01 / KNOW THE ROUTE
What the course asks of you
Canal towpath and Chester
The race opens on a canal towpath and passes through Chester, with early checkpoints at Stoak (4 miles, water only) and Chester (8.7 miles), then Waverton at 13 miles. This is the flattest, fastest part of the day, so it is where pacing discipline matters most.
Sandstone Trail and Delamere Forest
From around Tarporley (20 miles) the route uses the Sandstone Trail and the ancient woodland of Delamere Forest, with a checkpoint at Barnsbridge car park at 27.5 miles. Expect mud, stiles and possible ice in late February.
Frodsham and Helsby Hill
The later miles climb to Frodsham (34 miles) and Helsby Hill, with Alvanley at 38 miles, before the return to Ellesmere Port. The organiser warns of cliff edges at Helsby and Frodsham Hill, so take care if you reach them tired or in the dark.
02 / BUILD THE BLOCK
How to prepare
A winter build
Most of your training falls in December and January. Plan for short daylight, wet trails and cold, and get used to running long in the conditions and kit you will race in.
Volume over vertical
With 849 m over 50 miles, this is a runnable ultra. Prioritise steady weekly volume and long runs on mixed towpath and trail, with some sustained climbs to prepare for the Sandstone Trail and the late hills.
Practise in the dark
The 06:00 start means at least an hour of running before dawn, and many runners will finish after dark. Do some long runs that start or finish by headtorch, with the 75-lumen minimum and a second light the race requires.
Keep your running and strength work in one place. Explore MaxMile for your Chester Ultra 50 preparation, or compare the levels of personal coaching.
03 / PUT IT INTO PRACTICE
Pace the race you have trained for
The flat early miles on the towpath are where most runners go too fast. Keep the first 13 miles to Waverton genuinely easy and eat from the first hour, because checkpoints are your only aid: there are no drop bags.
Know the cut-offs, from 07:11 at Stoak to 12:40 at Tarporley, 15:00 at Delamere Forest and 19:20 at Alvanley. Save some strength for Frodsham and Helsby Hill, and walk the steep sections early rather than late.
04 / MAKE ROOM FOR TRAINING
When should your block start?
The Chester Ultra 50 is on Saturday 27 February 2027, about 16 weeks from early November 2026. A 16-week block starts this week, which suits runners who already have a marathon behind them. If you are stepping up from shorter races, you would ideally have started in October, so build carefully and protect your recovery.
Christmas and New Year fall in weeks seven and eight, so plan them as a lighter week or a chance for a long back-to-back weekend, whichever fits your life. Your biggest long runs belong in late January, about four to five weeks out, then taper through February. The race briefing and kit videos are due by 16 February 2027.
05 / SORT THE PRACTICAL BITS
Kit and race-weekend planning
Mandatory kit is a seam-sealed waterproof jacket, a long-sleeved base layer kept dry, at least 1 litre of water capacity, a charged phone in waterproof covering, a foil blanket, a headtorch of at least 75 lumens, a second light that is not a phone or watch, a whistle and the GB Race Tracker. Kit is checked at registration, during the race and at the finish.
Registration is on Friday evening or from 04:15 on race morning. Parking at the venue is limited and sold in advance from 18 February 2027, and the car park has no overnight parking. Ellesmere Port station is about a 7-minute taxi ride away. Crews must not attend some checkpoints, so read the supporter rules before you plan.
