The race begins on Saturday 13 June at 7:30 pm at Alfred Street Car Park, Lancaster. Click here to register

When you sign in, you will be given a map (indicating the checkpoints) and two ribbons. The blue ribbon you tie on your arm at the beginning - it identifies that you are a player, and it must be clearly visible. Hiding your ribbon is considered cheating. The red ribbon you hope to never use.

When the facilitators start the event, they will give you the clue for the first checkpoint and give the signal to begin. You should immediately start moving to the first checkpoint. Once you reach it, you must find the agent waiting to sign your map. When you do, have them sign; they will then tell you who to look for at the next checkpoint; and so on until you reach the end, where there will be drinks and merriment. Whoever reaches the end first wins.

However, there will also be people who are trying to stop you. These are the chasers. Each chaser wears a red ribbon on their arm. If a chaser tags you, you must give them your player ribbon as a trophy; you now put on your red ribbon and become a chaser yourself. Your job is to find and tag the other players, preventing them from reaching the finish.

There are some areas where you will be safe from chasers. An area around each checkpoint will be safe, an area for you to rest and recover; these areas will be marked on your map. In addition, the canal towpath and certain streets will also be safe. While in these safe zones, you cannot tag or be tagged. Mocking the chasers from safety is encouraged, but may bring retribution.

You must go to the checkpoints in order. The course is approximately 3 miles long, and will take 2 hours to complete.

The final location will be (TBD). Prizes will be awarded for finishing 1st, 2nd, and 3rd; prizes may also be awarded for the most effective chaser, best costume, best story, or other categories to be determined.

Suggestions and Hints

• Travel light. The less you have weighing you down, the faster you’ll be escaping chasers. Wear comfortable shoes, dress for the weather, bring some water and possibly a camera.
• Arrive a little early, especially if you are a group or family. Organsers will be at the start by 6:45, so you can collect a map and plot out your route without time pressure. If you don’t have a plan, you could find yourself running in the wrong direction.
• When you see a chaser, run. Get around a corner and hide, or try to make it to the nearest safe zone. Always know where the nearest safe zone is.
• Bring a friend or two. Preferably ones you can outrun.
• The most direct route between two checkpoints is likely to be the way most patrolled by chasers. Take a longer route to reach the safe zone from another angle.
• Keep your eyes open. Anyone could be a chaser.
• Move quickly, but try not to draw suspicion. They’ll be looking for your ribbon (you can’t hide it), but it’s dark and details are often hard to see at a distance. If they start moving towards you, be ready to run.