Grim Reaper Running Festival
Bourne, United Kingdom • 23-24 May 2026
Event overview
The Grim Reaper Running Festival takes place at Grimsthorpe Castle Estate near Bourne, South Lincolnshire on Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 May 2026. The event offers multiple distance options and camping on the Friday and Saturday nights is included with entry. All finishers receive a medal; trophies are awarded to first, second and third in male and female solo races and to members of winning relay teams. Entries open 27 June 2025 and close 10 May 2026.
Distances
- 10 miles (day)
- 10 miles (night)
- 40 miles
- 70 miles
- 100 miles
- 100-mile team relay (teams up to 5)
Course, logistics and rules
The marked course is a 10-mile loop covering grass trails through ancient woodland, limestone tracks, quiet estate roads and a disused Victorian railway line, and skirts the estate lake. Elevation is 550 ft per lap. Trail shoes are recommended, especially in damp or wet conditions.
The race is self-sufficient for ultra distances with an aid station at mile 5 offering limited snacks, water and a toilet. Fully qualified medics will be onsite. Cut-off limits apply: 70 and 100-mile races have a 28-hour cut-off; the 40-mile race has a 27-hour cut-off. Pacers are permitted on foot from mile 50 only; only one pacer per runner. Crew access is limited to the start/finish area. A mandatory kit list applies to the 40, 70 and 100-mile solo races (required equipment includes a charged mobile phone, survival blanket, headtorch and backup light, long-sleeved baselayer, waterproof jacket and at least 1 litre water capacity). Dogs are permitted in the 10-mile solo races only and must be kept on a lead. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.