Eastbourne Trackstar Marathon & Half

Cancelled

14 May 2022

We have taken the unfortunate decision to cancel Trackstar in 2022. All entrants will be refunded in full by Let’s Do This, back to your original payment method.

Trackstar has always been fun for us as we get to see the whole race unfold in front of us. However it has always been very expensive for us. This year, with rising costs and minimal entries compared to this point in previous years we are unable to go ahead.

It is better for everyone that we take this decision now rather than risk stability of the business. 

Thank you for your understanding.

**Please read our main Covid-19 statement at the top of this website.
**Please familiarise yourselves with the official NHS guidance on Covid-19.
**Do not travel to the event if you have Covid-19, if you are isolating, or showing symptoms of Covid-19.

2021 Information and Briefing Videos

Following 4 successful Eastbourne Trackstar Marathons, 1 half marathon and a Covid cancellation, ‘We Run They Run I Run’ are back for Trackstar V ! By popular demand the half marathon will return in 2022. By choosing something we’d quite like to have a go at ourselves (and indeed one of us did have a go in 2019), we are hoping to appeal to like minded runners, who want to run a challenging but fun marathon or half marathon on a standard 400 metre athletics track. “That’s a lot of laps!” I hear you say. However, with all the facilities you need to run a marathon or a half in one place, an all request playlist and the opportunity to see your supporters every 400 metres, what’s not to like?!

  • 105.5 laps (based on lane 1) / 49.9 laps (based on lane 4)
  • Bespoke medal
  • Chip timing with lap display on screen
  • Traffic free athletics track made for running
  • Stunning view of the South Downs!
  • Free parking
  • Race photos
  • Tea & Coffee free for runners – served outdoors TBC
  • Limited to 100 runners per distance
  • UKA/RunBritain MT Licence
  • See your supporters each lap
  • 7 hour cut off time
  • Organised by runners

Venue Information

Eastbourne Sports Park, Cross Levels Way, Eastbourne, East Sussex
BN21 2UF

The facility has toilets accessible from the track. Changing areas and showers will be open. You will NOT be able to leave a bag in the building, the indoor areas have been remodelled and are not open to us.

Parking

There is a free car park at Eastbourne Sports Park.

Registration

Registration will be outside at Eastbourne Sports Park. Please come through the main gates to the track. Registration will not open until 8:30am.

Numbers and chips are to be collected on the day. ID may be required. Please use hand sanitiser before and after collecting your number and chip. Nothing is posted. Final instructions will be emailed by the Thursday before the event.

Toilets

There are toilets accessible from outdoors, a short distance from the track, please use these during the run if required. Remember to wash and sanitise your hands before and after touching facilities.

Route

This one is quite easy to remember.

  • The marathon takes place in lanes 1-3 and is based on the lane 1 distance of 400 metres. The marathon on the 200 metre start line, you will complete 195 metres followed by 105 full 400 metre laps!
  • The half marathon takes place in lanes 4-6 and is based on the lane 4 distance of 423 metres. The half marathon starts at 40 metres ahead of the finish line on the home straight. You will complete 360 metres followed by 49 full 423 metre laps.

The run is in the usual anti-clockwise direction. There is no direction change.

The two races will separated by bright green rubber discs placed on the line between lanes 3 and 4.

Just remember:

  • marathon – cross the purple finish timing mat 106 times
  • half marathon – cross the purple finish timing mat 50 times

If you need to leave the track at any point during the race please leave and re-join at the designated point adjacent to the main gates.

Information & Briefing

Final instructions will be emailed on the Thursday before the event.

The marathon will start at 9:30am. The half marathon will start 9:45.

The starts will be chip timed. There will be no order to the start. please be ready to start at 9:30am for the marathon, and 9:45am for the half marathon. If you miss the start and the timing mat has been moved, you will be allowed to start but you will receive a gun time.

Listen out for PA system announcements. This event will be held under UK Athletics rules, a licenses have been applied for. The adjudicators decision is final.

We are encouraged to provide you with video briefings rather than face to face information. The video is broken down into 3 parts, or you can go big and watch it in one go!

Information Videos

Timing & Lap Counting

For Trackstar 2022 we are excited to announce that ‘What’s My Time?’ will be returning to provide you with chip timing. Lap counts are displayed on a big screen and printed result tickets are given at the finish.
We always recommend you have your own method of counting for your own peace of mind. It is your responsibility to know when you are on your last lap. Keep an eye on the screens or use the lap function on your watch. As you approach the finish, take the exit lane.
Do not rely on GPS distance. It is not accurate on the track and can over or under read!

Trackstar Etiquette

Please bear in mind you will all be running at different speeds! We ask that you are considerate to all other participants, and just because someone isn’t going as fast as you, doesn’t mean they’re not on course for their own goal. Everyone has a right to the racing line when running, overtaking is on the right, it’s all part of the challenge! If you need to walk at any point, please move to the outer lanes. Please be mindful of social distancing when overtaking.

Personal Aid Stations

Runners can set up their own personal aid station on a table along the back straight. This must be adjacent to lane 1 for the marathon, and adjacent to lane 6 for the half marathon. Please set up far enough back so you can step off the track and be clear of the racing line.

Medical Information

Phoenix Medical will be in attendance on the day.

medical

Please read the information on the Runner’s Medical Resource website. It is the most useful advice we have found on the subject.

Spectators

Spectators are allowed inside the venue. Please do not venture onto the track.

Finish

At the finish collect your bespoke medal, and bask in the glory that you have just done something very few people ever will! Please return your chip in the receptacle provided.

marathon

Clothing

Our new clothing has launched at wtiruns.teemill.com

Not everyone wants a race t-shirt, so we don’t make you have one. However, if you do want a quality souvenir t-shirt or hoodie to remind you and your friends of our events, we have sourced a high quality clothing manufacturer to provide a range of clothing.

These are not cheap plastic “technical” t-shirts. Items are made from 100% organic cotton and produced in a factory powered by renewable energy. Products are vegan, printed to order and sent direct to you in plastic free packaging.

Marathon & Half Marathon Entry

Marathon £36/£34 no fee!
Half Marathon £26/£24 no fee!

Please enter online in advance. There will not be any day entries.

When you enter you will be subscribed to our Trackstar mailing list, we recommend you stay on this list to receive your pre-run emails. You will be given the opportunity to subscribe to the ‘We Run They Run I Run’ mailing list to receive news and information on other events.

This event is held under UK Athletics rules. 2021 RunBritanMT licence confirmed. Licence 2020-38727.

Event risk assessment.
Medical risk assessment.
Covid-19 risk assessment.

Terms & Conditions

FAQ

    • Does Trackstar count for Good For Age qualification?

We can’t make that guarantee. It is unlikely. London require your qualifying marathon to be run on road. Other marathons have different schemes.

The following details may help when asking the organiser of the marathon you wish to use your Trackstar time for; Trackstar is run under a UKA / Run Britain MT licence. Details of Eastbourne’s track certification can be found here. Trackstar is chip timed with a professional system with video and manual counting as a backup.

    • How does my Trackstar result appear on Power of 10 and RunBritain
      Rankings?

Trackstar is held under a RunBritainMT (multi-terrain) licence. In simple terms, any race not on tarmac, concrete or pavement but held in the nature of a road race will be awarded the RunBritainMT licence.
Results of the race are automatically picked up by RunBritain and displayed in your profile.
This result is also sent to your Power of 10 profile. It will appear in your list of performances with the event type of “MarMT”, but it won’t show in your list of “Best known performances” as this list is reserved for road and track & field events.

    • Can I get a refund, defer or swap to anther event?

Please see our Terms & Conditions page, and contact Let’s Do This. In certain circumstances you may be eligible for a refund.

The small scale of the event means it is very expensive per runner to put on. As an organiser we start to incur costs for the event from the moment the dates are booked. As the event draws closer ever increasing costs are incurred to the point where we cannot recover any of them, regardless of whether you run.

    • Will it be crowded?

The first couple of laps will be busy, however it thins out quickly. Please be considerate of all other competitors regardless of pace, and expect to overtake on the right. This should be considered part of the challenge.

Results

2021 Marathon Resuts
2021 Half Marathon Resuts
2019 Results
2018 Results
2017 Results

Marathon Course Records

M: 2:38:09 2018
F: 3:23:35 2018

Half Marathon Course Records

M: 1:26:22 2021
F: 1:39:44 2021

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