We are very excited to be able to start revealing details of the 2013 GL3D™. First of all the courses cover a wide-ranging area within the Central and Northern Lakeland fells. Each of our three courses mixes classic summits, valleys and ridges with hidden gems and rarely visited tops in stunning combinations that will provide a compelling weekend of mountain running adventure.
 

Our Event Centre is at Dowthwaite Head Farm. This is where competitors will register, park for the weekend and start and finish each course.

Dowthwaite Head Farm is at the end of beautiful and remote Lake District valley that has no through access and limited parking, and so it remains rarely visited and off the radar of most visitors.

Food and accommodation is available at Dockray, which is the closest village to Dowthwaite Head Farm being approximately 2km away.

The location is here:
http://www.streetmap.co.uk/map.srf?x=337165&y=520960&z=120&sv=337165,520960&st=4&ar=y&mapp=map.srf&searchp=ids.srf&dn=812&ax=337165&ay=520960&lm=0

The The Ordnance Survey Grid Reference is:
NY371209

More information about our Event Centre is here:
http://www.dowthwaiteheadfarm.co.uk/
 

Competitors must register before starting and they can do this on the evening of Friday 3rd May (between 1800-2200) or on the morning of Saturday 4th (between 0700-0900). Competitors can only registered at the Event Centre. At registration competitors will be issued with their map, which is preprinted with checkpoints and control descriptions (for each course), and their SI card. We recommend arriving on the Friday night so that everyone has an opportunity to relax, meet fellow participants and discuss the following day’s route. The night before the GL3D™ the atmosphere is always good and many competitors sneak off to a local pub for an informal gathering. Camping is available on the Friday night and this is included in the entry fee. Competitors may also park their car at the Event Centre for the weekend at their own risk.

The big change for 2013 is the introduction of two new courses. Previously, all competitors shared one course, which averaged about 26 miles each day with considerable height gain. It was roughly equivalent to an Elite mountain marathon course in terms of difficulty. We will now be offering two additional courses that are similar to an A and B course at a mountain marathon. The approximate average distances will be:

Elite – 30 miles per day
A – 25 miles per day
B – 20 miles per day

In terms of distance these courses are further than a normal mountain marathon course of the same standard. However, at the GL3D™ the navigation is simpler and the terrain more runable, so the average times are usually similar to a normal mountain marathon:

Elite – 7 to 8 hours per day
A – 6 to 7 hours per day
B – 5 to 6 hours per day

The choice of three different courses means that competitors can choose from either an Elite, A or B course. The really exciting component of the GL3D™ is that competitors simply enter the event, and then choose whichever course they prefer on the day. This could either be Elite for all three days, Elite, B then A or any ‘mix-and-match’ combination. All competitors will still share the same overnight camp.

To appear in the overall results, competitors must complete the same course (Elite, A or B) each day. If competitors are not bothered about appearing in the overall results they may mix and match the courses as they wish. Obviously, on a daily basis we will have results for each course.

Each day competitors start anytime between 0700 and 1000 and should expect to spend a long day in the hills. The first day will be slightly longer and the last day slightly shorter.

The course will be roughly triangular with a different overnight camp each night. We will provide free tea/coffee, cakes and beer at the end of day one and two and a large, tasty meal at the end of day three. We anticipate that everyone would have finished by 1500 on day three.

We will transport competitors overnight kit from the Event Centre to each of the campsites on day one and two, and then back to Event Centre on day three.

However, we will ONLY transport drybags of a maximum size of 59L and weight of 13kg. Although other drybags are available we highly recommend the heavy duty Ortlieb drybag available here. We insist on a standardised drybag for all competitors for four reasons:

1) The maximum capacity of the overnight kit each competitor can bring is therefore the same and fair.
2) We have limited transportation space.
3) The dry bags need to very similar sizes so that they can be packed efficiently in the vans that transport them.
4) Once at the overnight camp/finish, the drybags are stored outside.

Charlie Sproson, our course planner, is offering an additional 5% off the price of Ortlieb drybags (they are already discounted by 10%) to GL3D competitors, through his shop, the Outdoor Warehouse. Just use the discount code 'GL3D2013'.

There will be weigh-in before competitors dry bags are accepted for transport. See the photos here>>>.

Competitors will quickly find that packing for the GL3D™ is a skill that requires careful selection of food, equipment and clothing.

Some good and bad examples of dry bags are included below.

A = Acceptable B = Unacceptable (this is not a dry bag and contents will get wet in heavy rain) C = Acceptable

D = Unacceptable (this is a lightweight dry bag that will be easily damaged) E = Unacceptable (We will not transport extra items outside of the dry bag)

F & G = Unacceptable (the dry bag must be sealed)

The overnight campsites are usually rural rather than remote but competitors should NOT expect any shops, pubs or cafes to be in the vicinity. Facilities will be very basic with water available from a stream, and portaloos rather than a campsite toilet/wash block. We will provide tea/coffee, cakes and beer for everyone as they finish on days one and two. Hot water will also be available for competitors to use for hot drinks but we cannot guarantee availability at all times and competitors must bring a stove and sufficient fuel for cooking ALL their own food. We will not provide mugs or any kind of drinking implement – competitors will need to bring their own!

Specific Information about the 2013 GL3D Campsites

• Friday 3rd May – Dowthwaite Head Farm Event Centre – This is a remote campsite and facilities here will be basic with portaloos and water only available from the local stream.
• Saturday 4th May – Location Secret – We will be adjacent to a commercial campsite and therefore we will have access to the toilet and shower block. Competitors will need £1 coins for the showers. Mains water will be available.
• Sunday 5th May – Location Secret – This is a remote campsite and facilities here will be basic with portaloos and water only available from the local stream.

The GL3D™ is an informal event and we don’t want to be overly prescriptive about what kit you take. Also, as an experienced mountain runner or walker, we expect competitors to be able to make your own decisions about kit selection. Competitors will need two bags: one hill bag and their overnight drybag. We do insist on the following minimum safety items being carried at all times in competitors hill bag:

Mandatory ‘Hill’ Kit
The following kit must be worn or carried by the competitors in their ‘hill bags’ at all times:

• Waterproof Jacket or Smock (with taped seams and a hood)
• Waterproof Trousers (with taped seams)
• Survival bag (not a blanket)
• Map (supplied) and compass
• Headtorch with spare batteries (with sufficient light to be able to navigate in the darkness)
• Whistle
• Sufficient food
• Spare warm top
• Hat and gloves suitable for the weather conditions
• Water bottle and / or hydration system
• Fell or mountain running shoes (road trainers are NOT acceptable) for runners and appropiate mountain walking boots for walkers
• Money (a combination of plastic and cash is best)
• Waterproof pen/pencil

Recommend ‘Hill’ Kit
The following kit is also recommended:

• Mobile Phone (Although we recommend that all competitors carry a mobile phone there is no guarantee of phone reception along many sections of the route).
• Altimeter (Very useful aid for navigation in low visibility conditions).
• GPS (For competitors who are not completely confident of their map and compass skills in all conditions).

In is worth noting that possession of a GPS and / or mobile phone is no substitute for good mountain judgment on behalf of the competitors.

Mandatory ‘Camp’ Kit
The following kit must be included in competitors 59L Overnight Dry Bag:

• A complete change of clothing that can be worn at the overnight camp.
• Warm sleeping bag (3 Season recommended)
• Sleeping mat (ThermaRest style inflatable mat recommended)
• Tent
• Stove, sufficient fuel for three days, lighter/matches, pan/bowl and any cutlery you may need (Note that NO mugs etc are provided for use with hot water - you will need your own!)
• Personal First Aid kit to include plasters, blister treatment, antiseptic ointment and painkillers as a minimum.
• Sufficient personal food for eating on the hill each day, three breakfast meals and 2 large evening meals.

Competitors should be careful not to underestimate the quantity of food they should bring as there will be no additional ‘snack’ food available at the overnight camps. Anticipate approximately 1/3 of your drybag being filled with food!

Other Recommended Kit
The following equipment is strongly recommended for increasing your personal comfort (and would need to be included in your overnight bag):

• An insulated ‘duvet’ jacket
• Travel pillow or pillow case
• A fresh set of running clothes for each day
• Sponge and cloth for washing and drying your plate etc
• Personal washing things and towel
• Ear plugs
• Anti-chaffing / lubrication ointment
• Wallet, credit card and / or sufficient cash to enable you to return to the Event Centre early if needed.
• Note pad and pen
• Book
• Any luxury food items you want.

As the overnight camps may be wet and muddy we recommend that competitors have a spare pair of waterproof shoes and consider taking a spare waterproof jacket and trousers.

For competitors who are used to two-day mountain marathons and small sacks, you may think that a 59L drybag is huge. However, competitors will quickly find that packing for the GL3D™ is a skill that requires careful selection of food, equipment and clothing.
 

Competitors should be ready to start between 0700 and 1000 each morning. It is competitors responsibility to plan their route and start time so that they have safely arrived at the next overnight camp by the Finish Time. We expect walkers to start at 0700 and only the fastest runners waiting until 1000 to start. You MUST remember to punch the start with your SI card.

The event will use digital SPORTident timing; know as SI. At registration competitors will be issued with their own SI Card, which must be ‘punched’ into the SI timing boxes at each checkpoint and at the finish. For those unfamiliar with this simple and reliable system, full instructions will be given. The SI system is an important safety feature of the event and when competitors ‘download’ their SI data at the end of each day, we generate a record of who is safely off the hill. For those who are interested, we will display daily and cumulative results each evening.

The most important safety rule is that ALL COMPETITORS must download their SI data at the end of each day with the organisers, regardless of whether they have completed the course or not.

If competitors have not arrived at the overnight camp by the specified Finish Time (printed on the map) and have failed to make contact with the organisers (on the emergency telephone number also printed on the map) then the Police and Mountain Rescue will be notified and a search organised. The specified Finish Time is generous and would comfortably allow someone to walk the day’s route (if starting at 0700). Therefore if competitors haven’t arrived at the overnight camp or contacted us by the Finish Time, we will assume that they are in serious trouble.

The GL3D™ is a relaxed and informal event and if competitors are having a tough day, they can simply miss out a checkpoint or two. The courses are usually designed so that you can do this although competitors should still expect a long day with plenty of climb. Within the results we will list any competitors who have missed a checkpoint (or two... or caught a taxi between two checkpoints... yes, this did happen in 2012!) below another competitor who has visited them all, regardless of their overall time.

Remember that in 2013 we will be offering three different length courses for the first time, which competitors can 'mix-and-match' between. Full details here.

In the unfortunate circumstances that a competitor must retire, it is essential that they notify us if they have been unable to reach the overnight camp. We would recommend that competitors have sufficient money to enable them to get a taxi back to the Event Centre if necessary. We will be able to transport a limited number of retired competitors from one overnight camp to the next but are unable to provide transport back to the Event Centre on day 1 and 2.

Competitors will be issued with a waterproof pre-marked map of the course at registration.

Whether running or walking we expect you to have sufficient fitness and mountain experience to safely complete all three days. Typical experience would include Mountain Marathons, long fell races, Long Distance Walkers Association events such as The Fellsman and experience of long mountain days.

A few dogs have completed the GL3D™ over the years! We will confirm whether dogs will be allowed in 2013 once all the details of the coures are finalised.