All entrants are invited to join the GB ULTRAS Team on FREE OF CHARGE training runs covering each of the race routes before the event. You can attend as many training runs as you like with the aim of learning the route and increasing confidence prior to Race day.
You’ll also have the chance to meet other runners taking on the Race, meet the team, test your kit and nutrition and see some amazing scenery across the UK.
DECEMBER
Saturday 14th December 2019 – Chester Ultra® Recce 1: Sandstone Trail training run
Section covered & distance: Miles 28 to 50 of the route on the Sandstone Trail from Frodsham to Waverton, the Finish Venue for the Race.
Start Time: 08:00 – Start/meeting point: Costa Coffee (14 Church St, Frodsham WA6 6QL)
Finish point: Waverton Village Hall (CH3 7QT). Car sharing: Required
JANUARY
Saturday 4th January 2020 – Manchester to Liverpool Ultra® RECCE 1:
Section covered & distance: Covering the first 23 miles of the M2LUltra 50 Route
Start time: 08:00 – Start/meeting point: N2 Car Park, Manchester United FC (advised not to park at N2 but possibly at Media City or locally), Sir Matt Busby Way, M16 0RA
Finish Point: Latchford Locks, Warrington, WA4 2XX. Car Sharing: Required
Sunday 5th January 2020 – Manchester to Liverpool Ultra® RECCE 2:
Section covered & distance: Miles 23 – 50 of the M2LUltra 50 Route – Start time: 08:00 – Start/meeting point: Latchford Locks, WA4 2XX
Finish Point: North End Sports & Social Club, Melling Rd, L9 0LQ – Car Sharing: Required
Saturday 11th January 2020 – Chester Ultra® Recce 2:
Section covered & distance: The first 28 miles of the route leaving Waverton and heading to Chester via the Marches trail alongside the River Dee – Start time: 08:00 – Start/meeting point: Waverton Village Hall (CH3 7QT)
Finish Point: Costa Coffee, 14 Church St, Frodsham WA6 6QL – Car Sharing: Required.
Sunday 12th January 2020 – Chester Ultra® Recce 3:
Section covered & distance: Miles 28 to 50 miles of the route on the Sandstone Trail from Frodsham to Waverton, the Finish Venue for the Race – Start time: 08:00 – Start/meeting point: Meeting point Costa Coffee (14 Church St, Frodsham WA6 6QL)
Finish Point: Waverton Village Hall (CH3 7QT). Car Sharing: Required.
Saturday 25th January 2020 – Chester Ultra® 100 Recce 4:
Section covered & distance: Miles 48 to 76 miles of the route from Frodsham to Warrington, Widnes and Runcorn prior to a finish at Preston Brook – Start time: 08:00 – Start/meeting point: Frodsham Community Centre (Fluin Ln, Frodsham WA6 7QN)
Finish Point: Spar Car park, 2 Bridgewater Grange, Preston Brook, Runcorn WA7 3AL. Car Sharing: Required.
FEBRUARY
Saturday 1st February 2020 – Ultra Great Britain®, Scotland RECCE 1:
8am: Start at Castle Kennedy, Stranraer, Scotland, DG9 8RY to Glentrool Village Hall, Bargrennan, DG8 6SY (Covering 13 – 42 miles). Car sharing required
Finish Point: House o Hill, Bargrennan, Newton Stewart, DG8 6RN. Car Sharing: Required.
Sunday 2nd February 2020 – Ultra Great Britain®, Scotland RECCE 2:
Section covered & distance: Glentrool to St Johns Town of Dalry – approx. 26 miles – Start time: 08:00 – Start/meeting point: Glentrool Village Hall, DG8 6SY.
Finish Point: St Johns Town of Dalry Town Hall, Dumfries and Galloway, DG7 3SW. Car Sharing: Required.
Saturday 15th February 2020 – Ultra Great Britain®, Ultra Scotland® 50 & 100 Mile – Scotland RECCE 3:
Section covered & distance: St Johns Town of Dalry to Sanquhar 26 Miles – Start time: 08:00 – Start/meeting point: St John’s Town of Dalry Town Hall, DG7 3SW (Checkpoint 4 Ultra GB).
Finish Point: Sanquhar Town Hall, DG4 6DF. Car Sharing: Required.
Sunday 16th February 2020 – Ultra Great Britain®, Ultra Scotland® 50 & 100 Mile Scotland RECCE 4:
Section covered & distance: Sanquhar to Beattock 26 Miles – Start time: 08:00 – Start/meeting point: Sanquhar Town Hall, DG4 6DF.
Finish Point: Beattock Village Hall, DG10 9QZ (Checkpoint 7 Ultra GB). Car Sharing: Required.
Saturday 29th February 2020 – CHESTER ULTRA® 50 Race Day
MARCH
Saturday 14th March 2020 – Beacons Way Ultra 100 RECCE 1:
Section covered & distance: Covering the first 26 miles of the Beacons Way Ultra 100 route – Start time: 08:00 – Start/meeting point: Abergavenny Castle (Parking available at Castle Street Car Park NP7 5EE).
Finish Point: Crickhowell Village Hall, NP8 1BB. Car Sharing: Required
Sunday 15th March 2020 – Beacons Way Ultra 100 RECCE 2:
Section covered & distance: Covering miles 26-46 of the Beacons Way Ultra 100 route – Start time: 08:00 – Start/meeting point: Crickhowell Village Hall, NP8 1BB.
Finish Point: Talybont. Blaen y Glyn Uchaf car park, Talybont-on-Usk, Merthyr Tydfil, CF48 2UT. Car Sharing: Required.
Saturday 21st March 2020 – Beacons Way Ultra 100 RECCE 3:
Section covered & distance: Covering miles 46-68 of the Beacons Way Ultra 100 route – Start time: 08:00 – Start/meeting point: Talybont. Blaen y Glyn Uchaf car park, Talybont-on-Usk, CF48 2UT
Finish Point: Tafarn-y-Garreg Campsite (Opposite the Restaurant), Pen-y-cae, Swanea SA9 1GS. Car Sharing: Required.
Sunday 22nd March 2020 – Beacons Way Ultra 100 RECCE 4:
Section covered & distance: Covering the last 30 miles of the Beacons Way 100 ultra (depending on group pace) – Start time: 08:00 – Start/meeting point: Tafarn-y-Garreg Campsite, Pen-y-cae, Swansea SA9 1GS.
Finish Point: LLangadog Community Centre, SA19 9BR. Car Sharing: Required.
Saturday 28th March 2020 – Ultra Great Britain®, Ultra Scotland® 50 & 100 Mile – Scotland RECCE 5:
Section covered & distance: Covering miles 120-153 of the Race Across Scotland route along the Southern Upland Way – Start time: 08:00 – Start/meeting point: Beattock Village Hall, DG9 8RY.
Finish Point: Traquair Arms Hotel, Traquair Rd, Innerleithen EH44 6PD (near Traquair on the Southern Upland Way) – Car Sharing: Required.
Sunday 29th March 2020 – Ultra Great Britain®, Ultra Scotland® 50 & 100 Mile – Scotland RECCE 6:
Section covered & distance: Traquair to Lauder (26 miles) – Start time: 08:00 – Start/meeting point: Traquair Arms Hotel, Innerleithen, EH44 6PD.
Finish Point: Lauder Village Hall, Scottish Borders, TD2 6TR. Car Sharing: Required.
APRIL
Good Friday 10th April 2020 – MANCHESTER TO LIVERPOOL ULTRA® Race Day
Saturday 18th April 2020 – Snowdon Ultra® RECCE 1:
Section covered & distance: Covering 1st section past Swallow Falls, joining the Snowdonia Slate Trail to Tryfan & also the last section via Crimpiau, Llyn Crafnant & Llyn Geirionydd – 23 Miles – Start time: 08:00 – Start/meeting point: Betws-Y-Coed Village Green.
Finish Point: Betws-Y-Coed Village Green. Car Sharing: Not Required.
Sunday 19th April 2020 – Snowdon Ultra® RECCE 2:
Section covered & distance: Tryfan’s Heather Terrace and to Snowdon Summit 14 Miles – Start time: 08:00 – Start/meeting point: Outside of Gwern Gof Uchaf (Parking available on the road outside of the campsite), Capel Curig, LL24 0EU
Finish Point: Checkpoint at Llyn Pen-y-Gwryd Car Park (Pay and Display), nr to Pen Y Gwryd Hotel, LL55 4NT. Car Sharing: Required – unless runners decide to return via Miner’s Track and Cwm Tryfan.
Saturday 25th April 2020 – Glasgow to Edinburgh Ultra® RECCE 1: Details tbc
Sunday 26th April 2020 – Glasgow to Edinburgh Ultra® RECCE 2: Details tbc
MAY
Saturday 2nd May 2020 – ULTRA SCOTLAND® 50 & 100 MILE RACE DAY
Saturday 16th May 2020 – Pennine Barrier® RECCE 1 Free of Charge:
Section covered & distance: Covering the 1st and last sections of the Pennine Barrier 50 Mile route – Malham to Pen-y-Ghent out and back, last section via Janet’s Foss waterfall – 25 Miles approx. – Start time: 08:00 – Start/meeting point: The Buck Inn, Cove Road, Malham, BD23 4DA
Finish Point: The Buck Inn, Cove Road, Malham, BD23 4DA. Car Sharing – Not Required.
Sunday 17th May 2020 – Pennine Barrier® RECCE 2 Free of Charge:
Section covered & distance: Covering the Yorkshire 3 Peaks of Pen-Y-Ghent, Whernside & Ingleborough – 24 Miles – Start time: 08:00 – Start/meeting point: Horton-in-Ribblesdale Yorkshire Dales Car Park, BD24 0HF
Finish Point: Horton-in-Ribblesdale Yorkshire Dales Car Park, BD24 0HF. Car Sharing – Not Required.
Saturday 30th May 2020 – CHESTER ULTRA® 100 MILE RACE DAY
JUNE
Saturday 20th June 2020 – PENNINE BARRIER ULTRA® 50 MILE RACE DAY
JULY
Saturday 11th July 2020 – BEACONS WAY ULTRA 100 MILE RACE DAY
Saturday 18th July 2020 – Snowdon Ultra® RECCE 3:
Section covered & distance: Covering miles 22 – 32 miles of the Snowdon Ultra route including the Glyder Fawr, Glyder Fach, Pen yr Ole Wen – Start time: 08:00 – Start/meeting point: Llyn Pen-y-Gwryd Car Park, nr to Pen Y Gwryd Hotel, LL55 4NT.
Finish Point: Gwern Gof Uchaf, Capel Curig, LL24 0EU – parking at layby outside of campsite. Car Sharing: Required.
Sunday 19th July 2020 – Snowdon Ultra® 100 Mile RECCE 4: (100 MILE ROUTE)
Section covered & distance: Joining the Snowdonia Slate Trail to Beddgelert & also the ascent of Cnicht – 33 Miles – Start time: 08:00 – Start/meeting point: Betws-Y-Coed Village Green, LL24 0AY.
Finish Point: Beddgelert car park, Caernarfon LL55 4YJ. Car Sharing: Required.
Saturday 25th July 2020 – Snowdon Ultra® 100 Mile RECCE 5: (100 MILE ROUTE)
Section covered & distance: Covering the ascent of Moel Hebog, before heading through the Nant Gwynant Valley and the final ascent of Moel Siabod – 20 Miles – Start time: 08:00 – Start/meeting point: Beddgelert car park, Caernarfon LL55 4YJ
Finish Point: Capel Curig car park, LL24 0EN – Car Sharing: Required.
AUGUST
Saturday 8th – 12th August 2020 – ULTRA GREAT BRITAIN® 215 MILE RACE DAY (RACE ACROSS SCOTLAND)
Race Across Scotland 215 Mile, Ultra Great Britain along the stunning Southern Upland Way with Village Hall support across Scotland!
SEPTEMBER
Saturday 5th September 2020 – SNOWDON ULTRA® 50 & 100 MILE RACE DAY
OCTOBER
Saturday 10th October 2020 (TBC) – GLASGOW TO EDINBURGH ULTRA® RACE DAY
The training runs are free of charge to attend, we simply ask that runners confirm their attendance by joining the GB Ultras Community Forum so that closer to the time we can help make arrangements if needed. The idea would be to have some of the runners cars dropped off at the end point of the day’s run, arrange pick up of said runners from this point and bring them to the Start point. At the end of the day’s running, those with the car’s waiting at the finish point, drop runners back to their cars at the day’s Start point. We find this a sensible approach, promoting car sharing, organisation, avoiding charging for mini-bus hire, and also reducing the impact on the environment.
Pace wise we’ll be going at a nice gentle pace ensuring all runners stay as a group with brief stops approximately every couple of miles. Please note the recces’ are organised for entrants and runners only. Please also note we try to stay as a group throughout and only split the group if we have group leaders (various pace) in place so early confirmation of joining the training is essential.
Generally our training runs have high attendance and for safety reasons we’ll be imposing a limit depending on feedback. There will be no minimum attendance limit as we feel that if we can help just one runner prior to Race day then its been a success.
Please take into account weather conditions closer to the time. We recommend runners refer to the Mandatory kit section of the particular Race and carry sufficient food/water for the duration of each of the runs.
We hope the training runs help prepare you for the coming Race Season and hope you can join the team for one of the Races in 2020 or the Grand Slam!
by Wayne Drinkwater, Race Director.
