Frequently Asked Questions
Note: Consider printing and saving the FAQ’s to read and discuss with your child racing… it
should help ease nervousness that he/she (or you) might be feeling. Click a question to see the answer.
- Is there a registration deadline?
- Nope. Online registration is open until 9 PM the evening before the race and race day registration
is open until 30 minutes before the race. But enter today to ensure your spot and help us prepare
for the big crowds.
- How do we know if our child is ready for a triathlon?
- The only qualifications kids need is a big heart, able to ride a 2-wheeler without training wheels,
and ability to follow the other kids. Make preparing for the race a shared experience and time to
grow closer as a family.
- Can kids younger than 5-years old race?
- 4-year olds who turn 5 by December 31, 2009 are eligible to race. But regardless of age, all participants
should be mature enough to navigate through the entire course and do so on their own.
- Are children safe on the course?
- Safety is our highest priority. There is nowhere on the course where children will be out of sight
of our team of volunteers, medical staff and law enforcement professionals. While parents need to
understand that participating in a sporting event like a triathlon has, by its nature, elements of
risk, so do all sports. You can help make your child’s experience the safest and most enjoyable by
practicing before the race to improve their skills and increase their confidence. Plan also to attend
our free practice sessions.
- What skills are the most important to learn?
- Swimming, cycling and running. For swimming, all kids benefit from learning this life saving skill,
so consider lessons at a community pool. For cycling, practice your riding skills… mounting the bike,
riding straight lines, staying to the right edge of the road, smooth cornering, braking and dismounting.
For running, the key is pacing. You’ll be amazed at how quickly your endurance increases and how
much more fun you’ll have if you practice starting slower and building into it.
- Can kids form a team to race as a relay?
- Nope. There’s no feeling like finishing an entire triathlon under one’s own power. Less than one
in every 10,000 kids on the planet can call themselves a triathlete. Now you can be one of them.
- Will you keep time and post results?
- Yes we time the race for overall time with a timing chip. Results will be posted online. Points
will be tallied for overall series leaders.
- How do the points series work?
- All points are totaled at the end of the series. We will post points standings a few days after
the events. Children in each class will receive a champion shirt after the last event.
Transition Zone… Read: How to Set-Up My T-Zone
- Where do we bring/set up bike, shoes and gear?
- All equipment gets placed near the athlete’s assigned transition spot; this includes everything
they need for the bike and the run!
- What should we bring on race day?
- Bring your bike, helmet, running shoes, swim gear/goggles, water bottle, racing shirt and shorts,
socks, warm-up clothing, towel, sunglasses, sunscreen, camera, umbrella, friends, neighbors, co-workers,
aunts and uncles, cousins, grandma and grandpa and all your enthusiasm!
- Are parents allowed in transition?
- Before the race, yes. During the race, younger inexperience children can have one parent. Any
yelling and you will not be allowed in again. After the race, only when the last athlete is finished
with the bike course will parents be allowed back into the zone.
- Do they need to wear a helmet?
- YES!!!!!! No one will be allowed to bike without a helmet. Transition volunteers will make sure
no athletes leave the transition zone without a helmet that is fastened!
- Can we get our child’s stuff out of transition? What time?
- In order to give every kid the chance to have a safe and enjoyable race, we need to keep the transition
zone closed to non-racers until all athletes have finished the bike course, at which time parents
and kids can retrieve belongings in transition.
- My child wears glasses, what do we do?
- We recommend standing near the swim exit and watching for your child. You can hand the glasses
to them. Otherwise, you could put the child’s glasses inside of their helmet in transition.
- Do they need to wear the swim cap?
- Yes! This helps us to spot every child while in the water and it makes for cool pictures.
- Do they need to wear their race number?
- Not during the swim, but they should have their number pinned to something they put on (a shirt)
after the swim so fans can cheer for them by name and we can connect names with photos
- Do boys need to wear shirts?
- Yes– it’s a great place to pin the number. It’s actually a USA triathlon rule that men have to
wear tops!
- Where do we go after we’ve setup our transition spot?
- If you arrive early enough, you’ll have a little time to catch your breath and relax vs. being
all stressed out. So enjoy a few minutes before the excitement begins and you will be called and
directed to report for procession staging.
About Us
- What is Jenny's Light?
- Jenny's Light is a organization started by Becky Lavelle (Jenny's Sister) to help women deal with
postpartum depression.
- What is postpartum depression?
- Postpartum depression is an illness, like diabetes or heart disease. Depression that occurs within
1 year of childbirth may be postpartum depression. A woman may have postpartum depression if she
experiences symptoms for at least two weeks. The symptoms of postpartum depression include:
¦Feeling sad or down often
¦Frequent crying or tearfulness
¦Feeling restless, irritable or anxious
¦Loss of interest or pleasure in life
¦Loss of appetite or increased appetite
¦Less energy and motivation to do things
¦Difficulty sleeping or sleeping too much
¦Feeling worthless, hopeless or guilty
¦Unexplained weight loss or gain
¦Feeling like life isn't worth living
¦Showing little interest in your baby If you are experiencing any of these symptoms it is important
to speak with your doctor or a mental health professional as soon as possible.
- Do you provide an EMT or ambulance at your events?
- Yes we do. We use volunteer EMT's and have an ambulance on standby.
- Do you have insurance?
- Yes, we provide insurance for each event. For these events we use USAT.
- My child cannot swim, how can he participate?
- Any child is allowed to use a kick board. It's important that we stress fun for the kids.
- Do you have any plans available to help underprivileged children?
- Yes, please contact trikidz@svendurance.com. We offer
10 free entries per event and we are working with local providers to supply bicycles and helmets
to these kids for use during the event.
- Who runs South Valley Endurance?
- South Valley Endurance is an LLC partnership with 4 owners.
- What does my kid get for entry?
- All children receive a T- Shirt and a finishers award. Plus we have snacks at the end.
- Do you offer package deals if I signup for more then 1 event.
- Yes, please see the shopping section for discounts.
