RACE THE TIDE
In the glorious setting of the privately-owned Flete Estate, Mothecombe, South Devon. We are hosting a mouth-watering smorgasbord of trail races. Each one being a considerable trail running challenge in its own right.
We have 3 distances to choose from:
. Long Marathon. Almost 29 miles of glorious tracks and trails.
. Long Half-Marathon of 15.5 miles.
. Watery Woodland Trail of 8.5 miles.
This is the 6th year of Race The Tide and the new date is Saturday 21st May 2022.
Start times from 11:30 am (Marathon). The Half-Marathon and Woodland Trail start at approximately 2:30 pm.
All races will be digitally timed.
The three routes follow private footpaths, the South West Coast Path, bridle paths, fields, and Woodland. The Marathon incorporates the South West Coast Path on both sides of the estuary including a beach section at Bigbury-on-Sea and a run across the causeway to the privately owned Burgh Island.
The Marathon route takes you to the top of the island before you descend once again to cross the causeway and continue along the South West Coast Path westwards, ascending awesome hills and dropping down to the shoreline time and time again. It’s a rollercoaster. Then you’ll be racing the tide! At Wonwell beach you’ll be crossing the estuary and running towards Mothecombe, then to follow a circular route, continuing along the South West Coast Path for a few miles, then a turn inland through woodland and rolling South Hams farmland, before a return to the Erme estuary and onwards to the finish, high above the Mothecombe shoreline to collect your well-earned Race The Tide finisher’s medal. 2 ITRA/UTMB qualifying points guaranteed to each Long Marathon finisher!
Long Marathon route
The Half-Marathon is a combination of beautiful woodland and estuarine trails for the first 7 miles before racing the tide at Wonwell Beach. From here the route follows the Coastal Path section, west of Mothecombe and then follows the Marathon route from here to the finish. The total ascent is approximately 613 metres.
Long half-marathon route
Video of the 15 mile race
The 8.5-mile Watery Woodland Trail, is primarily a tour of the Flete Estate’s privately owned woodland and estuarine trails. It has just 3 hills at miles 4, 6 and 8. An Aid Station will be situated halfway around the course and you will be racing the tide at mile 7.5. A Race The Tide bespoke event medal will be waiting for you at the finish line, high above the estuary.
Woodland Trail route
All 3 races will have a medal for every finisher and a Race The Tide event t-shirt can be purchased via the online entry system at any time up to a fortnight before Raceday.
All races start and finish at Mothecombe (PL81LB)
Can you beat the tide?
Mothecombe, Plymouth, Devon, UK, PL8 1LB
pureTRAIL running events have been created by two experienced, passionate, South Devon based Trail and Ultra Distance runners, located on the southern fringes of Dartmoor. We believe that roads are for cars, not runners, so we keep road use to an absolute minimum in our attempt to create the ultimate Trail running experience. We believe that the events should be for runners, not organisers, so we spend our time meticulously planning the routes, and organising simple, pleasurable races over Southern Britain’s last wild place, Dartmoor.
We aim to bring experienced and novice Trail runners into the natural Dartmoor environment by offering Trail races varying in distances of between 10 and 100 miles. From the short, sharp, explosive ‘Volcano Race’ of 10 ‘Moorish’ miles with nearly 1800ft of climb, to the Ultra Trail of Dartmoor.. the Dartmoor 100′, a circumnavigation of Dartmoor. The Ultimate test of endurance in Southern England.
The Idea
Simplicity is our concept. To get runners off the road and onto the Trails. To explore, to experience, to empower and to have fun with running through nature.
To begin our journey, every Wednesday evening we guide runners of all abilities around the Tracks and Trails of Southern Dartmoor and surrounding areas. We have created the PureTrail Running Group. Our first run was from Haytor in April 2015 and people arrived from almost 30 miles away. We are now attracting a growing number of runners each with between 10 and 27 in recent weeks. Everyone is welcome, the guided runs are free of charge. Just bring enthusiasm, a sense of adventure and your trail shoes. Since we started Wednesday night runs we have only missed a handful of evenings in 4 years. It’s now time to ditch the head torches again as the nights get lighter…….hooray! See Wednesday Night Runs section on the Menu bar for our weekly location.
The Logic
Roads are for cars. Too hard, too unforgiving and too repetitive…
MARK BROOKS