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York Pretty Muddy 5k 2025

A man and a woman wearing pink t-shirts crawling through a big puddle of mud

York Pretty Muddy 5k

Sunday 29 Jun 2025

£22.49 Adults | £12.00 Children
Minimum fundraising target: £50

Date: Sunday 29 Jun 2025

Time: from 13:30

Venue: The Knavesmire

30% off entry in 2025 with code RFL25ISU

Life is worth Racing for. Enter Cancer Research UK’s Race for Life and raise money for life-saving cancer research.

About Pretty Muddy

Pretty Muddy pink circle icon

Climb, crawl and slide your way around the Pretty Muddy® obstacle course at your own pace.
5k is just over 3 miles and can take about an hour to complete on average, but there's no pressure to finish in a certain time – it's all designed for fun!
Get muddy as an individual or with a group of friends or family, act like a big kid and raise money for life-saving cancer research.

Location

Venue
The Knavesmire, York Racecourse, York, YO23 1EX View map

Course information

The start and finish are on grass. The event site is on grass which is predominantly flat. This course is a combination of grass and surfaced and trail paths. An accessible route is available if required. It is mostly flat but there are some uphill and downhill gradients.  

Our courses are accurately measured with a measuring wheel, which may differ from GPS devices. Please follow the designated route closely to maintain the intended distance; cutting corners will affect your distance covered.

Join forces or go solo

Pretty Muddy participants having fun at events
You can take part in any Race for Life event as an individual or a group to raise money for life-saving research. Walk, jog or run together in a group or go solo at your own pace, or lead the way as a Group Leader and get family, friends and colleagues involved! However you choose to get muddy, you’re helping to beat cancer.
 
 

Warm up with other Race for Lifers

Shake off any pre-Race nerves and get moving with our fun warm-up session just before your event.
 

Supporters and spectators welcome

Bring along as many supporters as you like to cheer you on! We’ve got things for everyone to do, check out the Location section above to see what’s happening on the day.
 

Soak up the atmosphere

After you've completed the course, stay on and celebrate with other participants, friends and family with a picnic in the park.

Your entry fee covers the cost of your event, but your fundraising helps us save and improve lives. Join the celebration, join the family, and join the thousands helping to raise the money we need to power Cancer Research UK’s biggest discoveries.

Event details

Once you sign up for your Pretty Muddy® event, you'll receive an email with all the need-to-know details to help you feel fully prepared for the day.

Meeting point

The start and finish lines are on the Knavesmire near the racecourse.

If using what3words, enter ///home.relate.post in the free app, to find the exact starting point.

Please listen out for your start time to join in front of the stage for a warm up and instructions.

By car:

General Event Parking: Parking is available free of charge for this event at The Knavesmire. On the day signage will direct you to the event car park entrance which is on Knavesmire Road. Please avoid parking on residential roads surrounding the venue. The journey from the car park to the event site is a 300m walk on grass.

Blue Badge Parking: Blue Badge parking is available free of charge for this event at The Knavesmire. On the day signage will direct you to the event car park entrance which is on Knavesmire Road. The journey from the car park to the event site is a 150m walk on grass.

Volunteer Parking: Parking is available free of charge for volunteers at The Knavesmire. On the day signage will direct you to the event car park entrance which is on Knavesmire Road. Please avoid parking on residential roads surrounding the venue. The journey from the car park to the event site is a 300m walk on grass.

Drop Offs: Motorists are able to drop off passengers at the event car park. Then entrance is on Knavesmire Road which will be monitored by a steward. The journey from the drop off point to the event site is a 200m walk on grass.

Electric Charging points: The closest car charging point to the event site is the eVolt Charging Station on Nunnery Lane, YO23 1AA.

Public transport and pedestrians:

Pedestrians: The closest entrance to the event site is from Knavesmire Road. It can also be reached easily from all entrances to the Knavesmire and then by following the paths towards the racecourse.

Bus: There is a regular bus service from the centre to the venue. There are a number of buses that run along Tadcaster Road York. Plan your journey at www.firstbus.co.uk/york

Train: The nearest train station is York, which is 1.5 miles from the venue.

Cycling & Bike Racks: There are none available at this event. There are bike racks nearby at the racecourse on Loverose Way.

No dogs allowed
Not suitable for pushchairs
Not wheelchair accessible
Toilets
No bag drop
Refreshments
No showers
Parking

Due to the nature of the event it is not suitable for wheelchair users.

We aim for maximum accessibility at our events. Our contact centre and on-site team are ready to assist with any needs or questions you may have.

Additional Support request badges are available, and our Event Managers are trained Dementia Friends

Bring a water bottle
We’re trying to reduce single-use plastic at Pretty Muddy. Please bring your own reusable water bottle, already filled. We'll provide an ecofriendly water-refill station at the finish that uses as little single-use plastic as possible.

Bring a change of clothes
If you’re getting Pretty Muddy®, remember to bring spare clothes and a towel. Check the facilities tab above to see what there is at your event. Unfortunately, there are no lockers, changing facilities or showers at the Race for Life events, so please bear this in mind and ask friends to look after your valuable belongings, clean clothes and towels.

Have the right kit
It’s a good idea to check the weather before your event and dress accordingly. Think breathable sports gear (leggings and shorts are ideal) and well-fitting trainers. For Pretty Muddy, wear something you don’t mind getting dirty.
Check out the latest range of Race for Life clothing and accessories in our online shop.

Be sun smart
Stay sun safe by finding shade when you’re not on the course and covering up with clothes, a hat and sunglasses. On parts you can’t cover, use sunscreen with at least SPF15 and a 4 or 5 star rating. Find out more about being sun smart.

Your back sign and race number
Remember to bring your back sign and Race number which will be sent to you in the post – don’t forget safety pins so you can attach them to you.

Pretty Muddy® events start times are staggered in 'waves', each wave starts every 15 minutes to ensure you're safe on the course. If you're signed up as a group, please make sure you sign up for the same wave time.

Climb, crawl and slide your way around the course at your own pace. We want you to tackle every obstacle the best you can, but if you need to skip to the next one our marshals will be on hand to assist. Find out more about Pretty Muddy® obstacles.

To be part of the action, you must be 13 years of age or older at the time of your event. We've got something special for our young participants too - check out our Pretty Muddy® Kids events for kids aged 12 and under!

If you have any pre-existing medical conditions, please seek your doctor's advice before registering.

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