Here we go again! It’s less than a week to go until The Rat Race Urban Adventure returns home to Edinburgh and what a feast of fun we have in store for you. Not only will there be the tried and tested Rat Race format you’ve come to know and love but we’ve also added a Friday evening Fun-Run-After-Work. More on that later…

There are still entries available for the event. Tell your mates to go HERE to sign up for action.
As always we will be dishing out 2.5hrs of Mean Streets madness on Saturday evening dotted around the cobbled streets of Auld Reekie, all accessed on foot. Then for you Nine2Fivers, Sunday is the day you take to the bikes for another voyage of discovery around Edinburgh and beyond. The content remains top secret of course but expect a ropes & water bonanza as you jump off, crawl under, float along and slide down venues spread from hillside to seaside. When it comes to bike choice beware, there is a significant off-road section within the 2010 course so make sure you choose a steed that can handle it, tyres with grip is recommended. As for the rest, you’ll just have to wait and see.

It’s been a scorcher over recent days in various parts of the country and, although the weather is set to be fairly mixed over the weekend, please make sure you are prepared with hydration and food. If you need any help deciding what to bring just ask the Rat Race Store, they’re more than happy to help.

Kit
Make sure you check out the kit lists and ensure you have all the mandatory kit with you, it may be spot checked at any point out on the course. Click here to view the kit list.

Rat Run
Swapping spreadsheets for the Starting line, the Rat Run is a brand new 4k Fun Run which aims to reward you with some real sweat equity. The Rat Run is simple: Leave work; keep your work clothes on (or borrow someone else’s!); Run 4k around Edinburgh’s Old Town with your Rat Run “colleagues” and then join us at our Friday evening Office Party. A fantastic way to end the week, and a great way to kick start the Rat Race Weekend. For all the details including a route map and how to sign up, check out the website here. Remember that your Rat Race Reward Code gives you 25% off the entry fee!

Location & Parking
West Princes Street Gardens and the Ross Bandstand is where you'll find us. A map showing the location can be found here. Here you will find the usual facilities such as bike compound, toilets, Start line and Registration. It is also where you'll pick up your start number & Rat Race t-shirt at Registration. Nothing is sent in the post pre-event. The Ratachino Cafe will be on hand providing drinks and food and The Rat Race Store will also be there for any last minute kit you need.

The nearest parking can be found at Castle Terrace NCP car park which is ideally placed next to the Kings Stables Road entrance to West Princes Street Gardens. There are also several other city centre car parks close by. All these car parks charge a fee.

Timings
FRIDAY
1700 – Office Party Opens
1700 – Rat Run Registration Opens
1900 – Rat Run Starts
2100 – Office Party Closes

SATURDAY
1000 Ropes Refresher Sessions start
1100 Participant Registration open
1200 Ropes Refresher Sessions finish
1500 Participant Registration closes
1530 Participant pre-event briefing
1700 Mean Streets start
1930 Mean Streets finish

SUNDAY
0700 Nine2Five Participant Registration opens
0730 Collect routebooks and more
0830 Nine2Five Participant Registration closes
0900 Nine2Five starts
1400 First teams expected to finish
1700 All teams back – course closes
1800 Awards Ceremony from the stage

Registration
Please come and register in plenty of time before the start of the event. If you leave it to the last minute - you will be queuing! We will do our best to speed the process as we can. At registration you will:

1) receive your Rat Race T-Shirt - these are given on a 'first come - first served' basis therefore we would strongly suggest coming to registration as early as possible to ensure you get the right sizing. Please note that there will be no t-shirt fitting or exchange once you decide on the size. T-shirts will be on display in each size so you can see how they size up.
2) receive your Race Pack which will contain Race Number, Safety Pins, Wristband to access Bike Compound and Maps.
3) collect your “dibbers” - one per team (electronic timing devices for the event).

Equipment Hire
Anyone taking part in the Nine 2 Five requires a climbing helmet and harness. If you do no not have any of those items, you can hire them for £8 a piece or £15 a set via the Rat Race Store. They can be collected at the Rat Race Store after the Mean Streets (or on Sunday morning). Remember that these need to be hired in advance.

You can also hire a bike for £49. Included in the hire are: Bike bell, helmet, delivery to the event village for collection, and the services of a bike mechanic before the start to ensure it is set up to your preference.

For those of you worrying about “what to wear” or those who don’t know their map from their mountain bike, check out our Rat Race Store at www.ratracestore.com. The store will be open at the event, for anyone who might have forgotten anything!

Ropes Activities & Refresher Sessions
As you will know the Rat Race always includes some exciting adventures at height and this year’s Edinburgh event is no exception. We would like to remind all Nine2Five-ers that you should have had some abseil experience before the event and if you want a quick refresher then why not sign up for our refresher sessions based at the event village at 10 or 11 am on Saturday. Within these optional short sessions you will be familiarised with the equipment you will be using and taught the basic necessary skills needed to safely complete the ropes-based activities you’ll later encounter on the course. You can take part as a team or just on your own. Sign up for these pre-event at the Rat Race Storeon the day or pre-event here at a cost of £9 per person per session. Remember these sessions are popular and spaces are limited!

Training
Get the edge on race-day with the Urban Gym - official training provider for the Rat Race Adventure Series.

Developed by Rat Race routefinders and activity planners, Urban Gym Street Circuits have you scampering through Auld Reekie's rat-runs, stopping at inspiring or hidden activity locations for resistance and endurance conditioning - simulating the rigours of race-day. Routes, activities and instructors vary, but all sessions are inclusive, with everyone working to their own targets.

Hour long sessions run at 6pm and 7:15pm, on Mondays and Wednesdays from Castle Terrace. Until end of July Edinburgh Rat Racers can get 50% off our training options to take you to the Rat Race and beyond! Simply use a promo code: UG50 to receive the discount.

Rat Race Store Offer
Rat Race Store will be on site for any kit advice and last minute bits n' bobs. Remember your Rat Race Reward £10 discount is only available online but we will be featuring these great offers at Edinburgh Rat Race:

20% off ronhill
20% off 2xu compression and tri shorts plus 2xu plus tech rep to guide you through compression
15% off all trail shoes (25% off New Balance 813 trail shoes while stocks last)
15% off teva
50% off montane north star down jacket and 20% off Summer range
20% off accapi therapeutic recovery plus tech rep to explain the science
Buy one get one free on all rat race buffs

Photo Sale
We will have Sleepmonsters photographers will be all over the event and many parts of the course on both days. You will find the pictures on our photo sale page on Rat Race website soon after the event.

Crew
Fancy a day out to see what goes on in a Rat Race? Maybe you have friends taking part? Why not join to become part of our crew! Perhaps forward this newsletter to a friend that might like to help. Be entertained and do a sterling chunk of work for us on the course. Pre-event. During event. After event. Please email us at crew@ratraceadventure.com or check out our crew page here for more information, rewards and how to sign up.

That's all for now. See you in Edinburgh,

Rat Race HQ