Goring Gap Trails Festival

Saturday 22nd May - from 05:00 Sunday 23rd May - from 07:00 Location: Mapledurham estate

What is the terrain like? The route is on national trails, public footpaths, bridleways and quiet lanes. It’s a mixture of tracks (vehicle width byways), trails (single track paths) and quiet lanes (tarmac or reasonable surface roads). There will be rooty sections, uneven surfaces and the odd gate, but it’s all good running. If it’s wet then it’s likely to be muddy in places, we will advise on shoe choice as we get closer to the event. You will pass through villages and use short sections of village roads. Usually in an ultra you would expect a few big climbs but as our route follows a river valley it is mostly flat, however there are a couple of interesting features to make the legs burn a little!

Roads are not closed. We use short sections of quiet lanes so please be aware there may be motor vehicles or farm traffic on these roads. Road crossings are not marshalled, we will sign crossings but you must stop and check it’s safe to cross, even if you cannot hear or see a vehicle there could be a bike, a horse rider or a pedestrian coming the other way. You are expected to act as any other pedestrian would when crossing a road. At the end of the day it’s common sense to look after yourself, and other people. Likewise, the trails are not closed so you are likely to encounter dog walkers, mountain bikers, ramblers and other people doing their thing, we have no more right to be there than they do so please show respect to other trail users.

So it’s summer, it’s a run, what could you possibly need to take other than running kit? Well it’s important to understand that this is a serious challenge and you should prepare for all eventualities. If you need to stop then it’s wise to have something to pull on to keep warm, if it’s raining you need a waterproof. You are out there for a long time and you need a way to contact us or call for support if you run into a problem. ​ You are responsible for carrrying your own water. Although we have support stations where you can refill, you can never be entirely sure during an ultra how long it will take you to reach the next station. Some sections might take longer than others due to heat, terrain, tiredness, injury, navigational issues etc. There are three ways to carry fluids on the run: handheld, multi-bottle waist belt, and hydration pack. Find out what works best for you during your training runs.

- A base layer (compulsory) – a separate layer to that which you start the race in which should be kept dry and used only in an emergency. - A waterproof jacket with sealed seems (compulsory) - Sunglasses - Buff/Cap - Lightweight gloves - Gaiters - A plastic bag for wet clothes, and rubbish - A Bottle or hydration pack (to carry between 1L & 3L of water) - Electrolyte drink eg. SOS Rehydrate and extra sachets for re-fill - A mix of fuel – Energy bars/chews and sweets etc.. - OS Map – take a map or the section of the map - Waterproof map case if it’s wet - GPS Device - Mobile Phone (COMPULSORY) – with spare battery or on-the-go charger - Whistle – If you suffer an injury and are unable to proceed the whistle may help your being located far more quickly than without one. - Sunscreen - Lip Balm - Vaseline - Insect spray - Compeed Blister Plaster - Antiseptic cream - Foil blanket - Tissues/Wet Wipes - Kinesiology Tape – Cut into strips already - Blister Stick