News

17/03/2020

Entry Ballot Update

With the uncertainty of the coming months due to Coronavirus Covid-19, we have taken the decision to delay opening the ballot until the ongoing situation becomes clearer.

Just like any sizeable event, as we move towards the actual date we become more financially committed and it makes it impossible for us to be able to refund entry fees without losing money. The Sodbury Slog is not a large scale commercial event, and most of our profit is donated to local charities. This is why our terms and conditions state that we do not offer refunds. Put simply, we want to ensure that before we take any of your hard-earned cash, we are as confident as we can be that we will be able to safely host the event you pay to enter.

To be clear, there are currently no plans for postponing or cancelling this year’s event. We hope that by November we will all be in a very different place, but we are acutely aware that this unprecedented disruption, to even our day-to-day lives, means that everybody is (quite rightly) focusing on the short term.

Rest assured that a huge amount of planning has already gone into the event for this year and work will continue behind the scenes ready for our 30th anniversary and the usual Remembrance Day mudfest.

Please keep an eye on this website and our social media channels for further updates in coming weeks as we know more about how things are unfolding. Stay safe, keep positive, and look out for each other.

04/03/2020

All hail the bling

Everybody likes a bit of bling. Which is why this year – for the first time ever – to celebrate our 30th anniversary we are going to be handing out amazing Sodbury Slog medals to all finishers.

But this isn’t going to be instead of a t-shirt, it’s as well as. Wait what? What’s the catch I hear you say? No catch, and more importantly, there will be no price increase from last year.

That’s right, for the same low fee of £23 for affiliated runners, and £25 for those unaffiliated, not only will you get to run undoubtedly the best multi-terrain race in the South West, but also swagger home with a shiny special edition Slog medal big enough to fill the palm of your hand, and an even more special long-sleeve technical t-shirt with a retro-inspired design

If you’re lucky you will also get to take home a couple of sock-fulls of South Gloucestershire mud. You can never say we don’t give you value for money.

02/03/2020

Planting for the future

One of the things that makes the Sodbury Slog such a great event is the opportunity for 1300 runners to take in some of the most glorious countryside in and around Chipping Sodbury, as the route runs across farmland, over commons, and through woodland. Inspired by this wonderful rural landscape, in this our 30th anniversary year, we have decided to give something back to the local area, help offset our environmental footprint, and also create a lasting legacy for the event.

We are very excited to announce that with proceeds from the 2020 event, Bitton Road Runners and the Sodbury Slog will be supporting and working with local woodland charity The Forest of Avon Trust, and planting 300 trees – 10 for each year of the race – in the South Gloucestershire area.

The trust is an independent local charity passionate about the benefits of trees and woodlands, and is committed to delivering these to people across Bristol and Avon. Funded solely by sponsorship, donations, and grants, they organise projects and activities bringing the benefits of trees to people and deliver a more sustainable future.

Please do check out out more about the trust and the range of great work they do by visiting their website and social media channels.

Website: https://forestofavontrust.org/

28/02/2020

Welcome to our new sponsors

As a community event, the Sodbury Slog can only continue to deliver a high quality event each year thanks to the kind support of local businesses. It is thanks to the sponsorship from these organisations that we are able to donate a sizeable amount of our profits to our worthy charity partners and other local good causes, provide runners with a fantastic day, and still keep the entry fees low.

This year I am very pleased to be able to announce two new local companies who have stepped forward to support the Sodbury Slog, helping us deliver an even better event for our 30th anniversary. Please do check out these companies and support them as they are supporting us.

L&C Mortgages

With its head office based in Bath, L&C is the UK’s no 1 online mortgage broker. We provide homeowners and buyers with advice on the best mortgage deal to suit their circumstances. We’ll help you throughout the mortgage process, saving you time, hassle, and hopefully some money.

L&C HR Director Andrew Thomas said: “L&C are delighted to support this event. Wellbeing of all colleagues is a key focus at L&C, and the Sodbury Slog provides an excellent opportunity for our staff and other locals to test themselves on this notoriously challenging course.”

Website: https://www.landc.co.uk

Pet Health Club

With the Pet Health Club, you can spread the cost of your pet’s routine healthcare treatments and make sure they have everything they need to stay healthy and happy.

You and your pet can rest easy knowing that our plans have everything to keep them healthy & happy. From vaccinations and monthly flea & wormer to 20% off lifetime medication! We’ll even remind you when your appointments or treatments are due. Just one less thing to worry about.

How does it work?

Pet Health Club plans include:

Routine vaccinations and bi-yearly health checks
Monthly flea and worming treatments
Discounts on dental checks and treatments
Discounts on pet food and medication

Website: https://www.thepethealthclub.co.uk

For a complete list of our supporters please check out our partner page here.

11/02/2020

Charity partnerships announced for 2020

The Sodbury Slog has always had charity at its heart and over the years has raised tens of thousands of pounds for a whole range of incredible charities and fantastic causes. From the 2019 race alone over £5500 was directly donated by the event, and over £6000 was also raised for our charity partners. This year is no exception, and we are very pleased to be continuing to support Jessie May, and excited to be able to announce that this year we will also be supporting Cystic Fibrosis Trust. Both are incredible causes and we are pleased to be partnering with them this year.

Both of our charity partners will have a number of guaranteed entries for this year’s race, which you can register your interest for right now. Charity places will cost you just £30 for the entry (with £20 of that fee being given directly back to the charity), and require a minimum fundraising pledge from you of only £150. It’s simple and a win win situation for everyone.

Jessie May

Jessie May is a charity that provides hospice at home care for terminally ill children in Bristol and the surrounding area. The charity was set up by the parents of Jessica May Purrington, a little girl who died at home aged 4 months, surrounded by her family and her nurses. Jessie May has a team of dedicated nurses who provide care to children and families during a child’s life and after their death.

To apply for a guaranteed entry for the 2020 Sodbury Slog and run for Jessie May simply drop them an email on helen.mackie@jessiemay.org.uk or give them a call on 0117 9582174.

Web: https://www.jessiemay.org.uk

Cystic Fibrosis Trust

The Cystic Fibrosis Trust is fighting for a life unlimited for everyone affected by cystic fibrosis. Our mission is to create a world where being born with CF no longer means a lifelong burden of care and an early death, when everyone living with the condition will be able to look forward to a long, healthy life.

To apply for a guaranteed entry for the 2020 Sodbury Slog and run for Cystic Fibrosis Trust simply drop them an email on events@cysticfibrosis.org.uk or give them a call on 020 3795 2176.

Web: https://www.cysticfibrosis.org.uk

31/12/2019

All change at the helm

After six successful years at the helm of The Sodbury Slog, race director Steve Herring is standing down in 2020. I’m sure everyone would like to extend a huge thank you to Steve for all his hard work over the years he has worked hard for the event.

His replacement at the controls going forward is Ira Rainey. Having been a Bitton Road Runner member for 15 years, as well as having run the race six or seven times (lost track of exactly how many in the depths of time), and being involved in the race one way or another for a number of years (most recently talking rubbish at the finish line), we think the event will be safe in his hands.

The event is of course much bigger than any single person and the whole thing could not happen without the support of the hundreds of volunteers and partners who help make sure it all comes together on the day, both out on the route on the day and behind the scenes. The Sodbury Slog really is a team effort.

31/12/2019

New website for 2020

If you’ve visited us before you will no doubt be able to tell that we now have a shiny new website for all things Slog related.

This new site is your one-stop shop for all information regarding the event, including when registration open, event changes, route details, parking, partners, and maybe even what music Terry is going to be using for the warm-up.

2020 is a big year for us, not just with a change of race director, but it’s our 30th anniversary, and we are planning to make this year’s event better than ever. Don’t worry, we’re not going to change things up for the sake of it, nor takeaway any of the great bits that make the event what it is. There will still be plenty of mud on the day.

So please bookmark and keep an eye on this new site, and check back frequently for up to date information about the race.

Make sure to pencil Sunday 8th November onto your new calendar right now. Happy New Year.