In association with
Final Instructions
Please note that this event is now based at Pontypool Leisure Centre.
If you enter from the SE end on Trosnant St the main car park is on the right. If full carry on and there are two small car parks on the right and a bigger one on the left and also some on road space. Failing that turn right at the main road and second left there is a free multi-storey on the left and another free multi-storey 400yds further north.
REGISTRATION
Will be in the foyer of the leisure centre
Start
The first heat for the swim is due to go off at 10am, with the second and third heats (if applicable) starting at approximately 10:30 and 11 respectivly.
SWIM
The pool is a 25m six lane pool so will have 2 or 3 heats depending on entries.
We will have 4 to a lane starting at 10sec intervals with one heat finishing before the next starts. There is an exit directly into transition. It is 800m which is 32 lengths.
TRANSITION
This is rather smaller than is ideal but due to the football tournament is the only secure area we have available. It is a fenced off area under the outdoor bit of the water slides and is covered by a gravel surface which I will endeavour to cover at least partially. There isn’t sufficient headroom to have a one way system and only one exit so please be sensible. There will be a few seconds advantage for the earlier starters who will be the slower competitors so it shouldn’t affect the overall results.
CYCLE
We are using the traditional route with a few minor alterations. The route as you know is notoriously hilly and uses minor roads for much of its 28 miles. From transition you descend a few steps and can mount once you get onto the tarmac. The route follows the R side of the main pedestrian footpath to the park gates where it crosses a pavement and left onto a moderately busy road. There will be some marshals but please be wary of pedestrians and of cars when you join the road. Its then straight on (1st exit ) at a roundabout and Left at the next roundabout onto the old route.
When you get to Blaenavon you stay on the main road. This is a fast downhill with some sharp twists and several roads join it some with fairly blind exits so please ride sensibly. Towards the bottom of the hill are a set of traffic lights. In order to be fair, everyone will be required to stop for 1min here regardless of the state of the lights. If they are red you must stop till they change then cross and stop immediately after till your minute is up. If green cross them and stop directly after for a minute. Marshals will supervise and time this.
As you near the end of the ride, to avoid getting caught up in the football tournament you need to carry on round the south of Pontypool on the dual carriageway to the roundabout you originally joined the old route at and retrace your route back to the park gate and back to transition. There will now be the added hazard of fellow competitors exiting on the run.
RUN
This leaves the park the same way as the cycle route and turns left along the pavement for perhaps half a mile before turning onto a canal towpath. The surface is reasonably good but there will be puddles if wet. After about 2miles you leave the canal at a drinks station turning left onto a minor road which climbs the hill in a series of steep sections until it emerges on the ridge where there is a second drinks station. This road gets progressively narrower turning into a bridleway with a couple of short potentially muddy sections.
At the ridge you turn right up the ridge to the folly tower which you go round and then back down the ridge past the drinks station again and on till directed back into Pontypool park. The descent back to the finish will be marked by stakes but is steep initially over rough grass then through a small wood on a track before crossing a small stream and left along the side of the stream on grass back to the finish at transition and a well deserved drink. It is about 6 miles and a fresh county standard runner did it in 41mins.
PRIZEGIVING
There are showers in the changing rooms and we have booked a function room with a bar and where food will be laid out for you. We should be ready to give out the prizes about 2.30.