- My objective over the whole weekend is to see as many as possible of you reach the finish at the Leisure Centre in Fort William safely.
- All rules are here to ensure that the event is as safe as we can make it and that it continues for the future. Failing to comply with these rules reduces your safety margin.
- Dropping any litter on the trail is unacceptable. Other people do it, so if you can face it, please collect some of it and leave at a checkpoint for disposal.
- Balmaha Checkpoint- please comply with the funnel into the CP.
- After the first checkpoint at Balmaha, it is a long haul to Beinn Glas Farm before you must meet your crew again. They may meet you at Rowardennan if you wish, instead of using a drop bag there. After Balmaha or Rowardennan they have an ‘overnight’ opportunity to rest at Balmaha before meeting you at the farm some hours later.
- Please use this opportunity to rest. If you arrive at Beinn Glas farm before 0700hrs, you will not be permitted to enter and park. Please time your arrival as closely as is practical to the expected arrival of your runner, reducing significantly the pressure on parking here.
- No feed stops allowed anywhere in Glen Falloch.
- Please keep as quiet as you can in residential areas at night, especially in KLL.
- Kit inspections will again be enforced this year and there is a real possibility that I might have to withdraw someone from the race because either they are not prepared with sufficient gear in their transport at the time or that their team transport arrangements do not provide sufficient cover. All runners must carry a foil blanket and phone throughout the event. In the latter stages it may be that you will be expected to carry a full set of weather gear.
- Closure of checkpoints. I want to make this point quite clear; I know how much of yourself you have put into training for this running The closure times have been carefully set after many years of experience; if you can’t make the closing time, it is unlikely that you will be able to finish safely so the marshals will be enforcing closing times at their checkpoints.
- Support crews are responsible for the health and safety of their runner at all times and must be prepared to escort or retrieve their runner during the latter stages of the race, particularly in bad weather.
- Support crews must get their runner weighed at Auchtertyre and again at Kinlochleven. Weight is only one factor in determining the relative health of a runner; no-one will be withdrawn simply because they lose a couple of kilos. Always obey the instructions of a marshal.
- Withdrawal- If you are forced to pull up, please make sure that you and your crew inform marshals that you have withdrawn and hand back your chip. Ideally, give us the wrist tag as a physical reminder that you are out. Go forward to the next checkpoint, as the one behind you may already have closed.
- Please uphold the West Highland Way Race, Family tradition: Take care of each other. Very important on such a long and remote route.
- First Aid will be located at all formal checkpoints; the Race Doctor with aid station at Kinlochleven, Medics at sites on final parts of the route and at the finish. Any problems, get in touch with me direct, via any marshal or through Race control. Both Medic and Search & Rescue teams will be in the field throughout the event to provide rapid response.
- A&E: Nearest A&E facilities are at the Royal Alexandria Hospital across the Clyde in Paisley and the Belford Hospital in Ft William.
- In the unlikely event of the race being cancelled due to extreme weather conditions, the check-point marshals and sweepers will advise runners and their support teams; instructions must be followed.
- There will be a sweep at the back of the field. Their instructions do not include carrying downed runners out to the next checkpoint; they are there simply to summon your crew to come and drag you out.
- Please remove all rings as swollen hands can be a big problem. No NSAIDs (Nurofen, Ibupfrofen, Diclofenac or related drugs).
- There will be some. When the sun shines, it’ll be hot. When it’s raining, it’ll be cold and wet. If it’s windy, there’ll be less midges.
- Food stops for supporters- the obvious spots are The Beech Tree Inn near Glengoyne; The Oak Tree at Balmaha, Auchtertyre Farm CP, the Real Food Café at Tyndrum, and GlenCoe Ski Resort CP, all of whom support this event. Please feel free to use them. Tail Race pub will have food on Saturday evening in Kinlochleven; there is also a chipper.
- Prizegiving will be in the Nevis Centre in Fort William from 1200hrs on Sunday- North of the railway station and Morrisons supermarket. See you there. Have a good one.
Sean Stone
Lord of the Bridge