Rose of the Shires Ultra

Rose of the Shires Ultra and Rosebud Marathon

Two linked events are based at Brixworth Country Park and use a circular route through Northamptonshire countryside, combining country trails, roads and canal towpaths. The Rose of the Shires Ultra covers the full circuit while the Rosebud Marathon covers the final section of the same route.

Distances

• 54 miles for the Rose of the Shires Ultra
• 26.2 miles for the Rosebud Marathon (last section of the Ultra)
• Relay legs: 8.7, 7.1, 7.4, 6.8, 7.7, 8, 8.4 miles

The Ultra terrain mix is 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 +706 m / -706 m. The Rosebud Marathon includes about 14 miles of trails, 10.4 miles of roads and 1.8 miles of canal towpath with approximately +378 m gain and -399 m loss.

The course is waymarked but some navigation is required; a real time tracker and a voice cue navigation app are available. The Ultra has six checkpoints spaced about 6–8 miles apart offering water, snacks and Go Beyond fruit cake. The Ultra cut off is 13.5 hours with progressive checkpoint cut-offs. The Marathon has two checkpoints and an overall cut-off of 8 hours.

Practical details: parking is available at Brixworth Country Park (charges apply), transport to the Marathon start is offered for a small fee, baggage can be stored at the finish or left in a car, and entrants must be over 18. Mandatory kit includes trail shoes, mobile phone, water bottle, survival blanket, waterproof jacket, whistle and headtorch. Awards are given to the first three male and female finishers in each event. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.