The Enduroman Double Iron UK Race Info

DATE: Saturday 2nd August to Sunday 3rd August 2008 

START: 06:00 AM.

DISTANCES: Swim 4.8 Miles, Bike 224 Miles & Run 52 Miles 

CUT OFF TIME: Swim 4 hours.  Bike 22hrs.  Total time 40 hours.

LOCATION: The Friary Grange Leisure Centre, located on the A51 near to Lichfield, Staffordshire in the heart of England, will provide the perfect host to the Double Iron UK 2008.  See Google Maps Link

The centre will be open to competitors and spectators from 4.30am Saturday 2nd August 2008.

TIMETABLE OF EVENTS

ACCOMMODATION

The Holiday Inn Express is now the recommended hotel for the event.  40 rooms have been block booked by Enduroman.  Please see details on the links section

ENTRY FEE:  Individual - £200.00 GBP.  Relay £200.00 GBP (Team of 3) 

CATEGORIES:  Men's Individual, Women's Individual, Relay

RELAY:  Each athlete is allowed to participate in the 3 stages and the minimum distance that each athlete should make is:
Swimming:  2 lengths of the pool 
Cycling:  One out and back lap
Running: One out and back lap

AWARDS:  Finishing polo-shirts and medals to all competitors.  

PRIZE MONEY  Individual: 

Overall Men
                                           
1st Place: £300.00 GBP
2nd Place: £200.00 GBP
3rd Place: £100.00 GBP

Overall Women
                                           
1st Place: £300.00 GBP
2nd Place: £200.00 GBP
3rd Place: £100.00 GBP

PARTICIPANTS:  Limited to 48 selected athletes, confirmed by the organizer. (The 2008 event: 47 individual athletes plus one relay team of 3 athletes.  Total:  50 athletes).

ORGANISATION:     Enduroman Ltd

Race Director: Steve Haywood

E-mail: enduroman4@hotmail.co.uk

Web page: www.enduroman.com

EVENT DESCRIPTION 

SWIM STAGE

The 4.8 miles of the swimming stage will take in the 25m heated pool at The Friary Grange Leisure Centre, Lichfield. The distance from the pool to the transition area is 50m.  There will be maximum of 4 swimmers per lane.  There will be 2 waves.  The second wave will host the athletes that submit the fastest 1x Iron distance time and will commence approximately 4 hours after the first wave. Each lane will be seeded to match swimmers of similar ability, however it is expected that there may be a range of abilities in each lane.  Each swimmer is to wear the coloured swim cap issued to them by the organisers.  Wetsuits are permitted, however not encouraged.  Athletes are asked to be aware of the health and safety implications of dehydrating and are to keep adequate water supplies at the end of their swim lanes.  All nutrition left at the end of swim lanes MUST be labelled with the athlete's name or race number.  Any unlabelled nutrition will be removed by the officials.  Supporters may pass additional labelled nutrition to officials to take to swim lanes.  Swimmers must take their nutrition / bottles from the swim with them into T1.  Swimmers needing to use the toilet facilities during the swim may do so by exiting the water at the end of the ‘odd number lengths’ only and re-enter the water at the same point. 

BIKE STAGE

The bike stage will be 16 out and back laps of exactly 14 miles from The Friary Grange Leisure Centre.  The laps have been kept short to create the safest possible environment for the athletes.  One aid station will be present at the leisure centre.  Athletes will need to have front and rear bike lights fitted that conform to British Standards when racking.  During dark hours athletes must wear a fluorescent bib (runner’s type).  Cyclists are encouraged to display multiple lights - better to be safe than sorry.

There will be one aid station located at the Friary.  High 5 sports drink and water will be available.  Athletes will use their own sports bottles.  If athletes need bottles replenishing at the aid station, cyclists / runners must stop, hand their bottles to the marshals on the aid station who will refill the bottles for them.

Athletes must keep a florescent bib in their event bags.  In hours of reduced visibility, cyclists MUST wear this bib / vest.

On completion of the bike course, athletes must notify an official located at the main marquee that they have completed the bike course.  The official with then confirm with the timing officials that the athlete has indeed completed all the bike laps.  The athlete will then enter the marquee and access their run kits in their event bags having passed their bike to an official who will then re-rack the athlete’s bike for them.

It is vital, that athletes carry sufficient spare batteries with them whilst on the bike.  As per the Road Traffic Act, cyclists must not ride with defective lights.

Click here for Interactive Map of the bike route

Alternate Bike Course
In the event of unforeseen circumstances there is an alternate bike route.  Please make yourself familiar with this route should you visit the area before the race.

Click here for Map of the bike route on Google


RUN STAGE 


The run stage will be 42 out and back laps of a 1.24 mile course, with an aid station again located at the leisure centre. 

The run course starts at the athlete village, runs behind the leisure centre where athletes will turn left onto Eastern Avenue. After crossing Grange Lane, athletes will immediately turn left into the woodlands that parallels Grange Lane on it’s left.  At the entrance to Lichfield Cricket Ground, athletes will run through the turnaround point marquee where their race number will be taken.  It is the athlete’s responsibility to ensure that the official has taken the correct race number.  In the event of the timing chip system failing, the counting of laps will be done here.

In hours of reduced visibility, runners MUST wear this bib / vest.

Click here for Interactive Map of the run route on Motion Based
 

RELAY TEAMS

During the swim, relay team members may remain pool side.  They may change swimmers by entering / exiting at the ‘odd number length’ end of the pool.  The change over can only takes place when the swimmer has TOTALLY exited the water.  Only the first cyclist of the relay team will rack their bikes in T1.  The remainder of the team will rack their bikes at the  Marquee.  When the team wishes to change, the cyclist will stop at the  Marquee and inform an official.  The oncoming cyclist will be waiting in the Marquee.  From this point all the relay bikes will be racked outside the Marquee.  Relay teams will follow the same format for the run stage.

TRANSITION AREA

The transition area will be located 50m from the swimming pool. The leisure centre will provide toilets, showers and dressing rooms for the athletes during opening times (08:00 - 22:00).  Portable loos will be situated in the event village.  All athletes will need to place the bike kit that they need for the first lap of the course next to their bikes in transition.  You are advised to place this kit in sealed waterproof containers / bags.  Once athletes leave T1 they will not be allowed back into the transition area until the completion of the race. You will be issued with a plastic bag that is labelled with your race number. Athletes will place any kit from T1 that they wish transporting to the marquee into this bag and they will leave the bag at the exit of T1.  Marshals will then move this bag for the athletes into the marquee.  Wet kit (wetsuits etc) must not be placed into this bag.  All run kit required for T2 will be kept in the athlete's event bags in the Marquee. Spare clothing, nutrition, batteries etc should be kept in the athlete’s event bags or with the support crews.   Athletes will use their own personal bags for their event bags. This bag will be handed into the Marquee on the morning of the race and tagged with the athlete’s number. 

MECHANICAL ASSISTANCE

Event sponsors Mammoth Lifestyle and Fitness Ltd will be providing free mechanical assistance during the event.  This assistance is available in the athlete village only.  The only fee will be for parts that will be charged to the athlete immediately after the event or during the event to the athlete's support crew.  If an athlete has repairs done on their bike before or during the event by Mammoth staff, they are accepting the condition of the bike by taking control of it and continuing with the race.

MASSAGE

Event sponsors Mammoth Lifestyle and Fitness Ltd will be providing free massage during the event.  This will be from the time the first swimmer enters T1 until the last runner completes the event.  Pre and post event massage can be booked with Mammoth by telephoning 01785 664 555.  Mammoth is located in Milford, near Stafford, approximately 8 miles from the Friary.

SUPPORT & SUPPORT CREWS

Although it is highly recommended that every athlete brings at least one support crew member, it is not a condition of entry.  Consideration should be given to bring at least 2 support crew members to allow one member to sleep while the other supports.

The athlete village (at the beginning/end of every bike & run lap), will contain portable loos and a feed station.  A marquee will be located within the village that will contain the athlete's event’s bag and seating for the athletes to replenish. 

The athletes will pass the support crew camping area on both the bike and run courses at the same point.  This is the only point that the athlete is allowed to leave the course and must do so after informing an official.  The athlete will then be able to eat, drink, sleep or change with their support crew if required.  The athlete must then inform an official when he/she wishes to continue.  Please note that the Marquee must be used as T2 and not with their support crews.  As the athletes leave T2 they will then pass the support crew area and have access to their crews if needed.

In the interest of safety, an athlete whilst competing will either be on the race course or in the support crew area having informed an official.  An athlete leaving these two areas will be observed as a withdrawal from the race.

Athletes without support crews may pitch a tent in the camping area for their use if they wish.  However any valuables left unattended will be at the athlete's risk of loss.  Support crew vehicles will not be allowed to drive on the bike course during the event.  This is for the safety of the athletes.  Vehicles will not be permitted onto the camping area.  Please note the entrance to the athlete village from Eastern Avenue is also the bike route.  Campervans may use the hard standing to park within the athlete village however they will be unable to drive out of the village until after the last athlete has completed the bike course.  Campervans must be in position before 05:00hrs on Saturday 2nd Augsut.  Alternatively campervans may park with the remainder of the athlete's / supporter's vehicles approximately 300m from the athlete village in the leisure centre car park.

CAMPING

THERE WILL BE NO CAMPING IN THE EVENT LOCATION ON THE EVENING OF FRIDAY 1ST AUGUST 2008

There is an area for support crews to erect a tent or gazebo which overlooks both the bike and run turnaround points.  Care must be taken not to damage the field by cooking or tents and support crews are responsible for taking all their own rubbish away with them from the site after the event. A bin liner will be provided in the Race bag for athletes to collect at registration.   Support crews may set up their tents from 04:30hrs on Saturday 2nd August.  They may remain there until 06:00hrs on Monday 4th August.  Remember that this is not a campsite.  The school have been kind enough to allow support crews to pitch a tent to help supporters in inclement weather and for resting and cooking.  You will need to bring your own bottled water.  Between 22:00hrs and 08:00hrs support crews will only have access to 3 x Portable loos as the leisure centre will be closed.

Pacing from support crews will not be tolerated.  Crews must NOT join the athletes at any stage during the race without first speaking with the race organiser.


Start Times for 2008