Cannock 50 - new event alert!

2022 will see the first edition of the Cannock 50 on Saturday 11th June 2022. The Saturday morning (afternoon and likely evening!) trail event will be in both metric and imperial so that’s 50km or 50 miles, it’s up to you! Both events will take advantage of a truly incredible and challenging 10 mile loop on Cannock Chase. Each lap has over 1100 ft of elevation making this a real challenge for both the 50km and 50 mile route.

The event will be close to the Takeroo campsite at Cannock Chase (this section is generally away from the crowds) and will be an all trail affair with no road crossings to worry about. In true Big Bear fashion the event will be fully sign posted and you’ll be looked after like kings and queens at the aid stations. Leave the map at home and expect to consume more calories than you use!

The 50 mile event has a challenging cut off (especially given the route) of 13 hours and the 50km a much more generous 12hr 30. The 10 mile lap is unrelenting with some gentle ups and downs and some absolute brutes too! You’re treated with spectacular views though. Underfoot is mainly crushed stone in varying levels of age and condition. Some is fresh fire road where you can get some good running going and others the stone slips and slides with each step as you climb up and down.

For the first week, or the first 25 entries, (whichever comes first!) entry for both events is only £50! The chance to advertise “a 50 for 50” was too good to pass on but not profitable so it’s only running for a week! Prices will then rise to their standard point, £65 for the 50 miler and £55 for the 50 km. You can save 10% on your entry by being a member of the Big Bear Brigade.

I’m so looking forward to this event and hope to make it a permanent fixture in the ultra running calendar. Cannock Chase is a majestic woodland with untold possibilities in terms of routes. The route proposed on the event page may be tweaked by race day due to the nature of dealing with a forest (a schedule 1 bird sets up nest on the course and we have to move - not them!). If there are changes it’ll be similar, awesome views, mature woodland and hills – you’d be hard pushed to avoid them on “the chase”!

I’ve run the route a couple of times, it seems to get hillier on each visit. For the non-mountain goats of you (like me!) this is a tough, tough course. The YouTube video of the route is very much sped up in the editing!! That said each up and down gives you an awesome reward with a view. This isn’t laps of a car park, running track or an industrial estate. Doing laps at Cannock Chase just gives you more chances to take in the awesomeness of the place! A 10 mile lap is big enough that you’ll not get bored of it one bit and makes for no “race admin” for you, access to your drop bag every lap too. Lots of positives.

A big thank you to Charlotte who helped guide me round (or drag my sorry self up the hills more accurately!) to test out the route too. Hero!

I can’t wait. Get signed up here!!