The New Forest Rattler

In case you haven't seen them, the results are here. Well done in such horrible conditions!

https://thenewforestrattler.co.uk/2018/08/results/

Only 3 sleeps until the Rattler.  The van is being loaded, race packs are being stuffed and the last minute shopping is being prepared.

We have asked Precision Hydration to put together some hydration advice to help you perform at your best during The New Forest Rattler...

We have also attached the rider briefing as a PDF for you to have a read.  Also, don't forget we still have camping places available.

See you at the weekend!

Hydration Advice

What to do before the ride

• DON’T just drink lots of water in the build-up! You can end up diluting your blood sodium levels before you start, risking hyponatremia. At best you’ll end up with a lot of fluid sloshing around in your stomach/bladder.
• Adding sodium to your pre-race drinks (and meals) helps you absorb and retain more fluid in your bloodstream. This means you’ll have a bigger reservoir of electrolytes/ fluids to draw upon once the race begins and you start sweating.
• Having more blood makes it easier for your cardiovascular system to meet the demands of cooling you down and delivering oxygen to your muscles.
• Drink a stronger electrolyte drink ~90 mins before the start to top-up your blood plasma volume. Aim for drinks containing >1,000mg of sodium per litre. PH 1500 is ideal for helping you start hydrated, use the code RATTLER for15% off at precisionhydration.com!
• Finish your drink >45 minutes before you set off to give your body time to fully absorb what it needs and remove any excess. Read more about how to start hydrated.

What to drink during the ride

• Some fluid intake is definitely required to maintain your performance when you're riding for >2 hours, especially in the later stages.
• It's a good idea for some of this fluid to contain electrolytes, particularly sodium.
• Sodium helps you absorb and retain more fluid. This boosts your blood plasma volume, which reduces cardiovascular strain, enabling you to perform at your best for longer. Learn more.

• You can fill up a bottle with PH 1000 electrolyte drink in the registration area before you start. It's got ~2x more sodium in it than typical sports drinks.

• There'll be one drinks station on the 47-mile route where you can top up on PH and water (as well as fuel up on bananas, flapjacks and jelly sweets). There are two drinks stations on the 82 and 102-mile routes.

• It's always tricky to work out how much to drink - you have to learn to listen to your body to get it just right.

• Very few cyclists can drink much more than 1 litre an hour so, unless experience tells you otherwise, it’s unlikely you’ll need to drink more than that, especially if you started well hydrated. You're more likely to want to be drinking between 500ml and 1l per hour.

• Feeling thirsty? Have a dry mouth? You may not be drinking enough. Listen to your body and respond to the early signs of thirst. Try to respond to the early signs of thirst and not leave it too late.

• Bloated? Fluid sloshing around in your stomach? Need to pee often during the ride? You might be drinking too much. Don't force fluids down if you don’t feel you want them.

Take our free online Sweat Test to get more personalised advice for your ride...

Just in case you havent seen it! 

Rider Brief

The New Forest Rattler team look forward to welcoming you to Moyles Court School on Sunday 26 August.

The following information has been put together to provide riders with all the information they need to know about the event, and also offer advice regarding the routes and the condition of your bike.

Getting to Moyles Court School
Moyles Court School is a superb boarding school set in the heart of the New Forest. For a route map detailing how to get to the school please use the following link: http://www.moylescourt.co.uk/index.php?page=contact-us

Saturday camping

Entrance to the camping area will be available from 12pm onwards on the Saturday for those who paid to camp when booking. Please go to the main entrance of Moyles Court School on arrival and someone will be on hand to assist you.

If you have not booked to camp, but would like to, we still have a limited number of pitches available at a cost of £25 per group (up to four people). 

Registration
Registration will open at 7:00am on the day of the event.

Breakfast

Breakfast is included as part of your entry fee. There will also be complimentary tea and coffee available at the start. The choices of cereal will be Granola, Muesli and Cornflakes.

After your ride there will be tea, coffee, soft drinks and cakes available for you to purchase.

Start
We aim to get riders away as quickly as possible. Riders for all routes will start departing at 8:15am. Riders will depart in groups of about 20-25 and set off at 3-5 minute intervals. To arrive at feed stations before they close, we advise all riders to have left Moyles Court by no later than 9:15am.

Timing 
Electronic chip timing for the Rattler will be provided by Challenging Events. Riders will collect their timing chip/rider number when registering.

The Rattler is not a time trial – however if you are interested in viewing your personal overall time you will be able to view this immediately at the finish line. A full list of results will then be posted on the event website one-two days afterwards.  

Route
The Rattler routes will be marked with black and white corrugated A3 plastic signs. At no point should you need to consult your route card – however there is always the possibility that a sign could be removed or obstructed from view.

Route Splits
The Rattler routes are inter-linked. Riders should follow the clearly marked instruction arrows for their ride distance.

Marshals
Although the routes are clearly signed, we will have marshals out on the course. There will be 'roaming' marshals in vehicles to look out for any rider in difficult or to collect riders. 

Feed stations
There will be three feed stations on the EPIC course, two on the 82 mile course and one on the 47 mile course.

The first feed station is located at 26.5 miles on the main road into Bransgore and will supply the 82 mile and EPIC riders only.

The second feed station is located 57 miles into the 82 mile and EPIC routes / approximately half way through the 47 mile route.

The third feed station will be located near the beautiful village of Whiteparish at 80 miles and will cater for the EPIC riders only.

Each station will be stocked with Bananas, flapjack, energy powder or hydration tablets, biscuits, jelly sweets and water – however, we do recommend that riders carry some of their own provisions such as an energy gel, oat bar or banana just in case you run out of energy before the feed stations. We also recommend that each rider starts the event with 2 full water bottles.

Please note the feed station close times:

• Feed station 1 – 11:30am

• Feed station 2 – 2:30pm

• Feed station 3 – 4:30pm

Your bike
Before setting out on a ride such as the Rattler it really is worth checking that your bike is in peak working condition. The last thing you want is your ride ruined due to a mechanical problem.

Here is a quick checklist you can do yourself:

1. Starting at the top make sure your saddle is at the correct height and that the fixing bolt is tight, always check for a torque setting on your frame seat bolt especially on a carbon frame.

2. Check your handlebars are correctly positioned and all bolts are tight.

3. Check your headset at the same time by applying the front brake and rocking the front of the bike. If play is felt then you will need to refer to your bike owner's manual or ask a cycle mechanic to tighten your headset.

4. Check that the bottle cages are tight as you don’t want your much needed fluids falling off.

5. Check the drive-train on your bike to make sure that your chain, sprockets, chain wheels and all moving parts are not too worn.

6. Check your chain is clean with some citrus degreaser and apply some good wax / dry lube to stop any squeaking and to help with shifting.

7. Check your gears to make sure they are shifting well by lifting the wheels. If in doubt then try to get a bike mechanic to look over your gears before the ride.

8. Check your tyres for any cuts or potential problems. If your tyres are worn, getting new ones before the ride is a good investment.

9. Finally check your saddle bag or pockets and make sure you carry at least 2 inner tubes, tyre levers, a puncture repair kit, some form of pump and a multi-tool with Allen keys.

Photography
Charles Whitton's team will be on the course, the photos will be here 

https://www.charleswhittonphotography.com/group26668.html

Rules of the Rattler

1. Wear your helmet at all times on the course.

2. Obey the HIGHWAY CODE at all times. 

3. Remember this is not a race, be a good advert for cycling and show consideration to other road users, even if they don’t respect your space.

4. Never ride more than two abreast and don’t attempt dangerous passing.

5. It is absolutely forbidden to cross the centre line of the road.

6. Some riders will be inexperienced so keep your distance at all times.

7. Don’t go mad down hills as some have tight bends.

8. Please signal any intention to turn left or right and don’t stop suddenly; there may be riders behind you.

9. Make sure your bike is in good working order, especially the brakes!

10. Cars or other support vehicles are forbidden from driving the course.

11. Any rider seen with a vehicle on the course will be disqualified.

12. Please do not urinate outside people’s houses – try to find somewhere more discreet and out of public view.

13. Do not drop litter. The New Forest is a place of natural outstanding beauty and we like to respect this wonderful land.

14. Be mindful of the animals and take extra care when navigating areas occupied by them.

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The finish
Once you have completed the Rattler make your way to the BBQ for a well-deserved burger! (vegetarian option will also be available)

Completion certificates will be available to download. If a printed copy is required please email: [email protected] 

Please note that the catering staff on site will stop serving food at 5:30pm

Additional information 
Contact number for HQ/SAG Wagon: 07841164265 or  07707 230473 
In the event of an emergency dial 999.

SAG support and Rider HQ will close at 5:30pm

Right, that’s enough detail for you – we hope you enjoy your day!