Dear Parents,

Our club loves putting on this race. It is so rewarding to see the faces of the kids when they accomplish their goals and the kids are the reason we roll up our sleeves every year to make this race happen. Our goal when we started this race was to challenge our youth to push their boundries of fitness. They NEED to push their boundries. We all do. Our country is slowing becoming obese and inactive. Taking the kids outside of their "comfort zone" is part of our mission. Our event is a fun, safe way for them to experience the rewards of hard work and setting higher goals. We want them to understand that fitness is fun, right outside their front doors and can be achieved through fun activities like youth triathlon. Getting events like ours setup in our area takes hard work and the support of the community and YOU, the parents.

So, a couple reminders...

1. Kids are blessed with very little in the way of preconceptions and alot of physical resilience. With the exception of some critical skills (staying afloat or being able to ride a bike), these kids will do what they believe they can do. Please keep your pre-race comments positive. They need to hear that they CAN do this...expressing your fears about the swim, bike or heat on the run can be counterproductive. If you have safety concerns about anything please come talk to us!

2. Help make race day successful by ensuring your child's bike is in good working order. Capitol Cyclery, Dirt Road Bicycles, Pedal Play Bicycles and The Bicycle Shop will be happy to help you get your child's bike up to snuff for race day. Unsafe bikes will not be allowed on course, resulting in a disqualification for your child. Besides, nothing discourages your child from trying this sport more than a bike wreck! Bring a spare tube for you child's bike if you have one. If they get a flat on course we can try to help them out but we cannot provide spare tubes for the zillions of sizes/styles of bikes.

3. Make sure you child understands how the race will go...swim, then bike, then run, etc. If you or your child have any questions about the course or how the event will proceed you can ask them at packet pickup, via email or at the pre-race meeting. Race morning is hectic so please don't wait until then if you can avoid it.

4. WE SUGGEST ELASTIC LACES OR VELCRO CLOSURES FOR YOUR KID'S SHOES. LONG, LOOSE SHOELACES CAN GET CAUGHT IN CHAINRINGS ON THE BIKE - OR TRIP THEM ON THE RUN. WALMART SELLS CHEAP ELASTIC IN THE SEWING DEPARTMENT.

5. Race course/Parking - take a look at the map and understand the bike course so you can choose your parking spot. We will post a parking map on the website indicating where you can park to avoid getting trapped inside the closed bike course.

6. Please do not interfere with race volunteers or staff as they do their jobs. 100% of our attention is dedicated to the kids on race day. If there is a problem on the course please allow the volunteers to handle it if possible. Many times the kids will respond better than if they see mom or dad. We will have EMS out on the course and many of our volunteers are nurses/doctors. Having said that.....

7. We'd love it if you want to volunteer!!! If you want to officially become part of our race team you will be provided with a tshirt and an assignment on race day. Contact me, susan@rshayden.com.

8. Remember that this is about the kids and this is NOT the Olympics. Although we are all guilty of yelling at our kids to go faster (including me!), there is a point where it is not cheering, but more like harrassment. Please keep your comments in the vein of good sportsmanship. Parents are not allowed to touch or handle race equipment belonging to a child other than their own. We operate under USAT rules and your child can potentially be penalized for things that you do during the race (outside assistance, unsportsman like conduct, etc).

9. After 7:10 am, The transition area is closed to everyone except race staff and racers. An announcement will be made as to when the transition area will be re-opened for retrieval of your child's things.

10. Lastly, we want kids to be active all year long. Look in those race packets for opportunities to get your kids involved in area activities. Thank sponsors when you have a chance - without them we could not do this race.

We welcome feedback, good or bad, but please keep in mind that everyone out there is an unpaid volunteer. If you have concerns please find me to discuss the matter and spare the volunteers. We've had mistakes in the past but we've dusted ourselves off and come back swinging for the next year. We really appreciate that you and your children are here and we strive to make our race better each year.

Again - contact me with any questions or concerns.

Cheers,

Susan Hayden
Race Director
susan@rshayden.com