Knowles Transport Hereward Relay

Race Rules 2025

General Rules

1. The Hereward Relay is a 4 leg relay from Peterborough to Ely with handovers at Whittlesey, March and Welney. The overall distance covered is 39+ miles and the race is licensed by UKA. The event will be run under the UKA Rules of Competition.
2. Teams are permitted to be made up from a mixture of clubs and/or unaffiliated runners although permission must be sought from the first claim club. Club vests must be worn unless express permission is received from the runner’s club(s) and race organiser.
3. March AC hosts the event and will provide the Race Director (who will also be the director of the Hereward Ultra that may be run on the same day and on the same course).
4. A Race Referee will be appointed.
5. The start will be at the Embankment Sports Stadium, Peterborough and the finish at Ely adjacent to the Ely Leisure Centre, Ely unless Welney Wash is flooded then the 4^th leg runners will run the 3^rd leg in reverse i.e. back to March. (1^st Leg runners must register with the Race Director prior to the start of the race)
6. The race is limited to 470 competitors. Which is likely to consist of 110 3 or 4 person teams and 30 duos.
7. No entries on the day are allowed.
8. The race will start at 9.00am on the fourth Sunday in November.
9. Proceeds from the event will go to March AC.
10. It is the responsibility of each runner to ensure they are aware of the event rules.
11. Leg 4 runners still awaiting their Leg 3 runner to arrive at Welney by 1:30pm will all leave together and their team times will be adjusted.
12. Runners may run more than one leg but teams must inform the race organisers if that is going to be the case.
13. In the event of any dispute the Race Referee’s decision is final.
14. If for any reason the route or travelling conditions are deemed dangerous or parts of the course are flooded March AC has the right to rearrange the date of the race. No refunds will be given.
15. Changes to teams can be made until the deadline set by the race organisers but in any case there can be no official changes on the day and any such on the day changes will not qualify for any prizes
16. Team categories: Open – any combination of 3 or 4 runners ; Ladies – all female runners; Mixed – two male and two female runners; Duo – two runners male or female.

Safety Rules

1. All runners must wear a hi-viz bib with reflective strips.
2. The organisers and representatives take no responsibility for any injury, damage or loss that occurs during the race. Runners are advised to confirm their fitness to compete and if uncertain consult their G.P.
3. Road sections of the race will require adherence to usual codes of conduct, making use of footpaths where available and running on the left-hand side of the road where no path exists, unless instructed otherwise by a marshal or signage.
4. Marshals and some directional arrows will be provided along the route but runners should read the race direction documents issued and familiarise themselves with the course and not rely on signage to navigate the course.
5. All runners must familiarise themselves with the course, we accept some runners may find they have deviated from the course, if this does happen safe routes must be followed until back on track. Disqualification will be at the Race Director’s discretion if evidence is found that an alternative route is taken which is shorter or hazardous. The time then attributed to that leg will be that of the slowest time achieved on that stage plus 10 seconds.
6. Marshals will wear hi-viz tabards.
7. Marshals’ instructions must be obeyed at all times and failure to observe safety instructions may result in disqualification.
8. It is the runner’s responsibility to ensure it is safe to cross public highways and the Marshal is only present to assist. Traffic has the right of way on the public highway at all times.
9. As runners will be from time to time on public roads the wearing of MP3 players, IPODs (or similar audio equipment) is strictly prohibited. This includes bone conductor headphones.
10. Medical support will be provided by M&D First Aid who will be on course. M&D staff will be supported by March AC’s own trained First Aiders. Roving Marshals will provide the communications link back to Medical Support along the route.
11. In the event of a runner requiring medical attention or help, Marshals will be able to communicate with the medical support for the event. The primary duty is on the runner to make himself/herself known to the nearest Marshal but any runner coming across another runner in distress must assist in whatever way they can.
12. Water stations will be provided at, or near, each of the Relay handover points at Whittlesey, March and Welney and at the finish.
13. Spectators must keep well back from the relay handover points so as not to impede runners or block the sight of timekeepers.

Facilities

1. Toilets are available at Whittlesey, Welney and the finish. Public toilets are close to the March handover point.
2. Refreshments will be available to be purchased at March (in the town), Welney and the finish.
3. The March handover point is close to the town centre with pubs and shops close by.
4. Runners are asked to be considerate when parking near residents’ homes at Whittlesey and Welney and not block driveways. The handover at March is close to the public car park.

Prizes

Prizes for the first three teams, the first all ladies team, first mixed team and first duo team.

Individual cash prizes to first man, first vet man, first lady and first vet lady in each stage.

A memento is given to all finishers as they finish their leg.

Eligibility

All runners must be 17 or over on race day for all stages.

Results

Results will be posted on the March AC website www.marchac.co.uk and Hereward Facebook page as soon as practicable after the event.

Individual Rules

1. Numbers must be worn on the front on top of hi-viz.
2. First Stage runners must log in with the Race Director prior to the start of the race.
3. Third party pacing is strictly prohibited and may lead to disqualification.
4. Any runner dropping out must report back to the Race Director or a Relay Stage Manager either in person or via their team captain.
5. It is recommended that runners carry a mobile phone which they can use to contact the race officials should they encounter any difficulty.

END