The following newsletter went out to all Cotswold226 Tri competitors today ;
Cotswold226 2016 – June newsletter
Afternoon all, I hope this email finds you all getting into your last few hard weeks of hard training before the 226 taper begins ?
We’re a little under 5wks out from the race now, so I wanted to drop you all a quick email to let you know what’s coming up and what’s going on for this year’s 226.
I’ve got quite a few points to cover in this one, so grab a comfortable seat and possibly a coffee too as you could be here a while 🙂
In this mail I’ll cover the following
- Familiarisation day – 19th june
- Race number request
- Draft Schedule
- Lake Temperatures
- Remaining slots and entry closure deadlines
- 226wknd Events
- Marshal request
Familiarisation day
This coming Sunday, we are holding our free of charge 226 course Familiarisation day at the lake.
It’s a great chance to come down for a guided lap of the bike and run courses (bike 2 laps on race day, run 5) and meet some of the team as well as other competitors in a more relaxed environment than race day
Unfortunately, I’m now away at a wedding that day, but James Higgs, who co-organises the 226 with us, will be there to show you around the courses with a couple of guys from the 113 team
The emphasis on the day is Leisurely, so think 15-16mph average on the bike and 9-10min miles on the run
The bike will include a cafe stop in Sherston, which is around the half way mark, so bring a few pounds for a coffee and some cake
If you want to swim, you can do so in the lake before 10am, but unfortunately, our course will not be marked out on the day. Even so, they still have a 750m and 1500m that you can swim to get a taste for the water (although not literally I hope)
The lake guys will charge you £5 cash on the gate if you want to swim, but the bike and run are of course free
The bike will kick off from the lake cafe at 10am, so aim to get there for around 9:30 to allow yourself time to get parked up and your bike ready. Once back from the bike, there’ll be a 15-20min break for any questions and to get your run stuff on before heading out for a loop of the run course.
The address for the lake is Waterland Outdoor Pursuits, Spratsgate lane, Ashton Keynes, GL7 6DF
If you need directions or anything on the day, James Higgs’ number is 079292 059796
Race Number request
Entries close for the 226 Tri this weekend. Once they’re closed and we have our final entrants fixed, I’ll send you all out an email with a load of info and the race pack etc. You’ll also then get a chance to choose a specific race number or a group of sequential numbers so that you can rack with your mates and have a little chuckle to yourself when you get out the water and see their bikes still lined up where they’re behind you (or know you’ve work to do if all their bikes have already gone)
Can I ask that you wait until this mail comes out please as specific numbers are first come first served, and I want it to be fair and include the whole start list for anyone that enters this week
Draft Schedule
The race pack will contain the detailed schedule, but to give you a rough idea of race weekend the outline is as follows
Saturday 16/7
12:00-17:00 Registration
Sunday 17/7
03:30 – Car Park opens
03:45 – Transition opens
05:;10 – Transition closes
05:15 – Race Briefing
05:30 – Race Starts
22:30 – Race closes
23:45 – Transition tear down
On Saturday afternoon, we will hold a non compulsory race briefing. Unlike the brief Sunday morning pre race briefing, this one is not compulsory. However, I’m conscious that no one ever listens to the compulsory briefing just before you get in the water as you all will have your race faces on and just want to get into the water.
The Saturday briefing will be a talk through the race from start to finish and will take around 25mins. It’s a great chance to hear how everything works and ask any questions you might have.
We tested this format this weekend at the Cotswold113, and it seemed very popular and helped a lot of race day confusion (we only expected around 10 people to turn up, and we had something like 200 – We’ll bring the speaker system next time 🙂
If you’ve not found the redirect already, we now have a new website up and running. Going to Cotswold226.com will redirect you to 113events.com where you can now find all the interactive 226 maps, downloadable .GPX files and info
Lake temperature
The lake is currently reading at an almost perfect 19.8deg currently. Last week I did a few laps in a wetsuit and a few in just a tri suit, and I’d say it’s about right for both choices. Due to the shallow nature of the lake, it can change temperatures quite quickly, so I’ll keep the 226 Facebook and twitter pages updated should it change dramatically.
I fully expect it to be well within the BTF ‘Wetsuit Optional’ range on race day though
Should the temperatures start to get much warmer, we’ll make allowances for people to be able to get out halfway (you pass by the exit ramp at the start of lap 2) to remove their wetsuits if they wish.
Remaining slots
We still have slots available for this year’s race, so if you have friends that are interested, they have until June 17th (Friday this week) to get their entries in
226Wknd events
Running alongside the 226 race, this year we have the new addition of the 226wknd events
The 226wknd is a Saturday pm timed 1.9 & 3.8km Swim on the 226 course, and then Sunday has a 90 or 180km Tri Rules sportive that will run alongside the 226Tri itself on the course.
Like a traditional sportive, but run on the same non drafting rules as the 226 Tri and on the course at the same time.
The bike is a perfect warm up event for people who are doing a later season Long Distance race, or those looking to see what the 226 is all about and fancy trying the bike part whilst considering the whole race in 2017
We’ll use different coloured race numbers to differentiate the 226Wkd and 226 tri competitors, and the 226Wknd competitors will have a secure area in transition and an alternative run course loop made up if they want to make it into a brick session
Entries for the 226 Weekend are open until June 24th, and we still have lots of slots available for both the Swim and Bike, or the Swim bike combo
Entry details are at www.113events.com
Marshal request
As anyone that has every organised an event will know, getting marshals is one of the hardest parts of the whole process of getting an event to work. We are always looking for more marshals, and we have around 180 paid marshal slots for the 226
If you have anyone that is travelling down with you that would be able to get involved, we’d love to have them on the team
We pay all our marshals too, and this year’s 226 package is ;
- £20 cash or a £50 113events voucher/Free entry to a DBMax event
- An event team technical tshirt
- Free hot food, drink and ice creams
We’re conscious the 226 is a long day, so we break our marshalling down into shifts
Bike course – 05:15-15:30ish depending on location
Run 1 – 10:00-16:00
Run 2 – 15:30-22:30 latest
You don’t need any experience at all, and all we ask is that you preferably know your left from your right. We will take all the marshals through a full briefing, and provide them with everything they need and a lift out and back to their spot if required
Please contact me at graeme@113events.com
Anyway, that’s it from me (assuming you’re still awake)
We’re here to help, so please get in touch if you need anything from us in the run up to race day, and I’ll be back in touch after the weekend with more info and the number request once the race is frozen
Cheers and happy training
Graeme, Nicci, James and the 226 team
graeme@113events.com
James@dbmax.co.uk
07595 591612
@cotwold226
Facebook.com/cotswold226
www.113events.com