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Greetings!
Aflac Iron Girl Columbia - The Main Event is just 2 days away! Our team at CTA wish to welcome you to the home stretch of your journey to cross the finish line now in sight. For months it has been all about the dream and your commitment, dedication, determination and perseverance. This is YOUR time, YOUR moment. Live IT...Feel IT...and BE GREAT!
Please read this email carefully - there is important UPDATED race information to be found.
Celebrate LIFE and your unique GRACE!!
See you at the finish line!
Robert Vigorito
USAT Level 2, Event Director and President
Columbia Triathlon Association
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DON'T MISS THIS VERY SPECIAL EVENT - TONIGHT - FRIDAY AUGUST 20TH
An Evening With Grace - An Event Presented Especially For You To Follow Your Journey And Dreams To A Memorable Iron Girl Finish
All Iron Girls, past present and future, are invited to celebrate and recognize the 5th Anniversary of Iron Girl Columbia and its focus on providing women a platform to pursue and embrace a healthy, balanced and active lifestyle.
We will recognize ALL Iron Girls and give you the opportunity to share your own personal Iron Girl story - What does Iron Girl mean to you?
We will recognize and award The Spirit of Judy Flannery Waterford Crystal Bowl to Judy Molnar, V.P. of Iron Girl for always "dreaming big." Judy Molnar has been chosen as she exemplifies the spirit, determination and grace of Judy Flannery.
At 38, Judy Flannery-a mother of five-began jogging, worked her way up to marathons and eventually the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon. Tragically killed at the peak of her career when an out-of-control car struck her bicycle, 57-year-old Flannery was a source of inspiration for other athletes and an outstanding member of her community.
We will recognize our three paratriathletes, Jamie Rogers, Patti Collins and Sarah Reinertsen (the first female amputee to finish the Ironman Championship in Kona, Hawaii)
We will welcome our Pro, Amateur Elites
We will welcome our 62 Teens.
Where: Sheraton Columbia Town Center Hotel - patio fronting the lake adjacent to Waterside Restaurant
When: Friday, August 20, 2010, 6:30 pm - 8:30 pm
Light fare and beverages served
RSVP: WithGrace@Tricolumbia.org
Please join us for this inspiring event!
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AFLAC IRON GIRL HEALTH AND FITNESS EXPO AND RACE PACKET PICK UP
WHEN: Friday, August 20, 2:00 pm - 7:00 pm and Saturday, August 21, 10:00 am - 7:00 pm
PLEASE NOTE: There is NO Sunday Packet Pick-up. All pre-registered entrants are expected to attend packet pick up Friday or Saturday in person. This is due to insurance liability requirements defined by the race insurance provider
WHERE: at the host Hotel, The Sheraton Columbia Town Center in the Lobby and the Lake View Ballrooms.
WHAT TO BRING: All participants MUST show a photo ID, and all USAT annual members must show their membership card. No Exceptions. No proof of ID then No packets, No race.
A unique wristband will be affixed at this time, which must remain on through the end of the race.
RELAY TEAMS PACKET PICK UP:
All members of each and every team must pick up their packets either Friday or Saturday in person. The same requirements stated above pertain to relay team members.
SPECIAL NOTICE TO ATHLETES IN REGARD TO USAT CARDS FOR REGISTRATION
Athletes MUST bring proof of annual membership or purchase a one-day permit. Athletes who do not bring/show proof of membership must purchase a one-day license OR will not be allowed to race. Athletes who forget their membership cards will have four options below:
- Go" back" and get your card.
- Print off a temporary membership card from the USAT web site. Showing it on your iPhone or BlackBerry is acceptable also. Race staff members cannot pull up your USAT information or allow you use of computers. Do not ask them to do so.
- Purchase a $10.00 one-day license, payable only by cash or check; no credit card purchase is permitted.
- Renew your annual membership online and bring proof of renewal.
Please remember to pack your USAT membership card. Don't leave home without it.
Please note that all CTA events have the one day option as a part of the race entry fee structure should you select that form of payment.
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PLEASE AVOID THE CONGESTION ON RACE DAY BY TAKING THE FREE CTA SHUTTLE
CTA will be providing three free shuttle buses to take athletes, family, friends and volunteers to and from the host Sheraton Hotel to Centennial Park beginning at 4:30 am on Sunday and running every 15 - 20 minutes up until 6:30 am. The first wave takes off at 6:40 am. This shuttle will continue to run from the hotel to the park and back to the hotel continuously every 20 minutes until 2pm. The last bus will depart Centennial Park at 2 pm. The shuttle will allow for easy transportation throughout the day without the need to drive into the busy park. The race staff and Howard County Police strongly encourage you to take the shuttle to facilitate entrance to the park Sunday morning and to help avoid undue traffic and race delays.
Please note that all athletes must be out of transition by the time the 1st wave takes off at 6:40 am, therefore transition will close at approximately 6:30 am. PLEASE plan to get to the park early; there will be thousands of athletes, spectators, volunteers and staff.
PARKING:
If you decide to drive rather than use the shuttle, plan on arriving early on Sunday morning to find suitable parking. All parking is in the immediate grass area of Centennial Park adjacent to MD RT 108 across from the Transition Area. If you have someone driving you, they MAY NOT stop in the driving lanes to drop you off.
There is an overflow lot available on Centennial Lane, the north entrance to the park. Tall light towers easily mark this lot. From here you can walk along the running path beside the lake to the transition area. It is about a 10-minute walk. Do not park in driveways, on private property or on church parking lots adjacent to the park.
The Park entrance from MD RT 108 will close at 6:30 am. Be smart and plan on morning traffic delays. Prepare to arrive earlier than you may have initially planned. There are thousands of athletes and their fans attending this event. BE THERE EARLY - and in time to be out of the transition area by 6:30 am!! If you miss your swim wave start, the clock is ticking!
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PRE-RACE COURSE TALKS - PLAN TO BE THERE!
When: Friday, August 20th at 5:30 pm or Saturday, August 21st at 1:00 pm or 5:00 pm
Where: Sheraton Columbia Host Hotel, In "the grove" - grassy area to the left of the hotel entrance
Please join us for one of our pre-race course talks presented by Race Director, Robert Vigorito who will provide key pointers about race day and all aspects of the race. There will be a question and answer session as well. If you are new to the sport or have any concerns or questions, you should plan to attend!
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 IMPORTANT RACE INFORMATION:
Please open the below links as they will answer the majority of your race related questions.
GENERAL RACE INFORMATION:
http://www.tricolumbia.org/IronGirl/race_info.php
KEYS TO SUCCESS:
http://www.tricolumbia.org/IronGirl/keys_to_success.php
FAQ'S:
http://www.tricolumbia.org/FAQ.pdf
SWIM WAVES: **These have been amended since our last email, please review**
http://www.tricolumbia.org/IronGirl/wave-starts.php
COURSE MAPS:
We are going GREEN. CTA will not have printed course maps at packet pickup. Click on the link below to find the course maps and you may print them yourself.
http://www.tricolumbia.org/IronGirl/maps.php
PHOTOGRAPHY:
ASI is the official photographer of all CTA events. Event Photos will be available after the race. You may find this link on the right hand sidebar of the Aflac Iron Girl Columbia webpage after the event.
PRE-EVENT COURSE TALK:
The Sheraton Columbia Host Hotel, Columbia Town Center, Friday August 20, at 5:30pm and Saturday, August 21 at 1pm and 5pm. See the marquee as you enter the hotel. This talk will include key pointers about the race and include a question/answer session. You should plan to be there for one of these!
SPECTATORS:
Your fans can see you at every stage of your journey. They are free to roam the park. They can view your entry into the water and follow along the lake edge to the right of the swim start for a bit to see you swim. Then they can make their way to the swim finish beach area and see you exit the swim. You should know your approximate time to finish the swim based on your training. Once you come out of the water they can see you run through the chute from swim finish into transition to see you get onto your bike and head out on the bike course. They can catch your return into the park either at the park entrance or at the entrance to transition from the bike. Then they can head to the finish line to see you make your big finish.
Spectators are encouraged to take the shuttle to and from the park. The park entrance at Rt. 108 will close to all traffic from 6:30 am - 11:00 am.
If
you will not be participating in the race on August 22nd, and would like to be
removed from this season's email updates, please email us at Sharon@tricolumbia.org Please note that the refund deadline was June 1st and there are no transfers
or race deferrals to next year allowed.
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TIMING:
NEW IPICO TIMING SYSTEM:
CTA has switched from ChampionChip timing to IPICO timing. It is still a timing band that must be worn on either ankle and will be given to you at packet pickup. If you have previously registered with your own personal ChampionChip, you will NOT be able to use it for the Columbia Triathlon. You MUST use the IPICO timing band.
TIME LIMITS:
SWIM:1 hour from the start of your wave.
TOTAL TIME TO COMPLETE THE TRIATHLON: 4 hours, 30 minutes from the start of your wave.
SommerSports is the official race timer of the Aflac Iron Girl Triathlon. Results will be linked and available after the race on our Aflac Iron Girl webpage and at www.chiptimes.com.
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MANDATORY PRE-EVENT BIKE RACKING:
Saturday, August 21, 11 am to 8 pm ONLY at Centennial Park
All bikes must be racked. To enter transition for racking you must be wearing the security wristband received at packet pick up. Please note that the transition area is RESTRICTED TO ATHLETES ONLY. Any accompanying friend, spouse, parent or child WILL NOT BE ALLOWED into the transition area. Please make appropriate arrangements to have children supervised while you are racking your bike. Once racked, your bike cannot be removed. Full security is provided overnight. NO exceptions!
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MANDATORY PRE-EVENT BIKE SAFETY CHECKS:
AVOID THE CROWD AND GET YOUR BIKE CHECK DONE EARLY. Checks can be done any time from now until August 21st at the Official Race Bike Support, Princeton Sports and Travel, (410) 995-1894, 10730 Little Patuxent Parkway, Columbia, MD 21044, or at their Baltimore location. No appointment is necessary. Princeton will be checking all major bike components to help ensure a safe
bike leg. You must bring your CPSC-certified helmet and your race day bike. The age of your helmet does not matter as long as it is ANSI or CPSC approved and in good condition.
You may also have your bike inspected at the race site prior to racking your bike in the Centennial Lake transition area beginning at 11:00 am on Saturday, August 21st, after you complete the registration process at the hotel. However, we strongly advise against waiting until the day before the race, as the lines tend to be long, the weather could be inclement, your bike could need parts unavailable at the park, or repairs could take longer than just a few minutes.
Princeton Sports is
conducting bike repair clinics every Monday evening at 7:15 pm at the Columbia
location for registered 2010 Iron Girl athletes.
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SWIM COURSE, CURRENT CONDITIONS:
As of Tuesday, August 10, Centennial Lake water temperature was 87 degrees F. WETSUITS WILL NOT BE PERMITTED UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES
as their use would constitute a clear medical and safety danger
(hyperthermia).
Those wearing wetsuits will NOT be allowed to start.
However,
athletes may use a USAT-approved skinsuit or speedsuit. For details on
USAT-approved
skinsuits and speedsuits for use in any water temperature, see USAT's
complete list HERE.
OUR GOAL IS TO KEEP YOU SAFE WHILE PROVIDING A GREAT RACE EXPERIENCE
Important Swim Course Information from USAT regulations and the Director:
4.9 Illegal Equipment. Any swimmer wearing any artificial
propulsion device, including but not limited to fins, gloves, paddles,
or floating devices of any kind shall be disqualified.
The use of snorkels is allowed.
The Swim Course will be marked by 2 RED buoys at the East end of the lake marking the left-hand turns. There will be 8 YELLOW buoys marking the rest of the course. An ORANGE buoy line will mark the swim finish chute.
The Swim Course is directed into the morning sunlight, so you may want to consider using polarized or mirrored swim goggles to help alleviate the glare.
See Xterra Special Offer at the end of this email.
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PLEASE RESPECT THE AREA:
PLEASE respect both the environment and the areas that this event travels through. Do not drop trash anywhere other than aid stations and use the portable toilets, not the neighborhoods.
Each year trash is left behind by athletes and their fans. There will also be BOTH Recycle Containers and Trash Containers in and around the Transition area. We ask you to use them for such discards.
The County and Columbia Triathlon Association take pride in the designation of Centennial Park as a trash free, "leave no trace" park. Help us to maintain this special facility. We encourage you to take your trash with you when you leave the park in order to protect the environment. Thank you for your cooperation.
RESPECT AND THANK OUR VOLUNTEERS:
Remember, use of profanity or disrespect of any staff, volunteers or other officials there to assist you in this event can be reason for a USAT official to disqualify you - this includes packet pick up and the bike racking stages.
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Lodging/Travel:
LODGING/TRAVEL:
The Sheraton Columbia Hotel, located 2 miles from Centennial Park (the race site) is the host hotel for The Aflac Iron Girl Triathlon and is offering a special triathlon rate. For Reservations call: 1-800-325-3535 (local- 410-730-3900)
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Team CTA Wishes You A Wonderful Iron Girl Experience
All of us at Team CTA wish you
much success event day and we congratulate you for your dedication and
commitment to the journey that will bring you to the Aflac Iron Girl Columbia
Finish Line... Listen for your name as you cross that Special Line &
Rejoice!
Now Go and Be Great!!
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ChesapeakeMan Endurance Festival Still Open For Registration:
ChesapeakeMan
Ultra Distance Triathlon is still accepting entries for the full Iron Distance,
the Aqua-Velo, Skipjack and the Swim Only. See the Chesapeake Endurance Festival page for more information.
Make-A-Wish Triathlon At Sea Colony Still Open For Registration:
1.5K Ocean Swim - 41K Bike - 10K Run in Bethany Beach, DE. Proceeds benefit the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
See website to register.
2011 Subaru EagleMan Ironman 70.3 Triathlon Registration Is NOW Open:
Register now for the 2011 Subaru EagleMan Ironman 70.3 Triathlon on June 12, 2011 in Cambridge, MD. EagleMan Ironman 70.3 is one of only a few 70.3 races with qualifying slots for the IronMan Championship in Kona and the 70.3 Ironman Championship in Clearwater, Florida. The Aqua Velo will serve as the 2011 USAT Mid Atlantic Championship. See our webpage for information.
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Columbia Triathlon Association would like to thank and welcome our sponsors for the
2010 Aflac Iron Girl Triathlon.
Please show your appreciation for their support of our events by supporting them.
Our Sponsors              |
Frequently Asked Questions & Resources
If you're not sure about some of the rules & regulations for CTA's races or if you're just looking for answers to commonly asked questions, download the FAQ
Nutrition is a key component to proper training and racing. TriColumbia sponsor, Hammer Nutrition, has an extensive resource page
If you still have questions about specific races, feel free to email us |
FIND US ON THE WEB
Columbia Triathlon Association is now on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Please join us on these site for daily updates, special offers, and race reports.
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