Race Instructions 2025

Please ensure you dress appropriately for the conditions on the day, remain vigilant and listen to our friendly marshals around the course. We also request that you retain any waste (gels/hydration packaging) so as not to damage the local eco system and place it in rubbish bibs at the finish. We do not have exclusive use of the park so please be courteous to other users. We do not have right of way over the public.

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We want all runners to have an enjoyable morning taking part in our race. However, please be advised that there is a finishing cut off time of 1 hour and 45 minutes to ensure High Elms is cleared for general users of the country park and our car park can be closed on time. If you find yourself reaching the halfway point after 55 minutes, our marshals will ask you at one of the checkpoints to take a shorter route with them to the finish line, where you will still be given a medal for your fantastic efforts. Please note that 99.9% of runners have finished well in this time in the last 4 years.  We thank you for your support.

 

HEADPHONES

In accordance with the new Rule introduced by UKA, the use of headphones and earpieces are NOT ALLOWED. RULE 240 S 5 UKA SUPPLEMENT – HEADPHONES. This is to ensure the safety of all our runners across the interchangeable terrain and so that you can hear the marshal’s instructions around the course. Bone conducting headphones will be permitted but please consider having the volume low to ensure instructions can be heard.

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REFRESHMENTS

Refreshments are available at the Green Roof café near Race Headquarters.

We will also have a cake stall at Race Headquarters selling home baked goods. All proceeds from the stall will go to our chosen charity, St Christopher’s. Please bring your pennies to enjoy our amazing home-baked treats

 

RACE HEADQUARTERS

 

Race headquarters is in the grounds of High Elms Country Park, Shire Lane, Farnborough BR6 7JH.

 

Parking is available a short walk from High Elms Country Park in Church Road, Farnborough BR6 7DB. The car park will be open from 8am and will close promptly at 1pm.

 

Access to Church Road is available from the A21 South via the High Street, Farnborough or the A21 North via Shire Lane. The car park will be clearly signposted from both roads. Please follow the marshal’s instructions on arrival. The car park at High Elms Country Park is NOT available to entrants.  Vehicles and contents are left at the owners own risk

 

Bike Racks provided by FAB Cycles will be available near the registration area. Please note this will not be supervised, although volunteers will constantly be around the registration village throughout the morning. Please bring a bike lock and use the baggage tent to store other items.

 

Baggage drop is available at Race Headquarters. This will be supervised, although organisers cannot accept responsibility for loss or damage to personal belongings. If you wish to use this facility, please use the baggage label supplied with your race number. Your bag will only be returned on production of your race number.

 

Toilet Facilities are also provided. There are no changing facilities available. Please arrive in your running gear.

 

RACE NUMBERS

 

Race numbers and race chips, are available to collect from 8am.

Registration will close at 9:15 to allow for a prompt start at 9:30. All race number collection points are in alphabetical order.

 

Race numbers should be pinned to the front of your running vest. Please complete the required information on the reverse using the pens provided, especially any medical information and emergency contact details. We can supply safety pins if required.

 

Chip timing will take place using a tag. The tag should be attached to the laces of your running shoe. Details of how to do this will be available at the registration desk.

 

We will have entries available to sell on the morning of race. These will be sold at £23. Registration for on the day entries will open at 8am and will close at 8:45am. Please encourage your friends and club mates to join you in participating in this fundraising event, we’re sure they will enjoy the challenge!

 

TIMETABLE OF EVENTS

08:00 – 9:15am Collection of Race Numbers and baggage drop

9:15am – Pre-race warm up, which will be conducted by Fran from Flin’s Fitness

9:30am – Race start

10:05am – First runner expected to finish

11am – expected start time for the presentation of Awards

1pm – Car Park closes

 

WATER STATIONS

 

Water stations will be available at 4k and 8k and water and bananas will be available at the finish. In a bid to be environmentally friendly and to respect our countryside, all water will be available in bio-degradable cups. Please only take one cup, refills will be readily available.

 

At this stage, we don’t know what the weather will have in store for us. In the event of the weather being particularly warm, please make sure you are well hydrated before you race.

 

MEDICAL SUPPORT

 

Qualified first aiders will be located at various points throughout the course and at the finish. If you have any first aid requirements, please make yourself known to a nearby first-aider or marshal who will assist you. Please ensure that your known medical conditions and emergency contact details have been written by you on the reverse of your race number.

 

FINISHING THE RACE

 

When you have crossed the finish line, please follow the funnel to the volunteers who will remove the chip timing from your running shoe.

 

In an effort to be environmentally friendly we have had our finishers medals made of wood with a memorable and colourful design celebrating our tenth anniversary run. Any unused medals will be returned and recycled by our suppliers.

 

Prizes are donated by our sponsors Up & Running, Sevenoaks and are given to the first three men and women across the finish line. Our age category prizes are hand carved wooden trophies made from wood harvested in the park. We also give a trophy to the runner who enjoys the most time on our beautiful course.  The age categories we use are:

 

M: 40-49; 50-59; 60-69; 70+

F: 35-44; 45-54; 55-64; 65+

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If an age related runner (men over 40 and women over 35) finishes in the first three in the general classification, the age category trophy is then attributed to the next finisher in that category.

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Team prizes are also awarded to the fastest 3 male and 3 female club finishers based on cumulative times*.  All prizes are awarded based on gun times.

 

*Our men's and women's team awards are given to the first three finishers from the same club.  We total up their finishing place and the lowest total wins.   If there is a tie break, the rounded sum of all times is taken, and the lowest total time wins.  Note that there is potentially a difference with rounding on the printed results sheets and the sum (It happened!) If the times are the same (It happened!!!) the winning team will be the team who has the first finisher across the line.  

 

RESULTS

 

Results will be available via chip timing on our website https://www.orpingtonroadrunners.org.uk/past-race as soon as possible after the race has finished and we have had a chance to verify them before posting.

 

 

UNABLE TO RUN?

 

If you find that you are unable to race; we would be happy to transfer your entry to another runner. Please note, the deadline to arrange this is Saturday 8th June at 11am. Please email highelms10k@gmail.com with your full name and email address and provide the following details of the person to whom you wish your entry to be transferred:

 

Full Name (including first and last name)

Date of Birth

Email address

Gender

UKA number and affiliated club (if applicable)

Emergency contact details (Name and Mobile number)

 

Please note that if you email after 11am on 5th June, we will be unable to process the transfer. The person who wishes to run who does not have a valid place can purchase an entry at Race Headquarters on 8th June between 8am and 8:45am.

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CHARITY

 

We are very pleased that each year all profits from the High Elms 10K are donated towards our chosen charity.