PECO Cross Country League (2019-20): Race 4 (West Park Fields / Beckett Park)
Race Date: Sunday 9th February 2020
Race Times & Distances:
Junior XC Challenge (School Year 2 - 6): 10.00am, 1 mile approx.
Junior XC Challenge (School Year 7 - 12): 10.20am, 2 miles approx.
Senior Men (aged 16 and over*): 11.00 am, 5.0 miles approx.
Senior Ladies (aged 16 and over*): 11:10am, 5.0 miles approx.
* Age groups for all 5 races in the season are based on age on 24/11/19
Race Location:
All 3 races will start and finish on the West Park playing fields at the top of Butcher Hill, off Spen Lane, opposite the Butcher Hill Co-Op (LS16 5BG). This is just off the Leeds outer ring road A6120 near Lawnswood roundabout/school, and just up Spen Lane from the Kirkstall Abbey Museum.
Registration & Post-Race Food:
This will be in The Dalesman Pub, at the top of Butcher Hill and just off Spen Lane (LS16 5DD). Registration will be open from 8.45am – 9.45am for juniors, 9.00 – 10.45am for seniors. PLEASE DO NOT ENTER THE PREMISES WITH MUDDY FOOTWEAR OR CLOTHING EITHER PRE OR POST RACE.
If you have registered online for the series, you do NOT need to come to Registration: if you don’t already have your race number, you should collect it from your club representative in the Start/ Finish field or beforehand. If you have just registered for Race 4, and you don’t already have your series race number, you should collect it from Registration.
‘On the day’ registration will be available for Seniors at a cost of £7 (£4 if you already have your race number for this season) and for Juniors at a cost of £4 (£1.50 if you already have your race number)
Hot food will be provided by The Dalesman after the race. Please be patient whilst the staff dish out the large amount of servings, and don’t forget there is always someone else at the back of the queue.
Car Parking:
There is no designated car parking – SO PLEASE CAR SHARE WHERE POSSIBLE. There is good on-street parking available around the Dalesman Pub, Butcher Hill and the streets off the top of Spen Lane, There is also street parking behind the fields (see map) and on Queenswood Drive itself – just below the playing fields. Do not park on Spen Lane as this is a busy, narrow road and is on a bus route. You can also park on the roads around West Park (LS16 5QR puts you in the vicinity) and walk across the fields to the start area (do not walk across football pitches).
PLEASE PARK WITH RESPECT TO THE LOCALS WHO LIVE THERE AS THEY MAY NEED ACCESS WHILST YOU ARE RUNNING. DO NOT PARK TO OBSTRUCT DRIVEWAYS AND CONSIDER THAT DRIVERS MAY NEED SPACE TO SWING IN OR OUT OF DRIVEWAYS.
Changing, Toilets: There are limited changing facilities in the Dalesman and no showers. Any bags may be left at the Dalesman Pub but at your own risk. There should be ample space on the playing fields between the road and playing fields to erect club tents for changing/shelter purposes. See course map for designated area.
Toilet facilities will be available in the Dalesman Pub only. Please leave these as you would wish to find them.
THE JUNIOR COURSE – 1 mile and 2 miles
The Junior 1 Mile Race is one lap around the perimeter of the grass fields including a stream crossing (on large stones). The fields can be boggy in parts if very wet. The Junior 2 Mile Race will be two laps of the same course.
THE SENIOR RACE – 5.0 miles
The council have kindly given us permission to run the race, despite serious damage to the football pitches in previous years. We have been given 3 conditions
- All damage to grounds is repaired at our cost.
- All Marshals are briefed re. out of bounds areas on football pitches.
- Consideration is given to the regular dog walkers, and crossing points for this are factored into the route and marshals are advised.
RUNNERS MUST BE CONSIDERATE TO MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC WHO REGULARLY USE THESE PATHS/FIELDS AND WOODS EVEN IF THEY ARE ON THE COURSE DURING THE RACE.
The first 1.75 miles will be on the West Park playing fields and follow the perimeter of the fields.. PLEASE DO NOT RUN ON THE FOOTBALLL PITCHES, WARM UP ON THEM, OR EVEN USE THEM AS A SHORT CUT FROM A TO B. WE ARE ALSO BEING MONITORED BY THE FOOTBALL TEAMS WHO LOST VALUABLE PLAYING WEEKS IN PREVIOUS YEARS. There may be a slight bottleneck after 1.25 miles, for a very short distance as you run around an enclosed football pitch, please be careful at this point. After the field you will then do a loop of the woods and Becketts Park. On entering the woods the track is narrow and there is a large hole very close to the track on your right PLEASE TAKE EXTREME CARE HERE (this will be marshalled). There will then be a sharp, rough descent before a sharp incline after a gap in the fence to negotiate, before running down the track where you enter and cross Becketts Park and run alongside some school fencing. You then enter Batcliffe Woods, where there is a sharp turn at the bottom to come back up to Becketts Park. You will do a small loop of the park before entering Becketts Park woods on your way back to West Park Fields,. You make your way up to Queen Victoria’s arch and along a field before going through a gate in the fence back to the West Park playing fields. Finally you will do a short lap of the field to the finish adjacent to Spen Lane. We shall have lots of marshals around the course and at any major problem areas to remind you of the route. The route is ideally suited to trail or fell shoes. You can wear spikes if you decide, but the woods do have roots, stones and loose bits of wood which may be hidden by fallen leaves. There are also 6 narrow tarmac paths to cross. The route will be taped and marshalled.
Horsforth Harriers and Ackworth Road Runners Feb 2020
