First Timers/Pre-Race Clinics
This is a tremendous race for those looking to take their first plunge into triathlon or are looking for a re-introduction to the sport. Not only is the course flat and fast but also the race is holding its own first timer training sessions!!
FIRST TIMERS CLINICS TENTATIVE DATES ARE AS FOLLOWS:
Saturday, September 29th – THANK YOU to all who attended! Great job!
OPEN WATER SWIM CLINIC, Sunday October 14th – 9:00 a.m. - In addition to the second first timer’s clinic scheduled for Saturday, October 20th, we are also going to hold an additional informal open water group swim at Maclay Gardens on Sunday, October 14th at 9am. This will be a pay your own way into Maclay event but we will have a couple of swim coaches at the water and hope to have a kayak in the water as well. If anyone would like to do a practice run and/or bike afterwards, please bring your gear and we can do that as well.
Saturday, October 20th from 8:30am – ??? (the last session lasted until about 12:30, which included a 5k run or 14 mile bike)
Bring your triathlon gear. We will have a kayak in the water and some guidance set up for swim sighting, will have bike racks set up for transition practice and will have access to the majority of the race course.
Please e-mail me to confirm if you will be attending at trithereztriathlon.com. I have to provide the FSU Reservation with the number of attendees to ensure we have enough lifeguards.
Tri the Rez, through a partnership with Revolutions: Triathlon Coaching, will host 2 training sessions leading up to the race. Items that are likely to be covered include 1) Setting up transition; 2) Wetsuits – tips and tricks; 3) beach starts and sighting; 4) T1 – what to do from when you exit the water to mounting your bike; 5) T2 – unmounting your bike to starting the run; 6) Q&A Thank you Revolutions: Triathlon Coaching!!
YOU WILL ONLY BE ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THESE SESSIONS IF YOU ARE REGISTERED TO RACE! We will host two first timer’s clinics again this year. Bring your bike, bathing suit, towel, helmet, run shoes, etc. Come ready to do it all! Please e-mail trithereztriathlon@gmail.com to confirm whether you intend to participate. Clinics are FREE. And you CAN attend both! Thank you!
If you cannot make any of the training sessions, but are looking for information on what to do, the following guide and information may serve you well.
Many people doing this race will be first time triathletes who may be a little confused or intimidated by the amount of extra things that you have to do for triathlon that you don’t for a swim meet, bike race, or running race. I hope this guide will be a concise way to help you figure out a few details about the event.
The first thing you should do is get your race packet. You can do this at packet pickup on Friday, October 26, from 3pm – 7pm at Capital City Runners or the morning of the race from 6:00am – 8:00am. Make sure that you bring your photo ID to get your packet as well as your USAT Card, if you have one. At packet pickup, you will be asked to sign a USAT waiver and pay a $10 one-day membership fee if you are not a current member. I recommend that first timers pick up their packets on Friday so they can ask questions and can put the number on the bikes before race day.
Your race packet will contain fun stuff like free samples and necessary stuff like your race numbers and swim cap. That’s right…2 numbers. One for the bike and one for the run. The bike number has an adhesive on it and you put it on your bike so that the number is visible from the left and right side of the bike.
If you don’t get your packet on Friday, that should be the first thing you do on Saturday. After getting your packet you should get body marked near the entrance to the transition area. Once body marked, rack your bike and set down your stuff in the appropriate place. Bikes should be racked with the seat on the rack, wheels down. Bike racks will be numbered and you must put your equipment in the proper place according to your race number. After setting your stuff down, take your race number with you (or look at your arm/leg) and go get your timing chip. The chip should go around your ankle. Most people prefer to put it on the left leg because bikes have the drive side on the right that could hit against the timing chip.
After putting on your chip, go back to the transition area. Make sure that you have your personal space laid out how you want it. Make sure your transition items are only in your assigned area. Most people place a towel on the ground and organize their things on top of the towel. Remember to BUCKLE YOUR HELMET before even touching your bike or you could get disqualified.
If the water is wetsuit legal (which it probably will be), you want to make putting on your wetsuit (if you have one) the last thing you do before heading down to the starting area. MAKE SURE TO BRING YOUR SWIM CAP AND GOGGLES! The waterfront opens at 7:30 for people who want to do swim warmups.
After the swim, you’ll run out of the water and into the transition area. Go find your bike. Put your swim cap and goggles (and wetsuit if you have one) in your personal space. Put on your helmet and shoes (and sunglasses, if you like), and remove bike from rack. Walk/run it out of the transition area toward the road. Do not mount your bike until you pass the mount line drawn in the road. There will be volunteers instructing you when you may mount. Remember not to draft people on the bike course. At the end of the bike course, you will have to dismount your bike before the dismount line (same line as the mount line). Once again, there will be volunteers telling you that the line is coming up.
Walk/run your bike to your personal space in the transition area and rack it in the same spot where you got it from. Take off your helmet AFTER racking your bike. Don’t forget to GRAB YOUR RUNNING NUMBER! Exit the transition area on the lake side.
Run the course. There will be a water station at mile 1 and mile 2.
Enjoy the feeling of finishing. Go get some food and drink! Get a massage (you’ll feel so much better on Sunday if you do). Eat. Call your mom. Talk to other finishers. Be aware that the transition area will be closed until the last cyclist/runner passes through it so you won’t be able to go get your stuff. Awards will be posted at intervals, so you can check and see how you’re stacking up against the competition before awards.
Parting words: Even if you’re a competitive person, I would recommend that your goal be to have fun. Your first triathlon should be a memorable experience. Relish it!