West Coast Half Marathon

Entry into the event is open to everyone of all abilities as long as you are aged over 17rs on the day of the race.

BIB NUMBER COLLECTION

You have two options for collecting your bib number (race pack) for the event;

• Collect from the Events Office (Unit 1a Hoo Hill Estate, Blackpool, FY3 7HJ). We are open from 10am - 4pm. Collection can be made the full week before leading up to the event. We do not open on Saturday's
• Collect on the day from Race HQ in Lytham or Preston depending on where you have chosen to. (details below).

Your bib number should be fastened securely to the FRONT of your running top. The chip timing tags are pre-attached so make sure you don’t fold, cut, deface or damage in any way or you will not get a finishing time. Pins to attach your bib number are supplied if you need them.

RACE HQ

The Event HQ is at Fairhaven Lake, Lytham St Annes. The nearest postcode is FY8 1BD. If you have selected to register in Lytham, then use the shuttle bus to get to the start in Preston. The registration desks open at 7.30am and close at 8.45am

SHUTTLE BUS

The buses to the start will leave Fairhaven Lake at 8.45am SHARP! Make sure you have collected your bib number and are ready to board the buses at this time. There is no other transport to the start in Preston.

CAR PARKING

There is plenty of car parking, and there is also on-street parking available.

BAGGAGE DROP & KEY DROP

There is an ‘un-manned’ baggage drop area located next to the registration area and at the start in Preston (transported back to Lytham for you) for small bags, jackets etc. Do not leave any valuables in the baggage area, just essentials needed after your run. We also have a key lock-box for your car keys. This is located at the ‘Event Support Trailer’. Place your keys into your race pack envelope and hand over to the staff for safe keeping during the event.

TOILETS

Portable toilets are available at the start of the event. Make sure you don’t leave it until the last minute to use them, they will become very busy just before the start.

RACE START & ROUTE

The race will start at 10.00am sharp.

You need to get yourself into the starting lane at least 5 minutes before the gun fires as there will be important safety announcements and possibly emergency info which you will need to hear. MP3/iPods must NOT BE USED on the start line. The course is fully signed and marshalled. YOU MUST CHECK THE MAP OF THE ROUTE YOU ARE RUNNING. There will be marshals and plenty of signs directing you but ultimately it is your responsibility to make sure you go the correct way.

HYDRATION STATIONS

Bottled water (500ml) will be available on the route at 3.5 miles, 7.5 miles and 10.5 miles. Water is also offered to all runners at the finish line. Bananas and chocolate will also be given out at the finish.

MEDICAL SUPPORT

The expert team from Remote Medical Services will be on-hand should any medical issues arise. They will be patrolling the course on their response bikes and located at the finish line. Make sure you complete the contact and medical form on the back of your bib number before competing.

AWARDS

The awards presentation will take place next to the registration area in Lytham at approximately 12pm. All prizes must be collected on the day, they cannot be posted out after the event. You can check category results from the ‘Event Support Trailer’ during the event.

Results, giving your official gun-time and chip-time will be published on the events website shortly after the event at www.fyldecoastrunners.com

DEFERRALS/TRANSFERS

If for any If for any reason, you cannot join us at your chosen event, let us know at least 7 days before, and we can defer your entry to the following year or transfer your place over to a friend. If you make any changes within 7 days there is a charge of £5 to cover the costs of your printed bib number and assigned timing tags. We do not issue refunds. Use the following form on the events website to make changes to your entry. Visit the events website at 'click' deferrals from the homepage.

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]