Rose of the Shires Ultra and The Rosebud Marathon

Rose of the Shires Ultra and The Rosebud Marathon

The events are based at Brixworth Country Park in Northamptonshire and use a circular route through local countryside, villages, country parks, canal towpaths and sections of established long distance paths. Both events use waymarked courses but require some navigation; organisers provide a GPS tracker and a voice cue navigation app.

Distances

• 54 miles Rose of the Shires Ultra
• 26.2 miles Rosebud Marathon, covering the final section of the Ultra

The Rose of the Shires Ultra route comprises about 36.4 miles of cross country trails, 15.6 miles of roads and 1.8 miles of canal towpath, with elevation gain and loss of about 2315 ft (706 m). There are six checkpoints roughly 6 to 8 miles apart offering water, snacks and fruit cake. The Ultra uses progressive checkpoint cut offs and has an overall cut off of 13.5 hours. Participants must be over 18 years old. Parking is available at Brixworth Country Park and bags can be kept at the finish or in a car.

The Rosebud Marathon covers roughly 14 miles of trails, 10.4 miles of roads and 1.8 miles of canal towpath, with elevation gain of about 1241 ft (378 m) and elevation loss of about 1308 ft (399 m). Two checkpoints are provided on the marathon section. Transport to the marathon start is offered for a small fee. Relay teams can divide the Ultra into seven legs with specified mileages. Awards are given to the top three male and female finishers in each event. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.