FAQs. Answered

How much does it cost?

Registration Fee (non-refundable):
50km: £60 per person (50% discount or £30 until 30 April)
100km: £85 per person (50% discount or £42.50 until 30 April)

Fundraising Target:
50km: £275
100km: £400

Your Fundraising Target is a commitment from you to raise the minimum sponsorship from The Hunger Project UK. Roughly 50% of this is due to be paid 6 weeks prior to the challenge. The remaining fundraising and any excess is due to be paid to The Hunger Project no later than 4 weeks after the challenge (19th July 2013). The Hunger Project pays a fee of between £75-£99 (depending on our recruitment levels) to the event organiser (Action Challenge) for services associated with marketing and organising the event.  The Hunger Project include gift aid in the totals – get in touch, if you want to discuss the fundraising targets or would like to enquire about a team target.

What’s included?

• Event pack: timing chip, hi-vis, energy products.
• Full event support: marshals, support walkers.
• Fully signed route & route map.
• Celebrity-led aerobic warm up at the start.
• Manned Check points every 12.5km.
• Snack / drink stops & hot meal rest stops.
• Doctors & event medics at every rest stops from 50km onwards.
• Shuttle service for retirees at rest stops from 50km onwards.
• Massage facilities from 75km rest stop onwards & at the finish.
• Runners: Extra supplies of energy bars & gels along route.
• Runners: Baggage service at the 50km hot food stop.
• Breakfast in Sheffield for 100km finishers, with finish line party!
• A finishers pack with a 2013 challenger medal & T-shirt.
• Welcomed in by your friends, family and supporters!
• Shuttle buses to nearest train stations.

How tough is the challenge?

There’s no denying it – this is a tough challenge by anyone’s standards. It will be physically and emotionally demanding! You will have to combat fatigue and tiring limbs however with prior planning and a commitment to the training plan, it is achievable.  The more comfortable you are with walking or running long distances for sustained periods, the more comfortable you will be on the challenge. With no prior long distance walking our Challenge Event Manager, Mark Speirs took on 2012’s London 2 Brighton 100km Walk – you can view his training walks (Jan-May 2012) on Runkeeper or get in touch for some advice.

You should also practice walking at night at similar times to those projected on the schedule, to get your body accustomed and used to the sensation of working, when it’s normally sleeping and recovering!

A 6-month training plan will be issued to help assist in your preparation for the event!

Am I fit enough to run the challenge?

To run 100km is an ultra-marathon, or 50km as a marathon plus is a serious undertaking and we recommend you’ve completed other events of this distance beforehand. If running the 100km, you’ll be aiming to do this in less than 15 hours.

If however, you would like to run and jog (and perhaps walk too!) parts of the challenge, then you can enter the event as a walker, and attempt the challenge in that category.

How much will I need to train?

The Trans Pennine Challenge is a tough event and training is essential for everyone. Preparation is key and will aid your enjoyment of the challenge whilst ensuring that your body is up to the rigors of the event.

It is very important for all competitors to train properly and build up endurance and resilience thresholds, alongside your base fitness. This will enable you to cope with the distance and provide the ability to recover between stages during the challenge.

You will have access to an event specific training guide to aid with your training and preparation.

What about food and nutrition?

Approximately every 12.5km, there are manned checkpoints and replenishment stops with water, tea, coffee, soup, juices, and snacks.
You’ll bring your own lunch for the first major rest stop at 25km.
Hot meals are served by our specialist catering team at 50km, 75km and the finish.
The on event catering will be mixed & plentiful, with calorific intake a priority.
Runners: extra supply of energy products throughout.
At the 100km finish in Sheffield there will be a celebratory hot brunch/BBQ available to all participants (supporters are charged a nominal fee).

What do I carry?

You are responsible for your personal items on the event and an equipment and clothing list will be supplied once you have signed up to the challenge. Some items are essential/compulsory, others recommended.

You will need a daypack (c30l) to carry the recommended personal items throughout the event, including wet weather gear, warm clothing, water, snacks, sun protection, personal first aid kit, and other personal items. You will also be issued with a walker safety pack, including maps.

There will be a baggage transfer service (at an additional cost payable on the day) from the start to the half way point (Penistone at 50km), and to the 100km finish at Sheffield. This will be for a single piece of baggage, not exceeding 75l/20kg. Participants who retire from the challenge will be responsible for claiming their baggage at their finish line.

Runners will have an extra baggage service, where you will be able to access your bags at the half-way mid point, should you not wish to run with your bags.

How do we find our way along the route?

Each stage of the challenge will have its own map which includes all rest stops and route hazards. The route will also be clearly signed with pink directional arrows and the night time stages will be supplemented with reflective tape and glow sticks.

What happens if I get lost during the night stages?

All stages of the route are fully signed, and during the night stages we use reflective and glow-in-the-dark signage. This is so you’ll always be able to see the marked route. It’s also compulsory that all challengers wear a head-torch during the night stages, and a reflective item to wear, which will be provided for you.

The night stages will also be heavily supported by our team of head walkers, so you won’t be on the course by yourself. We’ll also be tracking every walker at each check point with electronic tagging.

It will be compulsory for you to carry a charged mobile phone. We will have an emergency contact number and contact procedure in the unlikely event you do get lost. Our control room will be on standby throughout the event to help anyone in need.

What is the terrain of the route like?

The Trans Pennine Challenge mainly takes place on bridal paths however there is an urban element to the challenge when in the two cities of Manchester and Sheffield.

Generally though, the route is largely spacious and flat, as well as being mainly traffic free.

What happens if I or someone in my team has to pull out of the challenge along the route?

If you unfortunately have to drop out of the challenge, you’ll need to do so at the nearest check-point if possible. Here, you’ll alert the event organisers, who will ‘log’ you out of the event.

From 50km onwards at each rest stop there will be support vehicles and shuttle services to the nearest train station for you to safely and easily return home.

Can I bring my dog on the challenge?

No – unfortunately we do not allow dogs to take part in the challenge as we cannot cater for them along the route and they can be difficult to manage. We do however, think dogs make for great training companions.

How do I get to the start and from the finish?

There is full information about transport links at the start and finish, along with approximate start times issued once you have signed up to the challenge. The event starting point will be in Didsbury, South Manchester. The 50km finish point (and half way mark) is at Penistone, and the 100km finish will be at the Don Valley Stadium in Sheffield.

Around 1 month prior to the challenge, exact start times and specific joining information details will be sent to you as part of your departure pack.

I am signing up as an individual – how can I meet other trekkers on the challenge?

Once you’ve signed up to the challenge, you’ll be invited to ‘like’ and participate in our Trans Pennine Facebook page and Twitter account. We encourage individuals and teams of people to meet, converse and organise training walks.

The organisers Action Challenge  will be running a series of training walks in the lead up to the challenge where you will be able to meet fellow trekkers and walkers as well as the event organising team from AC. If you are in or around the London area you welcome to join Mark’s Hunger Project training walks – these will happen every 6 weeks between January and September to accommodate walkers (runners) for London 2 Brighton Challenge, Trans Pennine Challenge and Thames Path Challenge and our cycle events. Friends, family (including your 4 legged ones) are welcome. Details will be emailed with our regular challenger newsletters.

How old do I need to be?

You must be 16 years or over on the date of the event (22nd June 2013) to enter on to the Trans Pennine Challenge.

How can we sign up as a team?

All teams entering need to be set up by a ‘team captain’. This is the first team member who signs up to the challenge and creates the team. The additional team members can then sign up by linking in to that pre-registered team.

There is no limit to the number of participants you can have in a team, however we recommend that everyone is of the same fitness level and pace, and that a team is no more than 12 challengers.

One of our team mates has dropped out of the challenge – can someone else take his/her place?

All teams are made up challengers who have paid a non-refundable registration fee. We can add, change and amend team sizes and names but any cancellation of a team member is subject to the organisers (Action Challenge’s) cancellation terms and conditions.

Can I cancel my place on the challenge?

You can cancel your place on the event, but your registration fee is non-refundable. It will also be between yourselves and your chosen charity to deal with the refund of any sponsorship monies paid.

I signed up as an individual – can I join a team?

If you have signed up to the challenge as an individual, you can amend your registration form by logging back in to the forms. Here, you can change your registration, to either create a new team or join a pre-existing team.

Can we do a name change for a team member of our team?

No, all registrations are on an individual basis and whilst we can link together registrations to join and create teams, any persons cancelling from the challenge will forfeit their place on the event. Any new team member will then have to sign up as a new challenger.

Once signed up, how do I start my fundraising and set up my fundraising page?

Once you have signed up to the challenge and chosen your charity, you can set up your online fundraising page with Just Giving as directed in your confirmation email – we also have accounts with BT MyDonate and VirginMoneyGiving – both of whom charge lower fees. | Start Fundraising

Once you’ve set this up, you can start sending out the online link to all your friends and family to start collecting donations!

The Hunger Project will also send you a welcome pack which will give you advice and support on how to go about your fundraising plans.

For more fundraising tips and advice, and how we support you, please visit the Trans Pennine Challenge website

What happens if I fail to raise the minimum sponsorship amount?

The Trans Pennine Challenge is a fundraising event in support of The Hunger Project – registered charity 362288, therefore by signing up, you are committing to fundraise the minimum sponsorship amount for The Hunger Project.

Failure to meet the initial target could result in you being unable to take part in the challenge. However, this is down to the discretion of the charity and will be decided on a case by case basis. The event is tough, but in many respects this makes it a bit easier to find willing sponsors, as it’s no walk in the park!

Who should I speak to regarding fundraising issues and my sponsorship pack?

Once you’ve signed up to the challenge, The Hunger Project will send  out a fundraising pack. If you still haven’t received this, then please contact our Challenge Event Team – mark.speirs@thp.org or call Mark on 07595 222 354.

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