Ride and Tie

Teams of Two. 3-laps of a 6-mile circuit from Woodnewton Village Hall. Running AND Cycling.

Team Member A bikes 1-lap and then runs 1-lap, whilst Team Member B runs 1-lap and then bikes 1-lap.
On the 3rd lap each team only has 1 bike, and can swap bikers and runners as many times as they like,
in order to get the second member across the line in the quickest possible time. Teams can pair up in advance. Entry is on-the-day.

For those not wishing to do the event, there is a Sunday run from the same venue at Woodnewton Village Hall at 9:30am over some fantastic countryside, so hopefully something for everyone."

It is unfortunate that even club events need to be for MEMBERS ONLY now. The alternative is to apply for a Permit at £60 + £3 per NON BTF athlete (even PACTRACers would have to pay this £3) for
each event, plus other hoops to jump through.

Helmet.

Entry on the day.

A BRIEF RACE BRIEF.
The Ride and Tie has 4 Marshalling points. All marshals have hi-viz
jackets. The course is fully signed with "Caution Cyclists" and
"Runners in the road" signs, as well as Arrow direction signs for the
Competitors. This also means that the Course is fully driven around on
the morning, and the left hand turn near Apethorpe is swept of gravel.

We run the event under the Highway Code as well as BTF rules, and
it is on the list of events given to the Police.

The only difference to previous year's is that we have to insist
on the wearing of helmets on lap 3.

This is a MEMBERS ONLY event in order to cover us via the BTFs Insurance. We have introduced
a New Members price on the Membership Form, that costs £20 and includes one free club event.

All risks are referred to in the Race Brief, or dealt with beforehand:

Marshal's are given a phone number at the VH to contact in an
emergency. This will be a responsible person and might be a Timekeeper
or helper or Chef. (By the nature of the event, i.e., teams of two, the
organiser doesn't know until late on if he will be racing or not).

Transition is on the grass outside - we have people outside watching
the bikes.

Cars are sometimes parked on the road outside - cones to be put out the
night before.

Cyclists and Runners set off together - cyclists on one side, runners
on the other, to set off only when the immediate coast is clear.

Drafting in the first 300 meters - competitors to set off when the
coast is clear, and ride on the left side of the road. Engaging cleats
will help to split the group at the start. No Drafting after the first
turn.

Left Turn after 300 meters - marshal, signs, Highway Code.

Road to Nassington - a couple of "Hidden Dips" in the road where cars
may suddenly rise up at you - this is dealt with in the Race Brief and
pointed out on the map (on a White Board).

Into Nassington, straight on passing two left turns - Highway Code and
little local only traffic.

Left Turn at T-Junction in Nassington - Blind Corner. Caution Signs,
Left Arrow, Marshal (we usually put any extra marshal's here as an
extra hi-viz presence, and in the past have had a qualified marshal who
is legally allowed to stop traffic if needs be). Specifically mentioned
in Race Brief. The road surface immediately leading up to the junction
has been relieved of pot-holes in the past couple of years.

Left hand bend going out of Nassington. Parked cars. Mentioned in Race
Brief plus a sign warning traffic coming into Nassington from that
direction.

Business Premises on the Nassington - Apethorpe road - have always been
closed on a Sunday but this is checked on the Course Inspection.

Left at the T-Junction before Apethorpe - Caution Signs, an Arrow
Direction Sign, Marshal, plus the road is swept of gravel on the
morning. Good visibility to the right as you approach the junction.

Left turn into Woodnewton - Caution signs, an Arrow sign plus a
marshal. Cyclists turn left with the curb and would have right-of-way
over any traffic turning across them. Runners have plenty of good grass
to run on if needed.

Along Orchard Way - athletes are spread out by this point, and follow
the Highway Code. Only local slow-moving, courteous traffic is ever
observed here!

Transition - Presence of Timekeepers and supporters warns local traffic
of activity. Any bikes sticking out onto the road are repositioned onto
the grass verge.