Domino’s will be providing pizza vouchers as spot prizes for three lucky runners for use in their Eastbourne, Langney or Hailsham store. If you are not lucky enough to win please check out their deals page for minimum effort post race refuelling!
Author Archives: admin
Chris Field Massage Therapy
We are delighted to have Chris Field Massage Therapist attending Eastbourne Trackstar Marathon on 14th May 2017. If you are interested in having a sports massage on the day of the marathon either before or afterwards, please register your interest in advance. This way he can plan his day better. The cost is just £10 for 15 minutes. You are not committing by registering interest, he would just like a rough idea of numbers. His contact number is 07882475168 or can be emailed at Chrisfieldmassage@yahoo.com
Chris is kindly donating vouchers for free 60 minute sports massages after the event (not on the day) for the first male and female finishers.
Core Running
We’re excited to announce Core Running Ltd will be in attendance at Eastbourne Trackstar Marathon with a pop up shop for those last minute items you forgot to pack! They’re also providing spot prize vouchers for 5 lucky runners picked at random!
Trackstar Venue
With all the facilities in pretty much one place, the track seems an ideal place to hold a marathon! However, there are a couple of things we need to be clear on before the day. Please see the graphics below.
- The main sports park building contains toilets, showers, changing, our registration and kitchen area. Bags can be left in here, but we are not monitoring them.
- Registration will not open until 8:30am – as the building will not be open until then!
- The marathon will start at 9:30am
- The start is where you would find the 200m race start on a track. Well, 5 metres in front to be precise! The start is not ‘chipped’ you will cross the timing mat for the first time after 195 metres.
- The timing point (and eventually finish!) is the main finish line where all track runs finish, whether 100 metres, 10000 metres or a marathon!
- The official water station is on the corner neareat the building, adjacent to lane 6. You will pass this every 400 metres!
- Alongside the back straight, runners can place their own table with their own supplies, adjacent to lane 6. You will pass these every 400 metres!
- Toilets are inside the main building and there is also a block accessable from outdoors during the run. If you need to use the facilities, or exit the track for any reason during the race, you must leave and rejoin at the designated point, which will be clearly marked on the 100 metres straight. This is a serious point – don’t risk DQ!
- Related to the above – please don’t gather or let your spectators gather around the gates / doors or toilet route. Runners will want to be in and out as quickly as possible.
- Our photographer will be trying to capture photos of all of you during the early stages when you still look fresh! When the first finishers come in, she will be taking photos of finishers with their medals just past the finish line.
- There is a small grandstand for spectators, and plenty of room around the track for spectators. If you wish to spectate from the field, please don’t be crossing the track every 5 minutes, and please make sure you don’t obstruct the view of the timers by crossing near the timing point.
- Core Running (Hastings) will be setting up a pop up shop for those last minute items you forgot to pack!
- Chris Field Massage Therapist will be in attendance for the day, and be available before and after the run. He also recommends his services in the days leading up to, and after the marathon, details to follow soon…
- Tea, coffee & cake will be served from the kitchen in the main building
- The car park is free and there are plenty of spaces
- Please come through the main sports park entrance. Once inside, the toilets are through the doors on the left. Registration / the track is straight on from the main entrance
Access to Eastbourne Sports park is easy
- Use the A22 if you are coming from out of town, and head towards the A2280 Cross Levels Way
- If you are staying in Eastbourne, depending on which end, you can use the A2290 or A2021 to get to A2280 Cross Levels Way
- The post code of Eastbourne Sports Park is BN21 2UF. It is on the A2280, Cross Levels Way
- The nearest train Station is Hampden Park. It is easily within walking distance, but please check rail services
- St Wilfrids Hospice has a Cafe open to all, and is open until 5:30pm (They are used to runners, it’s our parkrun cafe!)
- There is a Sainsbury’s superstore within walking distance
Trackstar Update
With less than 4 weeks to go until the inaugural Eastbourne Trackstar Marathon, here’s a short update on the run and some hints and suggestions for keeping count!
Eastbourne Sports Park. Photo: Danny Garbett
Eastbourne Trackstar Marathon sold out at the end of January. Our friends at Nice Work are operating a waiting list as they are handling all entry matters for Trackstar. If you would still like a place, email info@nice-work.org.uk. If you would like to transfer your place, again please email info@nice-work.org.uk. If you can no longer run, please let Nice Work know, and if there is anyone on the waiting list, they will arrange the swap. Unfortunately due to the cost of staging this event we cannot offer refunds, you will only be refunded if you have somebody to take your place.
We regularly run the track, and confirm it is in good condition and still 400m in lane 1. Meaning the marathon is still 105 laps and 195 metres! It is worth bearing in mind that each lane is an additional 7 metres! So lane 4 for example is 421 metres! Whilst everyone would love exclusive use of the inside lane, you’re going to have to be considerate and share! We’re only having one rule around this and that is if you have to slow to a walk at any point, to move to an outer lane. There will be some congestion, particularly in the early laps as people find their pace, please consider this part of the challenge of running a marathon on a track.
The medals have arrived, and we will be keeping them to ourselves until the day!
The cut off is a generous 7 hours – this is a hard cut off though. The clock will stop at 7 hours and your time will not be recorded after this.
Keeping Count
We have the experts from Nice Work providing chip timing for Eastbourne Track Marathon. You can call out to the timing crew, they will let you know how many laps you have completed. However, they will be busy so there are a number of options for you to keep count yourself.
- Wait until the finish – go with flow and just wait for the timing crew to tell you you’ve finished.
- Use elastic bands. Start with 105 bands and discard one each lap. Probably best to split them into batches of 21 though!
- Use a tally counter. We have trialled these cheap counters and have proven very reliable. They are small enough to wear on your thumb and easy to press. All you have to do is remember to press it each it lap. These can be bought on eBay for a couple of pounds.
Garmin / GPS watch or device
Our experience of using a GPS watch on a track is that it will generally over read! Whilst it is ok for a guide, do not rely on it for an accurate distance, and don’t be surprised if it says over 27 miles!
Upcoming Runs
Trackstar may be sold out, but we have Bates Green Gallop on 25th June and Twilight Chase on 19th August both open for entries.