This major new fundraising event is an endurance race, whereby the entrants determine their own route from HMP Dartmoor with the aim to achieve the furthest distance (as the crow flies) in a given time.
We are lucky enough to be able to use the fantastic prison setting for your escape with a unique start planned. It’s also a perfect place for your friends and family to see you off and take some fantastic pictures of your escape.
There are 2 categories, a 12 hour ‘Delinquent’ and 24 hour ‘Felon’ cut off. Whilst individual route choice is very much a part of the event it will be controlled in terms of restricted to only using public rights of way so no tunnelling or building gliders! Escapees are also restricted from entering any bird nesting areas. Information on this can be found here, http://www.dartmoor.gov.uk/wildlife-and-heritage/wildlife/birds/birds-nesting
All escapees will be monitored for the full duration of the event by a GPS tracker device and associated software for the Race Director. This system allows continuous participant tracking and the facility for participants to operate an ‘SOS’ button. Friends and family can monitor progress of individual participants at http://racedrone.net/event/dartmoor-prison-break
Although this fantastic event attracts ultra-race runners from across the UK, we strongly encourage anybody to take part as a personal challenge. Maybe you can run (or walk very quickly) home to Plymouth, Bodmin or Exeter, or handcuff yourself to your best friend and make good your escape in unison! This is your race at your pace! We have some brilliant escape stories from the past events. Some event write ups are available on this website.
Medals and T-shirts will be given to all escapees. As this is an event to raise funds for Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team Plymouth (registered charity) there will be no main prizes offered. We pride the event on catering for everybody and in past years this ethos has seen a very positive and encouraging feel to the event, producing some great camaraderie in escape attempts!
This year we have added a twist!! Can you beat the wardens?! New for this year there will be wardens entered into each event!! Can you beat their distance???
Please note this is your escape and beating the warden is not compulsory but certainly an added challenge!
Safety
The runners are responsible for their own support and are encouraged to arrange their own support crew.
If 999 support is required please ring this in the first instance and contact race control at an appropriate moment.
The trackers are fitted with an SOS button, if these are pressed we will assume 999 support is also needed and arrange this to your location as well as contacting yourselves. Don’t worry these buttons have never been set off by accident and will be located in such a position to minimise any risk.
Race Control will maintain a constant watch utilising the GPS trackers and will monitor progress and be able to interrogate any issues raised by the GPS tracking system. Each entrant will have to carry a mobile phone and provide the number to race control along with contact numbers for support crew. This will allow race control to take any swift action and contact support teams to verify runner situations or assist with any problems.
DSRTP will provide a medical team from race control who will be able to respond to incidents close to the start. For any emergency incidents further afield race control will ensure appropriate emergency service resources/support are mobilized to the runner location. Runners will need to pre-declare any medical conditions and fill out medical details on the back of their race numbers.
At the end of the event participants are responsible for their onward travel. This also applies for somebody who would like to end their escape early. Please bear this in mind when planning your escape.
Due to the nature of the event participants will need to send their trackers back to the tracking company. Full details on this procedure will be given within the joining instructions before the event.
Minimum age for participants is 18 years.
There will be a mandatory kit list for all entrants, including:
- Waterproof jacket with taped seams
- Waterproof trousers with taped seams
- Head torch with spare batteries
- Mobile phone
- Compass and relevant maps
- Whistle
- Water bottles or bladder
- Hat
- Gloves
- Spare base layer long sleeve top
- Emergency food
- Emergency foil blanket
- First aid kit
There will be a mandatory pre-race equipment check. This kit list maybe reviewed depending on weather conditions at the time of the event.
Teams
We have no specific team entry and entries are individual. However, we encourage groups to escape together and enjoy the experience or go it alone, the choice is yours!!
Cost
For the third year now we have frozen prices!!
- Cost for the 12 hour delinquent event is £35 plus booking fee.
- Cost for the 24 hour felon event is £45 plus booking fee.
All proceeds from this event go directly back into the team to help maintain the service we provide. Your support is much appreciated and we look forward to seeing you on escape day!!
Full race instructions will be sent 2-3 weeks in advance.
Saturday 27 of July 12:00 till Sunday 28 of July 12:00
