Nestled in the gently undulating Willow Brook valley, with its ridges framed by wooded hills, the Deene Park estate offers acre upon acre of wonderful parkland and farmland that provides for excellent trail running.
The festival, which runs over the weekend of 17th-18th May, is all about bringing together like-minded people to enjoy running on a variety of awesome trails across three events, combined with inspirational speakers, food, and live music on the Saturday evening.
The running events, that can be done as standalone events or together - when they form ‘The Quest for the Golden Carrot’ - are:
- Trail Mix Challenge - Saturday 17th from 11-4pm: a different 5k course on the hour, every hour, for five hours.
- Headlight Hop 10k - Saturday 17th at 6.30pm: a one lap early evening run featuring rolling hills and beautiful views across the estate.
- Thump Trail Half - Sunday 18th at 9am: a two lap trail half marathon that will provide a challenge. The route is rolling and every turn rewards you with stunning country views.
- Quest for the Golden Carrot - participants complete all of the above events totalling 56.1k over the 24 hour period. The top 6 males and females (lowest cumulative time) will then qualify for the Carrot Dash.
- Carrot Dash - a 'winner-takes-all' 1 mile race to win one of two exclusive Golden Carrot trophies!
Mary Pearson, owner of Race Harborough, said: “We’re really excited to introduce our new home, Deene Park, and the miles of glorious trails it has to offer to our participants in 2025.
“We’ve had a lot of fun creating all of the new routes over the past few months, ensuring the event still has something for runners of all abilities. However, it still offers a unique challenge in the shape of ‘The Quest for the Golden Carrot’ which allows runners to participate in all three races over the weekend for those that want to push themselves further.
“In addition to the great running that the event provides, there's free camping, street food, and the whole vibe of the weekend is very much about community and sharing our passion for running.”
Entries for the 2025 Run Rabbit Trail Festival can be made via https://thumpevents.co.uk/