FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Due to our commitments to sponsors, suppliers and local charities, RACE FEES ARE NOT REFUNDABLE. However, competitor substitutions or transfer of entries will be allowed.

You must agree to the waiver when you register. Without agreeing to the waiver you cannot compete.

There will be signs marking each km as well as turn around points for each race category.

Swim in a 25 m outdoor saline pool (with a hot-tub for “après race”). Change rooms and bathrooms are at the Pool. Check in with the Pool Volunteers and you will be assigned a lane. Don't worry about how long it takes you to complete the swim. We "tip" the swimmers into the pool, one at a time, so you won’t be racing against anybody but yourself. Just ignore the other 2 people thrashing away in your lane. We ask for your swim time so that you can be grouped with swimmers of similar speed. You'll be done when you’re done … and not a minute sooner! Only you and your timing chip know how long it took! You may leave towels, glasses, shoes etc. at the side of the pool but you must take them with you when you leave the pool for the bike transition. Most competitors prefer to run barefooted to the transition, and then towel off and dress there. Many race participants wear their swimsuits for the bike and run portion of the Triathlon. If you will be more comfortable changing to dry clothes in the changeroom after your swim, please feel free to do so, the choice is entirely yours.

Run from the pool to the transition on swept asphalt – approx. 75 metres. No “personal handlers” (husband, masseuse, astrologist etc.) will be allowed in the transition area. Competitors with race numbers only please! Do not mount your bike until you are through the transition area (see course map). You must have your helmet on and done up before you leave the transition area.

We will not have an official bike check, however there will be a bike fix-it station in the bike rack area. All competitors: Please bring your helmet with you for inspection. ANSI, SNELL or CSA approved helmets are mandatory. The course is lightly rolling with a slight uphill gain, on a paved secondary highway. You ride out towards the mountains and back again on the same route. The road will be traffic controlled by police and race officials, but will not be completely closed to traffic. Please ride with caution, and slow down for the turn around. It is your responsibility to turn around at the correct turnaround for your category. Every km will be marked. iPods, MP3 players or any device which impairs your hearing are banned on the bike course.

At last! Take that final sprint for world famous food, water and pats on the back. (Don’t forget the hot tub!) Indulge in delicious racer meals including the greatly enjoyed donuts!! Please remove your bikes/clothes from the transition area within 2.5 hrs of your start time. You may be sharing your spot with another racer – if you don’t move your bike they may end up riding your bike or wearing your underwear. Enough said.

We will be using chip timing from Zone 4. This means that at registration you will be given a timing chip. We have found that using an automated timing system provides us with very accurate splits and final times for all of the competitors. However, if it is vitally important to you to know how many seconds each leg has taken – please bring a watch of your own!

Now that we have timing chips, our team handoff system is a little "less casual". Each team will have been given one timing chip (a Velcro strap that fits on your ankle). The swim to bike "handoff" will be at the beginning of the bike transition (east side). Our volunteers will direct the bikers to "Waiting Spot #1". The swimmers will get out of the pool, run down the asphalt path to the transition, crossing the timing pad on the way. The biker will then stroll/sprint to their racked bike and set off on the course. Before the biker returns the swimmer will hand off the chip to the team runner, who will be standing at "Waiting Spot #2" (at the west end of the bike transition). The runner will then set off on their way, crossing the timing pad as they leave the transition area. The biker can then rack their bike and collapse on the ground. After a suitable interval of recovery, the swimmer and biker can head over to the finish line to cheer on their runner, or just go straight for the food, assuming that their runner will eventually show up!

There will be water stations at the bike turn-arounds and every 2 km on the run route. There will be first aid stations at the finish line and on both the bike and run route and in the swimming pool office. In the event of an emergency contact a race volunteer, or head straight for the Vulcan Community Health Centre.

This race is lots of fun for the kids if the parents remember a few very key points: We don’t time the Tinbits All the kids will receive treats at the finish The tinbits are all in one heat, but they will not all go in the water at the same time! We will line them up 10 or 15 at a time, and put them into the pool in waves (oldest to youngest). They will start their one length in the shallow end and are welcome to use swim aids (but not flippers, since these hit other kids in the face). Helmets must be worn (and done up!) Shoes must be worn (and laced up! loose laces in bike gears cause very sudden and unhappy stops. Let’s not even talk about what bare toes do when caught in bike gears – lets just say that both parent and child will be in therapy for years!) Tinbits may put their shoes on at the edge of the pool, or at their bike, but they must be on and laced up before they get on their bike. You are welcome to run along beside your child, but remember – when you run backwards to take that perfect photo of your baby, you may well be running over somebody else’s baby. We haven’t had a Tinbit injury yet – but all of our close calls have been caused by “overly focused parents”. NO BACKWARDS RUNNING OR PICTURE TAKING IF YOU ARE HELPING YOUR CHILD! Tinbit route - bike down 5th Ave and back, and run along 1st Ave N to 6th Ave to their very own finish line. Tinbit bike racks are on the North side of the pool (Adult bike racks are on the South) There will be separate Tinbit bike racks, but if your child's bike has a kickstand you are welcome to stand it on its own (this is usually the easiest). Our tinbit wranglers will help find a spot for your child's bike. Please note that the Tinbits will not be able to use the waterslides during the Tinman race, we apologize for any inconvenience.

Hotels: Country Inn, Vulcan (403) 485-2281 Wheatland Motel, Vulcan (403) 485-2211 Campgrounds: Virginia Mitchell Park, Vulcan (16 sites – first come first serve) Little Bow Provincial Park (40 km S of Vulcan) (403) 897-3933 Wyndham Carseland Provincial Park (60 km N of Vulcan) (403) 934-3523 Vulcan Auto and Truck Stop R.V. Park (403) 485-6905 Lake McGregor Campground (403) 599-0009 Aspen Crossing, Mossleigh Champion Campground

Vulcan is located halfway between Calgary and Lethbridge. The simplest route from Calgary is S to High River and then E to Vulcan (just follow the highway signs). On race day it is best to stay on Highway 23 all the way to Vulcan as Highway 534 is being used for the race and is slower due to reduced speed limits.

To make the day more enjoyable for you, other race participants and spectators, please note the following: Dogs must be kept on a leash and be attended at ALL TIMES (please poop and scoop). No dogs will be allowed on the pool deck. Be considerate when parking your vehicle. Please do not block any driveways. Please use pool washrooms or porta-potties on the west side of the pool. Please do not use our neighbours yards (If we have to say it means, it happened). If you have any time during the day, consider visiting some of our downtown businesses and museum. You may have come for a race, but you could go home with a couch or a lawnmower! Of particular interest is the Vulcan Tourism and Trek Centre – have a look – so that you can truly say that you have beamed into Vulcan!

We do not have a waiting list. Once the race is full we don’t keep a list of hopefuls. However, close to race day we often have people who need to withdraw and would like to sell their spot and that is allowed so long as they have a replacement selected.