Here is the final information about the race and instructions for entrants.
ABOUT THE RACE
The Meanwood Valley Trail (MVT) is a footpath from Woodhouse Moor near Leeds City Centre to Golden Acre Park at Bramhope. This path forms the first 7 miles of the Dales Way long distance footpath from Leeds to Bowness-on-Windermere. The MVT Race uses parts of the Trail.
RACE HQ
Old Leo’s Rugby Club, Crag Ln, Leeds LS17 5PR
PARKING
Car parking is available in the club grounds and opens at 8:15. Please follow the marshals’ instructions. Enter from King Lane via Crag Lane. Note that there is no road sign on Crag Lane so look out for the big sign for The Leodiensian Club, opposite the parade of shops on King Lane, at the junction with The Avenue. Crag Lane is a narrow tree-lined lane with many potholes – if you drive a low-slung car, leave it at home.
Hopefully there will be adequate car parking spaces but if not you may have to park on local roads (but not King Lane please) so please don’t arrive at 9:15!
RACE NUMBERS
Numbers will be given out inside the club house from 8:15 onwards – follow the signs. Once you have your number please complete the rear before attaching to the front of your running vest/top. Please do not transfer your entry to another person as this might cause incorrect allocation of prizes and could cause confusion if an accident or emergency were to occur.
ENTRIES ON THE DAY
You have already entered but if you bring along unregistered friends or family members then they can enter in the clubhouse (£12 attached with an EA membership card, £14 unattached).
TOILETS
The clubhouse has newly refurbised toilets and this year we have use of extra toilets at the nearby Alwoodley Cricket Club, which will be signposted. The area around the club house is open to the public so please do not use the local woods/fields as toilets.
CHANGING and SHOWERS
Changing rooms are available in the clubhouse but please do not leave valuables there. The organisers cannot be held responsible for any losses.
Showers are available but note that there are public corridors between showers and changing rooms.
RACE START and FINISH
The race will start at 9:30 on the field to the North West of the club house. Follow the signage.
Please be at the start area by at least 9:20.
We are providing a back-marker.
The finish will be in the same field.
RACE ROUTE
This is an approximate 7 mile trail race and so you should expect long grass; tree roots; rough, undulating and sometimes narrow tracks and possible overgrown foliage (although we will trim off the long bits beforehand).
There is just one 100m stretch of road, run twice, which enables us to make the only major road crossing on our route. Yet at the southernmost point you are less than 3 miles from Leeds City Centre!
To cross the Leeds Outer Ring Road the route uses the tunnel between Adel (“Scotland”) Woods and Parkside Road. The tunnel is quite dark in cloudy conditions and has some mud patches but please be assured that the floor is level and you will not sink into unnoticed potholes or puddles. We are hoping to provide some form of lighting in the tunnel but this may be achievable.
Please note that all land between the Ring Road and Seven Arches is private land and that anyone who leaves the public right of way as a result of either running the race or watching, does so entirely at their own risk and recognises that the landowner does not have any liability for loss, damage or injury resulting from the running or organising of this race.
Trail or fell shoes are recommended – to provide you with good grip & stability and allow you to “feel the ground” easier than with heavily cushioned road shoes. The course is currently mainly dry but could include muddy patches if heavy rain precedes the race.
There will be many Valley Strider marshals on the route, wearing hi-viz bibs. They will guide you and cheer you on so please give them a smile and a “thank you” as you pass. They will also help with any incidents caused by falls or stumbles. All runners should have a duty of care to attend to fallen or injured fellow competitors and ensure that they get adequate assistance.
Professional First Aiders will be positioned at various points along the route.
Parts of the route will have 2-way runners, so aim to keep to the left wherever possible. Also, please consider giving way to faster “homeward bound” runners if you are still “outward-bound”.
The whole of the route is open to the public so you could come across walkers, dog-walkers, mountain-bikers and even horse-riders. Please be considerate to other path users and if you’re approaching someone from behind that you need to pass then give them a friendly shout of “runner behind”, or similar, before you get to them. Notices have been already been posted to warn regular park-goers in advance that the event is taking place.
MID-POINT DRINK STATION
Water will be available in plastic cups in Meanwood Park (roughly half way). Please aim to deposit used cups in one of the bins provided.
AFTER THE RACE
Water will be available in the Start/Finish field and also outside the clubhouse at the end of the race. If you take water in the field then please hold on to your cup for more water at the clubhouse. We are hoping that the bar will be open in the clubhouse for the sale of hot and cold drinks.
Please do not enter the bar area in muddy shoes. You are also requested not to bring kit-bags into the bar.
RESULTS, PRIZES and PRESENTATION
Every finisher will receive a bottle of Leeds Brewery beer, to be collected from the clubhouse after you finish. The race results will be collated on the day of the event and posted in the clubhouse as soon as possible. A prize (one only) will be awarded to the first 3 males and first 3 females home, and to the first male and female in each age group 40-44, 45-49, 50-54, 55-59, 60-64, 65-69, 70+. The presentation of prizes will be held around 11:00, once all prize-winners have been determined.
RACE PROFIT
We expect to make a small profit from running this event, half of which will be donated to the club’s nominated charity Lineham Farm Children’s Centre (reg charity no. 1033084) which, each year, gives over 1000 deserving local children a unique, rewarding and memorable holiday in the country. Over the last 17 years we have raised over £15,000. If you want more information on their excellent work or wish to donate to them then please visit their website. The remaining half of the profits will be donated to a local cancer charity but which is yet to be determined.
OUR SPONSOR
We wish to thank UP & RUNNING, our local supplier for all things running, for their support of this race.
AND FINALLY …
We hope that you have a safe & enjoyable race – and will come back and run with us again in future years.
