The course is 5000 metres (5km) long and is considered to be gently undulating. It has been accurately measured using a precision measuring wheel. The event cannot be considered an official road race as the course consists of mixed surfaces mainly woodland path. While the going is mostly firm, it can be slippery when wet. While we have made every effort to ensure you run exactly 5000 metres, small differences are possible due to the varying surfaces and conditions.

Please remember that the Banstead Woods parkrun uses shared paths within Banstead Woods, which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). For the continued success of the event, please keep to the left of the path and give way to other park users. This won't hurt your time, it won't stop you from getting a personal best (PB) and it will make sure everyone continues to enjoy Banstead Woods.

There is limited car parking at the event. We have dedicated parking for about 50 cars and there is a public car park allowing another 100 cars. Please see the map for directions. These car parks are equidistant from the start. However, please make the effort to come by foot or bike. Also, try to use public transport as often as you are able. The closest train station is Chipstead.

The Banstead Woods parkrun is a fun, free event organised by volunteers for the benefit of everyone. We wish to make the run as safe as possible, so runners, spectators and helpers are asked to take care about the following:

• Please be considerate to the park and other park users at all times.
• Please arrive by foot, by pedal-power or by public transport if you can - your efforts help to reduce our impact on the park and the planet.
• Please consider volunteering to help occasionally - this event survives only because of your generosity - please vist the volunteer page for more information.
• Take care near roads and car parks - some vehicles drive very quickly. Please congregate away from the cars and be careful in particular if you have children. If you’re driving to the run, please drive carefully even if you’re late!
• When running, take care on uneven surfaces - whether on grass or on tarmac. Watch out for cyclists, other runners, pedestrians, children, deer, dogs, vehicles, park maintenance work, falling branches, bollards, posts and other obstacles around the course.
• Runners with dogs are welcome, but please keep dogs on a short lead or harness and under control throughout the event.
• Runners pushing buggies are also welcome, but please take extreme care of other runners around you. If possible start from the back of the field and try to keep to one side of the main body of runners.
• Please make sure you’re fit enough to run 5k (3.1 miles) – if you’re in any doubt, please consult your doctor.
• Remember to warm up before the run.
• If you see a runner with a serious problem, please stop to help them out and get help as soon as possible.
• If you’re watching, keep clear of runners on the course, and look after any children and dogs you may have with you.
• While rare, Lyme Disease is present in areas where deer live, and occasionally passed to human’s through infected ticks. See NHS Choices website for more about Lyme Disease, and how to deal with ticks.
• This is a free training event, so all run and attend at their own risk.

We hope these tips help to ensure that Banstead Woods parkrun is fun and safe for everyone.

All parkrun events use Age Grading to help athletes compare results.

Age Grading takes your time and uses the world record time for your sex and age group to produce a score (a percentage). This score allows you to compare your personal performance against other people's performances even though they might be a different age and a different sex to you - the higher the score the better the performance. The scores can also be compared across different run distances - to allow you to, for example, compare a 5km time against a marathon.

For more information, please see the Running For Fitness website.