Country to Capital Ultra Marathon
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Event
Country to Capital is a point-to-point ultra marathon organised by Go Beyond. The race distance is 43 miles and finishes near the Little Venice canal basin in central London. The event is restricted to competitors aged over 18. Prizes are awarded to the first three male and female finishers, and all finishers receive a medal and Go Beyond merchandise.
Course and logistics
The route starts in Wendover at the Shoulder of Mutton Pub and finishes at the Stowe Centre next to Little Venice, close to Paddington and Royal Oak stations. The course surface is a mix of country trails, roads and canal towpath: 11.0 miles cross-country trails (26%), 12.1 miles roads and paths (28%), and 20 miles canal towpath (46%). Total elevation change is approximately +1,375 ft and -1,720 ft. The route is waymarked but requires some navigation and is covered by OS Maps 181, 172 and 173.
There are five checkpoints offering water and snacks. The race uses Geo Tracks GPS trackers for live tracking and navigation; units upload position frequently and are accurate to about 5 metres. The official cutoff is 11 hours and progressive cutoffs apply from Checkpoint 3 onwards. One competitor bag (carry-on size 56 x 45 x 25 cm) can be transferred to the finish. Mandatory kit includes a charged mobile phone, powerbank, minimum 1 litre water capacity, survival blanket, waterproof jacket, whistle, torch and spare batteries, hat and gloves, and a long-sleeved base layer or fleece. The Stowe Centre provides showers, toilets and a hall at the finish. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.