Race Questions

What is the distance for the Tri-Forces triathlon?
Where will the triathlon be held?
When will it be held?
When will packet/chip/bib pickup be?
What is the order of events for the race day?
What are some local hotel and lodging options?
What do I do with my shoes and clothes before the start?
Where can I put my personal items?
Is there a lost and found?
What equipment will I need?
Will the triathlon use timing chips?
This is my first triathlon. What should I expect?
How should I train?
How will I be assisted with the transition from swimming to biking, and from biking to running?

Swim Questions

Should I wear a wetsuit? What restrictions are there?
Do I have to wear the swim cap?
Are the swims co-ed and broken down by age group?
What strokes can I use for the swim portion?
What can I do to improve my swimming technique?

Bike Questions

When can we check in our bikes?
What is the difference between Triathlon bikes and regular road bikes?
How do I find the right position for me on my bike?

Run Questions

How do I prevent a side stitch while running?
When should I replace my running shoes?

Relay Team Questions

How do relay teams work?
What is the cost of signing up as relay team?
What can relay teams expect on race day that might differ from those racing as an individual?

Nutrition questions

What is bonking?
How often should I be eat and drink while training?

Other questions

Will there be provisions for disabled triathletes?
What do I get for entering and completing the triathlon?

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Race Questions

What is the distance for the Tri-Forces triathlon? This triathlon will be a Sprint Triathlon.
Swim: 0.5 miles (750 m)
Bike: 12.6 miles (20.27 km)
Run: 3.09 miles (4.97 km)

Where will the triathlon be held? At the North Beach Pier, 8916 Chesapeake Avenue, North Beach, Maryland 20714

When will it be held? Saturday, June 18th, 2011. The event will begin at 6:00 a.m., with the actual race starting at 8:00 a.m.

When will packet/chip/bib pickup be? You will be able to pick up your packets before and on the morning of the race. Please sign up for e-mail notices or folow us on Facebook or Twitter.

What is the order of events for the race day? You will arrive at 6:00 a.m. You can pick up your timing chip, get your numbers, and to check in your bike. You will leave your clothing bag at the transition point before the start of the swim.

What are some local hotel and lodging options?

Within 5 miles

Chesapeake Beach Resort & Spa
1 mile (410) 257-5596,
4165 Mears Ave, Chesapeake Beach
Herrington Harbour at the Bay
1.5 miles (410) 741-5100,
7149 Lake Shore Dr., North Beach

Within 10 miles

Holiday Inn
8.6 miles (410) 867-6204,
West River, MD
Pirate’s Cove
9.6 miles (410) 867-2300,
4817 Riverside Dr., Galesville, MD
Tilghman Island Inn
10.6 miles (410) 886-2141,
21384 Coopertown Rd., Tilghman, MD
Harrison’s Chesapeake House,
10.6 miles (410) 886-2121
21551 Chesapeake House Dr., Tilghman, MD
Chesapeake Wood Duck Inn,
10.8 miles (410) 886-2070
21490 Gibsontown Rd., Tilghman, MD
Knapps Narrows Marina & Inn,
10.8 miles (410) 886-2720
6176 Tilghman Island Rd., Tilghman, MD

Within 15 miles

Super 8
11.6 miles (410) 535-8668
40 Commerce Ln., Prince Frederick, MD
Holiday Inn Express
12 miles (410) 535-6800
355 Merrimac Ct., Prince Frederick, MD
Lowes Wharf Marina Inn
12 miles (410) 745 6684
21651 Lowes Wharf Rd., Sherwood, MD
Springhill Suites – Prince Frederick
12.2 miles (443) 968-3000
75 Sherry Ln., Prince Frederick, MD
Budget Inn
13.9 miles (301) 627-2969
4111 Crain Hwy., Upper Marlboro, MD
Bragg Motel
14.3 miles (301) 627-1880
7001 Crain Hwy., Upper Marlboro, MD
Forest Hills Motel
14.4 miles (301) 627-2254
2901 Crain Hwy., Upper Marlboro, MD
Wades Point Inn On The Bay
15.1 miles (410) 745-2500
10090 Wades Point Rd., McDaniel, MD
Cliff’s Motor Inn
16 miles (410) 586-1514
4785 Saint Leonard Rd., St. Leonard, MD

Please sign-up for our newsletter to receive parking and other information as race day draws closer.

What do I do with my shoes and clothes before the start? There will be security on hand to monitor the transition point.

Where can I put my personal items? We suggest that you keep wallets and valuables in a secure place.

Is there a lost and found? Yes. The lost and found will be located at the finish area.

What equipment will I need? The basics include: road or mountain bike, helmet, bike shoes, wetsuit and goggles, and a pair of running shoes. For a more comprehensive list, go to http://triathlon.racechecklist.com/ or see below.

SWIM

Swimsuit
Goggles
Goggle anti-fog drops
Towels (sit on in transition area, dry off, wipe feet)
Wetsuit
Swim cap
Sunscreen
Petroleum jelly (crotch, nipples, underarms)

BIKE

Helmet
Bike shoes
Socks
Bike shorts
Bike jersey/singlet
Gloves
Cycling glasses
Water bottles
Spare tires/tubes
CO2 cartridges
Tool kit
Floor pump
Frame pump
Bike lube

RUN

Running shoes
Socks
Shorts
Singlet
Hat/Visor/headband
Sunglasses

MISCELLANEOUS

Watch
Race number(s)
Race information
Writing instrument
Identification/passport
Money/credit card
First aid kit
Fluid replacement drink
Energy food
Miscellaneous warmer cloths (tights, jacket, helmet cover, etc.)
Extra safety pins
"Civilian" cloths
Soap
Heart rate Monitor

Will the triathlon use timing chips? Yes. You will get one when you receive your race bib and bike numbers.

This is my first triathlon. What should I expect? Congratulations! This triathlon is a Sprint triathlon, so you are starting off at a good place. Also, you can visit www.active.com or http://www.triathanewbie.com/ for more information on being new to triathlete.

How should I train? A sprint triathlon is a multi-sport endurance event consisting of swimming, cycling, and running in immediate succession over a race distance of 750 m swim, 20 km bike and 5 km run. Join a triathlon training group with other individuals at your level to train and prepare for this event. Learn the needs for training and if you are prepared to do it. Read about the triathlon training on each discipline and set-up a training schedule to prepare for a sprint triathlon. Your local bike and triathlon stores are great resources for this type of information. They might even have professionals to help you train. Once you are comfortable and prepared to train, sign-up for a sprint triathlon 3 months before the actual race. This will give you time to train and get focused. Please visit http://www.sierratradingpost.com/lp2/triathlon-guide-main.html or http://www.ehow.com/how_5893432_prepare-sprint-triathlon.html for more information.

How will I be assisted with the transition from swimming to biking, and from biking to running? Volunteers will be on hand to greet you once you are finished with the swim portion of the race and ready for the bike portion (T1- swim to bike transition), as well as for the T-2 transition (bike to run). The transition areas will be well marked and staffed to help you.

Swim Questions

Should I wear a wetsuit? What restrictions are there? We suggest that you wear a wetsuit; there will be no restrictions.

Do I have to wear the swim cap? Yes. We will provide the swimcap color specific to your wave.

Are the swims co-ed and broken down by age group? The swim waves will be determined by the number of actual participants. While this may vary on race day, you can expect the waves to be about 20 participants at a time by age group. If there are more than 200 participants we may additionally divide groups by gender.

What strokes can I use for the swim portion? Any stroke is allowed; most people use the freestyle stroke.

What can I do to improve my swimming technique? Proper swim technique will allow you to swim faster while expending less energy. By being more efficient you can save more energy for the later portions of a triathlon. Swim technique is a learned skill that you have to practice throughout your swim training.

Bike Questions

When can we check in our bikes? The morning of the race starting at 6:00am.

What is the difference between Triathlon bikes and regular road bikes? Triathlon bikes are designed with a different geometry than road bikes. Triathlon bikes are more forward in their seat tubes (between 75-78 degrees) and are set up lower in the front end to provide a time trial position. A steeper seat tube angle emphasizes the quads more to save the use of your run muscles so that you have more get up and go when you start the run portion of a triathlon. Triathlon bikes come in 650c or 700c wheel sizes. 650c wheels accelerate better and are lighter, having less surface area exposed to the wind than 700c wheels. They are more proportional to riders under 5'10''. 700c wheels have long been the standard in the bike industry. Although slightly larger, 700c wheels offer more comfort and less rolling resistance than 650c wheels and are more proportional to riders over 5'10''. Regular road bikes have a slacker seat tube angle, from 72-74 degrees, and are set up for all-purpose riding. They are designed to corner, climb, and sprint well. The road bike position is more upright and less aerodynamic than a time trial position. A road bike position uses all of the leg muscles to provide as much power to the bike as possible. A road bike can be converted to a triathlon bike with the addition of a forward seat post and aero bars. (http://www.sunrisetri.com)

How do I find the right position for me on my bike? The right position can be found by knowing your bike fit measurements. To be fitted for a bike, it's best to go to a bike shop near you that specializes in fitting. Let them know what type of events you'll be competing in and they will be able to give you your measurements for a proper fit. It's important to know what size bike is ideal for you and to get to know bike lingo so that when you are measured, you can look up the specs of bikes and know what everything means.

Run Questions

How do I prevent a side stitch while running? Make sure that you are properly hydrated before you start the race, and stay hydrated through the race. A sports drink or water with a 7 percent carbohydrate solution is good. Also, be sure to stretch well before and after the race.

When should I replace my running shoes? Some experts say every 4 – 6 months. I good gauge is when you begin to get small aches after your normal runs that were not there previously.

Relay Team Questions

How do relay teams work? A relay team consists of 2-3 adults per team. One person swims, one bikes and one runs.

What is the cost of signing up as a relay team? The team cost is based on the cost of an individual registration. The cost for this years event is $85/person. Active Duty Military person and Military Dependent registrations are discounted to $55/person.

What can relay teams expect on race day that might differ from those racing as an individual? The only difference is you may have a different colored bib and will exchange the chip off to your relay partner at transition.

Nutrition questions

What is bonking? This is a term used to describe the feeling of running out of energy. All of the body’s glycogen reserves are depleted. The best way to avoid this is to eat often. You can also keep sports drinks and bars handy.

How often should I be eat and drink while training? You should be eating a well balanced diet to ensure that the body has enough fuel, and drinking about 4 ounces of water every 15 minutes while you are exercising is a good rule of thumb.