Equipment

General Equipment information.

Bikes and wetsuits for all competitors will be distriubuted from the basement of the Novotel Hotel on Friday evening and early on Saturday morning. If you are bringing your own bike please ensure that it is clearly labelled with your name. Should you need further information, please contact Julie Lane at Belron® on julie.lane@belron.com or call her on +44 (0) 20 8334 9566 to order your equipment.

Wetsuits - £35.00 to hire a wetsuit.

Wetsuits will be provided by the Tri and Run this year. Julie Lane from the Belron team will co-ordinate the wetsuits this year.  They will be distributed from the basement at the Novotel on Friday evening and Saturday morning.

A wetsuit is compulsory for all triathlons in the UK involving open water swimming and each country coordinator will be expected to send through all the relevant details for hiring one. A wetsuit will not only keep you warm, but will also help you swim faster, as it provides you with extra buoyancy. Surf and shorty wetsuits are allowed but these are totally different to a triathlon-specific wetsuit.

Wetsuit top tips

Here are some top tips for putting on and taking off your wetsuit:

Step 1 - An easy way to put on your wetsuit is to leave your socks on, then work the suit up your legs. (But don't forget to take your socks off again)
Step 2 - Be sure the suit fits snugly.
Step 3 -  It is critical that the arms on a full suit are pulled all the way up.
Step 4 - Pull zip cord vertically ensuring  shoulders flexed backwards

Putting the wetsuit on (detailed instructions):

Step 1-  Start with feet - pull one entire suit leg over foot before pulling up leg. Use thumbs and fore fingers to pull, not your nails.
Step 2 - Pull just above the knee, repeating with the other leg.
Step 3 - Keep standing while putting the wetsuit on. Once up to the waist, pull on the remainder of the suit by the outside.
Step 4 - Place your hands at thigh level, pull excess rubber tight into your crutch and over the buttock area. Do a couple of knee lifts to check fit.
Step 5 - Pull suit up under the midriff.
Step 6 - Put arm into sleeve, then reach high to your full stretch - while still reaching up, use other hand to slide sleeve completely over wrist, leaving wrist joint free.

Taking the wetsuit off (detailed instructions)

Step1 -  Before you leave the water start to pull down the zip cord to undo your suit

Step 2 - Once out of the water take off your goggles and cap hold them in your hand

Step 3 - Remove the sleeves slowly down to waist height - you should be able to take off the top part while running,

Step 4 - As you pull your hands out, your swim cap and goggles will stay in the sleeve (remember this for when you are wondering where your goggles are later).

Step 5 - Before you enter the building to transition, push the waist down around your ankles and step out of one leg and then the other. The suit will be inside out.

Step 6 - Place the wetsuit in the plastic bag which will be handed to you by the marshalls.

Bikes - to hire a bike.

Rental bikes will be provided once again this year and these will be available for collection on Friday evening and Saturday morning. All bikes will have a drink cage attached. Helmets will also be provided.

Bikes for all Autoglass® competitors will be ready for collection on the Saturday morning and will also be distributed in the basement of the hotel. Once you have collected your equipment please head towards the ExCel entrance where Belron® marshalls will direct you through to transition to rack your bike.  Please ensure that you familiarise yourself with the ExCel Centre, in particular the transition area.

New Triathlon kit for our 10th Anniversary year:

The triathlon sportswear for this 2011 will be available for everyone to purchase on the Friday evening at the hotel and Saturday morning in the basement of the Novotel Hotel. A lot more kit has been ordered for this year.