Cheshire Ring 100

Event Overview

The Cheshire Ring Ultra 100 is a 102-mile ultramarathon held on a looped course around Greater Manchester and Cheshire. The second edition is scheduled for Saturday 26 September 2026, starting and finishing at The Piazza in Media City, Salford Quays. The route connects several canals: the Bridgewater, Ashton, Rochdale, Peak Forest, Trent & Mersey, and Macclesfield Canals. The total elevation gain is 345 meters. The event has a 30-hour cutoff time and a field limit of 250 participants.

Course and Logistics

The course is described as easy to follow, consisting largely of canal towpaths. There are 11 official checkpoints along the route providing refreshments, including drinks, sandwiches, fruit, snacks, and hot food like pasta at some locations. Hot drinks are available at indoor checkpoints. Support crews are permitted at most checkpoints, with specific restrictions at Preston Brook Village Hall (Checkpoint 10). A single pacer is allowed from the halfway point at Checkpoint 7 (Lawton Memorial Hall). Participants can leave drop bags at Checkpoint 7 (48 miles) and Checkpoint 10 (78 miles).

Requirements and Awards

Participants must be at least 20 years old on race day and must have previously completed an organized ultramarathon of at least 50 miles. The event is licensed by the Trail Running Association (TRA) and held under UK Athletics rules. It awards ITRA and UTMB mountain index points (allocation to be confirmed). Finishers receive a belt buckle: gold for top 100 finishers, silver for finishers 101-200, and bronze for finishers 201 and beyond. Additional prizes are awarded to the top three male and top three female finishers.

Mandatory Kit

All runners must carry mandatory kit at all times, subject to random checks. This includes a waterproof coat with sealed seams (minimum 10,000mm rating), a long-sleeved base layer (separate in a dry bag), a water bottle or bladder with a minimum 1-litre capacity, a fully charged mobile phone, a survival or thermal bivi bag, a headtorch (minimum 75 lumens), a whistle, a backup light source (minimum 25 lumens, not a phone), and the provided GPS tracker. The event is cupless, so runners must bring their own cup for hot drinks. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.