The Rubber Ducky Dash - North 2026

The Rubber Ducky Dash - North awards every finisher a rubber duck themed medal and an actual rubber duck. It is a seven-hour time challenge at Herrington Country Park in Penshaw, near Houghton-le-Spring, run in September on a multi-terrain park course. Completing 3km counts as an official finisher, but the format also allows runners to continue for 5K, 10K, half marathon, marathon, 50km, or ultra distance. Walkers and runners of all abilities are welcome, so the field can include people doing one short turn point and others spending most of the day on the loop. The course is contained within Herrington Country Park, with the final route confirmed a few weeks before race day. A full lap is normally 4.37 miles or 7km, though it can switch to a 3.28-mile loop if conditions require it; three laps make a half marathon, six make a marathon, and seven or more count as an ultra. Younger runners can use 3k and 5k turn points within the lap to stay inside UK Athletics distance rules. The start and finish area doubles as the lap checkpoint, with an aid table offering drinks plus sweet and savoury snacks, including vegan options. Finishers receive a goody bag, vegan bags can be requested, and anyone reaching half-marathon distance or more can collect a distance pin for the medal ribbon, with options including Half-Marathon, Mega-Half, Marathon, 50km, and Ultra.