2019 Lucky Triathlon Festival Pre-Race Instructions

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The Inaugural Lucky Triathlon Festival is next weekend! 

 

There is a lot of VERY IMPORTANT INFORMATION in this email that will help you have an amazing race experience.  Please take the time to read everything carefully.  Sorry for being so long-winded but we really want to make sure all your questions are answered so you have an awesome event! So print it off, find a relaxing spot to read all the information thoroughly and start to get excited for this spectacular weekend!  

  

Note: ONLINE REGISTRATION is still open UNTIL WEDNESDAY AT MIDNIGHT – tell all your friends they can still join in the fun! Forward this email with these links to Register for Lucky Triathlon Festival and Sunset 5K/10K and maybe you’ll inspire them to TRI or DU it! ☺ Remember to register your Kids for the FREE Kids’ Tri on Saturday night (they will need to purchase a $10 USAT membership when you register them but it’s good for a year), it’s truly an awesome experience for the kids and for all of us to watch too! Plus, have you heard that Kids get to race the Sunset 5K for FREE! We are also handing out Beast Medals to anyone who races two days over the weekend (any combination counts). 

PARKING: Woodland Action is overseeing the parking at this event in the field adjacent and closest to the start/finish line. You will exit the highway and turn onto Lakeshore drive (heading south). Watch for Event Parking signs. There is a $5 donation that goes directly to Woodland Action and their critical Food Bank programs. Please bring cash to speed up the process. Please also feel free to bring non-perishable donations to Woodland Action to help stock their shelves.  

DRIVING: You will be exiting off I5 into Horseshoe Lake park using Exit #21. If it gets backed up, you can use the Woodland exit North of this location at Exit #22. 

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: 

Saturday August 3rd: 

Kids Triathlon starts at 4pm 
 
Sunset 5K/10K starts at 6pm. A flat, fast and scenic evening run! 

Sunday August 4th:  

Olympic Triathlon, Duathlon & AquaBike starts at 8am in waves 

Sprint Triathlon, Duathlon & AquaBike & My 1st Tri starts at 8:30 am in waves 

VOLUNTEERS:  We still need a few good volunteers. If you have family or friends who are coming to support you, ask them if they’d like to volunteer and get front row seats to all the action plus they can earn FREE RACE CREDITS for future races for you or for themselves! They can email volunteer@whyracingevents.com if they are willing to help and we will let them know where our biggest needs are. If you recruit a volunteer for us, you can earn a $20-$25 race credit towards a future race or a donation to a club/team/non-profit! Maybe some of our Tri or Running Clubs would like to earn some $$ for a team party and we’re having a club competition so that the club with the largest # of volunteer hours will earn an extra $100! Remember, there’s no way we could put on this event without the help and support of our volunteer team so please be extra-nice to our course marshals, aid station helpers, body markers, and anyone helping out including our Flaggers, Police Officers and Motorcycle Safety team. Thank them as often as possible because we want them to all come back next year!  

 

KIDS TRIATHLON: Remember to sign your kids up for the Kids Tri scheduled for Saturday night at 4pm! Most kids love to be part of all the action and there’s nothing more fun and exciting than to see happy, proud, young faces crossing the finish line – you might just see a future superstar triathlete blossoming into the sport! Kids athletes get a t-shirt, cool medal, body marking, bike stickers and crossing the same finish line as the adults so they get the full experience and the kids can brag about their well-earned accomplishment. The Kids Triathlon is non-timed, non-competitive, and no pressure fun for the kids. All details about the Kids race is at  https://whyracingevents.com/the-lucky-triathlon/course-details/#kids-tri  – just scroll down to the Kids section. 

 

PACKET PICKUP/REGISTRATION: Note –The venues and times change so pay attention to the details below. Remember your ID! It’s a USAT requirement!  

 

 

Friday August 2nd from 10am-7pm at Foot Traffic  Vancouver   

Foot Traffic 305 SE Chkalov Dr, Vancouver, WA 98683, USA 

 

Saturday, August 3rd 12pm-4pm onsite at Horseshoe Lake Park 

                      
We strongly encourage you to pick up your packet at Foot Traffic Vancouver on Friday to minimize stress and delays on race morning. If you have to pick up on race morning, just be sure to be there early to avoid delays. 

 

Remember: Now that our events are sanctioned by USAT you are required to pick up your own packets. In the event you cannot make it to Packet Pickup, USAT is pioneering a program with us that allows you to have someone else pick up your package, but you must sign and print this form and send it with them as well as a copy of your ID. This is an insurance requirement helping to assure that athletes don’t give their Bib to someone else to race – an act that would be strictly prohibited for safety reasons.    

 

RACE LOCATION: Race festivities & transition area are located at Horseshoe Lake Park in Woodland WA (Exit #21). DIRECTIONS TO HORSESHOE LAKE PARK – Take I5 North/South. Take Exit #21. Horseshoe Lake park is on the West side of I5. Woodland is 20 minutes North of Vancouver WA/Portland OR and 2 hours South of Seattle. 

 

START TIME & WHEN TO ARRIVE: Kids Triathlon starts at 4pm. Arrive by at least 3pm to get their transition area situated. Sunset 5K/10K starts at 6pm. Be there around 5pm and you’ll be good to go or come early and watch the Kids Tri which is the sweetest thing ever! Sunday races start at 8am and transition opens at 6am – we suggest Sunday athletes arrive by 6:30-7:00am at the latest to allow enough time to get situated and organized in the transition area, take a potty break, warmup and get yourself mentally and physically prepared. Mandatory athlete debriefing will begin at approximately 7:45 on Sunday. Even if you are in the later waves, we need you onsite early and out of transition by 8am once timing mats go live.  

 

START WAVES – Please listen very carefully for your correct wave at the start of your race. AquaBike, Relay Clydesdales, Athenas, My 1st Tri, Friends & Family will have their own specified waves - do not mistakenly go with your Age Group if you are in these optional divisions. If you start in the wrong wave, it will affect your results and everyone else’s results too! The Friends & Family wave is for those who want to start specifically with someone else. You must have signed up for this division prior to race day in order to go in this wave – it is a non-competitive wave.  

 

  • Olympic Wave #1 (8:00AM) – Males 39 & Under (White Swim Caps) 
  • Olympic Wave #2 (8:03AM) – Females 39 & Under (Purple Swim Caps) 
  • Olympic Wave #3 (8:06AM) – Males 40 & Over & Clydesdale (Blue Swim Caps) 
  • Olympic Wave #4 (8:09AM) – Females 40 & over & Athena & OLY Relay Teams, All OLY Aquabike & Non-competitive Friends & Family division for those who want to swim out of their wave (Silver Swim Caps) 
  • Sprint Wave #5 (8:30AM) – Males 39 & Under (Green Swim Caps) 
  • Sprint Wave #6 (8:33AM) – Females 39 & Under (Pink Swim Caps) 
  • Sprint Wave #7 (8:36AM) – Males 40 & Over & Clydesdale (Gold Swim Cap) 
  • Sprint Wave #8 (8:39AM) – Females 40 & over & Athena & Sprint Relay Teams, All Sprint Aquabike & Non-Competitive Friends & Family division for those who want to swim out their wave (Yellow Swim caps) 
  • My First Tri Wave #9 (8:45) – All My 1st Tri athletes go in this wave (Red swim caps) 
  • Olympic Duathlon will start at 8am and Sprint Duathlon will start at 8:30am 

 

MANDATORY ATHLETE DEBRIEFING – All athletes must have their transition set up and be out of the transition area by 7:45am on Sunday and be ready for the mandatory athlete debriefing. Once the timing mats go live, if you cross them it will start your timing and negatively affect your results. Athletes arriving to the park 30 minutes or less before race start will not have time to set up, get out of transition and be at the mandatory athlete debriefing and may not be allowed to participate due to safety issues.  

 

IN YOUR RACE PACKET – MultiSport athletes, in your packet you will find your Bib Number which must be visible and worn on your front during the run, your Helmet Number (put on the front of your helmet), bike number (place on your bike prior to entering the transition to set up). At Packet Pickup, you will also receive your finishers’ shirt and a swim cap (color designates your start wave – always pay close attention for specific wave start announcements as, on occasion, an athlete may have been given an incorrect cap color). Runners, you will receive your Bib Number which contains your disposable timing chip which must be visible and worn on your front during your run. 

 
TIMING CHIP  – MultiSport athletes, you will receive aTiming Chip on race morning that you must wear on your ankle throughout the race. You will NOT receive your timing chip in your packet. These timing chips offer advanced technology and there is a $75 replacement fee so be sure to return them after your race. If wearing a wetsuit, there is no problem wearing the strap under the leg of the wetsuit (be careful when taking off your wetsuit that you do not break the strap and leave your chip inside the wetsuit). 

 

BEFORE ENTERING TRANSITION AREA: For the safety of your bike and equipment, only registered participants are allowed in the transition area. You must have your body marked and your bike number on your bike before you will be allowed into the transition area. When you enter/exit, you will be asked to show your Bib # and body marking and it must match the number on your bike. Please don’t get upset at the volunteers for enforcing this rule – it’s in place to protect your cool gear. A triathlon transition would be a primo location for bike thieves! Note, when setting up your transition spot, please set up your bike based on your bib number – AquaBike & Relay waves will have their own area. Also be sure to not to take up too much room on the bike racks – we have to fit a lot of triathletes into the area. Set up your bike centering it where the stickers are located on the bike racks and alternating bikes from one side of the rack to the other. Then beside or under your bike, set up a small towel with all your stuff on the towel. A good rule of thumb is not to use any more than 1.5 feet of space beside your bike.  

 

When you get your transition spot set up, make a mental note and take a moment to get oriented to the transition area. After you complete your swim, you will enter the transition through the entrance titled “SWIM ENTRANCE”.  You will leave the transition on your bike, through the exit titled “BIKE EXIT”. After your bike, you will re-enter the transition area through the entrance titled “BIKE ENTRANCE”.  You will leave for your run through the exit titled “RUN EXIT”.  It is important that you understand the flow of the transition area because timing mats are set-up at these specific exits/entrances to collect your separate event splits. Always be sure to travel over the timing mats. 

 

BODY MARKING FOR MULTISPORT ATHLETES – When you arrive at the transition on race morning, there will be volunteers to mark your body with markers for safety reasons. 

 

Left Calf – Your event will go on your Left Calf that way you can easily see if you are racing another athlete in the same category. 

  • “S” for Sprint or “O” for Olympic or “1st” for My 1st Tri 
  • “T” for Triathlon 
  • “D” for Duathlon. 
  • “AB” for AquaBike 
  • Note: Run only athletes don’t have to be marked but we will do it if want to!  

Right Calf – Your age will go on your Right calf – that way you can easily see from behind if an athlete is in your age group and whether you need to speed up! 😉 If you are on a Relay Team, we will also place an “R”. 

 

Both Arms – Your Bib # will go on both arms.  

                                    

COURSES: The Lucky Triathlon courses are fast, flat and scenic with views of Columbia River, Lewis River and country roads. If you would like to study the courses for each distance, please go to https://whyracingevents.com/the-lucky-triathlon/course-details/  Remember that although we will have course signage and volunteers directing you, all athletes are still responsible for understanding the course. A couple important notes: 

 

  • The swim courses are 1 loop counter-clockwise courses so you will keep the buoys on your left. We will explain the buoy colors for each distance at the mandatory meeting on at the water race morning. If you are new to open water swimming or nervous about this leg of your race, let the rest of your wave go and then start in a more relaxed fashion so you don’t have to worry about getting kicked or punched in the water. It is ok to take breaks on a kayak or paddle-board. They are there for your safety. Any swim stroke is acceptable – freestyle, breast-stroke, side stroke, doggie paddle! 
  • The Sprint and My 1st Tri Bike is a 1 Loop course and the Olympic Bike is a 2 Loop course. Watch for the Course Split on course. There will be Course Split signs and volunteers but you have to pay attention or you will miss the split and may end up doing more or less miles than you are supposed to. If you are an Olympic athlete and find your way back into transition and haven’t completed 2 loops off the course, get back out there! This is NOT a closed course so please ride safely and defensively. Be aware of vehicles, other cyclists, debris on the road, potholes etc. Be very careful at the course split to assure no cyclists turn into the lane of another cyclist as one is starting their 1st lap while another is turning to start their 2nd lap. Be careful and always ride defensively.   
  • LUCKY TRAIN TRACKS: Sprint athletes will pass over railway tracks twice and Olympic athletes will pass over four times. If the lights are flashing, it is required for you to stop. For the safety of everyone, it will be an automatic disqualification if you try to go over the tracks when the lights are flashing and barriers are down. We will have volunteers at the tracks taking down your Bib numbers. There will be prizes for how many times you get stopped. Bigger prizes for those of you who are LUCKY enough to get stopped multiple times! 
  • All runners will exit transition through the Run Exit and complete an out and back course along the Dike Trial. When you first enter the trail, you have to go through a section of uneven terrain so please be careful and watch your footing. The majority of the run is on a dirt trail which is softer on your joints but a bit more challenging so be mentally prepared. It is a beautiful course along the Lewis River. Pay attention to the course split where the Sprint athletes turnaround and the Olympic athletes continue straight – we would hate for you to do a 10k run if you only planned for a 5k run. Sunset 5K/10K athletes will be running the same out and back course and must watch for the course split.  
  • Cleanliness along the Dike Trail – Please do not litter along any aspect of our race, but especially along the Dike trail. The home owners along the trail have complained that in the past, runners will litter along their property. You can drop garbage at the water stations but not in between. Please be conscious of giving people a positive impression of runners and our event and minimize issues with obtaining future permits.   

 

AQUABIKE ATHLETES:  We are so excited to offer this race category perfect for non-runners and those suffering from an injury. You will complete the specified Swim and Bike distances for the race you have registered for (remember to start in the specific Sprint and Olympic AquaBike waves – do NOT start in your Age Group). Once your bike is done, your race is over. You will then rack your bike and make your way through the finish line so you can collect your medal and we can call your name and celebrate your accomplishment. 

 

WATER STATIONS: There is one aid station on the Sprint 5K Run Course that you will pass twice and you will have 2 water station opportunities that you will pass 4 times along the Olympic 10K run which will include water and energy drinks. Cyclists will need to carry their own hydration and fuel on their bike. 

 

BATHROOM FACILITIES: We’ve ordered Porta-potties for the start/finish/transition area and you will pass a bathroom at approximately Mile 3 along the 10K run course at the Boat ramp.  

 

BIKE TROUBLE: VELOFIX will be available at the transition area to assist you with any bike issues. If you have a mechanical failure and are unable to fix it along the course, flag down a volunteer, motorcycle team or event crew so they can help you get back to the finish line.   

 

RULES OF THE ROAD AND THE RACE: This race is a USAT Sanctioned event and follows all USAT Competitive Rules. These rules are intended to provide an organized and fair competitive environment for all multisport athletes. It is your responsibility to understand and adhere to these rules so we suggest you review all USAT Rules here. At the very least, review this list of the most common USAT Rule violations so you will fully understand and avoid these common infractions which include drafting and blocking on the bike, lack of helmet, not fastening a chin strap, lack of handlebar end caps, music/ipod headsets on the bike and unsportsmanlike conduct. Music is allowed during the runs only – with only 1 earbud in and 1 earbud out so you can hear instructions (there will be lots of course marshals who will need to communicate with you) and for the safety of all. ABSOLUTELY NO MUSIC/IPODS during the Bike course – grounds for automatic disqualification. This is for everyone’s safety. We also request that if you chose to use a personal music device during the run that you keep the volume to a minimum to assure all instructions can be heard.  

 

RELAY TEAMS: Teams are a great way to bond with friends, family & co-workers in a fun and active way! After having your body marked, please place your gear and bike at the designated RELAY area in transition. Each Relay team will receive one timing chip and will hand off to their teammates in a baton fashion in between each leg of the race. The swimmer will wear the designated Swim cap for Relay Teams (not their age group), the Biker will place the Bike Stickers on their bike and helmet and Runner will wear the Running Bib. After body marking, please place your gear and bikes at the designated “Relay” area in the Transition. During competition, the swimmer will complete their swim and then will tag the cyclist in the relay zone who will then un-rack their bike and walk/run through transition to mount their bike. Once they return from their ride, they will rack their back and then tag the runner who can then take off for their running segment. Once your relay segment is complete, remove your timing strap and give to a WHY racing crew in transition so you can freely walk around without it inadvertently affecting your team splits. We encourage all Relay Members to meet their runner at the finish line and run across together to collect your finishers’ medal as a team. 

 

TECH-SHIRTS:  Due to the lead time necessary to order shirts prior to the race, shirts/sizes are only guaranteed to participants who registered a month prior to the race. Those who registered afterwards will not be guaranteed a shirt/specific size, but we did order some extra shirts that will be available while supplies last. Late registered participants can also check the T-shirt swap on Sunday after the race. 

 

WET SUITS are acceptable but not required. It’s a matter of preference. The temperature is estimated to be in the low 70s. We will announce a current reading race morning. 

 

SAFETY BOATS – Boats, paddleboards & kayaks will be positioned around the swim course for your safety. If you need help during your swim, simply raise your arm, and yell. It’s acceptable to hold onto the side of a boat/board/kayak and take a break. If you choose to be pulled into the boat, you will be transported to the shore and unfortunately we will need to disqualify your race. 

 

CHANGE OF CLOTHES: Please be sure to bring a change of clothes so you can get out of your racing gear and enjoy the post-event festivities. It will make all the fun activities so much better if you aren’t sitting around in cold, wet clothes. 

 

e8 TIMING – e8 Timing will be timing the event and they will have kiosks available right at the finish line where you can view your results immediately. If there is any error that you notice, please alert the Timing van immediately – sometimes people go out of their wave and/or change races and don’t let us know which negatively affects results for everyone or sometimes there is a timing chip malfunction. If we can be alerted to these errors prior to the Awards Ceremony it helps a ton!  Results will be posted online post-event at https://whyracingevents.com/the-lucky-triathlon/results-photos/  

E8 Timing also offers complimentary custom finisher certificates linked to each result and specific to the event. Athletes can view and print their certificates at home or share them electronically from anywhere with email or social media. It’s a great reminder of your accomplishment!  

MEDICAL & FIRST AID – AMR Ambulance will be onsite for any Emergency Medical needs. If you are having any type of medical issue, immediately seek out a race official or volunteer who will get help. In the event of an extreme emergency, call 911 immediately. If you discontinue the race for whatever reason, please notify a race official.  

 

LOST AND FOUND: Any equipment that is found and unmarked will be taken to Lost and Found at the stage. Please come to the event with all personal belongings marked with your name and/or phone number. All items will be brought back to Why Racing headquarters post-event and you can email info@whyracingevents.com or call 360.574.7292 to confirm if found and if you would like your items shipped or picked up in Vancouver WA. 

 

AWARDS/PRIZES – At the Sunset 5K/10K, we will award the Top 3 Male and Female and Masters’ Champions. On Sunday, we will award the Top Three Overall Men and Women and Top Masters Female and Male for both the Sprint & Olympic Triathlon and Duathlon divisions and the Top Male & Female for the AquaBike and My 1st Tri. In addition, we will acknowledge the top 1st, 2nd or 3rd Age Group or Division winners. Also you all receive a fabulous finisher’s medal because you are all winners! 

 

POST-RACE MEAL & FESTIVITIES: Festivities include DJ and music, Awards Ceremony, vendors, post-race BBQ courtesy of Safeway and great post-race stories with awesome athletes like you!  

 

FINISHER MEDALS: After you finish the race, you will receive your finisher’s medal.  Congratulations! You did it! They look super cool and you get a different medal for each day! 

 

FREE PHOTOS FOR ALL ATHLETES THANKS TO IQ CREDIT UNION – Photographers will be on the course capturing action shots. Be sure your race number is visible on your front at all times during the run and on your helmet during rides, so the photographer can match you with your photos. You will be emailed a link post-race so you can download and share all your photos. Remember to smile big – the backdrops are awesome and these photos will probably become your new Facebook profile shot! In order to be entered to win prizes at our year-end party, post photos at any Why Racing event using the hashtag #WHYracing, #WHYToyota, #WHYA2 and #ThanksIQ. There is no limit to how many times you post photos! Just make them fun and active! 

 

WHY RACING MULTI-SPORT EVENT AWARDS: We created an annual Why Racing Event series in order to acknowledge both speed AND the ability to endure within the sports of Triathlon & Duathlon locally. Winning one race or your age group is extremely impressive but can you sustain that type of performance throughout the entire season? This is your second to last chance to earn points this season! Click here to see who is the Overall and Age Group Leaders This is also a chance for our Clubs to compete for the Performance (which club is the fastest), Inspiration (which clubs inspires the most to Tri & Du) and Service Awards (which club volunteers the most). Who will win the coveted Overall Club Champion Award which considers all three categories? 

 

SPORTS & FITNESS EXPO: There is absolutely no way we could have pulled this event together without the support from our Partners/Sponsors/Vendors. So please check out their displays, sample products, learn about these great companies and remember, the best way to thank these companies is to do business with them because you appreciate the support they give to athletes like YOU and all the non-profits who will benefit from the event. 

  

PEACEHEALTH * IQ Credit Union  

Foot Traffic * McCords Vancouver Toyota 

Deschutes Brewery * Franz Bakery * Visit Central Oregon 

 KIND Snacks * HUMM Kombucha * Luckman Coffee  

 Corwin * Safeway * VeloFix * Rudy * XX2i *A2 Bike 

Restore Peak Mobility* KMB Body Works 

B Young RV * Whimsy Chocolates * Northwest Personal Training * AMR 

The City of Woodland * Visit Woodland 

Why Racing Events 

 

 

BENEFICIARIES:  The entire weekend supports various local non-profits including the Woodland School Athletic programs, Woodland Action and more. Some of the programs we support rely completely on our donations for their annual funding. We want to thank all of you for participating in this event allowing us the opportunity to extend this support to our community. 

  

FACEBOOK: Can we be friends?!  If you haven’t yet, please like our Why Racing Events Facebook pages for all event updates, tips and inspiration. https://www.facebook.com/WhyRacingEvents  

 

Also please join the specific Facebook Event pages where we will post results, photos and any last minute updates. https://www.facebook.com/events/311508936205591/ 

 

Please share your post-event stories and photos on our page and remember to use #WHYRACING, #WHYTOYOTA, #WHYA2 and #ThanksIQ. We love hearing about your WHYs! 

 

REMEMBER YOUR WHY: You are all racing for different reasons. Some of you are super competitive and are racing to win overall or in your age group or division. Some of you will just be ecstatic to cross the finish. Some of you are racing to reach for your personal best or to get into great shape. Some of you race to be able to eat whatever you want. Some of you do it for energy, to help you look and feel better, some do it for fun or to meet new people. Some of you do it so you can have a beer or a glass of wine and some of you are passionate to support our beneficiaries. Regardless of your WHY, let us congratulate you on pushing your limits and by doing so remember that you will inspire so many others! One of the best things you can do immediately to help support running, multi-sport and your fellow athletes of all ages, fitness levels, shapes, sizes and abilities, is to offer lots of support and praise to each other on race day. As you pass someone, tell them how great they’re doing! And as you’re getting passed, tell them how strong they look. Cheer each other on, it makes the time pass by quickly and empowers you and everyone else on the course! Have fun, be safe and enjoy the entire experience!  You’re already a winner just by showing up! 

 

IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR OUR ROOKIES:  You probably have a lot of questions!  We pulled together some additional tips that you can access at https://whyracingevents.com/the-lucky-triathlon/training-preparation/ to help you know what to bring, how to set up your transition, nutrition tips and other important race day info. Take your time reviewing it to help assure a fabulous race day experience! 

 

We’d like to thank the City of Woodland to working so hard with us to bring this inaugural event to their beautiful community.  

 

Last, I’d like to give a big shout-out to our team at Why Racing Events for working so hard to pull this event off!  I feel so honored to work with a team that is so passionate about helping others get to the finish line and giving back to our community.  

 

See you soon and keep training hard and smart! 

 

Sherri McMillan & the entire Why Racing Event Crew