THE MOYLEMAN – 16 March 2025 – Runner instructions

RACE HQ, NUMBER COLLECTION & BAG DROP:
Wallands School, Gundreda Road,
Lewes, BN7 1PU
Opens at 08:30, closes at 09:45

RACE START:
Landport Bottom, Lewes
Lat/Long: 50.881551, -0.008193
10:00 sharp (FULL Marathon)
10:15 (RELAY/ Dogs)

THIS IS A TOUGH, MULTI-TERRAIN MARATHON COURSE.
Respect the distance, the terrain, the countryside and your fellow trail-users at all times. We cross and run on roads for short sections of the race from Southease onwards.

BE AWARE OF TRAFFIC AND OBEY MARSHALS AT ALL TIMES
If you need specific nutrition, supplements or medical supplies, carry them with you. If you need to access specific supplies along the route, please arrange for someone to meet you on the course. Many points on the route are accessible by road.

GETTING TO THE START: We would encourage you to travel by public transport to the race where possible. Lewes Station is approx. 1 mile from the school. An excellent warm up!

NUMBERS: We do not send out your number in advance. We issue ALL numbers at Wallands School on race day, to give us best information about who is running. Please allow additional time to come and collect your numbers – this is for full and for all relay runners. Open from 8:30am to 9:30am. Safety pins provided.

MARSHALS: Please observe our gorgeous, purple-clad marshals at all times. The course will be sign-posted using our Purple Arrow Logo. IF YOU NEED TO STOP/ DROP OUT please report to a marshal. Some sections after halfway have access to roads. We also have team of paramedics working with us to respond in case of medical need.

EMERGENCY NUMBER: In the event of an emergency during the race itself, our race directors can be reached as follows:  07834 337346 (Duncan Rawson); 07833 231783 (Nick Williams). This is for emergencies only and where immediate action is needed.

BIKES: We have several bikes on the course. An advance bike will go ahead checking the route. The lead bikes will set off with the runners. These will dovetail to stay with/close to the lead runners. A tail biker will follow back-markers, looking out for injured runners and collecting course markers. Be nice to our bikers: they are volunteers and out all day!

WATER STATIONS: There will be water stations as listed in RACE DETAILS. NB to reduce plastics, no plastic cups are provided on the course. Please carry your own cup for water (search for “soft cups” if you need one). For any other litter, bin bags will be placed at/just after water stations – please use them if you have anything to dispose of. Do not leave anything on the course.

CARRY WATER/ DRINKS/ ENERGY GELS/ SWEETS with you. There are long sections between water stations. You can top up water bottles at water stations and at South Downs YHA (at Southease).

NEVER LITTER. The entire course is run through a National Park. Please respect the countryside. Leave only footprints (and the occasional wee), stay OFF private property, and take only memories, photos and your empty packets/bottles.

COURSE MAP: There is a link to our interactive Google Map at https://themoyleman.com/the-route/. We will have a large O/S map, with the course marked up and on display at registration.

BAD WEATHER POLICY: We will take all possible steps to ensure the event can go ahead safely in the event of bad weather, which can, in mid-March, include sub-zero wind chill, snow and ice. In the event of poor weather, we will notify all runners about planning decisions and mitigating actions advised to runners. In the event of cancellation, which can take place up to the start of the event, the decision of the Race Director(s) is final and in making such a decision takes account of the safety of runners, marshals, and volunteers..

REFRESHMENTS: A coffee van from Sussex Coffee Trucks (SCT) will be at the entrance to Wallands, selling excellent coffee, tea and snacks. Please bring funds for this! Free beer and pizza tokens will be handed out at the finish. We have ale from Harvey’s, coffee from SCT and fresh pizza from Circa Events (GF and VG available). Non-runners will also be able to buy beer at the finish.

CAR PARKING: Spaces are strictly limited – there are plenty of free spaces at County Hall, 5 minutes down the road (access via Western Road, opposite the Pelham Arms).

BAG DROP: There will be two bag drop areas at the start. All bags are dropped/transported at owner’s risk. PLEASE MARK YOUR OWN BAG so you can identify it at the end. We accept no responsibility for safety of valuables of any description. One van will go to the finish at Harvey’s Yard, and a car will go to South Downs YHA. This is for Relay Part One runners (see RELAY RUNNERS below).

BRIEFING: A short briefing for ALL runners will be delivered in the hall at 9:40am. Please do not miss it! 

CUT-OFF: We will be operating a 3-hour cut-off halfway (South Downs YHA). Any runners (both relay and full distance) arriving halfway after 3 hours will be asked to finish their race at Southease and make their way back to Harvey’s Yard.

RELAY RUNNERS: After number collection and race briefing, second half runners should proceed to the halfway point at South Downs YHA, Itford Farm, Beddingham, Lewes BN8 6JS. Trains leave Lewes Station regularly so please check the timetables (or a rail replacement BUS will take you to Southease Church, from there it is a 10-minute walk to the halfwaypoint). Lewes station is 20 min downhill stroll from the start.

Part One runners finish at South Downs YHA, where there is a café, warm shelter and a toilet. Bag Drop vehicle two will be here with your bags. The YHA café is putting on extra coffee and hot sandwiches. Trains run from Southease back to Lewes, but please check the timetables (or a rail replacement bus service leaves Southease Church regularly). PLEASE NOTE: you pass this stop on the first half of the route. Please keep running past the stop to complete the race at the YHA so we know you are off the course. The finish line is a 10-minute hobble from Lewes Station.

TIMING: We will have a dedicated timing team on the course, checking race numbers and recording individual times. We are using stopwatches. There is no chip timing.

SPECTATORS: There are some great spots where friends and family can watch the runners. Here are a few, accessible by road or public transport:

– South Downs YHA – half way (café, parking, train station, WC)
– Firle Bostal Car Park (pay and display, at the top of Firle Bostal before the Beacon) – around 16 miles)
– Bo Peep Bostal (follow Bo Peep Lane from the A27) – around 18 miles
– Steamworks, Glynde Village (pub, train station, WC) – around 23 miles
– Cliffe High Street, Lewes (near the finish)

FINISH LINE: The finish line is at the entrance to Harvey’s Yard (back entrance via North Court/ Harvey’s Way). This will be clearly marked. Repatriate with friends and family, receive your commemorative finisher’s gift and free beer/food/physio tokens, grab your gear bag from the bag-drop van, visit the physio or just wrap yourself in a foil blanket and sob. Harvey’s will also be selling beer in the yard as well as a free pint/ half-pint for runners. There is a big car park next to Harvey’s Yard.

PHOTOGRAPHY: We will have a number of official photographers shooting/ filming across the course. Pictures will be available for personal use once we add them to our Flickr pages. 

This is a tough, hilly race across a variety of surfaces, with sections likely to be muddy. We know you know, we just wanted to say it one more time, just in case.
Plan well and enjoy the day.

Duncan Rawson & Nick Williams, Race Directors, Moyleman: The Lewes Marathon