Race Organisers

Licence requirements

Before we can approve a licence, your event and application must meet each of the numbered requirements below. If your application can't be approved yet, we'll tell you which points need attention.

Please make the changes described for each point, then reply to the comment on your application to let us know. Click here to be directed to the licence dashboard.

ELIGIBILITY

1. The race must take place in England
We can only licence races held within England. If your race is in Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland, please contact the relevant home country athletics federation.

2. The route must fit the definition of "trail" under UKA Rules
Courses of up to marathon distance, i.e. 42.2km, which are less than 60% trail are not to be classified as Trail Races. From the information provided, your route doesn't appear to meet this. If you think it does, please send us the approximate split of trail and road, ideally with a route map or GPX file.

RACE INFORMATION

3. The race information web page must be up-to-date 
The web page you gave us must show up-to-date information for the event you're applying for. Please check the link works and that the page shows this year's details, not a previous year's.

4. The details given on your application form must match your race information
Some details in your application, such as the date or distance, don't match your race information page. Please correct whichever is wrong so the two match.

5. The minimum age (or ages)  must be clearly stated 
Your race information must clearly state the minimum age (or ages) for the race. Please check our age restrictions guidance: https://tra-uk.org/organisers/age-restrictions

6. The TRA licence statement must be included

Your race information must include the following statement: "The event is to be licensed by the Trail Running Association, and run under UK Athletics rules."

We also encourage organisers to show the TRA logo and link to our website. To download our logo, click here

7. Event Location

The event location details entered on the application form will be used by the TRA online Race Directory to help users find your event. Ensure that the address and the location of the pin on the map(s) are correct. (The map pin can be moved if necessary by clicking on the map.)

PRICING

8. Affiliated and unaffiliated prices must be set correctlyEach race must have two entry prices: an affiliated price, and an unaffiliated price that is exactly £2 more. The affiliated price applies to anyone who is a member of a UK Athletics affiliated running club.

9. A URN must not be required to get the affiliated priceYour entry form must not require a URN for the affiliated price. Members of UK Athletics affiliated clubs qualify for the affiliated price whether or not they are individually registered, so many won't have a URN. Please make the URN field optional.

10. Relay or series pricing must be applied per person and per eventFor relays and series, the £2 difference between affiliated and unaffiliated prices must be applied per person and per event.

SAFETY AND PERMISSIONS

11. First aid provision must be clear and appropriateYour first aid provision must suit the distance, location and terrain of your event and the number of participants. Please give us more detail, such as who is providing first aid, how many first aiders there will be, where they'll be based, and how they'll reach a runner in difficulty.

12. The police must be notified where appropriateIf your route crosses public roads, you must notify the police. If you plan to do this closer to the race date, please confirm this and we can accept it as "to be confirmed".

13. The local authority must be notified where appropriateYou must notify your local authority of the event, unless it is entirely on private land and doesn't use any Public Rights of Way.

RISK ASSESSMENT

Our risk assessment template sets out the minimum we expect for a trail race: https://tra-uk.org/organisers/risk-assessment-template

14. The risk assessment must be appropriate for the event
Your risk assessment does not reflect the risks of your event. Please review yours against our template.

15. There must be a method for accounting for runners
Your risk assessment must explain how you'll account for every runner, so that you know everyone who started has either finished or is safely off the course, including anyone who retires.

16. There must be a plan for responding to a medical emergencyYour risk assessment must explain how you'll respond to a medical emergency on the course, including how the alarm is raised, who responds, and how emergency services would reach the casualty.

17. Food and water hygiene must be considered
If you're providing food or water, your risk assessment must explain how you'll make sure it's handled hygienically. If you're providing food, it must also cover how you'll give runners allergen information.

If we cannot approve your application for a reason not listed here, we will explain within a written comment on your application.

Once you have corrected your application, based on our feedback, you must notify us by sending us a message through the TRA Licence application commenting system, not by email. Once we have received a comment, your licence will be re-reviewed by one of the team.

Click here to be directed to the licence dashboard.