Azalea Festival Triathlon

I'm in, but I'll never be ready.

I am in and looking foward to it.

sean

I'm not going to do this race, but may be in town to go watch and learn.

! Best of luck to you guys !

Edited by ifocus 2007-03-11 11:33 PM

I'm in, I suppose I'll actually have to find my bike and pump up the tires and all that good stuff

I am in too...but like nuthouse said... I am in need of a little speed work too.

I'll be there cheering you guys on.

*sigh* I had trouble with the setupevents site again ... well ... it could have been the servers ... so I *tried* to change my swim time, but I'm worried that it didn't take. Can this count as my rookie mistake for the race? PLEASE!!?!?!?!?

GOOF! I was trying on FRIDAY from work. It's taken care of, though ... now I can make all those other rookie mistakes ... fall on my butt putting on my cycling shoes ... running in my bike helmet ... what else is there?!?!?! Hmmmm???

Good luck !....and I can add another rookie mistake...make sure you PUT YOUR RACE BELT ON IN T2 if you use one......penalized 1:00 for no bib # at run finish.

We're all going to do great! Even if I goof, I can still laugh at myself ... a talent I've had much practice with!

Thanks! I'm already thinking I'll put the race belt around my shoes instead of under them so I can't possibly miss it.

We should remember that a good, deep belly laugh helps push air out of your lungs so you can get a good next breath ... I'll try to laugh alot!

Looking forward to a weekend at the beach, with a little exercise Saturday morning

Looking to shave about 8 minutes off last year's time of 1:19 (had a completely miserable swim last year). Have taken a few minutes off the swim (yes, minutes), and looking to pare down the bike and run significantly.

Look for the blue Felt with the BNB eurodecal on the frame...we're Team Bad News Bears!

PFFFTTTTTTTTTTTT ... how about after your finish ... you get a recovery snack and a nap and come back to cheer for us slow pokes!

I'm planning to display BT tattoos and maybe write my BT screen name on my left calf. Great conversation starter if nothing else ... um ... what does BT 1 Foot mean?

Did I mention my swim time from last year??? 9:01? That was 331/338 on the swim!! With a little work, I've at least pulled it down to a consistent 7:30. YUCK. Here's hoping for little wind on the bike. Love the run...FLLLLLLAAAATTTTTTT.

I'll definitely watch for the BT 1 Foot calf as you go running by me

newbie questions (Azalea is my 1st tri )...Ok some of this will probably be covered in the prerace but I am asking anyway.
I am confused about the race bibs...

The swim- swim cap provided?
What about numbers in the swim. Do I need number tattoos or do you just ware the bib starting at the 1st transition.

The bib- I am assuming you get two, is it best to just setup the bib on your bike jersey and one on the race belt for the run at the next transition. I had not intended to wear the same top in the bike and run, but I would think the race belt would just get in the way on the bike.

Am I over thinking all of this?


J

The race bib will be in your packet when you pick it up, you can wear it on the bike but must wear it on the run for sure, it is a time penalty not to have it showing when you cross the finish line. Most people use a race belt to hold their number or pin it to the shirt that they will wear on the run.
Swim caps are usually provided, although I don't remember about Azalea because you do not start in waves like a normal swim start.
You will be body marked before the race, they will write your bib # on your arms and legs. This is also the number that tells you where to line up for the swim. They will call out about 25 numbers to line up and get ready for the swim, you just need to be aware of when your time is. Your swim start time will be posted before the race so you will know when to get ready.
It sound more confusing than it is, everything will be clearer on race day. Just relax, have fun and don't get too nervous. You only get to do your first tri once, so try to enjoy the ride!

Nick is right on. No swim cap for Azalea since it is a pool swim and not an OWS. Body marking that morning with a magic marker that takes a week to wear off!!! Your bib number on your arm and quads, as well as your age on your right calf. In your race packet will be a small sticker with your bib# for the front of your bike helmet as well as a label that you fold in half over the top tube of your bike. The bib# for the run is like any other running event that you may have entered. Pin it to the front or get a race belt to attach it too. As Nick said, there is a 1:00 minute penalty for not having it on your front when crossing the finish line.

Hope you have a great race. We may be setting up a meeting place for BT'ers so keep an eye on the forum for place and time.

Edited by nuthouse 2007-03-19 3:56 PM

Hey J!

Azalea is my first (full) sprint tri, too! WOOHOO! I did a few relays last year to see if the bug would bite me and it did!

Are you spending the night in Wilmington or driving in?

Race numbers and start times will be assigned next week and posted on setupevent's site. Like Nick said, everything you need will be in the race bag ... or will be given to you at package pickup. The only exception may be the timing chip ... you usually pick that up the day of the race. There's usually a running bib, a sticky number for the bike that folds over the frame and sticks to itself, and sometimes a little number for the front of your bike helmet.

Your bib/race number will also be your bike rack location ... each bike rack will have a sign with a range on numbers on it to guide you. Sometimes the exact locations are marked on the rack ... sometimes it's first come first served ... and the normal orientation is that bikes alternate either side of the rack ... one face left with transition stuff set up on that side ... one face right with transition stuff set up on that side ... and so on.

Somewhere near the chip setup is where the body markers usually are. If you're not sure, find someone near your bike location that has numbers written on them in black marker and ask them to point you to the body marking location and chip pickup. They will provide you with a strap for the timing chip, but you will see people that bring their own neoprene strap ... both are acceptable. Timing chip usually goes around your left ankle, unless otherwise instructed.

I don't know what kind of swim time you turned in, but there are two transition cutoff times for Azalea ... be sure you know which one ... I'm slow, so I'll have the late cutoff which means my stuff has to be in transition by like ... 9:15am.

Allow yourself plenty of time to get there, get setup in transition, get body marked, get your chip AND make absolutely certain you understand the transitions. I like to walk them ... ALL of them. I walk to swim start ... walk the distance from swim to transition (it's a beaut at Azalea) ... out the bike start ... in the bike finish ... to my TA ... out the run start ... and back in the run finish. (No, I don't walk the entire distance ... just the transitions.)

Then I strap on my happy face, stand in line at the portajohn and get ready to have some fun. I hope this helps minimize some of your worries.

There's a good thread over in Triathlon Talk about what to have in your transition bag. And if haven't done it already, practice your transitions ... socks, shoes, glasses, helmet, clothing, etc. ... and practice running with your bike if you're wearing cycling shoes.

Thanks for the responces everyone! I feel much better about the whole "numbers" issue now.

1 Foot The Other - I am about 10 min north of Wilm so we will be driving down the day of the race. I will keep watching the forum, I am looking forward to getting together with everyone after the race.

Thanks Everyone
J

Well, once numbers are posted, we'll be able to exchange a little more information ... figure out who will be where, etc.