PRE-RACE ENQUIRIES: telephone Dick Corthine on 01787 312778

The race starts and finishes at Ramsey School, Colne Road, Halstead, Essex, where there will be showers, toilets, changing areas and bag storage facilities. Refreshments are also available throughout the day in the reception area. Commemorative ‘T’ Shirts are available for purchase. A masseur will also be in attendance

Baggage is stored in a separate supervised room. For security reasons all luggage is tagged this takes time and a queue may form so please do not leave checking in your luggage until the last minute – you could miss the start

It will be helpful if you label your baggage with your running number beforehand.

Doors open at 7.30am. Runners need to arrive no later than 9.30 am to allow for parking and storage of baggage. The Start is adjacent to Race HQ. The start and finish lines are identical.

Car Parking You will be directed to nearby car parking by marshals. There is no parking at Race HQ as this is reserved for essential and emergency services. The organisers can take no responsibility for any loss or damage to vehicles or their contents.

Competitors are advised that all dogs and wheeled carriages other than wheelchairs are banned from the race and athletes must not be accompanied or followed by others on cycles. The course is not suitable for wheelchair athletes.

Medical Arrangements The Medical Arrangements for the Race are under the supervision of our Medical Director. On Race Day St John Ambulance, to whom we are very grateful for assisting us since our first race, provides our medical provision. Their Base is at Race Headquarter behind the start line. They will be patrolling the Course and an Ambulance is on standby throughout the Race. Runners are reminded that they should ensure that they are in good health on the day of the race and, in any event, compete at their own risk. We provide Level 3 cover as defined by UK:athletics. Our Communications Centre is at the Information Desk

The Information Desk is within the Reception Area and manned by our Communications Coordinator during the Race. We have a mobile phone network and she is in communication with all the officials including the Course Director, who is supervising the course, First Aid, the water stations and most of the course marshals. Maps of the course for Spectators will be available. They are a number of particularly convenient places to watch the Race. If you have a car, Levit’s Corner is interesting as the runners pass 4 times. Parking is towards Pebmarsh either by the Football Club or in the road. The King’s Head, Pebmarsh, which opens at midday, is passed twice and provides good quality food. Booking is recommended for Sunday Lunch (01787 269306). For walkers, Star Stile Corner, which runners pass twice and is at the beginning of the return run, is within a mile of the Start; off road Car parking is also available there.

All club and unaffiliated runners who were born in Essex or have been resident for 9 months or more are eligible for this championship. The Essex County Amateur Athletic Association Road Race Secretary’s decision as to eligibility on the day is final. There are no entries on the day for this championship except at the discretion of the Road Racing Secretary.

Awards are made to first, second and third place finishes and first three teams. The awards are for both Males and Females. There are also the following age category awards: -

Men – Senior, over 40, 50, and 60. Women – Senior, over 35,45, and 55.

Runners eligible for these Championships will need to have entered by Saturday 6th May and to have indicated their intention by showing their membership number on the entry form. If you wish to join the Road Runners Club see www.roadrunnersclub.org.uk or email: ElaineOddie@aol.com.

For further information, ring Dave Cooper 01708 720370. Dave will also be at the Race HQ on race day. If you join after entering, let us have your membership and race numbers. A meeting place, signed from reception will be made available for members.

The Race Director’s decision as to the distribution of Trophies is final.

There will be three presentations, Halstead Marathon, Road Runners Club and Essex County Marathon; the Presentations will start at approximately 2.00pm

The Halstead Marathon itself has a one person - one trophy policy. Therefore first, second and third places receive place trophies and thereafter other runners receive age category prizes. The only exception is in the trophies given to the first mixed team with the best time. The Trophies are Men 1st to 3rd place and1st over 40, 45, 50, 55, 60, 65: Ladies – 1st to 3rd place and 1st over 35, 40, 45 and 50. The Sports Council Trophy is given to the first runner resident in the Braintree District Council Area. The Colin Richer Trophy is given to the 1st member of Halstead Road Runners. If either the first male or female runners beat their respective course record they will be awarded a prize of £100. The ladies record is 3.09.52; the men’s record is 2.38.02.

If a winning runner has to leave early please give your details to the Race Director or if unavailable at the Information Desk. As all runners know the time taken to collate individual and team winners can be trying on runners and families who may have a long journey home, we will do our best to present all winners with their prizes on time. This year, in particular, due to three separate presentations we request your understanding if we do not manage this.

If you have further queries contact the Race Director Richard Corthine Tel. 01787 312778, e mail Richardcorthine@aol.com or contact Andy Wilmot, 2 Constantine Cottages, Sudbury Road, Halstead, Essex CO9 2RR Tel 01787 475780

We hope that as many runners as possible will feel able to participate in our sponsorship of our chosen Charity. There is no minimum donation, every little helps. Donations will be accepted in Race Reception.

With great reluctance we have now followed the pattern of other races and introduced a five-hour time limit.

The problem was that by 3 pm our marshals, some of who were at their posts before 10am are exhausted. What made it inevitable was, perhaps because other races now include time limits, we were getting more and more slow runners/walkers. Last year we had 8 who took over 6 hours and one over 7 hours. To have marshals still at their post at 4.30 was asking too much.

We do not want to let down those who genuinely think they will take less than 5 hours but who have trouble in keeping within that time. So we are making arrangements to deal with this.

Our roving Chief Course Marshal together with our static marshals, most of who have mobile phones and are in touch with our Course Co-ordinator on the Information Desk at HQ, keep reviewing the progress and condition of the runners towards the end of the field. A marshal always accompanies the last runner on a bike. We will know who is out on the course after 5 hours and their progress. We will keep our medical cover in operation.

The water stations will be left in position with supplies until the last runner has passed even if they are not manned. All changes in direction on the course will be clearly marked from 19 miles onwards so that that marshals are not essential. The runners will have passed along this part of the course beforehand on the first lap. The last mile (the back run) will either be marshalled or the runners individually monitored.

We hope you have a good run, but if things do go wrong you will not be deserted.

Due to the amount of interest from the runners at Runners World there will be an area set aside at the start of the race where runners can meet to form pacing groups. This will provide the opportunity for runners of similar ability to run together and help each other achieve their target times.