I can't believe we're not allowed to wear headphones!!!!!! You're actually disqualified if they catch you with them! I'm going to be out on that bike for over 4 hours! And running for over 2 hours with nothing but my thoughts. I'd rather take my chances getting hit by a car, but be listening to good music while it happens!
I'm most nervous about the swim. I have to swim 1.2 miles or about 2,000 yards. That's like swimming around the track FIVE times. I just can't wrap my mind around it...in part because I had such a terrifying experience swimming a HALF mile last fall in Long Beach. But, I did put on my wetsuit last night (it took my 20min and was a workout in itself!!), and swam about 200 yards in Lake Mission Viejo. While I had that same scary experience of loosing my breath (it's awful to have to stick your face in the water when you can't breath!) I was relieved to find that my wetsuit provides so much buoyancy. The first 200 will be the worst...just like the first mile of any run is the most difficult because you're still getting warmed up. Except, you could drown.
I'm also really worried about the swim cut off time of 70 minutes. I'm expecting it to take me about that long! Now, the cutoff time starts from the last wave, and I won't be in the last wave...but, they won't be that far behind me! I don't get it because the other times are WAY too generous!!! They actually allow 6 hours on the bike and there's NO WAY it will take me longer than 4 1/2 hours. Then, they allow a whopping 8.5 hours (!!!) for the run - and it will not take me more than 2 1/2 hours! I could run almost TWO full marathons in that amount of time!!! I don't get it. I wish I could trade one of my running hours for more swim time! I mean, what if I don't make the 70 minute cutoff swim time and I'm out before I start? It is possible, and a horrible thought. I will be elated to finish the swim and get that wetsuit off - you have no idea!
I signed up for this to make myself train. But, it was only after I signed up that I did the math and realized it will take me somewhere between 7-8 hours. There are 500 participants total. First thing I thought of when I read that? Wow, I might actually be last. But, that's okay. My goal is just to finish!
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RACE DAY ITINERARY
When: Saturday, April 30th, 6:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Where: Oak Shores Recreation Area, 5520 Knoxville Rd, Napa, CA 6:30-7:45 am Transition Set-Up and Check-In 7:50 am Pre-race announcements 8:00 am Race starts approximately at this time There will be no awards ceremony on race day. Full results will be posted at www.envirosports.com within 48 hours of the event and award plaques will be mailed six to eight weeks later.
TRANSITION DETAILS
Following the swim, there is a short 200-yard run back to the transition area. Most athletes opt to run this barefoot. However, if you prefer to have shoes for this short run, some athletes choose to leave a pair of flip flops or their run shoes on the beach near the swim finish.
Rack your bike and lay out your transition gear in the transition area. Racks are NOT pre-assigned, but are first come first serve. Please be respectful of your fellow participants who've arrived and set up their spaces ahead of you. *If it comes to our attention that you have been disrespectful of your fellow participants, you may be disqualified from the race. The transition area is for athletes ONLY. No spectators will be allowed in the transition area! Be sure to make a mental note of where you rack your bike. Racks will be labeled to help you. A bike mechanic will be available for any last-minute emergencies. This does not mean you should count on him inflating your tires. You should arrive with a ready-to-race bike. Anticipated RACE START is 8:00 a.m. Do not arrive at 7:45 a.m. and expect to set up your transition area in time to compete!
SWIM
The 1.2-mile SWIM starts in self-seeded, ability-based waves of 100 swimmers each. This means that athletes choose which wave to start in. Fastest athletes (those shooting for a top-five finish in their age group) are asked to go in the first wave. The final wave is reserved for new triathletes and tentative swimmers. Everyone else figures out where they fit in between.
Before the start of each wave, the Race Announcer will ask the next 100 swimmers to enter the water. As you enter the water, you will walk across a timing mat and be directed to a "starting line." Your timing chip will record which wave you are about to start in; your personal race clock will begin ticking at the start of that wave. Starting the swim this way minimizes passing during the swim and the bike, making for a safer, saner event. View SWIM MAP.
Each group of athletes will enter the water before the start of their wave. The swim course follows a counter-clockwise, triangular course, marked by orange buoys. Swimmers must keep the buoys to their left at all times.
After the swim, there is a 200-yard run to the bike transition area. Remember: The transition area is for athletes ONLY. No spectators will be allowed in the transition area.
BIKE
The bike course has been changed to improve the safety of the participants. With the "out & back" feature, participants now have a chance to observe the competition and cheer fellow riders. The course is as challenging as it is scenic, with several climbing portions. The aid station located at mile 14.6 will be stocked with sport water bottles only. Aid stations located at mile 35.5 & 41.4 will be stocked with sport water bottles, Gatorade in sports bottles, CLIF Bars & bananas. View BIKE MAP.
IMPORTANT BIKE COURSE RULES & SAFETY INFO
Your safety and the future of this event depend upon ALL athletes adhering to the following rules while out on the bike course:
RUN
The run route will follow a double out-and-back course along Knoxville Road. There will be aid stations approximately every 1.5 miles. The Smittle Creek Aid Station which you will pass 4 times (at miles 1.5, 4.75, 8.75 & 12.25) will be stocked with water and Gatorade only. The rest of the aid stations (located at the start/finish and the turnaround which you will pass at miles 3.25, 7.25 & 10.5) will be stocked with water, Gatorade, Clif Bars, bananas and other snacks.
For your safety runners MUST stay in the lake-side lane of the road (and stay as close to the edge of the road as possible) at all times to allow for oncoming cyclists and escorted automobiles. Absolutely NO HEADPHONES! Athletes wearing personal music devices will be disqualified. View RUN MAP.
COURSE CUTOFF TIMES
The following cutoff times are cumulative from the start of the last swim wave.
Swim: 70 minutes Bike: 6 hours Run: 8.5 hours
Absolutely NO HEADPHONES! Athletes wearing personal listening devices will be disqualified. Bike helmets are MANDATORY! Your bike helmet must be fastened before you mount your bike and may not be removed until you return to transition area and have dismounted your bike. All participants must obey all normal traffic laws during the bike portion of this event. This means riding as far to the right as practicable, no cutting tangents and especially no crossing the centerline. We share the roads. They are NOT closed to automobile traffic. Cyclists must ride single file at all times. Participants may pass slower riders when conditions allow and the pass can be made quickly and safely. After passing a slower rider, cyclists must resume riding as far to the right as possible. No riding two abreast. NO DRAFTING or riding in packs. California Highway Patrol officers will be stationed at strategic locations along the route; they will be operating to give our cyclists the right-of-way, but if you are instructed to stop, you must heed the officers. All participants must obey all directives from race officials, volunteers, CHP and Napa County Sheriffs. Any violation of the above rules will result in penalties (TBD based on violation) against the offender.
POST RACE DETAILS
Be sure to pick up your well-earned technical shirt after the race. After crossing the finish line, we'll have plenty of post-race snacks set up in the picnic area to top off your tank. Your run bib number is also your post-race meal ticket for lunch located at the race venue. Unfortunately, we don't have the ability to provide lunch for spectators. You will need your run bib number to retrieve your your bike and transition gear.
When: Saturday, April 30th, 6:30 AM – 5:00 PM
Where: Oak Shores Recreation Area, 5520 Knoxville Rd, Napa, CA 6:30-7:45 am Transition Set-Up and Check-In 7:50 am Pre-race announcements 8:00 am Race starts approximately at this time There will be no awards ceremony on race day. Full results will be posted at www.envirosports.com within 48 hours of the event and award plaques will be mailed six to eight weeks later.
TRANSITION DETAILS
Following the swim, there is a short 200-yard run back to the transition area. Most athletes opt to run this barefoot. However, if you prefer to have shoes for this short run, some athletes choose to leave a pair of flip flops or their run shoes on the beach near the swim finish.
Rack your bike and lay out your transition gear in the transition area. Racks are NOT pre-assigned, but are first come first serve. Please be respectful of your fellow participants who've arrived and set up their spaces ahead of you. *If it comes to our attention that you have been disrespectful of your fellow participants, you may be disqualified from the race. The transition area is for athletes ONLY. No spectators will be allowed in the transition area! Be sure to make a mental note of where you rack your bike. Racks will be labeled to help you. A bike mechanic will be available for any last-minute emergencies. This does not mean you should count on him inflating your tires. You should arrive with a ready-to-race bike. Anticipated RACE START is 8:00 a.m. Do not arrive at 7:45 a.m. and expect to set up your transition area in time to compete!
SWIM
The 1.2-mile SWIM starts in self-seeded, ability-based waves of 100 swimmers each. This means that athletes choose which wave to start in. Fastest athletes (those shooting for a top-five finish in their age group) are asked to go in the first wave. The final wave is reserved for new triathletes and tentative swimmers. Everyone else figures out where they fit in between.
Before the start of each wave, the Race Announcer will ask the next 100 swimmers to enter the water. As you enter the water, you will walk across a timing mat and be directed to a "starting line." Your timing chip will record which wave you are about to start in; your personal race clock will begin ticking at the start of that wave. Starting the swim this way minimizes passing during the swim and the bike, making for a safer, saner event. View SWIM MAP.
Each group of athletes will enter the water before the start of their wave. The swim course follows a counter-clockwise, triangular course, marked by orange buoys. Swimmers must keep the buoys to their left at all times.
After the swim, there is a 200-yard run to the bike transition area. Remember: The transition area is for athletes ONLY. No spectators will be allowed in the transition area.
BIKE
The bike course has been changed to improve the safety of the participants. With the "out & back" feature, participants now have a chance to observe the competition and cheer fellow riders. The course is as challenging as it is scenic, with several climbing portions. The aid station located at mile 14.6 will be stocked with sport water bottles only. Aid stations located at mile 35.5 & 41.4 will be stocked with sport water bottles, Gatorade in sports bottles, CLIF Bars & bananas. View BIKE MAP.
IMPORTANT BIKE COURSE RULES & SAFETY INFO
Your safety and the future of this event depend upon ALL athletes adhering to the following rules while out on the bike course:
RUN
The run route will follow a double out-and-back course along Knoxville Road. There will be aid stations approximately every 1.5 miles. The Smittle Creek Aid Station which you will pass 4 times (at miles 1.5, 4.75, 8.75 & 12.25) will be stocked with water and Gatorade only. The rest of the aid stations (located at the start/finish and the turnaround which you will pass at miles 3.25, 7.25 & 10.5) will be stocked with water, Gatorade, Clif Bars, bananas and other snacks.
For your safety runners MUST stay in the lake-side lane of the road (and stay as close to the edge of the road as possible) at all times to allow for oncoming cyclists and escorted automobiles. Absolutely NO HEADPHONES! Athletes wearing personal music devices will be disqualified. View RUN MAP.
COURSE CUTOFF TIMES
The following cutoff times are cumulative from the start of the last swim wave.
Swim: 70 minutes Bike: 6 hours Run: 8.5 hours
Absolutely NO HEADPHONES! Athletes wearing personal listening devices will be disqualified. Bike helmets are MANDATORY! Your bike helmet must be fastened before you mount your bike and may not be removed until you return to transition area and have dismounted your bike. All participants must obey all normal traffic laws during the bike portion of this event. This means riding as far to the right as practicable, no cutting tangents and especially no crossing the centerline. We share the roads. They are NOT closed to automobile traffic. Cyclists must ride single file at all times. Participants may pass slower riders when conditions allow and the pass can be made quickly and safely. After passing a slower rider, cyclists must resume riding as far to the right as possible. No riding two abreast. NO DRAFTING or riding in packs. California Highway Patrol officers will be stationed at strategic locations along the route; they will be operating to give our cyclists the right-of-way, but if you are instructed to stop, you must heed the officers. All participants must obey all directives from race officials, volunteers, CHP and Napa County Sheriffs. Any violation of the above rules will result in penalties (TBD based on violation) against the offender.
POST RACE DETAILS
Be sure to pick up your well-earned technical shirt after the race. After crossing the finish line, we'll have plenty of post-race snacks set up in the picnic area to top off your tank. Your run bib number is also your post-race meal ticket for lunch located at the race venue. Unfortunately, we don't have the ability to provide lunch for spectators. You will need your run bib number to retrieve your your bike and transition gear.
It says the course cutoff times are cumulative. Does that mean there are only 5:50 min for the bike and 2.5 hours for the run if someone were to be right on the brink of the each cutoff time?
ReplyDeleteOH!!! You must be right - that makes WAY more sense! Now, I'm more nervous - yikes!!!
ReplyDelete