ESSENTIAL RACE INFORMATION FOR 2010 YURREBILLA ULTRA
You must read and fully understand this before entering.
You will find further information on the website in the FAQ section and the 2009 race handbook.
Entry prerequisites
There are no specific prerequisites.
It hardly needs saying that you need to be fit and experienced to run 56 km in one day along rough, sometimes slippery, ground, with a total of 1865 of ascent and 2060 of descent. It’s fair to say that you should, when entering this event, be capable of running at least 20 km along rough hilly trails in under three hours. You must be completely fit and well. You need to have discovered from experience how susceptible you are to overuse injuries and to blisters when doing this sort of run. Running downhill is especially hard on the quads and knees; while blisters have proved to be a common problem.
However, you do not need to have run an ultra-marathon distance before. In fact, many people have completed the course within the cut-off time without having previously run further than 30 km - some without having run more than 20 km. The opportunity to take long walking breaks and many refreshment stops enables people to run much further than they are accustomed to doing.
The organisers recommend doing the monthly trail runs near Adelaide, or equivalent runs elsewhere, for six months or more as preparation for this event.
Start times and timing:
There will be three start times: Group C at 06.30, Group B at 07.30 and Group A at 08.30. Sorry, there can be no exceptions! When entering for the event, you must choose one of these times. YOU MUST NOT CHANGE YOUR START TIME BECAUSE IT DETERMINES YOUR RACE RESULT. It is not possible to record a finishing time for anyone who starts at an unofficial time. Each start wave will have a differently coloured race bib.
**PLEASE NOTE DAYLIGHT SAVINGS STARTS IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA AT 2AM ON 3 OCTOBER WITH CLOCKS BEING WOUND FORWARD ONE HOUR, DON'T FORGET TO CHANGE YOUR CLOCK BEFORE GOING TO BED THE NIGHT BEFORE TO AVOID POSSIBLY MISSING YOUR START**
Cut-off times: 16.15 at the last refreshment stop on Montacute Rd; 17.30 at the finish. The cut-off times will be enforced by a firm but friendly sweeper. If the sweeper catches up with you, your race is over. If you continue, it must be without your race bib.
Experienced trail runners need not worry about making the cut-off. As a guide to your choice of start time, double your best recent marathon time and add 45 minutes, or quadruple your best recent half-marathon time and add 1 hour 15 minutes. (Recent = previous 12 months). These formulae allow a safe margin of error, and include 45 minutes of refreshment stops, when you can refuel and recover energy. People in the earliest and middle groups walk most of the uphill sections of the route.
So if you have recently run a marathon in a little under 5 hours, and start at 06.30, you will be likely to finish before 17.15. If your recent marathon time is under 4 hours 15 minutes, and your half-marathon time under two hours, you should start at 07.30 to be reasonably confident of finishing by 16.45. If you have recently run a marathon in under 3 hours 30 minutes, or a half-marathon in under 1 hour 30 minutes, choose the latest wave at 08.30; and you will finish by 16.15.
Please choose the start wave appropriate to your estimated speed. Those expecting to run slowly must choose an early wave, and those expecting to run fast must choose a late wave. In this way we will minimise the dispersal of runners along the trail, and minimise also the time that the refreshment stations and checkpoints need to stay open. Remember that the best security against getting lost or injured is the company of other runners. For this reason, excessive dispersal of runners along the trail is undesirable. You may choose to accompany a slow runner, or you may want to allow for being delayed by a possible injury. This is why we leave it to you to choose your start wave.
THOSE HOPING TO BE PLACED AMONG THE FIRST TEN FINISHERS MUST CHOOSE THE LAST WAVE AT 08.30. By choosing to start too early, a fast runner could reach a refreshment point before it opens.
Starting place
Belair Railway Station. There is ample parking space by the Sheoak Rd entrance, and there is also access (with limited parking space) from Upper Sturt Rd.
Race numbers
Pick them up at the start, if you have not already collected them at the pasta night on Friday or the Saturday brunch (which will be advertised in the race book to be circulated by email about 10 days before the event).
Transport arrangements between finish and start
Except for those living in southern suburbs (from Glenelg, Marion or Mitcham southwards), the initial meeting place should preferably be next to the post-race rest station which is Athelstone Football Club (AFC), on 148 George St, at the corner with Ozone Parade, Paradise. You can park your car in the Torrens Valley Sports Field which adjoins the eastern side of the club, with access from Schulze Rd, opposite Kym St. If you leave your car here, it will be available to you after the end of the race.
Alternatively, you can drive directly to the race start; but In this case, you will need a lift back there after the finish. This should not however be a problem.
Meet at the AFC (Schulze Rd) at least one hour before your race start. There will be buses from AFC to the race start, with car pooling as a back-up in case the buses fill up. Bus tickets are $10 each. To ensure your seat on the bus, it is recommended you book and pay for the seat when submitting your entry form.
The buses will depart one hour before the race start and the journey to Belair Railway Station takes 30 minutes.
The AFC is where all participants end up after the race; so that those who leave their car at the Belair Railway Station can get a lift back from the AFC to Belair. We will provide a bus for this journey, and you can book and pay for a seat with your entry form.
Refreshments
Fruit, food bars and water will be provided at the start. There will be nine refreshments stations along the route, with refreshments which include water, GU sports drink, fruit, food bars, GU energy gels, cake, pretzels, a bun or pastry at Cleland Wildlife Park (the one-third mark), and sandwich lunch at Morialta Cottage (about the two-thirds mark). There will be a complete range of refreshments at the race finish.
So unless, you have special requirements, there is no need to bring your own refreshments. People who guzzle energy gels, or prefer another brand, may need to bring some of their own.
Post-race dinner and award ceremony
A hot meal and hot showers afterwards at the Athelstone Football Club (3 km from race finish) are included in the entry fee. We regret that the water temperature of the showers may decline after prolonged use. Paying for the meal is effectively the way in which we pay for the use of the premises, as the AFC generously waives any charge. (Before you think of complaining about the food, or the temperature of the showers, please keep in mind that we are very lucky to find a place like this at all, which combines showers, food and proximity to the race finish at a reasonably low cost). You pay for your own drinks from the AFC bar. The meal will be served from 16.30 to 19.00 with a short awards ceremony at about 18.45. You can therefore expect to get away before 19.15, if you need to leave. The bus from the AFC to the race start (for those who have left cars at the start) will leave no later than 19.30.
Access to the AFC from the race finish is 2.4 km westward from the race finish along Gorge Rd. At this point, turn right into Schulze Rd and proceed about 800 m, then left into George St. The AFC is about 200 m further, on the left. See the map in the 2009 race handbook.
Toilets
There are toilets in the following places: Belair Railway Station (if we can persuade the manager to open them up again); Belair National Park (one km from the start); Cleland Wildlife Park (one-third of the way along the route); Norton Summit (about two-thirds along); race finish (one toilet), and Athelstone Football Club (3 kms from the race finish).
Overseas and interstate visitors are especially welcome
If you need any help or further information email David Close Tell us if you need transport; and we will try to provide it, but can’t promise.
For transport enquiries, email Paul Black.
Accommodation
Belair National Park Caravan Park (4 minutes drive from the race start): tel. 08 8278 7534 (book early).
Brownhill Creek Caravan Park (10 minutes drive from the race start): tel. 08 8271 4824 or 1800 626 493.
Nunyara Holiday Units (tel. 08 8278 1673) (About 5 minutes from the race start)
Nottingham Way Bed and Breakfast (08 8278 7732). (About 5 minutes from the race start)
Windsor Gardens Caravan Park (tel. 08 8261 1091). This is about 20 minutes drive from the Athelstone Football Club.
There is nothing nearer to the AFC or the race finish.
What to bring on the run
For your own safety, you should bring a fully charged mobile phone with the race controller’s number entered in it.
In case of cold wet weather you will need some extra clothing. (If the forecast maximum for Adelaide is 16°C, it may be only 12°C at higher parts of the trail, minus a possible chill factor of several degrees). A light shower-proof jacket is essential (a goretex jacket with hood is ideal because the material breathes); and you may find a hat and gloves useful. A small compact backpack is useful to carry this spare clothing. Even if you can keep warm while running in cold wet weather, bear in mind the possibility that you might be immobilized by injury, in which case there could be a risk of hypothermia. You may also like to bring tissues, plasters, and sunscreen. You will need a little money for drinks in the AFC, and maybe for emergencies.
Copies of the online map are on this website. Hard copies will be on sale for $4.50 at the race start. See the 2009 race handbook for addresses of places where maps can be bought.
Safety
The key to running safely on rough trails is 100% concentration on the trail in front of you. Remember that it’s easy to get distracted when talking or when you are just behind someone. You need to be especially careful when going downhill into Brownhill Creek, in Horsnell Gully Conservation Park, and in Ambers Gully near the end. You will be asked to give way to faster runners, and respect other users of the trail.
Otherwise, the best precaution against getting into trouble is to stay near other people. Unless you are racing this event, it’s advisable to run with friends. There is mobile phone coverage for most of the route. The race controller will be in touch with a first-aid volunteer with basic equipment. Anyone who is severely injured (and this hasn’t happened yet) may need help from other runners to the nearest vehicle access point. You must be prepared to help an injured runner.
The trail is in general clearly marked. We will put up many extra signs in order to make the route even clearer. We cannot provide marshals to point out the route. So it’s up to you to study the maps beforehand, keep your sense of direction and keep looking out for the arrows while on the trail.
This said, it is really a safe and easy trail, as signage will be abundant and users are close to sealed roads nearly all the way. In only one place (between Brownhill Creek and the Mt Barker Rd) will you be as much as about 3 kms from a sealed road.
There are short sections of the route (in total 9 kms) on sealed roads. The traffic is not usually at all heavy, but cars won’t be expecting to come across you; so keep close to the right of the road (except at certain blind bends), and be alert when crossing any road. We will post as many road marshals as possible. Please listen to them, because they are there to ensure your safety.
Gear, spare clothes
Support vehicles at the start will be available to take your spare gear to the end, or, if you want, to one of two stops along the way (Cleland Wildlife Park and Morialta Cottage). You must indicate these destinations clearly on your gear bag. Remember to include a change of clothes, dry shoes, towel and soap for the shower after the finish, and some money for the bar at the Athelstone Football Club. So you will need a labelled bag for your gear.
Entry fees
SARRC members: $65 up to midnight Wednesday 8 September 2010, and $85 afterwards. PLEASE NOTE Extension of Earlybird Deadline
Non-SARRC members: $85 up to midnight Wednesday 8 September 2010, and $105 afterwards PLEASE NOTE Extension of Earlybird Deadline.
Paper entries close on Friday 24 September, and online entries on Sunday 26 September.
Refunds for those having to withdraw (not later than 26 September) available minus $10 administration fee,
OR
Full value credits to future SARRC events.
If you would like to be considered for a free entry, offer to be a sweeper (see above), or ask to be considered for a free place. When applying for the latter, please provide relevant information including your running experience, running goals, and source of income.
Bus bookings are needed by Friday 17 September, and orders for DATED t-shirts and singlets are needed by Friday 3 September. Undated merchandise may be requested any time, and are subject to availability of stocks.
Quota on entry
250 in 2010.
Have a question not covered above? Try our FAQ page.
"There’s only one thing worse than running Yurrebilla…….not running it!”
You must read and fully understand this before entering.
You will find further information on the website in the FAQ section and the 2009 race handbook.
Entry prerequisites
There are no specific prerequisites.
It hardly needs saying that you need to be fit and experienced to run 56 km in one day along rough, sometimes slippery, ground, with a total of 1865 of ascent and 2060 of descent. It’s fair to say that you should, when entering this event, be capable of running at least 20 km along rough hilly trails in under three hours. You must be completely fit and well. You need to have discovered from experience how susceptible you are to overuse injuries and to blisters when doing this sort of run. Running downhill is especially hard on the quads and knees; while blisters have proved to be a common problem.
However, you do not need to have run an ultra-marathon distance before. In fact, many people have completed the course within the cut-off time without having previously run further than 30 km - some without having run more than 20 km. The opportunity to take long walking breaks and many refreshment stops enables people to run much further than they are accustomed to doing.
The organisers recommend doing the monthly trail runs near Adelaide, or equivalent runs elsewhere, for six months or more as preparation for this event.
Start times and timing:
There will be three start times: Group C at 06.30, Group B at 07.30 and Group A at 08.30. Sorry, there can be no exceptions! When entering for the event, you must choose one of these times. YOU MUST NOT CHANGE YOUR START TIME BECAUSE IT DETERMINES YOUR RACE RESULT. It is not possible to record a finishing time for anyone who starts at an unofficial time. Each start wave will have a differently coloured race bib.
**PLEASE NOTE DAYLIGHT SAVINGS STARTS IN SOUTH AUSTRALIA AT 2AM ON 3 OCTOBER WITH CLOCKS BEING WOUND FORWARD ONE HOUR, DON'T FORGET TO CHANGE YOUR CLOCK BEFORE GOING TO BED THE NIGHT BEFORE TO AVOID POSSIBLY MISSING YOUR START**
Cut-off times: 16.15 at the last refreshment stop on Montacute Rd; 17.30 at the finish. The cut-off times will be enforced by a firm but friendly sweeper. If the sweeper catches up with you, your race is over. If you continue, it must be without your race bib.
Experienced trail runners need not worry about making the cut-off. As a guide to your choice of start time, double your best recent marathon time and add 45 minutes, or quadruple your best recent half-marathon time and add 1 hour 15 minutes. (Recent = previous 12 months). These formulae allow a safe margin of error, and include 45 minutes of refreshment stops, when you can refuel and recover energy. People in the earliest and middle groups walk most of the uphill sections of the route.
So if you have recently run a marathon in a little under 5 hours, and start at 06.30, you will be likely to finish before 17.15. If your recent marathon time is under 4 hours 15 minutes, and your half-marathon time under two hours, you should start at 07.30 to be reasonably confident of finishing by 16.45. If you have recently run a marathon in under 3 hours 30 minutes, or a half-marathon in under 1 hour 30 minutes, choose the latest wave at 08.30; and you will finish by 16.15.
Please choose the start wave appropriate to your estimated speed. Those expecting to run slowly must choose an early wave, and those expecting to run fast must choose a late wave. In this way we will minimise the dispersal of runners along the trail, and minimise also the time that the refreshment stations and checkpoints need to stay open. Remember that the best security against getting lost or injured is the company of other runners. For this reason, excessive dispersal of runners along the trail is undesirable. You may choose to accompany a slow runner, or you may want to allow for being delayed by a possible injury. This is why we leave it to you to choose your start wave.
THOSE HOPING TO BE PLACED AMONG THE FIRST TEN FINISHERS MUST CHOOSE THE LAST WAVE AT 08.30. By choosing to start too early, a fast runner could reach a refreshment point before it opens.
Starting place
Belair Railway Station. There is ample parking space by the Sheoak Rd entrance, and there is also access (with limited parking space) from Upper Sturt Rd.
Race numbers
Pick them up at the start, if you have not already collected them at the pasta night on Friday or the Saturday brunch (which will be advertised in the race book to be circulated by email about 10 days before the event).
Transport arrangements between finish and start
Except for those living in southern suburbs (from Glenelg, Marion or Mitcham southwards), the initial meeting place should preferably be next to the post-race rest station which is Athelstone Football Club (AFC), on 148 George St, at the corner with Ozone Parade, Paradise. You can park your car in the Torrens Valley Sports Field which adjoins the eastern side of the club, with access from Schulze Rd, opposite Kym St. If you leave your car here, it will be available to you after the end of the race.
Alternatively, you can drive directly to the race start; but In this case, you will need a lift back there after the finish. This should not however be a problem.
Meet at the AFC (Schulze Rd) at least one hour before your race start. There will be buses from AFC to the race start, with car pooling as a back-up in case the buses fill up. Bus tickets are $10 each. To ensure your seat on the bus, it is recommended you book and pay for the seat when submitting your entry form.
The buses will depart one hour before the race start and the journey to Belair Railway Station takes 30 minutes.
The AFC is where all participants end up after the race; so that those who leave their car at the Belair Railway Station can get a lift back from the AFC to Belair. We will provide a bus for this journey, and you can book and pay for a seat with your entry form.
Refreshments
Fruit, food bars and water will be provided at the start. There will be nine refreshments stations along the route, with refreshments which include water, GU sports drink, fruit, food bars, GU energy gels, cake, pretzels, a bun or pastry at Cleland Wildlife Park (the one-third mark), and sandwich lunch at Morialta Cottage (about the two-thirds mark). There will be a complete range of refreshments at the race finish.
So unless, you have special requirements, there is no need to bring your own refreshments. People who guzzle energy gels, or prefer another brand, may need to bring some of their own.
Post-race dinner and award ceremony
A hot meal and hot showers afterwards at the Athelstone Football Club (3 km from race finish) are included in the entry fee. We regret that the water temperature of the showers may decline after prolonged use. Paying for the meal is effectively the way in which we pay for the use of the premises, as the AFC generously waives any charge. (Before you think of complaining about the food, or the temperature of the showers, please keep in mind that we are very lucky to find a place like this at all, which combines showers, food and proximity to the race finish at a reasonably low cost). You pay for your own drinks from the AFC bar. The meal will be served from 16.30 to 19.00 with a short awards ceremony at about 18.45. You can therefore expect to get away before 19.15, if you need to leave. The bus from the AFC to the race start (for those who have left cars at the start) will leave no later than 19.30.
Access to the AFC from the race finish is 2.4 km westward from the race finish along Gorge Rd. At this point, turn right into Schulze Rd and proceed about 800 m, then left into George St. The AFC is about 200 m further, on the left. See the map in the 2009 race handbook.
Toilets
There are toilets in the following places: Belair Railway Station (if we can persuade the manager to open them up again); Belair National Park (one km from the start); Cleland Wildlife Park (one-third of the way along the route); Norton Summit (about two-thirds along); race finish (one toilet), and Athelstone Football Club (3 kms from the race finish).
Overseas and interstate visitors are especially welcome
If you need any help or further information email David Close Tell us if you need transport; and we will try to provide it, but can’t promise.
For transport enquiries, email Paul Black.
Accommodation
Belair National Park Caravan Park (4 minutes drive from the race start): tel. 08 8278 7534 (book early).
Brownhill Creek Caravan Park (10 minutes drive from the race start): tel. 08 8271 4824 or 1800 626 493.
Nunyara Holiday Units (tel. 08 8278 1673) (About 5 minutes from the race start)
Nottingham Way Bed and Breakfast (08 8278 7732). (About 5 minutes from the race start)
Windsor Gardens Caravan Park (tel. 08 8261 1091). This is about 20 minutes drive from the Athelstone Football Club.
There is nothing nearer to the AFC or the race finish.
What to bring on the run
For your own safety, you should bring a fully charged mobile phone with the race controller’s number entered in it.
In case of cold wet weather you will need some extra clothing. (If the forecast maximum for Adelaide is 16°C, it may be only 12°C at higher parts of the trail, minus a possible chill factor of several degrees). A light shower-proof jacket is essential (a goretex jacket with hood is ideal because the material breathes); and you may find a hat and gloves useful. A small compact backpack is useful to carry this spare clothing. Even if you can keep warm while running in cold wet weather, bear in mind the possibility that you might be immobilized by injury, in which case there could be a risk of hypothermia. You may also like to bring tissues, plasters, and sunscreen. You will need a little money for drinks in the AFC, and maybe for emergencies.
Copies of the online map are on this website. Hard copies will be on sale for $4.50 at the race start. See the 2009 race handbook for addresses of places where maps can be bought.
Safety
The key to running safely on rough trails is 100% concentration on the trail in front of you. Remember that it’s easy to get distracted when talking or when you are just behind someone. You need to be especially careful when going downhill into Brownhill Creek, in Horsnell Gully Conservation Park, and in Ambers Gully near the end. You will be asked to give way to faster runners, and respect other users of the trail.
Otherwise, the best precaution against getting into trouble is to stay near other people. Unless you are racing this event, it’s advisable to run with friends. There is mobile phone coverage for most of the route. The race controller will be in touch with a first-aid volunteer with basic equipment. Anyone who is severely injured (and this hasn’t happened yet) may need help from other runners to the nearest vehicle access point. You must be prepared to help an injured runner.
The trail is in general clearly marked. We will put up many extra signs in order to make the route even clearer. We cannot provide marshals to point out the route. So it’s up to you to study the maps beforehand, keep your sense of direction and keep looking out for the arrows while on the trail.
This said, it is really a safe and easy trail, as signage will be abundant and users are close to sealed roads nearly all the way. In only one place (between Brownhill Creek and the Mt Barker Rd) will you be as much as about 3 kms from a sealed road.
There are short sections of the route (in total 9 kms) on sealed roads. The traffic is not usually at all heavy, but cars won’t be expecting to come across you; so keep close to the right of the road (except at certain blind bends), and be alert when crossing any road. We will post as many road marshals as possible. Please listen to them, because they are there to ensure your safety.
Gear, spare clothes
Support vehicles at the start will be available to take your spare gear to the end, or, if you want, to one of two stops along the way (Cleland Wildlife Park and Morialta Cottage). You must indicate these destinations clearly on your gear bag. Remember to include a change of clothes, dry shoes, towel and soap for the shower after the finish, and some money for the bar at the Athelstone Football Club. So you will need a labelled bag for your gear.
Entry fees
SARRC members: $65 up to midnight Wednesday 8 September 2010, and $85 afterwards. PLEASE NOTE Extension of Earlybird Deadline
Non-SARRC members: $85 up to midnight Wednesday 8 September 2010, and $105 afterwards PLEASE NOTE Extension of Earlybird Deadline.
Paper entries close on Friday 24 September, and online entries on Sunday 26 September.
Refunds for those having to withdraw (not later than 26 September) available minus $10 administration fee,
OR
Full value credits to future SARRC events.
If you would like to be considered for a free entry, offer to be a sweeper (see above), or ask to be considered for a free place. When applying for the latter, please provide relevant information including your running experience, running goals, and source of income.
Bus bookings are needed by Friday 17 September, and orders for DATED t-shirts and singlets are needed by Friday 3 September. Undated merchandise may be requested any time, and are subject to availability of stocks.
Quota on entry
250 in 2010.
Have a question not covered above? Try our FAQ page.
"There’s only one thing worse than running Yurrebilla…….not running it!”
THIS EVENT IS PROUDLY SPONSORED BY:
Please read:
YURREBILLA TRAIL 56KM ULTRA
3 October 2010
HEAD FOR THE HILLS... THE ADELAIDE HILLS... THE RACE IS ON!
3 October 2010
HEAD FOR THE HILLS... THE ADELAIDE HILLS... THE RACE IS ON!
