News
London Rat Race is coming...
2 September 2008
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1) 4 weeks to go – Race Director’s preview and entries still open
2) Raise Funds for Crisis
3) Outward Bound London Youth Event
4) Rat Race “THE BUSINESS”
5) Event Village
6) Event schedule
7) Harness / Helmet Hire
8) Skills Refresher Sessions
9) Further pre-event communications
1) 4 weeks to go – Race Director’s preview and entries still open
The London Rat Race plans to be bolder and more ambitious than last year, with some fascinating cycle routes, where you will discover some truly hidden parts of the Capital. We will be visiting a few favourite venues from last year after popular demand, but almost all the interconnecting course will be new and still expect to use your taste buds to gain precious points again (it won't be seafood though!) I would highly recommend tyres with good grip as there will be many parts of the course where you will need it. Bike bells are mandatory kit and they will be essential this year. You will be running, jumping, riding and climbing over the best concrete that London has to offer so bring a big set of lungs, some powerful legs, a great sense of humour and a desire for urban discovery. Look forward to one of the best days out ever possible in the BIG SMOKE. Entries are still open at www.ratraceadventure.com.
Pre event training events and courses
As a nice warm up to the London Rat Race and a good navigation practice event have a quick look at the Richmond Park ½ Marathon Trail Challenge on Sunday 21st September 2008. More information and an application form may be found on the South London orienteer's website: www.sloweb.org.uk/trail/Index.htm
Also if you would like to practice your kayak skills before the event please contact either Chiswick pier canoe club or Brentford Kayak Club
http://www.chiswickcanoeclub.co.uk/asp/Home.asp
http://www.brentfordfccst.com/activities/kayaking.html
Race Director - Nick Gracie
2) Raise Funds for Crisis 
Crisis is proud to be the official charity partner of Rat Race London for a second year. Turning your life around once homeless is a huge challenge, rather like the Rat Race. At Crisis every day we work with homeless people giving them the practical support they need to rebuild their lives. Join the Crisis Rat Race team and let others benefit from your hard work!
Contact us on 020 7426 3825 or at events@crisis.org.uk to request an entry form.
3) Outward Bound London Youth Event
You may have noticed that we have added a youth class to our London event this year; you will be racing alongside our young eager beavers (or rugged Rats!?) so if you see them out there on the course – lend a hand. They are young, but they will learn Sense! If you know anyone who may want to take part in the youth class, then get them to drop us a line at info@ratraceadventure.com.
4 ) Rat Race “THE BUSINESS”
Some of you have chosen to enter our special company class called Rat Race “The Business.” There are still some spaces left and anyone who wants to “upgrade” to Business class can do so by emailing us. The class features your own tented area with changing space, free massage, extra goodies, inclusive skills refresher sessions and harness and helmet hire and fast track registration. Email us to find out more or log onto the website and see the Business class info here.
5) Event Village
The event is once again based in the shadow of Tower Bridge at Potter’s Fields on the South Bank. This is where the Rat Race starts and finishes on both days.
GETTING THERE AND PARKING
A map of the location can be viewed here.
Best tube and train connections are to London Bridge. Tower Gateway/ Tower Hill stations are also very close.
If you are looking to park the car, there is absolutely NO parking at the event village location. Do not even attempt it. You will cause yourself and us a major headache. There is on-street and underground parking close by and we would recommend the Butler’s Wharf car park at the corner of Curlew Street and Gainsford Street, SE1 2NY. It’s outside the congestion charging zone (just) and is 24 hour, underground and secure. http://www.123-car-parking.co.uk/Butlers-Wharf-Central-London-Parking.php
There is also the NCP Snowfields car park on Kipling Street, SE1 9RT near London Bridge station at £11/ day, slightly further away.
BIKE COMPOUNDThe good news for this year is that we will allow you to leave your bike in our secure compound overnight on the Saturday, so you do not need to cycle back in on the Sunday morning if you are doing the Adventure course. The secure compound will be open from 1000 on Saturday to deposit bikes and will close at 2300. It will be locked down until the following morning and NO ACCESS WHATSOEVER will be granted before 0600. if you are leaving a bike, you should lock it up to our railings whilst it remains in the compound.
EVENT VILLAGE FACILITIES
In the village, we will be staging some entertainment for you all courtesy of the MAD mountain bike aerial display team and live bands and DJs through the day on Saturday as you gear up for the off, plus when you return on the Sunday. Your supporters are more than welcome to come and have a tipple in our Fuller’s Discovery bar, which will be serving from 1200 on Saturday and will be open for you too, when you return from the Mean Streets on Saturday evening and on Sunday all day too.
We will have food and bev stands and a massage station for aching muscles pre and post event. The For Goodness Shakes recovery station will be on hand to deliver post-race sustenance and nutrition and if you have forgotten any kit, or fancy treating yourself pre or post-event to a bit of Rat Race retail therapy, there will be bargains on offer from Ellis Brigham mountain sports and the Rat Race shop, plus other concessions hosted in the village.
You might also come face to face with some Rat Race “props.” These might involve margarine and a giant washing machine. And you might be coming up close and personal to these. More on that when you arrive….!
So come on down and enjoy the atmosphere. Bring your mates and your supporters and tell them to enjoy a fun day out in the centre of London, whilst cheering you and 100s of others back into the event village after your epic adventures.
6) Event schedule
SATURDAY
0900 Competitor Refresher Courses begin (See below for further info)
1000 Competitor Registration opens
1500 Competitor Registration closes
1530 Competitor pre-event briefing (ALL required to attend)
1700-2000 Mean Streets Prologue Race (For ALL racers)
2000-2200 Light carb-based food served for all racers in the event village
SUNDAY
0600 Competitor secure compound open
0730 Adventure Event starts at the event village
1200 Event village open to the public
1430 First teams expected to finish
1800 All teams back – course closes
1900 Rat Race After Party begins
2000-2030 Awards Ceremony
7) Harness / Helmet Hire
We have a limited number of climbing helmets and harnesses for hire and you WILL need both for the race. The hire kit will be issued when you register on the Saturday morning in the event village and you will keep it throughout. Prices are as follows:
* Harness: £8pp
* Helmet: £8pp
* Helmet and harness: £15pp
Reservation of this equipment must be made only through the Rat Race Adventure UAG Shop. Once the payment is made you will receive an automatic email confirming the hire. Remember - we only have a limited number of helmets and harnesses to hire so it will be a first come first served basis for reserving your kit. Please get your order in as soon as possible.
8) Skills Refresher Sessions
We have 2 training sessions available to you on the morning of the race if you want to brush up on rope-work and/ or kayaking. These are not mandatory; they are intended to give you the extra confidence you may need prior to the event should you be rusty on these disciplines.
Each course is priced at £10 (session lasting <1 hour) or £18 for both. They are usually popular, so make sure you let us know ASAP if you want in on the refresher action. To sign up, please email info@ratraceadventure.com and state your name and team name and which sessions you are interested in. We will then get in touch regarding the payment with debit/credit card. We offer up these refreshers in "waves" at 0900 and 1000 and 1100 on the Saturday so please indicate which time suits you best. We will do our best to accommodate you - but please bear in 
mind these are popular courses so we may not be able to offer you your first choice of time. We will then get in touch with you regarding the payment for the course prior to the event. Remember that we require all participants to have some experience of abseiling and kayaking prior to the event kick-off.
9) Further pre-event communications
We’ll get back in touch a week before the event with final information. In the meantime please feel free to call us on 0845 009 4365 or email us on info@ratraceadventure.com with all and any enquiries. We very much look forward to seeing you soon for the 2008 London Rat Race Urban Adventure!
See you soon,
Rat Race HQ
