Getting to the London Triathlon

Hi all,

I hope you can use this forum for requests such as lift-shares...

I am doing my first triathlon, the London Triathlon, on Sunday 23rd September.

My age group (25-29) start is at 8am. As a non-driver, it appears impossible to get from mine (Kilburn) to the Excel in time. The organisers say aim to get there 90mins before the start, so to get there for 6.30am appears impossible on public transport. The only option is to get several buses - but with a bike and wetsuit etc this would be pretty tricky!

Is anyone from North West London/North London driving down that I could get a lift with please? Willing to pay costs of course, but a hotel or taxi looks a very expensive way of doing it which I would struggle to afford at the moment.

Any help or tips would be appreciated! Cheers,

Ollie

You can't take your bike on a bus anyway. Why not cycle there? Shouldn't be too busy at that time in the morning and if you take it easy, it would be a good warm up.

Hope you get something sorted - I had a similar situation in July, managed to talk a friend into giving me a lift at 5am in the end.

I was going to do something similar to Lauren555 - but I think that is because my start isnt until 2:30pm.  I'm going to take the Overground to Stratford and then cruise on down on my cycle as a warm up.  Sorted!

Don't you rack your bike the day before?  Or is that not an option for all waves?

Gavo - if you look at the race info, it now seems that London is rack on race day.  Your suggestion of racking the day before was the same as mine as that used to be the way it was done but it looks to have changed now.

Must be a right pain in the arse for those with early starts.

Dunno if this helps, but you can take your bike on the tube on weekends on these lines:

http://www.tfl.gov.uk/assets/downloads/tube-map-bicycles1b.pdf

For the london tri I took mine from hammersmith to west ham on the district line, then cycled to the Excel. Saw a few others doing the same. 15min slow cycle there from west ham, just have a map handy so you know which route to take. Getting to the London tri from anywhere is a SOB and thats why Im never doing it again.

Hi

My start is at 12:50 and I come into Waterloo, so planning to get train out to Greenwich and then go through the foot tunnel and cycle up from the docklands, 15 min slow ride. 

They don't exactly make it easy for people who need to get to site without using a car

Weather forecast is truly abysmal on Sunday as well - double

Me and my mate are in the 12:50 wave too. I am going to drive in even though I dont really want to.

I will try my best not to crash into you or anybody else on the bike in the rain.

8 am start ......that is early.....would hate to do a tri without a car..............as to cycling to teh venue.with wetsuit and cycling stuff and other clothes etc.............I'd never manage it

Seren nos, a zoggs holdall bag or similar is great for all your stuff. Can fit everything a transition box woud carry, has a wet compartment for after and the long strap goes across your chest like a messenger bag for cycling. Great, even at normal tri's where you need walk a distance from carparks. Chuck it over your shoulder and hop on the bike.

+1 for the tri bag - I have the blueseventy one and it is awesome.

Good luck Andyjsg, I'll be somewhere near the back, so you might lap me on the running (or might have finished before I start my run)

I've got a Berghaus rucksuck to fit all my stuff in on the ride across from Greenwich

You too mate, I will probably be there with you, this is my first (proper) tri (did a sprint a few weeks back) and Im not particularly fast.

I  can confirm the 'rack on day' is a pain in the neck.  My brother is staying with us and is in the 7.30 wave, so he has to be at Excel for 6.00.  It is a 90 minute drive from where we live, so we'll have to leave home by 4.30.  If it's any consolation to those of you not looking forward to the early starts, I'm doing the Beauty and the Beast marathon tomorrow, so getting out of bed at 3.30 to stand in the rain and cheer isn't seeming very appealing.

Rosemary Close 4 wrote (see)

I'm doing the Beauty and the Beast marathon tomorrow, so getting out of bed at 3.30 to stand in the rain and cheer isn't seeming very appealing.

Err it doesn';t start till 10am. Where do you live Edinburgh?

On the rare chance you read this, i'm also in the same situation but only just realised it as have returned from abroad to do this. I need to get from Soho for the 8am sun start. If you have a lift sorted or any other good plans i'm on the way

I would usually be able to get the hammersmith line to canning town but the first service isnt until after 7.

Not sure I will ever do this again, what a hasle.

My lights are in storage, think i might have to buy some just for this. yay 5am start tomorrow...

Dave The Ex- Spartan wrote (see)

Wonders if anyone considers the logistics of an event before they enter it ?

They changed the rules on racking for this year, no special drl service anymore and there is enginering work taking place. Not to mention being forced to move due to gready landlord trying to get olmpic cash.

Wouldn't it be nice if we were able to control everything?

I've teamed up with someone else and will be getting a taxi from South London to ExCel (ready for the 8.30am start). If we take the wheels off we can get two bikes and two triathletes in a black cab and they are charging about £35 for the trip. Not as cheap as the train, but pretty reasonable split between two people..