Tollgate Hill Half Marathon
The Tollgate Hill Half Marathon is an event concocted by Andrew and Chris Bullock in 2015.
It takes place on the first weekend of February every year and is done at your own discretion at any point over the weekend.
10K
Seven loops of Tollgate Hill with an elevation gain of 241m/790ft.
- Loops
- 7
- Distance
- 6.2 miles / 10km
- Elevation
- 790ft / 241m
- Male CR
- Nuno Lourenço - 42:09
- Female CR
- Claire Page - 50:13
Half Marathon
15 loops of Tollgate Hill with an elevation gain of 481m/1580ft.
- Loops
- 15
- Distance
- 13.1 miles / 21.1km
- Elevation
- 1580ft / 481m
- Male CR
- Nuno Lourenço - 1:31:43
- Female CR
- Claire Page - 1:48:59
Marathon
30 loops of Tollgate Hill with an elevation gain of 1052m/3450ft.
- Loops
- 30
- Distance
- 26.2 miles / 42.2km
- Elevation
- 3450ft / 1052m
- Male CR
- James Tombs/Tim Winkley - 4:01:30
- Female CR
- Not set - be the first!
Get involved
When
First weekend of February. In 2024 this will be the 3rd or 4th.
You can start at whatever time you want. People will tend to arrange a start time in their own little groups so they can run together.
Where
Tollgate Hill in Broadfield. The start and finish point is the Bishopstone Walk bus stop on Tollgate Hill.
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Address: Tollgate Hill, Crawley RH11 9QQ
Why
Why not?
Hill training is a highly effective form of workout that offers numerous benefits. It helps to improve cardiovascular fitness, as the uphill effort increases heart rate and oxygen consumption. This type of training also strengthens leg muscles, particularly the quadriceps, hamstrings, and calves, as they work harder against gravity. Moreover, hill training enhances running form and efficiency by encouraging high knee lift and quick stride turnover. It also boosts mental toughness, as conquering challenging inclines can build confidence and resilience. Therefore, incorporating hill training into your routine can significantly enhance your overall athletic performance.
The route
Start at Bishopstone Walk bus stop on Tollgate Hill (you may want to start a bit beyond the bus stop to make sure that Strava tracks it correctly as there's tree cover which may affect your GPS).
Head straight up the hill to the dual carriageway, at the top of the hill follow the path to the left and take the left through the wooded section.
In the wooded section you'll come across a dog poo bin, this is where you need to turn left. Do NOT go straight on (takes you down the dual carriageway to K2).
Once you've turned left at the dog poo bin, you'll be into the houses. Keep going straight until you get to the T-junction. Turn right DOWN the hill.
Follow the hill down until you get to another T-junction. Turn right and follow the road (Hollingbourne Crescent) until you get the T-junction with Tollgate Hill.
For each subsequent lap, you now turn left and head back up the hill. You only need to return to the bus stop on your last lap to finish.
Ignore the distance on your GPS, you must start and finish at the bus stop.