Thames Trail Ultra
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Event overview
The Thames Trail Ultra is a point-to-point ultra marathon of approximately 47 miles running from Hawkwell House Hotel in Iffley, Oxfordshire, to the YMCA Y Centre in Henley-on-Thames. The route follows the Thames Path and the Ridgeway National Trails and passes riverside paths, towpath tarmac, country trails and some roads. The organiser reports an elevation gain of +947 ft (+289 m) and an elevation loss of -1053 ft (-321 m). The event is registered as a UTMB Index race in the 50K category.
Course, support and logistics
The course is waymarked and supported by electronic tracking. The organiser provides a Geo Tracks GPS tracker for real-time tracking. The tracker uploads every 10 seconds, is accurate to about 5 metres and has a battery life of about 70 hours. There are five checkpoints with water, snacks and fruitcake; toilets are available near checkpoints 1, 4 and 5. The cut-off for the race is 11.5 hours, with progressive cut-offs from checkpoint 3 onward. One competitor bag will be transferred from the start to the finish; maximum bag size is 56 x 45 x 25 cm. Entry is restricted to competitors aged over 18. Runners are required to carry mandatory equipment, which includes a fully charged mobile phone, power bank, minimum 1 L water container, survival blanket, waterproof jacket, whistle, headtorch or body torch with spare batteries, hat and gloves, a long-sleeved base layer or fleece top, and a debit or credit card. Visit the organization's website for the most recent information.
