Crossroads Events
Thunder In The
Valley
Saturday May 23rd
Athlete Guide
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May 23rd marks the 30th annual Thunder in the Valley triathlon. This triathlon is one of the oldest races in the state of Indiana and to celebrate this 30th anniversary event Dave Scott 6x Ironman World Champion will be attending, speaking at, and competing in the race this year! We are happy to host Dave and bring you another year of fast and fun racing! The following pages are a detailed description of the 2015 schedule and course. Please read through everything carefully so you are fully prepared for race day and we’ll see you May 23rd! Twitter: @XRoadsEvents Facebook: CrossroadsEventManagement Crossroads Events
Page 1 – Schedule Page 2 – Friday Clinic with Dave Scott, 1st packet pickup, and pre-‐race welcome Page 3 – Race Gear Instructions Page 4 – Team and Individual Rules (USAT Sanctioned Event thus rules) Page 5 – Saturday Morning Instructions, 2nd packet pickup Page 6 -‐ Swim Page 7 – Bike and Run Twitter: @XRoadsEvents Facebook: CrossroadsEventManagement Crossroads Events
2015 Tentative Schedule Friday May 22nd • 12 -‐ 2 PM – Triathlon Clinic with Dave Scott @ Hawthorn Park Beach • 4 – 8 PM -‐ 1st Packet Pickup @ the Hilton Garden Inn in Downtown Terre Haute • 6 PM – Pre-‐event Welcome and speech with Dave Scott @ the Hilton Garden Inn in Downtown Terre Haute Saturday May 23rd 6:00 -‐ 7:45 AM – 2nd Packet Pickup, Chip Pickup, @ Dogwood Shelter 6:00 AM Transition Opens 7:40 – 7:59 AM – Swim Practice 7:45 AM – Transition Closes 7:55 AM Pre-‐Race Instructions @ Beach Shelter 8:00 AM Elite Swim Start 8:01 AM All other swim starts in order by race number 5 seconds apart • 10:30 AM Post-‐race Lunch @ Dogwood Shelter • 11:00 AM Awards Begin @ Beach House Shelter •
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Friday Clinic We will begin the event weekend with a triathlon clinic with Dave Scott at the race venue. Participants should gather at Hawthorn Park’s beach at noon. Dave will go over many stretches, techniques, and strategies for the swim portion of the triathlon. We will then swim the swim course (or as much of it as you would like to do.) After the swim Dave will then quickly go over proper transition and cycling techniques before we take off on a short run of the run course. Dave will go over pacing and transitioning to the run after the bike. Dave will also be answering any questions you may have regarding race technique etc. Where else could you get this type of advice straight from a 6x Ironman World Champ?! We hope you will all join us for this fun and informative clinic! Friday Evening The 1st packet pickup will be located at the Hilton Garden Inn in Downtown Terre Haute (750 Wabash Ave. Terre Haute, IN 47807) from 4 – 8 PM. Be sure to bring a photo ID and your USAT card if you are a USAT member. If you do not have a photo ID you will not be allowed to pick up your packet. If you answered that you are a USAT member on online registration but do not bring your USAT card you will be required to purchase a 1-‐day USAT license for $12. If you answered that you were not a USAT member on online registration then you have already purchased your 1-‐day license. Starting at 6 PM in the Hilton Garden Inn’s Banquet room we will be having our Pre-‐race welcome speech. Please plan to arrive early since we planned to have a packed room for this event. I will 1st quickly go over the schedule of events for race day and will run over each portion of the race and answer any questions. I will then introduce Dave where he will talk about the sport of triathlon and his highs and lows throughout his career. Dave has an amazing story that you will not want to miss! Please plan on attending his pre-‐race speech. Dave will also be available after the event to sign autographs and answer any questions you have about triathlon. Twitter: @XRoadsEvents Facebook: CrossroadsEventManagement Crossroads Events
Race Day Gear in Packet You will find the following important gear in your race packet. -‐ Swim Cap – This cap must be worn during the swim portion of the race. -‐ Tri-‐Tats – These are large temporary race number tattoos that you will wear on your arms. Please follow the instructions on the Tri-‐Tats when you apply them to your skin. Please remember to apply them before arriving at the race as it will quickly speed up race day activities. -‐ Custom bib# -‐ This bib# must be worn during the run portion of the event on the front of your body. It is not required during the bike portion of the event. -‐ Timing Chip – Your timing chip will be placed in your race packet. Please remember to bring it with you on race day and wear it securely on your left ankle. If you lose or forget your race chip you will be charged $30 for the lost chip. -‐ Bike and helmet stickers – please place your bike sticker on a visible location on the frame of your bike and place your helmet sticker on the front of your helmet. This is to insure that you pick up and leave with your own equipment and to prevent theft. Twitter: @XRoadsEvents Facebook: CrossroadsEventManagement Crossroads Events
Team Rules If you are competing as a team you must follow these exact rules. 1. The swimmer must wear the tri-‐tat tattoos not another member of the team. 2. You must exchange your timing chip within the transition area. No member can start their portion of the event without their teammate tagging them and handing off their timing chip. Rules Everyone Must Follow 1. You must wear your swim cap and tri-‐tats during the swim portion of the event. 2. You must wear a helmet whenever you are on your bicycle. This means while warming up or within the park. It is for your safety if you do not comply this is grounds for disqualification. 3. You must place your helmet number on your helmet and your bike number on the frame of your bicyle. 4. No drafting on the bike portion of the race. Our course marshals which are spread out throughout the course will be looking for drafting. You are subject to a 5 minute penalty for your 1st violation. You will be disqualified for your second. 5. You are not allowed to ride your bike in the transition area. It is grounds for disqualification. You cannot mount your bike until you leave transition and you reach the mount/dismount line. When you return from the bike you must dismount before this line and walk/run your bike into transition. 6. You must wear your bib# during the run portion of the event. 7. Wetsuits may be worn if the water temperature is under 78 degrees which we predict it will. Currently the water temperature is at 73 degrees. However if the water temperature rises above 78 degrees you will not be eligible for awards if you wear your wetsuit. Twitter: @XRoadsEvents Facebook: CrossroadsEventManagement Crossroads Events
Saturday Morning Before the Race Please plan to arrive early at Hawthorn Park, located just behind Rose Hulman Institute of Technology. The address is 6067 East Old Maple Avenue. When you enter the park proceed to your right until you see a large parking lot and various other parking locations. The second opportunity for packet pickup is the morning of race day from 6 – 7:45 AM also at the Dogwood Shelter. If you did not apply your Tri-‐Tat we will have volunteers with markers to body mark you on race day. Transition opens at 6:00 AM and is on a 1st come 1st serve basis so feel free to pick your spot. Bike racks should hold 6 bikes per rack so please do not over clutter a rack there will be plenty of racks available. Remove all non-‐
essential bags from transition. You should only have the equipment needed to ride and run within the transition area. Transition Area As stated before transition is open at 6:00 AM and closes at 7:50. Please note the bike mount and dismount lines. You will not be allowed to mount your bike until you completely cross the mount line after exiting transition. You must also dismount your bike upon the return of the bike segment of the race before the dismount line. Penalties will be assessed for any violations. Please note where the bike exit/entrance is and where the swim entrance/run exit is. This will prevent and confusion during the race. Also you must remember to place your bike number stickers on your bike. You will not be able to enter or exit transition unless your bike sticker number matches your bib number. Twitter: @XRoadsEvents Facebook: CrossroadsEventManagement Crossroads Events
Swim The swim course will be open for practice from 7:40 – 7:59 AM if you would like to warm up in the water. At 7:55 AM we will give the last minute race instructions. The Elite swim wave will start in the water chest deep right at 8:00 AM. All other swimmers will line up according to their race number and will enter the swim course 2 at a time approximately every 5 seconds beginning at 8:01 AM. The 800 meter swim features a rectangular clockwise course. You will have 4 buoys outlining the course on the way out. You will take a right hand turn at the end of the lake swim a short section and then take another right hand turn with 4 more buoys guiding you back to the swim exit. Expect water temps in the high 60s to the low 70s. Wetsuits are highly recommended. After the swim exit you will run out of the beach area and up to the transition area. Enter at the top of the transition area and head to your bike rack (careful to remember where you placed it). You must have your helmet strapped before you exit transition and mount your bike. Run to the mount line and then mount your bike. From there on you are free to ride. For teams the swimmer must run to transition and exchange the chip with the waiting biker. If you prefer to run from the beach area with shoes or sandals you can leave a pair near the swim exit for the run up. Only athletes will be allowed into transition once the race begins, so no outside assistance can be gained. However cheering from friends and family is highly encouraged! If you need assistance during the swim please raise your hand. Kayakers will be patrolling the swim looking to provide assistance if needed. You must grasp the kayak by the front or rear handle, not the side which could tip the kayaker over. Twitter: @XRoadsEvents Facebook: CrossroadsEventManagement Crossroads Events
Bike The bike course is 40k or about 24.8 miles. The bike begins at the mount line at the end of transition and exits the park going east on Old Maple. The route has changed slightly due to construction on 42. This year you will proceed through the 1st intersection to Old Maple and Chamberlain. You will then turn right onto Chamberlain road. Proceed on Chamberlain through the intersection of Chamberlain and 40. Police will stop traffic, but you cannot be too careful. After crossing 40 you proceed south to highway 42. Make the left hand turn on 42 and follow it all the way to the half way point to turn around to return back to the park. There is now a round about on 42. Please use extreme caution when you proceed through the roundabout to continue on 42. Also please be aware that there is a bump where the road meets the overpass that crosses over I-‐70 please use caution at this location of the bike. The course is open to traffic so always ride to the right side of the road and be careful to look for cars and other cyclist. This is a non-‐drafting race so you must remain 3 bike lengths behind other cyclist unless passing a rider. Please follow all safety precautions and rules to make the race fair for everyone. Upon returning to the mount line in the park, dismount your bike, run it to the same location you started from and rack it for the run portion of the race. Run The run exit is the same location as the swim-‐in. You will run out the exit and turn left to exit the park following the marked run course that guides you to the Heritage Trail. You will make a right onto the trail and follow it all the way to the turn around just shy of the ½ way point. From there you will return down the trail back to the park. After entering the park you will be guided back down a trail near the lake. You will be guided around a hard packed dirt trail the takes you around the lake. At the end of the dirt trail you will take a right turn and head to the Twitter: @XRoadsEvents Facebook: CrossroadsEventManagement Crossroads Events
finish line just in front of the Beach House near where you started the swim. There will be a total of 4 aid stations on the run that will have water, Gatorade, and Pepsi courtesy of our sponsor Pepsi Refreshment Services. Finisher medals will be provided. Lunch will be served after 10:30 for all participants. Lunch this year will be provided courtesy of one of our sponsors -‐ Sweet Lou’s Pizzeria. Awards will begin at 11 for the overall winners followed shortly afterwards by age-‐groups awards. Awards are 3 deep per age group along with team, Clydesdales and Athena's. Transition will remain open until noon to retrieve your gear. Twitter: @XRoadsEvents Facebook: CrossroadsEventManagement