Cotswolds Country Park - Sunday 23^rd May.

Welcome to Sheactive Every Woman’s Duathlon 2010. We hope you all experience a fantastic day and make our event a regular in your fitness calendar. Remember the emphasis is on participation and personal achievement. Do your best! Our thanks to those who are supporting and raising funds for our chosen charities, Ovarian Cancer Action and Seeking a vaccine Against Breast Cancer. Events like ours would not be possible without the support from our sponsors and volunteers both of whom have contributed to making this a wonderful event. Don’t forget, we will have a photographer taking photographic proof of your participation, which will be available from our website. Finally, please bring along your family and friends to support you, and enjoy the facilities which the Cotswolds Country Park have so kindly allowed us to use. See you all on

Warm regards,
Gina Naude

Race Director

CONTENT:                                                                                             

1. Event Day Check List

2. Getting There & Parking

3. Arrival & Registering

4. Every Woman's Duathlon Briefing

5. Start Times

6. Run/walk Route

7. Transition Run/walk -bike

8. Bike Route

9. Transition Bike-Run/walk

10. Finish

11. Collection of Equipment

12. Spectators

13. Facilities

14. Medical Team & Marshals

15. Event & Park Rules & Safety

1. EVENT DAY CHECKLIST

2. GETTING THERE:
DIRECTIONS :                                 
Cotswold Country Park & Beach ,
Spratsgate Lane,
Shornecote,
Cirencester,
Gloucestershire, GL7 6DR

http://www.cotswoldcountrypark.co.uk/index.html

By Road
Cotwolds Country Park is approx 1.5 hours from London.  Please follow the event signs.  (Cotswolds Country Park is also known as Keynes Country Park)

By Rail
the nearest railway station is Kemble, approx 4 miles from the park

PARKING

There is plenty of parking available onsite. Please follow the signs to the event car park.

3. ARRIVAL & REGISTERING

Registration desk will be open from 6.45am until 8.00am. On arrival please follow signs towards the registration area, where you can register and get any further information for the day. Your event numbers will be posted out to you approximately 2 weeks before. It is a good idea to write your name and any allergies on the reverse of your number. Attach your number to the front & back of your shirt securely with 8 safety pins. You will also receive 2 stickers with your number on, one is for the front of your bike helmet and one for the front of your handlebars.  Please only rack your bike in the transition area once you have registered, you will not be allowed to enter without your number. Marshals will be here to secure this fenced off area, but your belongings are left here at your own risk. Please make a mental note of where you have racked your bike in the morning, as there will be lots of other bikes that look like yours! Please allow yourself some time to familiarise yourself with the layout and the bike and run entry and exit points (also see map attached). Don’t worry we will be there to help you!

4. PRE RACE BRIEFING

Please could all participants be ready for the briefing at 8.15am. This will be very helpful for you to understand how everything will work throughout the event, it is very important that you are present for this as we will go through routes, safety details and any changes.

5. START TIMES

The first group is starting at 8.30am and each group will be set off in waves of approximately 3 mins between each. You will be informed of your start time at registration. Please make sure you are ready and in position for your start.

6. RUN/WALK ROUTE 2.5k/5k

Each wave will begin at the start line. You will take a flat hard packed gravel path and grass around the lake on a traffic free route. There will be marshals all along route, so there will not be any confusion! This lap will be completed once for novice distance and twice for the challenge distance. (This loop will be completed once for the novice route and twice for the challenge route!).

7. TRANSITION RUN/WALK – BIKE 10k/20k

Marshals and cones will direct you into the transition area from your run following the ‘RUN IN’ signs. Please take care as this may be a busy area. Put your helmet on before you take your bike off the rack, walk/jog with your bike towards the ‘BIKE OUT’ sign, until reach the point where you will be informed you can mount your bike and begin cycling. Do not get on your bike until you reach the ‘BIKE MOUNT’ sign!!This is 150m from transition, along the gravel path, be extra aware if wearing cycle shoes.  Please take care and pay attention to where you are going. Take extra care when starting off, being very mindful of other cyclists around you.

8. BIKE ROUTE

Only mount your bike at the designated point, as directed by the marshals and the ‘BIKE MOUNT’ sign. This can be a busy area, so please do not rush. Coming out of transition, this is a junction open to general traffic, so please take extra care and always abide by the Highway Code. Marshals will be there to assist you where possible but they will not be able to stop cars, so please obey their instructions. Please slow down when turning into junctions.  The bike route takes place on the quiet country roads surrounding the park. Turning left out of the park, you will then head down towards Spine Road W, here you will turn left until you reach your next left turn into Ashton Road, cycling along for a further 2.8miles before you take a sharp left turn into Nursery View, the road bends to the left and turns into Clarks Lane, another left turn will bring you back into Spratsgate Lane until you will reach the park on your left hand side. Here you will dismount and walk/jog back to transition. Every participant must wear a cycle helmet, NO HELMET MEANS NO CYCLING. Bikes should never be ridden in the transition area. Only follow the marked course and direction of the marshals. We suggest that you carry water on your bike if you have a bottle holder.

9. TRANSITION BIKE – RUN/WALK

You must get off your bike at the dismount point. You will be directed into transition area by marshals, signs and cones, where you will rack your bike and helmet back in the same place. Proceed towards the ‘RUN OUT’ sign and back out for your last lap of the same run route.

10. FINISH

On completion of your last lap of the run, you will be guided to the finish line to collect your well earned medal, goody bag and much needed water.

11. COLLECTION OF EQUIPMENT

When collecting your kit from transition, please consider those who are still participating, always give them right of way. You will only be able to enter the fenced off transition area with your official race number on you. 

12. SPECTATORS

It is a great motivator for you to have friends and family attend the event with you. Cotswold Country Park  is a great place to spend a Saturday morning. We would kindly ask spectators not to drive or walk along the bike route whilst the event is taking place, as this route needs to be kept as traffic free and safe for our women as possible. The best area for spectators is around transition and start/finish, where you can catch as lot of the action. Also areas alongside  the lake is a great place to relax and cheer on the runners.

13. FACILITIES

Cotswolds Country Park is a great place for relaxation, exploration and of course Sheactive  Every Womans Duathlon. There is a toddlers beach & children’s play area, pedal boat & bike hire, lakeside BBQ hire, a unique fossil and sculpture trail, Toad Hall Party Lodge & Conference Room, Gift Shop & Garden Store, Café & Bar and of course The UK’s largest Inland Beach.

Toilets
Toilet facilities are available next to the main entrance to the park and porto loos next to transition for participants only.

Accommodation
There is a vast range of accommodation available within the area and within the immediate surroundings of Cotswold Country Park. The Cotswolds website has searchable list of lots of places to stay.
Check out http://www.visitcotswolds.co.uk/contentok.php?id=480

14. Medical Team & Marshals

St Johns Ambulance will be situated at the registration point, and are there for you should you need them. 
We have a team of marshals who are here to help and guide you through the day. Please respect them and always follow their directions. They are there to assist you where possible but they will not be able to stop cars, so please obey their instructions. If you are bringing family or friends to the event, and they would like to help out, please let us know. We are always looking for volunteers to help out with all aspects of the day.

15. Event Rules & Safety

Please write your name and any blood group and any allergies, medical conditions on the back of your event numbers.

Always abide by the Highway Code and keep to the left on the bike route

NEVER CYCLE SIDE BY SIDE, UNLESS OVERTAKING

Entry fee is non refundable.

All bikes must be road worthy.

Every participant must wear a cycle helmet, NO HELMET MEANS NO CYCLING.

Participants are responsible for your own equipment.

Marshals are there to assist you where possible, they will not be able to stop cars, so please obey their instructions.

Music or use of mobile phones is NOT permitted whilst participating (unless emergency).

First Aid is provided by St. Johns Ambulance.

Participants only are allowed within the transition area.

Bikes should never be ridden in the transition area.

Please ensure you are familiar with the entire course. Map and directions are attached

Only follow the marked course and direction of the marshals.

Only mount your bike at the designated point, as directed by the marshals.

We suggest that you carry water on your bike if you have a bottle holder.

Please report any accidents to the registration point and of course St Johns are there to help you if needed.

You must register first before racking your bike in transition area