IMPORTANT WEATHER UPDATE: 2024 LARKING GOWEN NORWICH HALF MARATHON

Important weather update

Following internal meetings throughout this week, and with runner, volunteer and spectator safety as our first and foremost priority, we are making a number of changes to our original event plans due to the current conditions forecast over the weekend.

The current forecast is that heavy rain is expected onsite during our setup period, during the hours of 12.00PM and 6.00PM, and on Sunday, wind gusts of around 45MPH are forecast during the hours of 8.30AM and 2.00PM when runners will be onsite at Norfolk Showground, now named at Storm Bret.

Although an official weather warning is now in place at of 5PM on Friday afternoon, we want to ensure that a safe event can be facilitated at all times – so to that end, Good Running Events will be making the following changes to the original plans for the event:

Car Parking

Entrance and exit routes separated to make use of fresh areas of site wherever possible.

Additional car park monitoring brought in, with additional segregation on arrival and staffing to manage
Toilets

Temporary provision in start area repositioned to opposite side of permanent toilet block to ensure additional shelter for the blocks.

This provision is in addition to the permanent toilet blocks open onsite, next to the start finish, by Walstan Hall Baggage Drop, Starting Straight and Car Park entrance / Exit.

Race route

All non essential branding removed, including flags and inflatables that cannot be fixed to permanent structures.

Barriers weighted with additional sandbags wherever they cannot be fixed to permanent furniture

Race village

All non essential signage and branding removed and start/finish line relocated to open up use of indoor space wherever possible

Relocation of most stands to indoor barn space - for medal backdrops and layout of partner activations and food/drink concessions.

Please note that the above changes will have no impact on the Helpdesk and Baggage areas which were already planned for the Walstan Hall space, towards the south of the event village.

Start / Finish

All branding removed and moved indoors.

Trophies presentation

This will be relocated indoors into the barn space, but will still take place at approx. 12.15PM.

Club Gazebos / Branding

We also ask that our partners, running clubs and other groups refrain from brining temporary and inflatable structures such as gazebos & flags to the race village. In normal circumstances we would absolutely encourage and welcome these but these will not be permitted to be setup on Sunday unfortunately to ensure a safe event for everyone involved. These changes have been communicated directly to all that we were aware of from previous discussions.

Additional measures

Our route management teams will be conducting additional checks before and during the event itself to ensure that wherever possible, the race route is completely clear of large debris and obstacles – but we ask all participants remain vigilent when running.

Understanding the risks

Please be vigilant when traveling to and from the event and when running during the event itself.

We thank you all for your understanding of these changes. While disappointing that we cannot implement the full race experience we have planned, we have looked to incorporate as much as we possibly can still within an indoor space to ensure you still receive a fun and safe event on Sunday morning.

We are looking forward to seeing you at the weekend!