Event Information

The 50k is being introduced this year to the Kerry Ultra for the first time.

Starting in Upper Rock Street, Tralee at 10am on August 25 2018 participants will travel on foot through a number of the small towns and villages in North Kerry as they traverse along the Wild Atlantic Way.

Runners will embark from Tralee and travel to Ardfert via a local roads and paths before the 50k event course merges with the 100k route. As participants arrive at the infamous Barrow Hill for the dogleg section where a turnaround takes place outside the gates of the Tralee Golf Club, here participants may catch their breath, taking in the views of Barrow Bay before descending Barrow and arriving at a cunning little drag up to Churchill, turning right at the graveyard the route travels a quiet local road which brings runners to the historic Fenit.

Through the village and out along the pier, the iconic Fenit Lighthouse on your righthand side, turning at the steps to the monument to St Brendan the navigator, participants are now entering the final leg of the event. Back through the village along the main Tralee to Fenit road, the route travels along the coast of Tralee Bay. The sails of Blennerville Windmill will become visable in the distance as runners pass the Oyster Tavern Bar and Tralee Cricket club before they turn off the main road and head into the Kerries.

A few last minute drags here will test ones reserve after you pass the Tralee Driving Range and meet the ever famous (Tralee’s version of heartbreak hill) Kerries Hill. On this hill keep an eye on the roof of a big green shed, this is Dillions Waste Recycling and marks the top of the hill.

From here you descend the hill and arrive in the outskirts of Tralee town. Passing the Government Building on your right, the course takes a righthand turn and heads for the historic Blennerville village with its windmill standing proud to greet you, this was the point of departure for many during the Great Famine and the sight where the famine ship the Jennie Johnston was rebuilt during the late 1990’s.

Passing through Blennerville, runners will take a lefthand turn up bringing them past St Pats GAA field. Staying on this local road runners will ascend their final but gentle drag before taking a left hand turn at the foot of the Shortmountain (a road that travels up and over the Slieve Mish mountains). This road will bring runners out onto a local road next to LIDL supermarker, following the signs runners are now just over a mile from home as the travel up the River Lee Walkway, reaching the Aqua Dome, participants will take a right at the roundabout 300 meters before they cross the Finishline on Niall Armstrong Way.

Participants can enter the event here.

Race Rules:

• All participants shall obey the rules of the road at all times. Failure to do so shall result in withdrawal from the event.
• The event is a self-sufficient, some water and refreshments may be available around the course but overall participants and their crew are responsible for catering to their own needs.
• This is a Leave No Trace event, participants and/or their crews who are found to knowingly or otherwise litter the course shall be disqualified from the event.
• All participants are required to wear a High Viz vest at all times.  Failure to do so shall result in disqualification.
• Earphones and/or other items that inhibit the runners ability to be fully aware of their environment at all times, are prohibited.  Participants found to be in breach of this shall be disqualified for safety reasons.
• Pacers/Running Buddies are prohibited this event.  Participants found to have had pacers during the event shall be disqualified from the event.
• Strict Cut-Off Times shall be in place.  Runners failing to reach these cut-off times shall be retired from the race.  Cut-off times may be amended prior to the event start and any amendments will be notified to participants at the race briefing.  The race directors decision on cut-offs is final.  Participants failing to retire at the request of the race director shall be disqualified from the event.
• If a participant is requested to retire from the event by medical staff they will do so, failure to do so shall result in disqualification.
• In the event that a participant wishes to retire from the event, they must inform the race director by phone.  Once a participant has informed the race director they are retiring, they may not re-enter the event.  Participants wishing to retire from the event will be transported back to the finish line. Due to the size of the course, it may take some time for a race official to reach you so please advise the race officials of your location and ensure that you wait in a safe place.
• Participants found to be in a vehicle that is moving shall be disqualified from the event.
• If participants find that they have gotten lost on the route, they should contact race officials who will arrange for them to be transported back to the point of the course where they went wrong. Participants failing to run the event course may be disqualified from the event.
• The event organisers reserve the right to amend any and all event rules and/or course prior to the event taking place.  Any amendments will be notified to the participants orally during the event briefing.
• The event organisers decision on all matters to do with the event rules are final and binding.
• The event organisers reserve the right to refuse refund for entries, participants wishing to defer entry must do so before 12pm (12:00) August 11.  Any requests for deferral after this date can not be guaranteed but shall be considered on a case by case basis.

Event Route is available by clicking here.

Event Information

The 100k is the main feast of the Kerry Ultra.  Starting in Cahersalee, Tralee at 6am on August 25 2018 participants will travel on foot through a number of the small towns and villages in North Kerry as they traverse along the Wild Atlantic Way.  Runners will embark from Tralee and travel to Ardfert before skirting around Ballyheigue on their way to Causeway,  from which they will travel around the beautifully scenic Kerry Head to arriving in the coastal seaside village of Ballyheigue will see them halfway through the course.  From Ballyheigue participants will pass through the historic Banna, past the monument that commemorates the landing point of Roger Casement during the 1916 Rebellion.  Soon after this monument the 50k event course will merge with the 100k route as participants arrive at the infamous Barrow Hill for the dogleg section where a turnaround takes place outside the gates of the Tralee Golf Club.  Here participants may catch their breath, taking in the views of Barrow Bay before descending Barrow and arriving at a cunning little drag up to Churchill, turning right at the graveyard the route travels a quiet local road which brings runners to the historic Fenit.  Through the village and out along the pier, the iconic Fenit Lighthouse on your righthand side, turning at the steps to the monument to St Brendan the navigator, participants are now entering the final leg of the event.  Back through the village along the main Tralee to Fenit road, the route travels along the coast of Tralee Bay.  The sails of Blennerville Windmill will become visable in the distance as runners pass the Oyster Tavern Bar and Tralee Cricket club before they turn off the main road and head into the Kerries.  A few last minute drags here will test ones reserve after you pass the Tralee Driving Range and meet the ever famous (Tralee’s version of heartbreak hill) Kerries Hill.  On this hill keep an eye on the roof of a big green shed, this is Dillions Waste Recycling and marks the top of the hill.  From here you descend the hill and arrive in the outskirts of Tralee town.  Passing the Government Building on your right, the course takes a righthand turn and heads for the historic Blennerville village with its windmill standing proud to greet you, this was the point of departure for many during the Great Famine and the sight where the famine ship the Jennie Johnston was rebuilt during the late 1990’s.  Passing through Blennerville, runners will take a lefthand turn up bringing them past St Pats GAA field.  Staying on this local road runners will ascend their final but gentle drag before taking a left hand turn at the foot of the Shortmountain (a road that travels up and over the Slieve Mish mountains).  This road will bring runners out onto a local road next to LIDL supermarker, following the signs runners are now just over a mile from home as the travel up the River Lee Walkway, reaching the Aqua Dome, participants will take a right at the roundabout 300 meters before they cross the Finishline on Niall Armstrong Way Tralee.

Participants can enter the event here.

Race Distance: 100km
Start Time and Location: 6am (06:00) Cahersalee, Tralee
Race Briefing and Number Collection: 7.30pm (19:30) Friday 24 August The Abbey Inn Tralee
Race Cut-off times: 50k , 8 hours ( 2pm/14:00), 80k, 12.5 hours (6:30pm/18:30), 100k (9pm, 21:00)

Race Rules:

• All Participants are required to have a crew for this event.  No Crew – No Run – No Refund
• All crew vehicles shall only be driven by fully licensed and insured drivers.  Proof of this and of vehicle roadworthiness must be produced at the race briefing along with contact details for the crew. All crew vehicles must have a flashing beacon on the roof of the vehicle. This must be on for the duration of the event. All crew members must wear a hiviz vest/jacket at all times.
• Crews should be contactable at all times by the race officials via the contact details provided at race briefing, repeated failed attempts to contact a crew will result in the participant being retired from the event.
• All participants shall obey the rules of the road at all times. Failure to do so shall result in withdrawal from the event.
• The event is a self-sufficient, some water and refreshments may be available around the course but overall participants and their crew are responsible for catering to their own needs.
• This is a Leave No Trace event, participants and/or their crews who are found to knowingly or otherwise litter the course shall be disqualified from the event.
• All participants and Crews are required to wear a High Viz vest at all times.  Failure to do so shall result in disqualification.
• Head Torches are mandatory for the start of the event, no headtorch – no run – no refund
• Earphones and/or other items that inhibit the runners ability to be fully aware of their environment at all times, are prohibited.  Participants found to be in breach of this shall be disqualified for safety reasons.
• Pacers/Running Buddies are only permitted from the 50k point onwards.  Participants are restricted to only one pacer/running buddy at any one time.  Pacers/running buddies shall also be subject to the race rules eg high viz vest.
• Strict Cut-Off Times shall be in place.  Runners failing to reach these cut-off times shall be retired from the race.  Cut-off times may be amended prior to the event start and any amendments will be notified to participants at the race briefing.  The race directors decision on cut-offs is final.  Participants failing to retire at the request of the race director shall be disqualified from the event.
• If a participant is requested to retire from the event by medical staff they will do so, failure to do so shall result in disqualification.
• In the event that a participant wishes to retire from the event, they or their crew must inform the race director by phone.  Once a participant has informed the race director they are retiring, they may not re-enter the event.
• Participants may sit into their crew vehicle only when the vehicle is stationary.  Participants found to be in a vehicle that is moving shall be disqualified from the event.
• If participants find that they have gotten lost on the route, they should contact race officials who will arrange for them to be transported back to the point of the course where they went wrong. Participants failing to run the event course may be disqualified from the event.
• The event organisers reserve the right to amend any and all event rules and/or course prior to the event taking place.  Any amendments will be notified to the participants orally during the event briefing.
• The event organisers decision on all matters to do with the event rules are final and binding.
• The event organisers reserve the right to refuse refund for entries, participants wishing to defer entry must do so before 12pm (12:00) August 11.  Any requests for deferral after this date can not be guaranteed but shall be considered on a case by case basis.

Event Route is available by clicking here.