Gisburn Forest Trail Races Final Details

03/08/23 
10k - 11:00am / Half Marathon - 1:00pm

Good afternoon!

Our 2nd event of Summer is our forestry trail epic at Gisburn Forest... a trail running event that's become a regular feature on many of your calendars and it was another sell out event.

There are several important updates so please ensure you read through the whole email, and please car share as much as possible to make your arrival quick and smooth.

Full details as follows...

Race Day Details

Where is the race HQ?

The race HQ is located at Gisburn Forest Hub. Address is:

The Hub, Gisburn Forest, Stephen Park, Slaidburn, Lancashire, BB7 4TS.

What time is registration? 

Registration is open from 8:30am - 12:45pm and will be located at Gisburn Forest Hub where you will collect your numbers. Please allow plenty of time for arrival, if most people arrive at an hour before their race sets off it creates queues at parking, registration and the toilets, so please arrive early, grab a coffee from the cafe, chill out and wait for your race to begin.

Where is parking? 

We have access to a large field called Stephen Park behind Gisburn Forest Hub, unless it's absolute monsoon season (like last year!! The PTSD is still strong..) You will be directed to park here on your arrival, as well as using the Hub car park, Cocklet Hill Car Park and the use of forestry roads.

There is a charge of £4 (cash only) which will be collected on arrival. Don't pay at the terminal, you won't be charged on race day, there will be a marshal with a bucket to collect your money.

Please car share where possible and please follow marshal's instructions and directions to the correct parking area. 

Will there be water station?

10k Trail Race: We have water ready and waiting for you at the finish. We will also have an unmanned water station at 3.7 miles into the race which you can pour yourself a cup of water if needed with your own drinking vessel. Cups on the course won't be supplied so please bring one with you if you wish to drink the water half way.

10k Aid stations: 

Mile 3.7: Unmanned water station
Finish: Water station

Half Marathon Trail Race: You will also have access to the unmanned water station at mile 3.7 but also a supplementary food and water station which you pass at mile 4.9 and again on the return from the half marathon loop at mile 9.9.

Half Marathon Aid stations: 

Mile 3.7: Unmanned water station
Mile 4.9: Supplementary food and water
Mile 9.9: Supplementary food and water
Finish: Water station

Route Information: 

Both routes will be flagged, signed and marshalled throughout. Although we are closing off bike trails and stopping bikers whilst the race is taking place, please keep an eye out for bikers as you run along the bike trails. Although we've never had issues in the past, it's worth mentioning just in case we have anyone determined to ignore signs and marshals. 



10k Trail Race: The 10k remains the popular route we've enjoyed since 2019, except for an additional spots we've directed the route on to more of the fairtyale-esque bike trails you enjoy. The race now immediately joins a bike trail from the hub so please keep this in mind as it's narrow and won't have much room for overtaking. 

You will be following RED flags, however, as the half marathon takes on most of the 10k, you will also see a yellow flag next to it too. There will only be a few occasions you only see red flags and if you only see a yellow flag you are likely on the half marathon course, turn back!



Half Marathon Trail Race: The half marathon takes in much of the 10k route and you will be following YELLOW flags. Our sweeper will collect the red flags from the 10k race, so you will see only yellow flags during your race. You will get directed to turn up the hill on your left at the aid station at mile 4.9 where you will begin the half marathon loop, where you will continue to see yellow flags. You will follow the loop round until you reach the same aid station again at mile 9.9. There is only one more time the half marathon diverts off the 10k course, which is at mile 10.3, before rejoining at mile 12.4 as you make your way back to the finish.

On the half marathon you will be met with rocky terrain, windy bike trails, a small shin-deep river crossing and a long wooden bridge. It's a wild route and you're going to love it, but please be careful when passing these sections. 

GPX Files: We're a nervous bunch so we always over flag our routes just in case... However, as the half marathon route goes into the more remote areas of Gisburn Forest, we advise that you follow the route using a GPX file if you have a watch or device capable of it for extra reassurance. For those doing the 10k, you can also download a GPX file to ensure you don't stray on to the half marathon route. 

As mentioned, the courses will be fully flagged and signed and marshalled. We intend to have a lot of marshals on course, but as it's the holidays and we can only recruit so many. If you have a friend or family member that would like to marshal, please ask them to get in touch via marshalling@penninetrails.com.

If you missed the chance to cancel your entry, but would instead like to help marshal and gain free entry to next year's race, please also get in touch via marshalling@penninetrails.com.

Downloads:

GPX FILES
MAP FILES
10K STRAVA ROUTE
HALF MARATHON STRAVA ROUTE

Safety Information:
If you need to drop out of the race please inform the closest marshal who will feedback the information to Race HQ. Please then make your way back and let us know you have returned. If you are injured and unable to make your way back, please inform the nearest marshal know and we will come and collect you in our support vehicle. 

If you arrive after your race, you will not be permitted to join for safety purposes, as the sweeper will have already set off and begun to pick up the flags. So please arrive in plenty of time for your race.

Please make sure you are in good health to take on the races. Although there are no cut offs, this is a running event - if you intend to walk the entire route it could mean our marshals are out in exposed areas for a very long time. Please respect the course and only race if you are fit to do so.

What should I wear?



Our sponsors inov-8 are back with us again and will be selling shoes and gear with some great deals currently on too. Their new TRAILFLY or TRAILFLY SPEED Shoes in particular are a great choice for this route.

10k Trail Race: 

Grippy trail shoes are a must - waterproof jacket, waterproof trousers, hat and gloves are advised.

Half Marathon Trail Race: 

Mandatory Kit Includes: Waterproof jacket, waterproof trousers, hat and gloves, emergency food (chocolate bar, flapjack), soft flask or cup and mobile phone with saved emergency number for the support vehicle are essential. Grippy, cushioned trail shoes advised.

Half Marathon Emergency number: 07951278689 & 07736647719

Will there be a baggage area?

Runners are welcome to leave their belongings at the registration gazebo at their own risk.

Where do I collect my race number?

You will collect your bib number when you register at the race on arrival.

Where do I collect my pre-ordered merchandise?

We will have a tent set up next to the merchandise and registration tents where you can collect your pre-ordered t-shirts from.

Can I buy Pennine Trail Merchandise?

We will have our merchandise stand but we will likely only be able to accept cash payments due to the lack of signal in Gisburn Forest.

Are there refreshments?

Gisburn Forest have a fantastic Cafe which will be putting on an event menu for you. Drinks and food can be bought before and after the race. Cash and card options available.

Where are the toilets?

There is a large toilet block located in the Gisburn Forest Hub car park. Please use this toilet over the Cafe toilet to ease queuing times. Please allow those doing the 10k priority before their races begins in you're an early half marathon arrival.

Race Rules:

1. Do not run under anyone else's bib, this is for both safety reasons and to avoid results and prizes potentially being incorrect.
2. Do not run without a race bib. If you arrive late, you won't have your time recorded and you will not be able to join the race for safety purposes as the tail runner will have already set off.
3. Do not drop any litter. 
4. Running with dogs not permitted.
5. Do not abuse volunteers or marshals.

Breach of the above rules will result in DQ and may result in a ban from future events.

Race Day Timeline:

8:30am: Registration opens 
Collect your numbers, pre-ordered t-shirts, checkout the inov-8 and Pennine Trails merch stand and grab a coffee from the Hub cafe.

10:50am: 10k Race Safety Brief - Welcome message from the Race Director
10 minutes before the race begins, the Race Director will give a brief message about the race. As the race takes place on bike trails and crosses roads, it is essential you listen to the pre-race briefing to ensure we get you around safely.

11:00am: The Gisburn Forest 10k Trail Race begins!
The race will set off and you will enjoy the best of what Gisburn Forest has to offer! Don't forget to pick up your goody bags from the marshals at the end!

12:45pm: Registration Closes
Half marathon runners begin to make your way to the race start outside Gisburn Forest Hub

12:50pm: Half Marathon Race Safety Brief - Welcome message from the Race Director
10 minutes before the race begins, the Race Director will give a brief message about the race. As the race takes place on bike trails and crosses roads, it is essential you listen to the pre-race briefing to ensure we get you around safely.

1:00pm: The Gisburn Forest Half Marathon Trail Race begins!
The race will set off and you will enjoy the brand new Gisburn Forest Trail Half Marathon! Don't forget to pick up your goody bags from the marshals at the end!

4:30pm - 5:00pm: Race Presentation (or sooner if we have our winners in before then).
Once we have all the winners back, we'll have a presentation for both the Gisburn Forest 10k and Half Marathon Trail Race winners and runners up and we'll sign off on a hopefully another successful running of the Gisburn Forest Trail Race.

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That's your comprehensive race day email over with, thank you for reading the lot! Any further updates will be posted via our Facebook page. As we prepare for the race we will have limited time to respond and on the days before we will be out on site setting up the course and the Race HQ.

As mentioned above, if you have a friend or family member that would like to marshal, please ask them to get in touch via marshalling@penninetrails.com.

If you missed the chance to cancel your entry, but would instead like to help marshal and gain free entry to next year's race, please also get in touch via marshalling@penninetrails.com. 

Deadline to transfer your entry to another runner ends midnight Saturday where we will finalise lists and send them to Timing Up North. Details on how to do so here.

We can't wait to see you all next Saturday!

Best wishes from the Pennine Trails team