Hey all, I hope everyone’s all ready for racing this weekend ?
We’re just 5 sleeps now from seeing you all in registration on Saturday, so unless anything drastically changes or requires an update, this is most likely the last pre race email you’re going to get from me
In this email, I’ll cover the following :
Weather / clothing
Compulsory Briefing / Race info pack
Does your bike need some lovin’ or any kit you need
Results / Tracker
Prize Giving
Beach and Country park access on both days
Parking on both days
Weather / Clothing
Whilst we’ve been in a bit of a heatwave for the last couple of weeks, anyone that’s been outside today will have seen that it’s long gone and is feeling back like normal English Summertime again (ie it’s lashing it down)
The forecast for this week is more rain for the next few days, with, at least, a glimmer of hope for Sunday
However, as you all well know, British Weather forecasting is as accurate as a Government promise, so this could change and be either 40deg or Snowing
This is the forecast as of Tonight
It’s likely to be pretty chilly first thing, so I would still recommend to people to bring a layer or a pair of arm warmers to put on when you first start on the bike, and you can always take it off and leave it with a marshal or a spectator if you get too hot later on. We have an exemption on the rule for this, and I cover this in the video briefing, which is linked later in this email.
It could well still rain too, so have that in mind when packing kit. You’re always better to be looking at stuff you don’t need, than looking for stuff you wish you’d brought.
Most of our bike course recoveries outside of mechanical issues, are generally where someone has just got too cold in the first few miles, and was lulled into a false sense of warmth when swimming in a nice insulated wetsuit in a warmish lake looking up at a clear sky.
The Lake temp is currently around 22deg, and is likely to drop a deg or two in the next few days with the rain forecasted
Also, between transition and the swim start, the walk is around 150m and is on Gravel. You may have super hardened feet to this, and it won’t be a problem. However, if you don’t fancy walking bare footed from the transition to the swim start chutes over quite course gravel, please feel free to bring an old pair of trainers, slippers, sliders etc, and leave them by the waters edge at the Swim start, and you can either grab these again after you finish the race, or leave them there and we’ll dispose of them at the end of the day for you.
We will spend the next few days cutting back the run course, and have already been marking any serious potholes (or sketchy repairs) on the bike course.
Most of the bike course is in largely decent condition, but there’s a couple of bits (mainly at around 1 mile into the loop for a couple of hundred meters, and around 18 miles into the loop, that have a few pot holes or repairs. They’re all really easy to avoid if you use your eyes, and we’ve painted the worst of them.
With the rain forecasted this week, I don’t think it’s going to be bad enough to have a really negative effect on most of the run course, and would suggest it’s still a road shoe course for 98% of people. It’s your choice though, but I would wear road shoes still if I was racing. Briefing / Race info pack
Although we have 2x non compulsory briefings on Saturday at 13:00 and 16:00, there is a compulsory video briefing where you get to see mine and Dave’s faces for radio talk you through the key safety points for the race, Please can you all make time to watch that before the weekend, and the link to that is by clicking the below image:
Hopefully, by now you’ve all downloaded and read through the race info pack, which you can find HERE
Does your bike need some lovin’ or any last minute kit you need
Tim Lewington of Speedbub triathlon store will have a shop at the race this weekend, so if you need some last minute kit (ie a race belt, as people often forget to bring those for their race numbers)
I wouldn’t suggest ordering a brand new fancy bike to race on this weekend, but if you wanted one, they can sort it. They’ll also be taking bookings for pre race check overs to your bike
These checks will cost £10 and will be done in 15 minute slots so please email or call the shop to arrange
If you wanted to book your bike in with them for a check over, or order any parts for them to bring with them on Saturday, please drop Tim an email at speedhubuk@icloud.com
Results / Tracker
DBmax, who take care of all the timing at our races, have a live timing page set up and ready to use.
This will update almost immediately as you start the race or cross any of the timing mats on the course, so is a great way for your fiends and family to check on your progress
The link for that is HERE
Prize Giving
I think it’s important to explain why we don’t have a prize giving ceremony at our race first.
Our race, as I hope you’ve felt already, is aimed at everyone. `Also, there isn’t anywhere at the lake enough away from the finish line that we can hold it, and it’s super important to us that anyone still racing out there towards the later stages of the race doesn’t feel like the race has finished without them and that they’re an inconvenience or burden to the rest of us, as they’re really not
Subsequently, we don’t want people out on the run course on their, potentially first lap, and us looking like we’re wrapping up by having a prize giving. The alternative is that we hold the prize giving at 3pm, but as we found out when we did this before, most people don’t stick around for it, as the fastest athletes on the day had finished around 10:30, and it’s not fair to expect them to hang around for that long.
Therefore, although we do have some pretty cool trophies for our age group 1/2/3 and for Aquabike, Relay and Bike/Run. we ask that if you have finished in a position to earn one of these, you come to the race HQ tent after the race and we can present them to you there. Don’t worry if not, as I will post them out in the next week or so
If you’re not sure if you’ve won one, speak to the timing guys at the finish line and they can double check.
Beach and Country park access
The guys that run the Cotswold Beach and Country park, are kind enough to let our spectators/competitors walk through the beach and country park area to get to lake 32 on both Saturday and Sunday, which saves a walk down the side of a road.
However, it’s super important that anyone walking through does not try and use their facilities, largely the beach or the kids paddling area. The reason for this is that they have very strict health and safety regulations, and are only allowed a certain amount of paying customers that they will provide life guard and safety cover for. If our competitors or spectators try and use these areas, they will quickly go over their quota, and they (and subsequently me) will be a whole heap of trouble.
When you park in our car park, you will get a Red wrist band from us that will allow you access through their gate, and to turn right and walk through their car park to Lake 32 where our Registration, Race Start and Finish is.
On Sunday, spectators will be allowed to spectate from alongside the run course that goes through the beach and country park, but must not under any circumstances go near their beach or kids play/paddling area please
If you are coming along as a family on Saturday, or you have spectators that are arriving after 10am (when the B&CP opens) it’s, of course, ok to book into their as a customer through their website and they can use all the facilities they want. It’s a cool place, and will also mean that your spectators can park literally right against our transition area. They charge around £20 for a car
It’s very much worth booking in advance with them as even when it’s not 30deg, they book up quickly
Their website is https://www.cotswoldcountryparkandbeach.com/
Parking reminder
Please be reminded that you will need to bring £10 cash for parking each day. We rent this field from a farmer, and he has our arm off for the use of it, so I’m afraid the parking cost is outside of our control.
To speed things up on Sunday AM, competitors can buy Sunday’s carpark pass from Registration.
It has to be cash I’m afraid, as A) the farmer wants paying in cash, and B) the phone signal at the lake is pretty rubbish, so our card machine doesn’t generally work.
Saturday’s car parking is payable on the gate, and Sunday’s passes are available at registration on the Saturday, or payable on the Gate Sunday AM if you don’t get one on Saturday
The carpark is a field though, and has a single gate to access it, so if you’re planning on arriving between about 05:15 and 06:00, please base your arrival time on there being a 10-20min queue to get into the carpark.
On the Sunday, the carpark will be open to Competitors only to park from 04:30-06:00. After 06:00, spectators can also park in there. If you’re competing, and have your spectators in your car with you, it’s of course ok for them to use the carpark, just for clarification.
If you have spectators that are coming earlier than 06:00 in their own car (ie not with you) the best local place to park is Neighbridge Country park, which is a 10-15min walk and on the run course where the main aid station is located. It’s pay and display, and is about £3 for the day
The What3Words for neigh bridge is ///angle.sublet.chatters
Please ask them not to park in the residential area of Somerfork Keynes, as the locals don’t want their street clogged up with cars from the event, or blocking their driveways. We have a great relationship with SK residents, and we want to keep it that way please
Right, that’s it from me for pre race amble. We’re all super excited to see you all this coming weekend, so hopefully you all have a great last few days of your Tapers and kit prep.
If you’ve missed any of our previous newsletters, you can find them at www.113events.com/news
We really are here to help, so please just drop me an email or give me a call if there’s anything I can help with at all. I’ll be at the lake most of this week, so won’t have a lot of access to my emails during the day, but my phone is on and I’ll be picking up my emails in the evening.
See you all in a few days
Cheers
Graeme, Nicci and the 113 Events Team
graeme@113events.com
07595 591612
