Coventry Building Society Great North Swim Run Event Guide

Guide for participants in the Coventry Building Society Great North Swim Run.

EVENT GUIDE SATURDAY 13 JUNE

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INTRODUCTION TO SWIMRUN

Based on teamwork, passion, and closeness to nature, this outdoor running and swimming challenge is a benchmark in adventure races. Not just for endurance athletes, the most important things you need are a sense of adventure, some determination, and a lot of fun! SwimRun is about enjoying the landscape we are lucky enough to inhabit. The rules are about being courteous and respecting the environment, and in this case, the race comes second. Many landowners have kindly given permission for this event, and we want to repay their faith. We take on the challenge as it is presented to us, and we leave no trace. This guide includes important event day information, so please ensure you read through it carefully to make sure you are well prepared.

BEST OF LUCK AND WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU

IMPORTANT INFORMATION All SwimRun participants across both distances (Short SwimRun and SwimRun) must go to the main Great North Swim event site at Brockhole, where you will need to check in and start the event.

Short distance participants cannot arrive directly at Wray Castle.

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COURSES

TIMETABLE

5 - 6

MAPS

TIMINGS / HOUSEKEEPING

INFORMATION POINT AND PACK PICK-UP

TRACK YOUR SWIMRUN

EVENT SITE

11 -13

WHAT’S IN YOUR PACK

CHECK IN

15 - 16

RUN SECTIONS

SWIM SECTIONS

18 - 19

KEY INFORMATION

20 21 22 - 23

WATER QUALITY FUNDRAISING MEDICAL

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COURSES

There are two different routes: SWIMRUN SHORT - Approx. 12.5km with 3 runs & 3 swims. SWIMRUN - Approx. 24km with 4 runs and 5 swims. All participants share common sections, please be courteous to each other. At the start of every swim or run section there will be a sign telling you the distance ahead for that section, to help you pace yourself. You may also wish to write these distances on the back of your hand.

TIMETABLE

SWIMRUN (FULL DISTANCE) 08:00 Start for SwimRun participants from Brockhole SWIMRUN SHORT 08:45 Ferry takes Short - Wave 1 participants from Brockhole to start line at Wray Castle Boathouse 09:00 START - Short Wave 1 09:15 Ferry takes Short - Wave 2 participants from Brockhole to Wray Castle Boathouse 09:30 START - Short Wave 2 09:45 Ferry takes Short - Wave 3 participants from Brockhole to Wray Castle Boathouse 10:00 START - Short Wave 3

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COURSE MAPS SWIMRUN SHORT GRASMERE

SWIMRUN SHORT COURSE MAP PROVISIONAL ROUTE  SUBJECT TO CHANGE UNTIL DAY OF THE EVENT

RYDAL WATER

AMBLESIDE

LOUGHRIGG FELL

10 km

WATERHEAD

BROCKHOLE

FINISH

START

ECCLERIGG

LOW WRAY

FERRY CROSSING TO THE START

BLELHAM TARN

5 km

TROUTBECK BRIDGE

HIGH WRAY

OUTGATE

KEY

WINDERMERE TRAIN STATION

RUN 1

COLTHOUSE

SWIM 1

WISE EEN TARN

THREE DUBS TARN

RUN 2

SWIM 2

MOSS ECCLES TARN

BOWNESSONWINDERMERE

RUN 3

SWIM 3

NEAR SAWREY

TOTAL SWIM TOTAL RUN

2090M 10.2KM 12.90KM

TOTAL DISTANCE

FAR SAWREY

START

FINISH

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COURSE MAPS SWIMRUN GRASMERE

SWIMRUN COURSE MAP PROVISIONAL ROUTE  SUBJECT TO CHANGE UNTIL DAY OF THE EVENT

RYDAL WATER

AMBLESIDE

LOUGHRIGG FELL

WATERHEAD

20 km

BROCKHOLE

FINISH

START

ECCLERIGG

LOW WRAY

BLELHAM TARN

15 km

KEY

TROUTBECK BRIDGE

10 km

HIGH WRAY

SWIM 1

OUTGATE

RUN 1

SWIM 2

WINDERMERE TRAIN STATION

RUN 2

COLTHOUSE

SWIM 3

WISE EEN TARN

5 km

RUN 3

THREE DUBS TARN

SWIM 4

MOSS ECCLES TARN

BOWNESSONWINDERMERE

RUN 4

SWIM 5

NEAR SAWREY

TOTAL SWIM TOTAL RUN

3590M 20.2KM 23.94KM

FAR SAWREY

TOTAL DISTANCE

START

FINISH

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TIMINGS / HOUSEKEEPING Pre-Race Briefing A pre-race briefing will be shared by email in advance of the event, with some last-minute advice and top tips for the day. There will be a safety briefing for all participants prior to your race start on Saturday 13th June. Please ensure you attend, it contains vital information for your day. Race Day Arrival Please arrive on site early to be checked in with plenty of time to spare. The site opens at 07:00. Changing facilities, baggage drop, and toilets will all be available, as will customer services should you have any issues. Please check your kit the night before the event. Getting to Site No parking will be available at Brockhole unless pre-booked. Travel information including a Park & Ride option can be found here .

IMPORTANT All participants must come to the event site at Brockhole to check in to our safety systems.

Please do not go directly to Wray Castle.

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In our bid to leave a lighter footprint on our environment, we are no longer sending out participants’ packs through the post. This reduces our emissions from transporting thousands of packs around the country, and also means that no packs go missing, which leads to less printing of spare items. INFORMATION POINT AND PACK PICK-UP

Please take the time to read through the following information about when and where to collect your pack.

Location Pack pick-up is located at the Information Point in the main event village, see the event site map .

COLLECTION TIME - ALL DISTANCES Pack pick-up will be at the Information Point on Saturday 13th June from 7:00am.

Packs cannot be collected on Friday 12th, as your GPS tracker will not be allocated until the morning of the event.

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TRACK YOUR SWIMRUN

Open Tracking GPS trackers are provided for all SwimRunners as part of your entry fee.

The tracker allows your loved ones (wherever they are in the world) to monitor your progress throughout the event. They’ll be able to see when you start, when you finish, and where you are at all times on an online map as you make your way around the course. You will also be able to check your timings after you finish, as well as seeing the timings of other participants. We will share the tracking link via email a few days before the event. There will also be a large TV screen at the Open Tracking tent for all spectators to see where their friends and family are on the course. All tracking information will be displayed on a single tracking page through Open Tracking, accessible on mobiles and desktops. GPS trackers will be available to collect when you pick up your pack.

IMPORTANT Don’t forget to hand your tracker back when you finish your race!

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EVENT SITE

WARM UP AREA

SPECTATING AREA

SWIMMER & SPECTATOR VIEWING ACCESS

FERRY

SPLASHED IT GANTRY

KEY

EXHIBITORS ZONE 3 SOLGAR VOOM

INFORMATION POINT & PACK PICK UP

WETLAND AREA

COVENTRY BUILDING SOCIETY LAKE DISTRICT FOUNDATION ANDREA HALL ART CATCH

TOILETS

FINISH

WARMCOR SWIMBLER BEWILDERWOOD OWN THE ADVENTURE WILD MOOSE SHOKZ OUTDOOR SWIMMER GNAA RLSS

FOOD & DRINK

BIG SCREEN

BEER TENT

HOT DRINKS

The quiet tent is a tent located in a quieter area - ideal for anyone needing a moment of peace, some space for baby changing, or a bit of personal space. QUIET TENT

CHANGING AREA

BAGGAGE DROP AREA

ADVENTURE SHOP

CHECK IN AREAS

FINISHER MEDAL COLLECTION

SWIM FEST STAGE

CARPARK & BUS STOP *PARK & RIDE*

WINDERMERE MARATHON FINISH LINE SUNDAY ONLY

WATER REFILL POINT

FINISH

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WHAT’S INSIDE YOUR PACK

Swim Cap & Vest Your swim cap and vest are essential pieces of kit. Each distance has a different colour, and the cap and vest not only help to retain body heat but also make you highly visible to our water safety teams. Please keep your cap and vest on at all times while in the water. At the finish, we kindly ask that you return your swim vest to our volunteers in the finish area. These vests will then be cleaned and reused as part of our sustainability initiatives, helping us reduce event waste and give kit a second life at future Great Swim events. Baggage Label Use this label to help ensure your belongings stay safe whilst you are out on the course and are easily identifiable when you collect them afterwards. Please attach the baggage label securely to your bag or personal belongings before arriving at the baggage drop area, and ensure all details written on the label are clear and correct. This will help our teams return your belongings to you quickly and safely after your swim. Wristband Along with your baggage label, swim cap, and vest, you will also receive a wristband which will match your swim number on your GPS tracker, collected alongside your pack. Please ensure you’re wearing your wristband before getting to the check-in area.

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GEAR GUIDE Wetsuit

We are delighted to be working with Zone3, our official wetsuit partner. Wetsuit use is optional at the Great North SwimRun in water temperatures of 15°C or above, however if the water temperature drops below 15°C on the day, a wetsuit will be mandatory - so we recommend bringing one just in case. A wetsuit will give you extra buoyancy and warmth, but please make sure it fits properly as ill-fitting wetsuits are not allowed for safety reasons. Wetsuits can be one or two part (i.e. neoprene shorts and neoprene vest, as long as the torso is covered). Swimcap Swimcaps must be worn during all swim legs of SwimRun for visibility. Goggles Make sure they are tried, tested, and fit well before race day.

PLEASE NOTE Swimmers aged under 16 will be required to wear a wetsuit regardless of the water temperature.

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Tow Floats In the event of water temperature above 15°C, swimmers choosing not to wear a wetsuit MUST use an approved high visibility tow float. Tow floats will be available to purchase throughout the weekend at the Great Swim Adventure Shop Tow Rope If you’re taking part with a partner, a tow rope or tether will help keep you together on the swim sections and can be used to regulate and optimise your speed. Hand Paddles Paddles can help you swim faster, meaning you can save some energy in your legs for the run sections. Shoes You want these to drain and dry quickly. Try trail shoes or go DIY and drill holes into the base of old trainers. Compression Socks Go for quick-drying socks that will also help keep your legs warm whilst wearing your wetsuit. Pullbuoy A great piece of kit to help you in the water, especially as you’ll be wearing shoes in both the swim and run. Think about how you’ll attach it when running - we recommend a bungee cord. SwimRun Race Bib You’ll be provided with this, so think about how it might affect your kit. At the finish, we kindly ask that you return your swim vest to our volunteers in the finish area. These vests will then be cleaned and reused as part of our sustainability initiatives, helping us reduce event waste and give kit a second life at future Great Swim events.

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CHECK IN We will check you in to our safety system at the start at Brockhole. We will then check you out at the end of the event at the finish line. It is crucial that should you retire at any point on the route, you notify us so we can check you out and are not looking for you at the end of the day. If retiring, please ensure you remove your GPS tracker and return it to a member of the team before leaving site. Short distance competitors will be checked in before you board the ferry. Race times for all distances start when the air horn goes off, and your progress will be monitored by GPS trackers collected with your packs. SWIMRUN (FULL DISTANCE) Check-in opens from 07:30 for an 08:00 start from the main Great North Swim start line at Brockhole. SWIMRUN SHORT Wave 1: Check-in at 08:15 start time 09:00 Wave 2: Check-in at 08:45 start time 09:30 Wave 3: Check-in at 09:15 start time 10:00 FERRY INFORMATION The ferry leaves from Brockhole and takes you to the start line at Wray Castle Boathouse. Please don’t be late as we cannot delay the launches. You cannot come straight to Wray Castle as you won’t be able to check in.

On-the-day briefings: There will be a short supplementary safety briefing before you start or board the ferry. You will also be given details of each swim as you arrive. Please listen carefully as there will be some key points for each one.

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RUN SECTIONS The route will be clearly marked in two ways: at any junction there will be a small arrow, and on all other sections there will be marking flags. These will correspond to the colour of your event:

ORANGE = SWIMRUN (FULL DISTANCE) GREEN = SWIMRUN SHORT

If you see these markers in the ground, you know you are going the right way. They will be placed every few hundred metres - if you have run for 500m or more without seeing any, you should retrace your steps as you may have gone off course.

If a marshal asks you to stop, please listen. The two main reasons will be:

• To capture your number, enabling us to safely track you around the course. • There is a road crossing ahead. Please be aware that there are some road crossings on all courses. Please respect the roads as you would on any other day - there will be traffic that you must give way to.

KEEP TO THE LEFT AT ALL TIMES when on road sections.

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RUN SECTIONS Litter

Anyone dropping litter on the course will be asked to leave the race. We need to respect the environment we are privileged to be in. If you take anything from a feed station, please keep the litter with you until the next point, or hand it to a marshal on the route Giving Way We are sharing all trails with the general public and we want to be a courteous event. Please step aside and let others pass if required - anyone seen to be disrupting other trail users will be disqualified.

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SWIM SECTIONS All swims have clearly marked entry and exit points, with a bright orange flying banner. There will also be a marshal at the entry and exit of each swim. Swim caps and goggles can be stashed in your wetsuit, or anywhere else you like, for the run sections. However, you will not be allowed entry into any swim section until you are clearly wearing your swim hat. You are welcome to wear your own hat for warmth.

Pull buoys and hand paddles are permitted, but SwimRun competitors please be careful during the mass start.

In Case of Difficulties • The majority of swims track shorelines, so please only go as deep as required to swim comfortably. This means that if you are in difficulty, you will only need to come in a short distance to a depth where you can stand up. This is not possible on all swims. • There will be safety cover on all swim sections. If you get into difficulty, roll on your back and raise one hand - the safety team will come to your assistance.

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KEY INFORMATION Feed Stations There are three feed stations providing VOOM energy bars, water and other food items. The stations are located at: Wray Castle - SwimRun (full distance) only Southernmost turnaround point - SwimRun (full distance) only Brathay Hall - all participants Decision Points There is a key decision point on the course where you must make sure you take the correct turn according to your distance. This will be clearly signposted and is just beyond Wray Castle. PLEASE NOTE You can decide to cut your distance short — please just notify a marshal. You cannot decide to take the longer route once you have started the Short course. Cut-Off Times There is cut of 4hrs for the longer distance (12:00 noon), we reserve also the right to ask participants to withdraw from the event on health grounds, if our medics suspect you are becoming too cold or exhausted. Assisting others : Whilst this is a race, your first priority should be your own safety, and secondly the safety of your fellow competitors. If you come across a participant who is having an issue, please make completing the event your secondary focus after helping them. This may mean running ahead (or backward) to the nearest marshal point to raise the alarm.

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KEY INFORMATION Compulsory Equipment We will conduct spot checks on compulsory items as per the OTILLO rules.

The following are compulsory: Wetsuit Swim cap

Running shoes SwimRun bib

We also encourage: Dressing bandage Compass or watch compass Whistle Suncream

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WATER QUALITY We recognise the issues that face our UK bathing waters, and the particular focus on the water quality of Windermere within the media currently. The health and well-being of our Great North Swimrun participants is always our top priority and we would not proceed with the event if we believed it unsafe to do so. Every year we conduct a large number of water quality tests of our own using an independent laboratory, looking at both bacteria (E-coli) and blue and green algae levels in the Lake. These results are then assessed against EU Bathing Water Directive levels and World Health Organisation (WHO) guidance. The lake is a vast body of water over 10 miles long, so our tests are focused on where our participants swim. We start to test the water around 4 weeks prior to event day and we conduct multiple rounds of tests within this time frame, and we continue to monitor and test the water right up until the event. As we move closer towards the 2026 event, we are closely monitoring water quality issues working closely with our local stakeholders including the Environment Agency and the Lake District National Park Authority to ensure the health and safety of all involved. For more information please visit our website here

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FUNDRAISING If you haven’t already, make sure you set up your official fundraising page on Enthuse, our official fundraising platform. Personalise your page with an image, your story, and share it with friends and family who can donate to your chosen charity. Now is the perfect time to get started on your fundraising journey, or have a last push to raise some money for your chosen cause ahead of the big day.

Click here to start fundraising.

ITAB Make your SwimRun event more memorable with a personalised iTAB medal attachment. This memento is personalised with your name and finishing time to celebrate your achievement and hold onto those memories even longer!

Click here to pre-order yours today!

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MEDICAL Medical Cover on the Route

There are plenty of first aiders on the route, as well as paramedics and doctors. If you have any issues, no matter how big or small, please speak to the nearest marshal or medic. Managing Your Temperature The Lake District in June could provide a wide range of weather conditions. If it is hot, you may need to strip your wetsuit down to the waist and remove your hat for the run sections. On a cool day, cold could be the enemy. Hypothermia can occur in relatively warm water, particularly for swimmers with a smaller build. Frequent transitions from swimming to running over fells in possible inclement weather, then further swimming, will hasten this process. Swim sections later in the course may feel colder than initial ones due to the depletion of carbohydrate stores. Make sure you adhere to adequate, frequent fuelling whilst observing yourself for signs of hypothermia: confusion, slurred speech, co-ordination problems, excessive irritability. Minor Issues Make sure minor issues are addressed as soon as reasonably practicable. What may seem like a trivial blister, sprain, or strain initially will likely develop into an issue which could affect you as the race progresses. Cover all cuts and abrasions, however minor, with sticking plasters. You should consider not swimming if you have deep cuts.

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MEDICAL Knowing When to Stop

It is important you know your limits and know when it’s wise to stop. Consider your environment and the possible need for rescue if you get into difficulties in a remote location. Utilise the feed stations as a checkpoint to assess your current condition and ability to continue. Suncream Please make sure you are wearing water-resistant suncream, with enough for re-application depending on the weather forecast. Put some in a clear sealable bag and carry it in your wetsuit. Race Doctor, Paramedics and the Right to Prevent Participants from Continuing Although you may feel able to proceed, the Race Doctor and Paramedics have the final say on your condition and your ability to continue. We have your well-being at the centre of our decisions.

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