Hello to all the participants of the 1^st Annual Golden Gate Triathlon!  We are all incredibly excited about this inaugural event and, in an attempt to make it go as smooth as possible, thought it a good idea to run through the event schedule.

PLEASE READ:

Many of you have inquired about WHERE the event occurs exactly, and how to get there: Everything for the Golden Gate Triathlon takes place from Crissy Field, East Beach - GGNRA/National Park Service, San Francisco County.

Getting There:

Finding your way through the Presidio can be a challenge even for long time SF residents. Pay attention, or you'll end up on the other side of the Golden Gate Bridge!

• From San Francisco: drive west on Marina Boulevard. At the intersection with Lyon Street, where Doyle Drive diverges left to the Golden Gate Bridge, continue straight onto Mason. Look for the East Beach entrance on the right.

• From Marin: drive south across the Golden Gate Bridge, and use the Lombard Street entrance to the Presidio. Turn right onto Lincoln, turn right again at Halleck, and continue straight to Mason. Turn right and look for the East Beach entrance on the left.

Saturday, May 31^st :

Packet Pick-Up and Late Registration

3:00pm – 7:00pm

Crissy Field, East Beach parking lot (next to the transition area)

Sunday June 1^st :

Race day!

RACE DAY SCHEDULE:

6:00a.m: PACKET PICK-UP OPENS

6:00a.m: TRANSITION AREA OPENS

7:15a.m: OLYMPIC PRE-RACE MEETING AT THE SWIM START

7:30a.m: OLYMPIC SWIM WAVE START 

Note: If the # of confirmed athletes doesn’t increase significantly, the entire Olympic-distance race will start in one wave.

7:45a.m: SPRINT PRE-RACE MEETING AT THE SWIM START

8:00a.m: SPRINT SWIM WAVE START

Note: If the # of confirmed athletes doesn’t increase significantly, the entire Sprint-distance race will start in one wave.

9:30a.m: POST RACE “TRIBRUNCH” WILL BEGIN (and go until everyone’s full)!

SERVED TO ALL GOLDEN GATE TRIATHLON COMPETITORS. 

Brunch will consist of delicious Saag’s gourmet breakfast sausage, pancakes, fresh fruit, and juice!

10:30a.m: SPRINT DISTANCE AWARDS CEREMONY.

11:30a.m: OLYMPIC DISTANCE AWARDS CEREMONY

Special Note: 

Please familiarize yourself with the course.  There have been a few small changes to the bike course.  Take a close look at the course map (link attached in this email).  A larger visual of this map will also be available for viewing at the packet pick-up tent.

Remember:

• Sprint Swim Turn-Around is at the 2^nd large yellow buoy

• Olympic Swim Turn-Around is at the 3^rd large yellow buoy

• It is a flood tide and we have conducted test swims on comparable tide days.  Because you are never more than 75 yards off shore it will not be particularly more difficult to swim back “against” the tide.

• If you are having difficulty at any point in the swim raise your hand and ask for help. Feel free to hold onto one of the Kayaks or boats and then either continue the event or ask for assistance and be removed from the water.

• When exiting the transition area with your bike please run/walk your bike along the designated path and mount when you reach Mason.

• The first ¼ mile is a single lane.  There is NO PASSING in this section.  You will be disqualified if you do so.

• There is a similar ¼ mile single lane when returning.  Again there is NO PASSING in this section.

• These two single lanes are ONLY to get you to and from the looped bike course.  Do not return until you have completed your required loops:

Olympic – 4 loops

Sprint      - 2 loops

• The run is an out and back.

• The Sprint Distance turn-around is right at the bridge entrance.

• The Olympic Distance turn-around will be at the far Marin end of the bridge.

• There will be three (3) aid stations-all will have Water, Heed drink & Clif Blocks. One is in the middle of the transition area. Take whatever you will need for the bike; There will be no other aid stations on the bike course.

• Run Aid Station #1 will be (approximately ¾ mile away).

• Run Aid Station #2 will be at the Sprint Turn (approximately 1.5 miles away).

      IMPORTANT NOTE: there will be no other aid stations on the run.  The Golden Gate Bridge will not permit it.  We will have bottled water available at aid station #2. This is to allow you to keep the water with you while on the Bridge.  YOU MUST HOLD ONTO YOUR WATER BOTTLE – DO NOT discard ANY trash on the Bridge.  Any trash you have, keep until you return to aid station #2 (where you entered onto the Bridge).

      ALSO NOTE: The Golden Gate Bridge will NOT be closed to other pedestrian traffic.  Beside the ¾ mile hill when you start / return from the bike route, this might be your biggest challenge.  We will have volunteers on the bridge attempting to keep a clear(er) running path for you.

GOOD LUCK TO EVERYONE!!  See you race day … !

Bo and Cory

Bo@TriFREAK.com