How far can you go?
What?
Trailblaze is an exciting new style of challenge for adventurous runners of all levels. The format is simple, run as far as you can through some of the UK’s most inspiring landscapes. With 2,500 miles (4,000km) of stunning National Trail in the UK, rest assured the Trailblaze team has hand picked the best from the best.
How far can you go?
Each Trail challenge is divided into five segments, participants or ‘Trailblazers’ are rewarded with a different coloured wristband for completing each level; moderate, difficult, hard, severe and extreme.
Trailblazers can take up any of the challenges any time they like (24/7, 365 days a year), as each fully way marked route is specially equipped with electronic hardware that records and verifies their unique journey that once over is displayed online. As well as earning rewards for completing each level there are numerous opportunities for trailblazers of all levels and abilities to win some truly amazing prizes.
Why?
• Test the limits of endurance
• Win some amazing prizes*
• Discover the most amazing parts of the UK
• Spend time with friends
• Train for other events
• Get away from it all – Trailblazing is great therapy for pretty much anything
• Ensuring upkeep of the trails for the future**
*Unlike ordinary running events Trailblaze is much fairer and gives everyone an equal opportunity to win.
**By taking part in any of the Trailblaze challenges 20% of every entry fee will be paid directly to Natural England in England and the Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) to help contribute to the upkeep of the National Trails.
When?
Whenever you want to, the trails never close, you decide when, weekend or midweek, summer or winter, day or night.
Every Trailblaze challenge will be open 24/7 for a whole year, giving you the freedom to start whenever it suits you best.
The first eight Trailblaze challenges will be bookable from January 2011 and then opening weekly from April until the start of June 2011. More courses will follow during the year.
Where?
By the end of 2011 there will be a Trailblaze challenge on all fifteen of The National Trails throughout the United Kingdom before heading into Europe and the rest of the world.
How?
Trailblaze challenge routes are equipped with a chain of electronic checkpoints spaced at regular intervals all the way along the trail. Trailblazers carry a small timing tag (supplied in the ‘ignition pack’), which they must register with each of these electronic checkpoints. The timing tag records the successful completion of each section of trail, and stores a list of all of the checkpoints and the times they were visited. Results are then uploaded to an online leader board as proof of the achievement and motivation for your friends and rivals.
Some of the checkpoints are extra special - these are called ‘Hotspots’ and are represented by the coloured circles on each of the course schematics. When a trailblazer makes it to a hotspot they will earn a wristband of the corresponding colour as well as being automatically entered for an annual draw to win some fantastic prizes.
Who?
Trailblaze has been created by a small team of trail runners, who feel passionately that the joy and exhilaration that comes from the pursuit of faster times and longer distances is exponentially amplified when combined with beautiful surroundings and epic views. This is the same team that’s behind the Endurancelife event portfolio, with a huge wealth of experience when it comes to creating and managing tough events in inspiring locations, you can be sure of a top quality experience, from Start to Finish.
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