If you have not already entered it is too late for you to do so.  Entries have closed and as it a National level competition, no late entries will be accepted.

The National Championships will take place at Parliament Hill Fields, Hampstead Heath on Saturday, 25 February. 

They will be run over a course of 8km for women, starting at 2.20pm and 12km for men, starting at 3.00pm.  The full race programme starts at 11.00am. 

Both races will start promptly and before other races on the programme have finished.  Please take care not to miss your start time. 

You will need to wear a race number and timing chip that you will collect on the day from Serpentine's Team Managers, who will be Bev Thomas, Sally Hodge and Stephanie Vaatz.  Important – you must arrive early to be issued with your chip and report to the start for clothing and chip checking at least 15 minutes before the start of your race. 

We will meet by the childrens' playground that is on the northern side of the athletics track.  See – www.runtrackdir.com/details.asp?track=london-ph

Female changing will be at the football changing rooms, which are close to the track.  Male changing will be at the Lido.  No changing rooms will be available at the track.

As this is the National Championship, UK Athletics rules on kit will be enforced and your kit will be checked by race officials before you enter the start area.  This means that you must run in a Serpentine Running Club top, not a Triathlon top (Serpentine triathlon tops do not meet UKA rules regarding branding and lettering).  The Referee has asked clubs to advise all entrants that if runners do not wear the correct club colours, or try to run without a race number and/or timing chip, or try to join in the race after it has started, they will be disqualified. Also, all types of headphones are banned. 

There will be a strict "no chip means no time or place" policy.

Any runner failing to return their chip after the race will have to pay a penalty charge of £7.00.

Post race pub – The Magdala, 2a South Hill Park, London, NW3 2SB (www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=527278&y=185719&z=0&sv=nw3+2sb&st=2&pc=nw3+2sb&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf)  

Travel – I would strongly advise you to use public transport.  "Residents Only" parking restrictions apply in all surrounding streets until 1.30pm. 

Belsize Park tube (Northern Line) is about 1 mile distant, as are Tuffnel Park and Kentish Town tube stations.  Buses 214 and C2 run from Kentish Town to Parliament Hill Fields.  Gospel Oak (Overground) adjoins the Heath entrance.  Care: please check http://www.tfl.gov.uk/ for options.

Malcolm French – MalcolmFrench@aol.com