• My
  Events
• My
  Results

• Home
• News
• Contact
• Join
• Search

• About us
• Racing
• Training
• Getting Involved
• Advice
• Results

• Road Running
• Triathlon & Duathlon
• Track & Field
• Cross Country
• Mountain and Fell
• London Marathon
• Last Friday 5K
• New Year's Day 10K
• Jekyll & Hyde Park Duathlon
  • Race Day Information
  • Course
  • Register to help
  • View helpers

Race Day Information - Sunday 26 October 2008

Everything you need to know is online and race packs will not be sent in advance. Study the following information and the course details carefully! Collect your race numbers at registration on race day.

Race day timetable

ALL TIMES ARE GMT - Clocks go back at 2 am Sunday. Don't forget to change your clocks or you will be off by an hour!

7:00 am - 7:45 am – Registration

7:50 am – Transition closes. All bikes must be racked and competitors out of transition.

7:55 am – Race briefing at the Start. If you're not there you can't race!

8:00 am – Go! There are no waves; you all start together!

10.15 am approx – Prize giving (weather and results dependant)

11:00 am – Our permission to use the park runs out. We ask you to help us out by removing your bike from transition as soon as possible after you finish racing. We're going to have to make a swift exit!

Registration

• Registration 7:00 am to 7:45 am at the bandstand. Click here to see a map.
• At registration you will receive 2 race numbers, a bike number and a helmet number.
• A number must be visible on your front during the run legs and on your back during the bike leg.
• Race belts are permitted but you are responsible for ensuring that marshals are able to see your number at all stages of the race.
• Body numbers must not be folded or cut down in any way.
• The small bike number must be attached to the frame of your bike before placing it in the transition area. It is there to ensure that you and you alone walk off with your bike at the end of the day. Likewise the helmet number.
  

Transition

• Transition will close at 7:50 am sharp, by which time you will need to place your bike on the racking at the numbered position equivalent to your race number, and lay out shoes and equipment beside it.
• After racking your bike it is worth rehearsing your route in and out of transition to make sure you can find your spot in the heat of competition.
• Only competitors and select race officials are allowed into the transition area and you will need your race number to remove your bike from transition.
  

Bikes & helmets

• Bikes and helmets will be checked on entry to transition so allow enough time to do this.
• It is your responsibility to ensure that your bike is safe and roadworthy prior to the event.
• Pay particular attention to tribars being on securely, bar ends showing no bare metal and brakes functioning well.
• We provide no mechanical support on the day!
• Any kind of road worthy bicycle is permitted but not tricycles, recumbents or tandems.
• It is a safety condition that we must say "No helmet? Unsafe bike? – No race and no refund!!"
• All competitors must wear a SNELL/ANSI/EN1078 standard cycling helmet during the bike section of the race. You must put on and fasten your helmet before unracking your bike at the first transition and you must rack your bike before unfastening your helmet at the second transition. Sorry – no helmet, no race, no refund – you know the rules!

Split times

• Your split times will be taken on entry to transition after run1, on exit from transition at the start of run 2 and at the finish.
• Your number must be clearly visible on your front but also be prepared to shout your number to the time keepers.
• Both transitions will be included in your bike split.
• Please stay in order after crossing the finish line.

Race briefing & rules

For your safety, the Jekyll & Hyde Park Halloween Duathlon is a British Triathlon (BTF) registered race and follows follows BTF technical (rules 8 & 11) and competition rules (esp 13-22). Whether or not you are a BTF member, you should be familiar with these and ignorance of the rules is no excuse! Because many of you are new to these rules; here are some of the rules that often result in penalties:

This is a non-drafting race. This means that the front of your front wheel must be 5 meters (3 bike lengths) behind the rear wheel of the competitor in front. Drafting is cheating and forming bunches is particularly dangerous due to the tight turns on this course. Once a competitor's front wheel is in front of yours it is your responsibility to drop back EVEN IF YOU HAVE TO SLOW DOWN TO DO SO. When passing you have 15 seconds to get in front or you must drop back. Side by side riding is also not allowed because it encourages drafting and dangerous cycling. We will have roving draft marshals slapping two minute time penalties on draft cheats willy nilly. Repeat offenders will be disqualified.

The use of personal stereos, MP3 players, or mobile phones on the course or in transition is banned. You need to be fully aware of what is going on around you at all times. This is for your safety, the safety of your fellow competitors and the safety of the public. Disregarding this rule will lead to disqualification.

Cycle on the left except when overtaking. Definitely no crossing into the opposite carriageway. No rudeness to marshals. No nudity.

We share Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens with the public -- competitors DO NOT have priority over the public. Please show respect to the other park users.

A briefing of race day information and changes to the course will be held before the start. You must attend the race briefing.

The course

Start/Finish on Serpentine Road adjacent to the Bandstand.

• First Leg: Run 2 laps of the Serpentine (there will be a water and energy drink station at the start of the second lap) – 7.6 km
• Second Leg: Cycle 8 laps of South Carriage Drive. Dead turns at both ends – 20.8 km
• Third Leg: Run 1 lap of the Serpentine – 4.2 km

The course map is available here.

Your safety & safeguarding the future of the race

The entire route is on closed roads but that only increases the brownian motion of the park's many tourists and dog walkers. Please be aware that tourists are especially likely to move (or suddenly stop!) in mysterious ways and be careful of this on both the bike and run course. For this reason, anybody cycling recklessly; endangering themselves, other competitors or members of the public will be pulled from the race.

Be especially careful at turns, especially if there are wet leaves on the road. In general be aware of all the BTF rules – they are there for safety and fairness.

Cycling is not allowed on many of Hyde Park's footpaths - when making your way to and from the race please respect this and don't risk creating ill-feeling with the park authorities and users. This might prevent this event from being run in the future.

The full risk assessment is here.

Parking

• There is limited parking in the area -- details will be posted here closer to the date of the race.

Facilities

• There are no showers or changing facilities in Hyde Park so come ready to race.
• The nearest public toilets are near the start on Serpentine Road and will be open from 7 am.
• Food and hot drinks will be available at the Dell Cafe.
  
• Hyde Park is a pretty nice place to hang out after the race and there are cafes at the eastern end of the Serpentine and at the Lido. If you don't come to this part of Central London much, how about a feed in the atmospheric Lebanese cafes on Edgware Road? Or head south from the park and join the ladies who lunch in Harvey Nic's! See the map on the Royal Park's website for other park facilities.

Thanks

• Ant Bliss Photography
• EntryCentral
• The Royal Parks
• And most importantly, the marshals and officials -- all volunteer members of Serpentine Running Club -- without whom this race would not be possible.