Race Review - Race to the King - Castle - 2026
Race to the King 2026 – Castle Route (50k) – A Proper Trail Day Out
Having tackled the Coastal Route in 2025 – and baked in the heat while doing so – I approached Race to the King 2026 with a little apprehension. The Friday before had seen temperatures around 30°C and the Sunday after would hit 34°C, so I was preparing myself for another hot sufferfest.
Thankfully, race day itself was much cooler, if somewhat close and sweaty.
The morning started cool, misty and even drizzly. We set off from the 8am start under grey skies, and although it remained humid throughout, the sun only really broke through as I was finishing. Perfect running conditions in my book, even if I did drink a lot more than usual and make full use of the aid stations along the way. More on those later…
Race Morning
Threshold Events know how to organise big events and the race briefing reflected that. We were repeatedly told to be inside the start pen on time or risk missing not being allowed to run at all! It felt a little fussy at first, but ultimately it's about safety and getting hundreds of runners away smoothly, for a safe day out, without incident OR should there be one – a swift response to any that occurred. Across the day I reckon there must have been around 1,200 of us, so this actually made a lot of sense.
One lovely moment before the race involved a runner who had somehow managed to arrive without his shoes. A tannoy appeal went out asking whether anyone could help and, within less than a minute, some kind soul stepped forward. Crisis averted. And a big cheer from everyone for the hero coming to the recuse. I wonder if they got their shoes back at the end?
The Course
The Castle Route is, quite simply, a proper trail run. Unlike last year's Coastal Route, which was largely road, pavement and cycle path before reaching the trails, the Castle Route is off-road almost from start to finish. For me, that made all the difference.
The opening miles were fairly bumpy with some decent climbs (which I always walk, right from the start as there’s a long way to go! The middle section much smoother with some lovely riverside running, before the route became rougher again towards the finish. Nothing technical, but enough roots, stones and uneven ground to make trail shoes essential. The brambles and nettles had also been cut back pretty well in advance of the race, although a few fallen trees and branches in section did prompt the question – climb over or crawl under? Over every time. Getting even a small backpack stuck under a branch is a right pain!
The scenery throughout was superb. Open fields, rolling countryside, skylarks singing overhead and wildflowers lining the paths. There were orchids in bloom and plenty of stretches where you could simply switch off and enjoy being out in the countryside. With plenty of woodland sections thrown in there was always a great variety and regular change of environment so I never go bored with that endless cornfields” feeling.
Navigation? Impossible to Get Lost
Threshold deserve huge credit here, as I've never come across a course that has been marked so well.
Arrows appeared every 20 to 50 metres, with distance markers every single kilometre. You would have had to actively try to get lost, although there was one cheeky moment when, having mentally celebrated reaching the 57km marker on a "50k" route, I was greeted shortly afterwards by a sign announcing:
"5km to go." Oh, lovely, just what I wanted
Thanks, Threshold!
To be fair, they had warned us during the briefing that there were a couple of bonus kilometres thrown in at the end. It still hurt though. But then again a well earned medal was waiting for use at the finish - after a splendid 200 metre run DOWNHILL to the finish line - now that's a novelty
Aid Stations – Gherkins Anyone?
The aid stations were excellent, and I made the most of them. Alongside the usual Boiled potatoes, pineapple, watermelon, crisps, sandwiches and so on there was one unexpected but welcome treat…
Gherkins.
Yes, gherkins.
I absolutely love them, so discovering bowls full of them at the was not only bizarre but also a superb idea – Why? A different flavour, and I found that irresistible – although shaking the up in my tum after munching them down did help me produce quite a few raucous burps!
About the Race Atmosphere
One of the things I enjoyed most about the day was the atmosphere.
There were enough runners around that you could always find someone to chat to, but equally enough space to spend long stretches alone with your thoughts.
Nobody seemed obsessed with finishing times. It felt more like a shared day out in the countryside than a race. Conversations drifted between races we'd done, races we were planning and stories from previous adventures. And plenty around injuries we’d suffered, both running and otherwise. One particular lady detailed how she had broken her foot as the loo she was standing on cracked and collapsed as she was cleaning the dust out of a wall fan above it! That took a few miles to tell!
Race Village
The event village had a great buzz about it both before and after the race.
There was live music from a local artist which added to the mood without being overpowering, plenty of food and a handful of stalls. Personally, I'd have liked to have seen a few more exhibitors, but it was still a pleasant place to relax and swap stories after finishing.
One Small Criticism
The marshals out on the course were friendly and encouraging, but I felt some of the major road crossings could have been handled better.
Most crossings had a single marshal who simply warned runners that the road was busy and advised caution. I would have preferred two marshals in high-vis, positioned more visibly to traffic, helping runners across safely.
It wasn't a major issue, but it's probably the only area where I felt improvements could be made.
Would I Do It Again?
Probably not.
Not because I didn't enjoy it – I absolutely did.
But Race to the King is an expensive event. Parking costs extra. Tracking costs extra. Photos cost extra. The entry fee itself isn't cheap either.
That said, would I recommend it?
Absolutely.
The Castle Route, in particular, is fantastic. Beautiful scenery, superb organisation, excellent aid stations and one of the nicest medals around. Threshold also offer a range of distances including 30k, 50k, 80k and 100k options, so there's something for almost everyone.
Final Verdict
8.5/10
Not quite a perfect score due to the additional costs and my reservations around some of the road crossings.
But overall?
A brilliant day out, a proper trail route and another reminder that there are far worse ways to spend a Saturday than running through beautiful countryside with hundreds of like-minded people.
Then again, what's not to like about trail running?