Blackpool Festival of Running

Blackpool Tower, Promenade, Blackpool FY1 4BJ

By car: Blackpool enjoys the luxury of having a motorway link direct to the heart of the resort – take Junction 32 off the M6, and the M55 will lead you almost to the beach!

By train: Blackpool is well-connected to the national railway network. There are direct services to Blackpool North from Manchester Airport, Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Victoria, Liverpool Lime Street and York. There are also direct services between London Euston and Blackpool North.

There are four services an hour from Blackpool North to Preston, and Preston Station has direct services to all major cities including Birmingham, Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Hourly services connect Blackpool South station to East Lancashire.

Blackpool has ample parking within the town centre. We recommend using Parkopedia to locate a car park suitable for you.

Bespoke Medals to all finishers

Individual category prizes will be given in each race

Technical T Shirt (Marathon, Half Marathon)

Chip Timed results

Accurately measured course

Race photography

Water stations

Toilets at regular intervals

Full race commentary

Full medical support

Traffic free course

Race start times:

10 km - Saturday 25 April 10.30am start

5 km - Saturday 25 April 1pm start

2 km - Saturday 25 April 2pm start

Marathon & Half Marathon - Sunday 26 April 9.30am start

Minimum ages for entry to the events are:

Marathon - 18 yrs; Half Marathon - 17 yrs; 10k - 15 yrs; 5k - 11 yrs; 2k - 6 yrs

There are two starting lanes for the Marathon and Half Marathon: Marathon runners line up facing Blackpool Tower and run South, Half Marathon runners line up with their backs to Blackpool Tower and run North. It is your responsibility to ensure you are in the correct lane

A time limit of 7 hours will be enforced on the Marathon due to restrictions on the road closure order

Arrive in plenty of time to allow you to park, collect your race pack (if not already done), get changed and visit the toilet etc. Just before the start the toilets will become busy so plan your visit carefully. Please fill in the medical/contact information section on the back of your running number. Be careful not to damage or lose your number, as replacements can’t be issued. If there’s a risk you may blackout during the race (for example if you suffer from fits), put a red cross on the front of your number. Please pin your number on your FRONT without folding or covering it - it needs to be seen by the race marshals. Do not pass your running number onto somebody else without notifying registration first. This is to ensure the results are correct and for obvious safety and medical reasons. When you are happy that you are ready to run, make your way to the start area. The route to the start point is clearly marked. Line up behind the start line. There will be a few safety announcements and then the marathon and half marathon race will start at 9.30am. The route you are running on is open to the public so be aware of some pedestrians and cyclists. The course is traffic free. We advise that you do not wear iPods or similar devices whilst running. You may not hear marshals or indeed fellow runners if they need help! At the finish you will be awarded with your runners medal. There is water available and also medics should they be needed.

TOILET FACILITIES

In addition to the toilets at the race registration, there are toilet facilities along the route. These will be ‘Danfo’ super loos that require a 30p to operate. We recommend taping a few coins to the back of your running number in case you need to use them during the race.

WATER STATIONS

Water stations will be located at approximately three-mile intervals on the marathon and half marathon route, and at half way on the 10k. Bottled water is available to all runners. The bottle cap will be removed before being passed to you. Each station will be clearly signed. Please try and drop bottles as soon as possible so we don’t litter the course too much. It also helps the crew at the stations to pick the bottles up quicker. Do not use bottled water from the drinks stations to tip over your head as this reduces supplies for runners at the back of the field. A water station is also located at the finish area. Medics are available at the water station and at the finish.

Here are the most frequently asked questions by our runners... We hope it helps...

I'm not on the results... Why?

The chip timing system is great, however, as with anything computerised, on rare occasions things can go wrong. On these rare occasions, the antennas may not pick up a signal from the tags which are on your bib number. Our success rate for results is currently 99.89% read from the tags that are attached to your bib number. There are countless reasons why; You may have covered them whilst starting/stopping your watch; you may have put a jacket on over your bib number; the tags may have come off your bib number; they may simply be faulty; it may have been raining very heavily; mobile phones can also affect the signal... the list goes on... but do not despair! do not have a rant on social media like it is the end of the world as you know it... Just drop us an email and we can sort it. All the events are videoed, so we can manually extract your finishing time and slot you into the results. Depending on the size of the event, this can usually be achieved within 24-48 hours.

What are the results all about? What is chip timing?

All our events are electronically timed using RFID chip tags and an elaborate array of readers and antennas. Now this is the tricky bit; After the race you will receive two times. The first is your 'Gun' time; This is the official race time, from when the races starts to when you cross the finish line. The second is your 'Chip' time; This is the time from when you cross the start line to when you cross the finish line.

I have not received an email confirming my entry?

Entry confirmations are sent automatically as soon as payment has been received. This email can sometimes get caught up in your spam/junk mailbox, so be sure to check it. Please contact us by email if you do not receive one and we will send another.

Will I receive a race bib number and pack through the post?

The short answer is NO. Because of unreliable post and the sheer cost of sending large items, your race pack will be ready for collection on the morning of the race. See the event page for opening times etc.

Where can I find more information about the race?

Each event page details all the information you need to have an enjoyable, trouble free day.

I have entered but cannot run. What can I do?

It happens! For whatever reason, you cannot compete, email the Event Support Team and we can either defer your entry to the same race the following year or transfer your entry to another event on our calendar. We will need at least seven days notice before the original event though to make the changes for free, otherwise there is a £5 charge to cover the cost of your race pack & chip tags which are not used.

I cannot run anymore, can I have a refund?

I'm afraid not, refunds cannot be given for events. But don't despair! We can however either defer your entry as detailed above.

What are the medical facilities at the race?

All FCR events are covered by a private medical provider, which include the services of registered Paramedics, Emergency Medical Technicians, Nurses and First Aiders capable of administering advanced life support and defibrillation. You are in safe hands should the worst happen at one of our events.

Am I insured when running in your event?

Yes. We take our responsibilities extremely seriously. All of our events are licensed by UK Athletics, which is the UK's governing body for athletics and road running. Our insurance covers all competitors and extends to spectators, stewards, marshals and anyone involved directly with the event. More information can be found at www.runbritain.com

Can I wear my iPod/mp3 player during the race?

We see the attraction of pounding the streets to your favorite tracks. However, we do ask that you follow these few basic rules: When queuing at the start do not use your iPod/mp3 player so that you can hear the safety announcements by the team; During the race keep the volume as low as possible so you can hear marshals and steward instructions, or indeed other runners if they need help; At the finish switch off your iPod/mp3 player so you can be guided safely through the finishing area.

Is there anywhere to leave my kitbag during the race?

Each event has a baggage storage area so you can store basic items whilst you are running. These areas are not marshaled or supervised so do not leave any valuables. All bags and items are left entirely at the owners risk.

I am traveling quite a distance and need a hotel room. Where should I look?

Blackpool has a huge variety of hotels, guest houses and B&B's.Simply go to www.visitblackpool.com to see whats on offer.

The event I want to run is saying full, but you are taking entries on the day.

A certain amount of medals need to be ordered in advance of the event. Once we reach the limit, entries close. On the day it is inevitable people don't turn up for whatever reason, so we can take entries. However, depending on how many people enter on the day will dictate who gets a medal. People who pre-enter get one guaranteed no matter when they finish. Entrants on the day will need to wait to nearer the end of the race to see how many we have left, then they will be given out in the order of when you entered... Its the fairest way of doing it.

How old do I have to be to enter a race?

Each event has a different minimum age based on the UK Athletics rules. Basically a Marathon is 18, Half Marathon is 17, 10 Miler is 16, 10k is 15 and a 5k is 11 years of age on the day of the individual race.

Have a different question? Email us [email protected]