To be updated soon
Thump! events are timed using timing chip system. Each participant will receive a small chip attached. Depending on the type of timing chip used you may either fasten the chip to your shoes prior or stick it to your running BIB.
The chip will automatically register your time as you finish each leg of the race, and when you cross the finish line. No chip means no times will be recorded.
Participants will also receive a paper bib number that must be worn on the front of the shirt, or on a race belt, with the number visible on the front when entering/exiting transition.
Duathlon relay teams are composed of 2 team members. One person is the runner, the other is the biker. The runner will begin in a starting wave with the other relay teams and complete the entire run course. The runner then runs through the transition area and transfers the timing chip to his/her biker teammate. The cyclist will be waiting in a designated tag zone.
The biker then completes the entire bike course, and transfers the timing chip back to the runner who is waiting in the same tag zone.
The runner now dashes through transition and completes the second run course, crossing the same finish line as the solo racers.
The runner/cyclist tag-zone will be clearly marked on race day.
Practice, Practice, Practice. we recommend alternating 100 meters of easy running with 100 meters of easy biking, so you can really focus on getting fast at making the switch. The pro’s can be speeding away on their bikes less than 30 seconds after finishing the run – there’s no reason you can’t too. And remember, the transition is a timed portion of the race that isn’t based on athletic prowess. You can improve your finish time faster by learning to make quick transitions than you can with an extra 10 hours a week of training!
Now, if you are just out to have a good time, there is nothing wrong with putting on gloves, taking a big drink and a bite to eat, and just catching your breath in transition. But if you are shooting for your best performance, there are a few tips that will speed up your transition.
First, rack your bike with the front wheel pointing out – that way you can just grab it and go. Next, unbuckle your helmet and lay it on your aerobars (if you have them) or the ground with the open side up and the straps outside of the helmet – that makes it easy to grab and put on.
If you practice, you can actually leave a pair of bike shoes clipped in to your pedals and slip your feet into them while you are riding. If this is your first race, however, just leave the shoes on your towel with the straps open for easy entry. If you plan to ride in your running shoes, that will make your transition that much faster, but it is true that cycling shoes are faster when you are riding. If you plan to race in your running shoes, that’s perfectly acceptable, though. Many beginning duathletes are happy riding in running shoes.
Next, think of the things you need to ride, and those you can do without. Top racers jump on the bike with nothing but the clothes they were running in, a bike helmet and glasses, and bike shoes.
Less competitive racers will pull on gloves and perhaps a pair of bike shorts over their running shorts to name a couple of items. Many will also drink while standing in transition, when they could be drinking from the bottle on their bike while cruising along at race speed!
So in a nutshell, practice, practice, practice – and think about what you’re doing while you practice.