenly as possible along
the marathon course. The last three of these will cover the half
marathon also. They are identified on the course maps as WS.
Because of the difficult logistics, we can only provide water
and sponges at these feed stations. Personal drinks will of
course be permitted, but competitors will have to make their own
arrangements for their provision. Although the logistics of the
events mean that ambulance cover is primarily for the marathon,
because of overlap the slowest of the half marathoners will also
be covered by this.
At the finish the rugby clubhouse will be open for changing and
showering, and there will be a bar and TV. We will provide
catering both before and after the race.
The half marathon prize-giving will take place just before the
first marathon runners are due, at about 1.30 pm, and the
marathon prizes will be given out between 3.30 and 4.00 pm.
For both events the entry fee is £15 for competitors who are
members of an affiliated club, and £17 for those who are not
(unattached): the extra £2 goes to England Athletics. Entries
can only be accepted by mail, on the form below. Entries will be
accpeted from January 1 2009. Maps of the routes, and of
Cromford Meadows, will be provided to all entrants, along with
registration instructions, on receipt of entries. These will be
sent by email wherever an email address is given.
Further information can be obtained by ringing 01629 823214, or
by email at
milneofmatlock@aol.com. Only emails with the subject “White
Peak Marathon” will be opened.
Please note that entries are limited to 200 per event, because
of restrictions imposed by the authorities. In previous years we
have had to close the entries for the marathon in mid-March and
for the half marathon in mid-April. Anticipated closing dates
for entries will be posted on the website at the end of
February, and updated thereafter as entries progress.
Results will be posted on the Matlock AC website immediately
after the events. Paper copies of the results will be sent out
by request to those who complete an envelope on the day of the
race, and deposit 50p inside it.
