We kick off the Autumn 2020 Maprun series with a Wednesday evening race on 7th October based on The Wyman’s Brook in North West Cheltenham, It’s quite a varied area, including Swindon’s old village centre, open fields, Kingsditch trading estate and retail parks, housing estates with many paths, parkland, a disused railway to run along and a current mainline railway to avoid. All of this is never far from Wyman’s Brook that flows all the way across the middle of the map.
Map and Area Notes
In order to fit the area onto A4, North is NOT at the top of the map. Unusually for a Maprun, therefore diagonal north lines are shown to help those that use a compass.
It’s mostly tarmac, with some firm tracks and some grassy fields (conditions underfoot should be okay, but TBC nearer the time). Any kind of shoe should be suitable. Fairly flat, with just a few gentle inclines. Shorts mostly okay, but there are 2 paths highlighted on the map where you may get a little stung/prickled. These can be avoided.
There is one level crossing over railway, with automated barriers and this is highlighted on the map. There is a risk of losing some time if choosing to cross here, although there are 4 other places where it can be crossed.
There are 10 proper marked places to cross The Wyman’s Brook, including the bridges at Pittville Lake (where the brook would once have flowed). As an extra bonus contest, recognition will be given in the results to the person who crosses the brook in the most places. Double points for wading or jumping at any unofficial crossing point!
Entry Details
As for the summer series, the event logistics are a little different from how they were in pre-COVID days: please see the details below.
The event will be pre-registration only, with allocated start times.
Register on Fabian4 before midnight on 6 Octoberber (the day before the event).
Event details
Parking and map pickup will be in Swindon Village Park car park on Wymans Lane, GL51 9QH.
To spread people out, there will be a one hour start window, running from 1800 to 1900.
As with our usual MapRuns, it’ll be £5 seniors, £2 juniors. Juniors must be accompanied.
It’s a one hour score event using the MapRun app: please make sure you’ve installed MapRunF before the event. If you haven’t used MapRun before, don’t worry – it’s easy to use, and we have full details on getting started. Please check that you have downloaded the latest version of maprun – maprunF. If you have the older version on your phone you may have trouble downloading the event map, so you should check; if the main maprun screen is green, you have the older version. If it’s white, you have maprunF, and it’s also headed marunF!
MaprunG users.There is a phone signal in the car park, so you will be able to download the course to your phone at the event, on being given the PIN.
Event procedure
Start
When you register on Fabian4 you can select a start time. To avoid congregation at the start we’d ask you to follow the following start procedure:
- Wait in your car (or warm up away from the start) until your designated start time. If you are early and spot an opportunity to start early, with no other runners waiting to get a map and start, grab it if you are ready to go. Make sure you’ve downloaded the MapRun event onto your phone. The course will be found in the UK/Gloucestershire/Current Series folder. The course is PIN protected, so you wont be able to see the map, but you can check that you have downloaded the correct course.
- Just before your start time, press ‘Go To Start’ on the MapRunF app. The phone will ask for the PIN number. The PIN is written on the map, so….
- When your (perhaps revised) start time arrives: sanitise your hands, pick up a map from the table near the organiser’s car, enter the PIN and run to the start. Note that maps will have been printed several days before the event, and not handled since, so should be safe to handle. There is a phone signal of sorts in the car park, so MaprunG runners see the note above regarding access to the PIN code.
- Start and finish are the far corner of the railings to the kindergarten, close to south end of car park.
We recommend you familiarise yourself with the MapRunF app before you arrive. If you are new to maprun, it’s worth checking out your phone set up before coming to the event. You can find some hints and tips on how to do this on the Getting Started page on the Maprun Gloucestershire website
Out on the course
Early starters may benefit from some daylight, but you will need a head torch to finish the course, and must wear reflective clothing.
Finish
The Finish is co-located with the start, so make sure you do not pass through that point out on the course before you intend to finish.
Once you’ve finished, be aware of the social distancing guidelines and don’t congregate in large groups to compare results. You can always compare afterwards online.
Safety
The course is partly located in an urban environment necessitating many road crossings, so under 16s must be accompanied.
Any queries?
Contact the organiser, Greg Best