Rose of the Shires Ultra

Event overview

The Rose of the Shires Ultra is a 54-mile circular ultra marathon that starts and finishes at Brixworth Country Park (Northampton Road, Brixworth, NN6 9DG). The route runs through Northamptonshire countryside, passing Salcey Forest, the Grand Union Canal and parts of the Nene Way, Midshires Way and Northampton Round. The event is a registered UTMB Index race in the 100K category. Awards are given to the first three male and female finishers and all finishers receive a medal and event merchandise.

Distances

• 54 miles - Rose of the Shires Ultra
• 26.2 miles - Rosebud Marathon (last 26 miles of the ultra)
• Relay legs: 8.7 / 7.1 / 7.4 / 6.8 / 7.7 / 8.0 / 8.4 miles

Course and logistics

The course comprises 36.4 miles of cross-country trails, 15.6 miles of roads and 1.8 miles of canal towpath, with total elevation gain of +2315 ft (+706 m) and equal loss. The route is waymarked but requires some navigation. There are six checkpoints, roughly 6-8 miles apart, each providing water, snacks and event cake. The overall cut-off is 13.5 hours with progressive cut-offs from Checkpoint 3 onward. Parking is available at Brixworth Country Park (lower meadow car park).

Safety and kit

The event provides Geo Tracks GPS trackers for real-time tracking (position updates every 10 seconds, about 5 m accuracy, battery life ~70 hours). Mandatory kit includes a fully charged mobile phone, minimum 1 litre water capacity, survival blanket, waterproof jacket, whistle, headtorch and spare batteries, hat and gloves, and a long-sleeved base layer or fleece. Competitors must be over 18 years of age. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.