Usk Runners are hosting the Gwent
Leisure Centre League Cross Country Race on Sunday 3rd February 2019 at 11am. Parking at Usk County
Hall, A472.
Below you will find all the information you need for the
race.
Usk Runners Cross Country
Briefing.
Location- Usk County Hall and
agricultural land behind Colleg Gwent in the vicinity of Rhdyr Bridge and the
dismantled railway line running alongside the A472 in the direction of
Pontypool.
Usk Runners are hosting the fourth
cross country event of the 2018-19 season. We are sending this information
around to all clubs so that it can be circulated to members.
This is the third consecutive year
we have hosted the event at Usk College Farm and we hope it will be as
successful as our first year in 2016 .
It is challenging but suitable to runners of most levels. There are
areas of extended ascent and descent as well as a long, flat intervals.
1st Aid will be provided by St
Johns Ambulance. There will not be any post race refreshments provided. Runners should bring their own fluid to
consume in the college grounds on the opposite side of the road by the parking
area but are requested not to bring this
on to the farm itself due to hygiene regulations.
Start of race
The race will start on a
dismantled railway line accessed via Colleg Gwent farm which is located
alongside the Pontypool
bound carriageway of the A472. The land is entirely private, owned by Colleg
Gwent. The route includes a dismantled railway, Rhydr Bridge
The start and finish will be on
the dismantled railway line in the vicinity of the college farm.
The Route
Spikes are suitable for this route – unless the conditions are unusually dry
exposing a hard surface to the disused railway track. Spikes need to be carried across the hard courtyard surfaces
of the farm/college/road and put on at the start.
The course will be run over laps
of approximately 1.7 miles with men and women completing 3 laps. Although the route is mainly agricultural
land it is considerably diverse in elevation and type. A dismantled railway
line, fallow fields, woods and high pasture give this route a stunning visual panorama as well as constantly changing terrain underfoot.
The start of the course will
consist of several hundreds of metres of flat, dismantled railway line. The
ground is very likely to be muddy. The route crosses through a gate into what
appears to be a fallow field with a pond at its centre. The route will take the
runners along the edge of the field well away from the pond. The runners will be taken to a small wood
and there begins the elevated section. Undergrowth through the wood will be cut
back and hazards either removed or indicated. Tape and stewards will point out
the route. The route climbs steeply through the wood and enters pasture land
that may contain sheep. Runners should run alongside hedgerows until the top of the field where they will be
directed through a gate. Here the land flattens out before descending back to
the dismantled railway line via the nearside fence before finishing near the
starting line. Stewards will be present
throughout the route to highlight perceived hazards and direct runners.
The initial section of the race is
long, straight and flat- but only narrow road width. Faster runners should
access the front and slower runners the rear.
This should encourage runners to stretch out. Once clear of the railway
line, apart from the wood where stewards will be present the route is almost entirely visible to
observers situated on the high pasture.
This area is readily accessed via a dirt track from the college farm and
would be a good vantage point for St
Johns
Parking
Parking is located at the new
Monmouthshire County Hall in Usk. The car park should be able to accommodate a
large number of vehicles but runners are encouraged to car share. The post code
for Satnav users is NP15 1GA. This is a new postcode so if you have an old
Satnav use the college code of NP15 1XJ. (see location map)
Changing facilities and refreshments
Toilet facilities are available on
the farm; no refreshments are provided
for runners. Runners should change in the car park and are encouraged to follow
the directions of stewards to cross the road at the pelican crossing opposite
the college farm.
Caution
A final word of caution. The
college farm has generously lent us their facilities and land and it is Usk
Runners’ wish that we treat their property with due care. We do want to use
their facilities in the future. I would ask that all participants and observers
treat the college facilities and surrounding farm land with respect. Please do not bring dogs to this event. The
farm yard contains cows in the barns and sheep are on the pastureland. Unfortunately there is no scope for GLCL runners
to run the course beforehand – but most will now be familiar with the venue.
Please read risk assessment.
