NESS XC R3 – 10/12/23

1 December 2023 - By Annalise Tye

Happy December, and welcome to the Christmas cross country aka our 3rd NESS fixture! I hope you are as excited we are to run through the cold and mud…

Please see below for details for Sunday 10th December.

Venue
The venue is Hilly Fields, Sheepen Road, Colchester, CO3 3LL.
Entrance to the start/finish is at the corner of Sheepen Road opposite the school or via Sussex Road depending on where you park.

Timing & The Route

The juniors will race at 10am followed by the seniors racing at 10.45am. The senior race comprises two laps of approx. 2.5 miles. Please note that Hilly Fields is it is a country park and runners may encounter members of the public who are also using the park. Please be respectful to anyone on the course.

Parking
Please can we ask that as many as possible car share as this will help to ease congeson in the area and ensures that everyone gets parked up conveniently.

Parking will be as per last year, and there are two main parking options to access the race at Hilly Fields –
Sheepen Road or Sussex Road. Sheepen Road is the closest.

SHEEPEN ROAD
Address: Sheepen Road CO3 3LL
There is road side parking permitted on Sundays on Sheepen Road. We will have marshals in place to guide vehicles. Please follow their instructions and park carefully so that we can get as many cars parked up at no cost. Note that we can only park along one side of the road to avoid causing road blockages. Once all the road side parking is filled up, there is Sheepen Road car park. This costs £2.50 and can be paid for using the MiPermit app or via text message.

You can download the MiPermit app from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store.
The location number for Sheepen Road car park is 737824. If you park at Witham station in the opposite car park you should already have this app on your phone.

To pay by text: send an SMS (text) message or call to pay. If you are paying through SMS message, text the word ‘PARK’ followed by your registration number and the duration of your stay to 61600. For example:
‘PARK T123EST 30mins’ or ‘PARK T123EST 2hrs’.
Alternatively, call 0345 520 7007 from your mobile. Calls cost the standard rate as set by your mobile provider.

PARKING FROM SUSSEX ROAD (ACCESSED FROM LEXDEN ROAD)
There is also roadside parking available off Lexden Road. Depending where you stop this will mean a 10 to 15 minute walk to the start field. Hilly Fields can be accessed from Sussex Road but please do not try to park there: spaces are extremely limited and it is difficult to turn around to get out.

Please park considerately and ensure that all driveways are left clear and that traffic is not impeded. Roads that can be parked on are: Park Road CO3 3UL; Queens Road CO3 3NY; The Avenue CO3 3PA; West Lodge Road CO3 3NL; Victoria Road CO3 3NT; Creffield Road CO3 3JA; Oxford Road CO3 3HN; Sussex Road CO3 3QJ.

ADDITIONAL PARKING
There is also parking at St Marys multi storey car park, CO3 3AA . This is about half a mile from Hilly Fields. It is the most expensive option and costs over £4 per vehicle. The entrance to this car park could become congested with Sunday shoppers! Parking is by way of coins or MiPERMIT App. There will be marshals to guide participants down to Hilly Fields. Walk along the front of the building to Popes Lane. Follow the marshal’s directions down to the run.

Refreshments and toilets
Toilets are available at St Helena School which is opposite the Sheepen Road entrance to Hilly Fields. Please note we do not have full access to the school so ideally changing to be done outside by cars or on the main field.

Refreshments will also be available in the school playground.

GBRC will be having a cake table and hot drinks and ask that donations be made which will be given to charity. They  will be supporting Run for Gem and funds raised will be passed on to
St Helena’s Hospice and Brain Tumour Research in memory of Gemma Edgar, a local runner who passed away 5 years ago.

Cake request

We are short of a few (3) bakers-please sign up here:  https://www.withamrc.org.uk/club-news/let-them-eat-cake/

Maybe even those vegan bakers who have posted delicious biscotti on FB (Stephen Sawyer)!

Any questions, let us know!

A&J