- Race the Train
Race the Train is an annual
cross country running event that takes place inTywyn ,Mid Wales . The race is organised by TywynRotary Club , and attracts runners from all over the world. [Cite web|url=http://www.kcchronicle.com/articles/2008/08/12/news/local/doc489e735539e05485856241.txt|title=article in Kane County Chronicle, Illinois|accessdate=2008-08-16] In the main event, runners compete to beat a steam train on the preservedTalyllyn Railway over a distance of convert|14|mi|km. The event has featured both in local and national media, including theBBC 'sCountryfile programme.Cite web|url=http://www.racethetrain.com/event-description.html|title=Countryfile article (video)|accessdate=2008-08-12]History
The event was the idea of local dentist, Godfrey Worsey, and first run in 1984 with around 48 runners. The following year, this had increased to 250 runners. In 2007, there were 687 runners in the main race; the winner completing the course in just over 1 hour 23 minutes.Cite web|url=http://www.racethetrain.com/race-results.html|title=2007 results|accessdate=2008-08-16]
Route
The full race of convert|14|mi|km is from Tywyn to Abergynolwyn and back. The course is mostly over public footpaths and local privately owned farmland, with the permission of the landowners, though the first and last sections are on public roads. Although only the elite runners stay ahead of the train for the full distance, the train stops in various locations to take on water, pass other trains or to run round at Abergynolwyn, allowing other runners to overtake.
Additionally, there are shorter races in the morning, as follows:
*Quarry Challenge - convert|6.2|mi|km from Quarry Siding Halt to Tywyn. [Cite web|url=http://www.racethetrain.com/quarry-challenge.html|title=Quarry challenge|accessdate=2008-08-12]
*Dolgoch Challenge - convert|5.5|mi|km from stnlnk|Dolgoch to Tywyn.Cite web|url=http://www.racethetrain.com/dolgoch-tynllwynhen-challenge.html|title=Dolgoch and Tynllwynhen Challenge challenge|accessdate=2008-08-12]
*Tynllwynhen Challenge - convert|3.5|mi|km from Tynllwynhen Halt to Tywyn.
*Toddlers trot for children round the perimiter of the race field. [Cite web|url=http://www.racethetrain.com/toddlers-trot.html|title=Toddlers Trot|accessdate=2008-08-12]References
External links
* [http://www.talyllyn.co.uk/ Talyllyn Railway website]
* [http://www.racethetrain.com/ Race the Train website]
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