Welsh Castles Relay - sign up open
Sign up for the Welsh Castles Relay has now opened. This year we have 2 teams entered (open and women's). Register here.
S’mae (hi)
Welsh Castles Relay (9th-10th June) is a fun-filled weekend that promises fantastic running, breath-taking views, overwhelming camaraderie and more than a handful of castles. Most importantly it’s a great way to meet new Serpies and make more running friends.
This is an event that Serpentine have competed in for many years, and it would be great to win the open and women's competitions once again. But with 20 people per team, there is room for a wide range of standards, although the organisers do impose a cut-off time equivalent to nine-minute mile pace. We are also required to restrict our team to first-claim Serpentine members - you do have time to change your first-claim status before entry closes, but speak to us ASAP if this is the case.
When you sign up please indicate any stage preferences (some of the WCR regulars may use this chance to go after a particular stage win / record) and your rough pace for 10 miles.
Sign up here. It will be great to see lots of new names appearing.
The race starts in Caernarfon on Saturday morning and ends in Cardiff on Sunday afternoon with an awards presentation (a.k.a drinks and picnic in the park). It consists of 20 stages ranging in distance from 8 to 14 miles passing many Welsh Castles in some challenging terrain and each team has 20 runners who each run one stage. There are ten stages on Saturday and ten on Sunday. It is all run on roads and footpaths and the terrain varies from flat(ish) to straight uphill depending on your stage.
If you have any questions please get in touch by email to welshcastles@serpentine.org.uk. Hopefully see many of your names appearing on the sign-up sheet.
Register here before 12th May (we must declare runners in advance).
If you have any stage preferences highlight these on sign-up. As ever, taking 40 Serpies round Wales takes a lot of support – if you are willing to drive a mini-bus (no special licence required) over the weekend, please do volunteer and mention when you sign up.
Remember: Keep 9th-10th June free in your diary (you'd be amazed how many sign up each year, then forget to keep the weekend free!). The team captains will be in regular contact about the make-up of the teams over the coming weeks.
The weekend in numbers
- 2 days (9th - 10th June), 20 stages, 211 miles, from Caernarfon to Cardiff in a staggered relay (everyone starts each leg at the same time)
- 2 Serpie teams - 40+ Serpies of all abilities. 67 running teams from across the UK (and overseas) for the 36th Welsh Castles Relay
- The route passes within 2 miles of: 22 Castles, 16 Forts (Roman or otherwise), 2 Mottes & Bailey and 5 Mottes. Plus a few beaches!
- 4 or 5 Serpie support vehicles and 8-10 kind Serpie drivers
Logistics
Most Serpies will travel to Caernarfon on Friday 8th June and stay in a B&B ready for the race start at 10am on the 9th. If needed, more Serpies will travel from London on the Saturday morning to meet the race around stage 5 or 6. For any Serpies that need to, it is possible to travel back to London during Saturday after your stage (making your own arrangements). On Saturday night everyone stays in B&Bs near the half-way point in Newtown. On Sunday it's an early start for the first stage and the race finishes in Cardiff at tea-time.
Taking over 40 Serpies to Wales is a major logistical challenge. We'll be taking at least four, and probably five vehicles to Wales so we need drivers. Please volunteer to drive if you can.
Diolch (thanks)!
James, Anne, Tash & Tom
welshcastles@serpentine.org.uk
Submitted: 29 March 2018