Rose of the Shires Ultra

Event

The Rose of the Shires Ultra is a 54-mile circular ultra marathon held at Brixworth Country Park, Northamptonshire. The event is a UTMB Index race in the 100K category. Prizes are awarded to the first three male and female finishers; all finishers receive a medal and event merchandise. The race is restricted to entrants over 18 years of age.

Course and logistics

The route combines footpaths, country trails, roads and canal towpath and is largely waymarked but requires some navigation. Key facts:

• 54 miles (full ultra)
• Approximately 26 miles (Rosebud Marathon, final section of the route)
• Relay legs: 8.7 / 7.1 / 7.4 / 6.8 / 7.7 / 8 / 8.4 miles

Terrain mix is listed as 36.4 miles of cross-country trails, 15.6 miles of roads and 1.8 miles of canal towpath. Total elevation gain is +2,315 ft (+706 m) with matching descent. There are six checkpoints spaced about 6–8 miles apart; each provides water, snacks and an event fruit cake. The event uses Geo Tracks GPS trackers for real-time tracking (updates every 10 seconds, quoted accuracy 5 m, battery life about 70 hours). Cut-off for the full ultra is 13.5 hours with progressive checkpoint cut-offs.

Mandatory kit includes a charged mobile phone, at least 1 litre water capacity, survival blanket (minimum 1.4 x 2 m), waterproof jacket, whistle, headtorch and spare batteries, hat and gloves, and a long-sleeved base layer or fleece. Baggage can be left at the finish; suggested maximum bag size 56 x 45 x 25 cm. Parking is available at the lower meadow car park of Brixworth Country Park. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.