Q: How will I know important race details like when to show up, where to park, when I can drop my bike off, etc.
A: In the weeks leading up to the event, around the beginning of May, Lauri Bassett, of Up&Running Event Management, will begin sending out emails to all registered participants. READ THESE EMAILS. IN THEIR ENTIRETY. They are FULL of important information to know for race day. We do not print race instructions for the race bags anymore (one of our many efforts to "go green!") so those emails - along with this website - are your source for all you need to know to be prepared for Sunday 5/16/10!
Q: How will I know when to show up at Bartlett on race day based on my bib number?
A: Lauri Bassett will be sending estimates of when to arrive in one of the pre-race emails, and we will also post that information on the website closer to the event date. If you end up getting to Bartlett “too early” you can always cheer other participants on! If you arrive late don’t worry: You can still start after your bib number group has already gone. Please note, however, that if you have a really high bib number, you should err on the side of coming earlier, because we do close the pool when the last swimmer is out. Our permit does not permit us to use it all day long so we do need to close down and get out of there in the mid-afternoon or earlier.
Q: What should I bring to bike set-up? How should I leave my bike?
A: In order to set up your bike on Saturday you must have a bike stand of some kind. They are available for purchase at bib pick-ups. If you have a bib number higher than the low-mid 100’s, and you don’t want to arrive to Bartlett more than 30 minutes before the start of the race, please note that you will not be able to get back in to access your bike on Sunday before your race. (Lauri will be sending more info on when the bike corral will close on Sunday morning in her pre-race emails) Therefore you will want to leave your bike the way you would like to find it during your race. We recommend bringing a 5-gallon bucket or something similar that you can store your T1 items (bike or running shoes, socks if you want them, clothes to throw on for biking, gloves, helmet, sunglasses, snacks, etc.) under the bucket. That way if it rains overnight, your things won’t get wet. You may also want to tie a plastic bag over your bike seat in case of rain overnight. When you run out to your bike from the pool in your race you can take your things out from under the bucket, and then use the bucket to sit on as you put your shoes on.
Q: What do I need to bring on race day?
A: Essentials are a bathing suit, goggles, cap, for the swim, helmet (mandatory) shoes (running or biking or both), and clothes for the bike and run (we recommend a few layering options, as weather in May can be unpredictable). Some people use a special belt to wear their number, but you may also safety-pin it to the article of clothing you expect to be wearing when you cross the finish line. There are locker rooms available for showering and changing (in the gym building - not the pool), so if you have friends you want to watch after you’ve finished (or if you're volunteering in the afternoon), you should pack a bag with new clothes, shoes, and shower stuff to leave in the gym locker room to use later. It is important to note that you are not allowed to leave anything in the pool locker rooms. Therefore we recommend coming to the race with your swimsuit on under your clothes, which will allow you to go into the pool locker room when your number is on the whiteboard with only what you need to start your race.
Q: What if I want to shower between swimming and biking?
A: If you want to spend some time in the pool locker room between swimming and biking, either to change out of your swimsuit or to shower and wash your hair, please note that you will need to bring EVERYTHING that you will need for this WITH you on to the pool deck for your start. Participants are NOT allowed to leave anything in the pool locker room at any point. You can stow your things under your lap counter’s chair, and then when you have finished your 500 yd. swim, you grab your things, go into the pool locker room, and do whatever you need to do – making sure to stay out of the way of racers exiting the pool! (The showers are completely out of the way so we recommend staying in that part of the room while you change). Then you will take ALL of the things that you brought in with you out to your bike, where you must leave them within your allotted space. This is the way to avoid time penalties for “abandonment of gear.”
Q: Do I need to bring food and drinks for while I’m out on the course or afterwards?
A: There are aid stations on the bike and run course where we will have Powerade, water, and some sort of fruit refreshment available; 1 on the bike leg and 1 on the run leg. If you think you may want more than this, then you will want to carry it with you. That is perfectly okay, but please be aware that wrappers and empty containers will need to be carried with you unless you can dispose of them in a trash can while on the course (trash cans will be available at aid stations.) We will be providing water, Powerade®, fruit and Great Harvest cookies at the finish area for all participants (there is unfortunately not enough of everything to feed your children and/or support crew). We also have vendors at Bartlett selling hot food for purchase, so make sure to bring credit cards and/or cash.
Q: Why doesn’t the Gold Nugget Triathlon include a relay option for those who don’t want to or can’t complete the entire event?
A: While many or most other triathlons have a team/relay component to them, we at the Gold Nugget Triathlon remain committed to having all of our participants complete the full triathlon event. The challenge and resulting sense of achievement and inspiration that comes from completing a full triathlon – especially for the first time – is what makes the Gold Nugget so special to our participants.
Q: If I’m not a very strong swimmer, should I still do the Gold Nugget Triathlon?
A: While you do need to be a competent-enough swimmer to complete 500 yards in the pool (that’s 10 laps or 20 lengths) the Gold Nugget swim leg need not be intimidating to those who feel they are not strong swimmers. There are two 25-yard pools at Bartlett High, one which is deep and one which is shallow enough to stand up in. Swimmers are allowed to rest on the sides (while still in the water) and to touch the bottom. Pulling on the lane lines or running along the bottom to create forward motion, however, is not allowed, nor is using any sort of assistance in the form of kickboards, snorkels, or pull-buoys. If you are not comfortable with your swimming abilities, make sure to request the shallow end when registering for the race. We also highly recommend that, prior to the event, you time yourself doing a 500-yd swim in a 25yd pool so that you can accurately predict your time, and so that you will have the confidence on race day of having already covered that distance at least once before.
Q: If my friends and I want to be out on the course together, can we get sequential bib numbers so we can start at the same time?
A: While we used to assign sequential bib numbers to groups of friends/family, we are needing to simplify our registration process in order to control costs. Therefore no more sequential bib number requests will be granted. Bib numbers will be assigned randomly. What this means is that you can either do the race on your own, and cheer your friends on when you can, or you can start with them by starting with the person/people who have the later bib numbers. No one is allowed to start earlier than their bib number, but they can start later.
Q: Why does the GNT have time penalties for broken rules?
A: As the race has grown from the fewer than 800 finishers just 6 or so years ago to over 1500 entrants this year, the need for increased safety and consistency has increased. Managing an event this large, with 1500 participants and over 300 volunteers, is much easier when the rules are followed by all participants. We at the GNT want our event to be fun, safe, and fair. In order to achieve this we must adhere strictly to the USAT rules. Every single one of those rules addresses either the safety or the fairness of the race. Rules against things like 'abandonment of gear' or 'outside assistance' exist to guarantee a level playing field for all participants. Rules against biking without your helmet or using an ipod or walkman while on the course are obvious safety issues. Unfortunately, ignorance of the rules is no excuse for breaking them, and so since we really don't want to give anyone time penalties, we strongly encourage all participants to familiarize themselves with those rules. We've even prepared a PowerPoint presentation here on the site to make it easy for you.