Participant Information Guide
This guide contains important information that you need to ensure that you have a safe and enjoyable day on the trails. Please take the time to read all of the information (including the section on mandatory kits required to participate) before you arrive at registration on race day.
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Event date
​Saturday 08 March 2025
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Event timings
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Race briefings for all participants will take place 10 minutes before the beginning of each race at the start line.
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Registration and 50km / 25km mandatory kit check opens:
07:30 Saturday 08 March 2025​​
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50km Race start time:
08:30 Saturday 08 March 2025
​25km Race start time:
09:00 Saturday 08 March 2025
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Registration and 50km / 25km mandatory kit check closes:
09:15 Saturday 08 March 2025
10km Race start time:
09:30 Saturday 08 March 2025
All Races to be complete:
18:00 Saturday 08 March 2025
All runners must have completed their race and be clear of the course by 18:00. Please refer to specific race cut off times for your race distance in the Aid Stations & Cut Off Times section below.​
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Event location
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Harrold-Odell Country Park, Carlton Road, Harrold, MK43 7DS
What3words location: remain.available.folders
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Emergency contact numbers
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Please ensure that you have these mobile numbers saved to your phone before the beginning the race:
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Event Control: 07411 067 106
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Race Medic: 07351 423 763
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Race Director: 07824 323 893
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Travel
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Please travel by public transport, or car share where possible. The start/finish area is 10 miles from Bedford which is where the closest train station is. It is 15 mins in a taxi, which is the best way to travel there early in the morning and late at night. During the day, there are buses that can take you from and to Bedford / Race HQ.
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Parking
What3words location: printer.remedy.flattery
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There is limited parking at Harrold-Odell Country park. Please car share, get a lift or take public transport to and from the event wherever possible. Once the Harrold-Odell Country Park parking is full, you will need to park in the roads around the park. Please be courteous to the residents and do not park across drive ways or block the highway.
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NOTE THAT THE OVERFLOW CAR PARK WILL BE CLOSED AND LOCKED AT 5PM ON THE DAY OF THE EVENT.
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Registration and race bibs
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Race bibs will not be sent out in the post but will be available when you arrive at the start for registration. All runners must register before the race, collect a race bib and complete the emergency contact information on the rear of the race bib. Please allow plenty of time to register. You will not be allowed to participate without a race bib.
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Toilets
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There are public toilets and portaloos available at the start/finish location.
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Refreshments:
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Participants and spectators can purchase hot and cold food and drinks at the start/finish from the The Dragonfly Café which is open daily from 9am to 4pm.
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Bag Drop:
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There is no official bag drop at the race start / finish location. Please leave you belongings in your locked car during the race. Participant who have travelled to the race via public transport will be able to leave one small bag at race registration. Thunder Races can not accept responsibility for your possessions. All bags and belongings are left entirely at your own risk.
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Course marking
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The course is fully marked with pink high viz surveyors tape for the 10km course and purple hi viz surveyors tape for the 25km and 50km courses. This tape will be tied onto trees, branches and bushes at approximately 70 meter intervals. Key turnings and intersections will also be marked with red & white hazard tape, as well as laminated directional arrow signs. All tape and course marking materials will be removed from the trails immediately after the races have finished.
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​​​​​If you do not see one of our markers for more than 400 meters, it is likely that it has either been tampered with or you are going in the wrong direction. In this situation, follow your GPS device or back track along the way you came until you see a marker. Even though the course will be thoroughly marked, it is the runner’s responsibility to navigate it successfully. It is mandatory to download the GPX file from our website onto your GPS device/mobile.
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​​​​​OS Maps is a great App to use on a mobile if you do not have a running watch. You can download the GPX file from our website and upload it to OS Maps to allow you to view it through the OS Maps App. Please get in touch if you do not know how to do either of these things and we can help. If markers are tampered with, then the GPX file is very accurate, and you should have no problem navigating the route without markers. Please bear in mind this does not happen very often but all it takes is for one to be removed to send you in the wrong direction.
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Winners Prizes:
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Trophies will be presented to 1st place male and 1st place female in each of the 10km, 25km and 50km races. Each winner will also receive two behind the scenes brewery tour and tasting vouchers from our race partner Brewpoint - https://www.brewpoint.co.uk/
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​​GPX Files
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All 25km and 50km runners must have the GPX file for their race downloaded to their watch or GPS device. GPX files can be downloaded from our website via this link
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***If you have previously downloaded the GPX file from the website then please repeat the process as close to race day as possible. There is the possibility of small areas of flooding on the day meaning there may be a few diversions in place and the GPX won’t be updated till we know what is happening. These route changes, however, will always be fully marked on the day***
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What3Words
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We will be using the What3Words App on the day as a backup in case anything goes wrong out on the route. If you have a Smart Phone and can download the App, then please do so and turn on the “location” setting on your phone. This is for your own safety and will greatly help us if you get lost or in an emergency situation if your tracker stops working or loses signal.
Headphones:
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We appreciate people like to listen to music, but in terms of health and safety it is important to go without. There are a number of road crossings on the route and runners need to be fully aware of their surroundings. Bone Conduction are acceptable if you can still hear clearly.
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Retiring from the race:
If you feel you cannot continue, then please do all you can to make it to the closest aid station where you can inform the aid station captain that you wish to stop. At this point you must hand over your race number and will be officially taken out of the race.
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If you drop out while not at an aid station and are collected by friends/family or make your own way home, then it is again essential that you visit the nearest aid station or Race HQ to hand in your number before your leave for home. If you leave the race without informing us and handing in your race number, you will be classified as lost, and this will result in the initiation of Search and Rescue which you the runner will be charged for.
If you are injured or have a medical emergency, then please contact the Race Medic on the number at the start of this document. ​
Sweeper bus:
There will not be an official sweeper vehicle in operation during the event to collect runners that can no longer continue. We will do all we can to help, but there is often a long waiting time for this.
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Aid Stations & Cut Off Times
Please be aware that you must be manually checked in at each aid station by a volunteer during the race and must go into each one even if you do not require anything. There will be 'water only' station on the 10km route and 2 stocked aid stations on the 25km route and 4 stocked aid stations along the 50km route. Aid station locations are listed below. Aid stations will carry a range of food, drinks and water. The official nutrition and electrolyte companies supporting the race will be Pure Endure, Protein Rebel and MNRLS. Of course, there will be plenty of water to use so please bring your own powders if you wish to have energy drinks during the race.
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NOTE: With the exception of the 10km race, this is a cup free race. if you are participating in the 25km or 50km race, you will need to bring your own collapsible drinking cup, bladder or water bottles to refill at each aid station as required.
The following is what will be on offer at each aid station on the 25km and 50km route: • Water • Flat coke • Bananas • Pure Endure nutrition • MNRLS Electrolytes • Protein Rebel Gels • Tray bake • Crisps • Jelly sweets
Water Station - 10km ONLY
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6km
No Cut off time
​What3words: await.comment.firming
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Aid Station 1 - 25km and 50km:
10km
No Cut off time
​What3words: deeper.trespass.jeering
Aid Station 2 - 25km and 50km:
19km
No Cut off time
​What3words: kinder.pacifist.voucher
Aid Station 3 - 50km:
34km
3.30pm Cut off time
​What3words: foremost.dummy.tougher
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Aid Station 4 - 50km:
42km
5pm Cut off time
​What3words: attic.sank.exit
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NOTE: All runners must have completed the race and be back at Harrold Odell Country Park by 6pm.
Mandatory kit (25km and 50km) - Random kit checks
The course is predominantly on easy going trails with a few short road sections as well. At this time of year, the ground should be soft, wet, and muddy. We therefore suggest that trail shoes with good grip are worn. We will do a check of the course in the days beforehand and update everyone by email as to what the current conditions are.
NOTE: 25km and 50km runners must always carry the following equipment with them and will be disqualified for failing kit checks. Inspections will take place randomly at registration and during the race and at the finish line:
• Fully charged mobile phone including the numbers for the Race Medic, Race Director, and Event Control (At the top of this page)
• Race pack / running vest to carry mandatory equipment
• Route downloaded on a GPS watch, handheld device or mobile phone.
• Hydration system / bottles or bladder that can hold 1 litre of liquid
• Whistle - available from Amazon
• Foil blanket - available from Amazon
• Headlamp or torch with spare batteries (50km runners only)
• Winter hat
• Base Layer top. This must be carried separately in your race pack and kept dry for when you might need it. If you are wearing a base layer from the start, then you will need a spare dry one in your race pack as a backup
• Waterproof jacket
• Cash and a bank card
• Emergency food to be carried in race pack - 400 calories minimum
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Trail etiquette:
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Please be aware that the race route follows trails, paths and fields that will be shared by other members of the public and off lead dogs may be present. It is especially important to be polite, courteous, and considerate to all users.
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We want to preserve the beauty of the trails that we use, so littering will not be tolerated. Anyone seen intentionally littering will be disqualified from the race.
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There may also be livestock such as cows and sheep in the fields. Please approach these with care and give livestock plenty of space. It is essential that all gates are securely closed after using them to prevent livestock escaping from fields.
Road crossings and carparks
There are a few road crossings along the route, some of which are very busy and potentially dangerous. Road crossings will be signed with yellow crossing ahead signage. It is your responsibility as runners to always navigate these safely. Please slow down and take your time at these, pass along and cross these as you normally would by using the Highway Code (Stop, look right then left) and staying on the right-hand side against the flow of cars.
A few small sections will require running on country roads without pavements, so please stay on the right and be cautious. There will be marshals at some of these crossings however, the majority will be unmanned.
Spectators:
Spectators are very welcome to come along and support their runners throughout the day however, they must not attend at any of the aid station locations. Runners are responsible for their supporters, so it is down to you to pass this Information onto them. It is very important for the future of the race that spectators behave in a sensible manner throughout and do not park or trespass on private land.
Medical
There will be an experienced team of race medics available to runners before, during and after the event including a first aid team, response car and a cycle medic. If you need medical assistance, please contact the Race medic on the number at the top of this document.
There is the possibility that due to the rural location of parts of the course, the medical team may take some time to reach you. If you require urgent medical assistance, you should call call 999.
Timing and Results
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Race timing results will be available in real time at the end of the race on the Results base website - https://resultsbase.net/results
After the race we will share our 25km and 50km race results with UTMB, The International Trail Running Association. If you do not wish to have your results published by any of these then please send us an email and make us aware of this before Friday 21st February.
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We hope you have a great race and look forward to seeing you at the start line
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Thunder Races Team
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