Urban Epic Boston Triathlon Race Info

THE 2011 URBAN EPIC BOSTON TRIATHLON ATHLETE GUIDE IS NOW AVAILABLE. CLICK HERE!

Join us this summer for one of the most exciting races of the year. With a one-of-a-kind course that includes beaches, paths, and well-paved roads, you will love every moment of the Urban Epic Boston Triathlon!

When: Sunday, August 7th, 2011, 8:15 a.m.

Where: South Boston – Carson Beach to Bayside Expo to Pleasure Bay to L Street Bathhouse

Distances

Swim 1/2 mile
Bike ~9 miles
Run ~4 miles
*Please note that these courses are subject to change as permits and permissions are issued*

Swim (.5 miles)

  • A point-to-point course in Dorchester Bay that begins on the beach near the McCormack Bathhouse and follows a trapezoidal course the finish on the beach near the Bayside Expo Center.
  • Each wave has approximately 50-75 athletes. First-timers and novices will have a special wave at the end. Specific wave times will be posted before race day.
  • Wetsuits will be recommended of all athletes.
  • Athletes should plan to walk approximately 1/4 mile along Carson Beach to the Swim Start. The walk is mostly on trails and sand, so shoes are not needed.

The Transition Area

The Transition Area will be located in the parking lot at the Bayside Expo Center, off William Day Blvd. It will be a flow-through design, where athletes enter at one end and exit at the other. Athletes will be assigned a rack space that allows plenty of room for gear. The Transition Area will be secure and monitored, and only athletes, volunteers, and staff will be allowed inside. Athletes can retrieve their gear once all of the bikes have returned from the course.

Bike (~9 miles)

  • The course is two loops on William Day Blvd, from Bayside Expo Center to the turn-around at Farragut Statue (East Broadway) and back.
  • Cyclists leave the Transition Area, follow a course through the Bayside parking lot before heading out on to William Day Blvd, and going around the Farragut statue. They will then proceed back along Day Blvd. to Bayside and do a small loop around the Teacher’s Union Lot. Bikers complete this same loop a second time before finishing at the TA at Bayside.
  • The entire bike course will be closed to vehicular traffic and managed by police and volunteers. There will be barricades separating the spectators from the bike traffic and designated cross-walks. However, there may be pedestrians that try to cross the road at unauthorized locations, so please be alert and aware of this potential situation, especially in the middle part of the course (near L Street).
  • Bike traffic will be two-way and will utilize all of William Day Blvd. All vehicles will be removed from the course prior to the start of the race.
  • Bikes will go all the way around the Farragut statue, following the cones and hay bales.
  • Drafting is not allowed in triathlon, and there will be officials on course monitoring cyclists. Any athlete caught drafting will be subject to time penalties. Day Blvd is wide enough to allow for safe passing on the left. Athletes must stay as far to the right as possible while on the bike unless they are overtaking another competitor.

Run (-4 miles)

  • The course is a point-to-point route that follows William Day Blvd to the Farragut Statue, turns around at the Sugarbowl (Head Island), and finishes at the L-Street Bathouse.
  • Runners leave the TA at Bayside, run down William Day Blvd to the turnaround at the Farragut Statue, follow an out-and-back on the Pleasure Bay Path, to the turnaround at Head Island Causeway (or “Sugarbowl”). Runners then return down Day Blvd. and finish at the L Street Bathouse.
  • Runners will stay to the outside of the bikes along William Day Blvd. Bikes and runners will be separated by cones.
  • Runners will keep to the left side within the runner lane.
  • The finish chute will begin near N Street, on the beach. The final 200 yards or so will be on sand.
  • There will be water/aid stations approximately every mile with water and electrolyte replacement drink.

Please note – the road closure is permitted by DCR and the State Police and is allowed only for a specific time. If an athlete falls far behind the rest of the field during the run and risks delaying the opening of the roadway, he or she will be required to move onto the sidewalk to complete the race.

    Brief Timeline on Race Day

    6:00 a.m. – Transition Area, Bodymarking, and Registration open

    7:30 a.m. – Transition Area closes

    8:05 a.m. – Mandatory pre-race meeting for athletes at Swim Start with Race Director

    8:15 a.m. – Race Begins

    9:45 a.m. – Post-Race Activities begin at L-Street Bathhouse

    10:45 a.m. – Race Ends

    10:45 a.m. – Shuttle service back to Bayside Expo begins

    11:30 a.m. – Awards Ceremony

    Road Closures

    • William Day Blvd will be closed to vehicular traffic from approximately 5:00am until 12 Noon.
    • There will be no parking on William Day Blvd starting at 12 Midnight on Sunday, August 7th. Cars will be ticketed and towed.
    • Other streets will remain open, but may be controlled by police. Columbia Avenue will serve as a route to Castle Island and the Rotary to I-93, Mt. Vernon Street, and Morrissey Blvd.
    • All four lanes on Day Blvd will be used for the race. The inbound lanes will be only for bikers.  The outbound lane (going towards Pleasure Bay) will share one lane with runners. The runner lane will be separated by cones.
    • Spectators will not be allowed on Day Blvd, but will be able to cross at designated crosswalks.

    Registration/Packet Pick-Up

    Packet Pick-up will be available at the following times:

    SATURDAY, AUGUST 6th from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Bayside Expo Center (next to the Transition Area)

    SUNDAY, AUGUST 7th from 6:00 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. at the Bayside Expo Center (next to the Transition Area)

    Parking

    • Athletes and volunteers will park at Bayside Expo Center. Spectators will not be allowed at Bayside unless they are arriving with athletes in the same vehicle.
    • Spectators may park on the street or at UMass Boston. They are encouraged to arrive early. There are no shuttles running from UMass to Bayside, and it is approximately a one mile walk.
    • Both athletes and spectators are encouraged to carpool or use public transportation, so as to lessen the number of vehicles on-site and reduce the carbon footprint of the event. There is a T-stop at Bayside/JFK on the Red Line, which is about 1/2 mile from the TA.
    • There will be shuttles available POST-RACE for athletes who want a ride back to Bayside. These shuttles will be running from approximately 10:30am to 1:00pm. Shuttles provided by The Bustonian.

    Pre-Race Set Up
    Athletes will be allowed into the Transition Area to set up starting at 6:00 a.m. on race day. All bikes will be inspected by race staff to make sure they are in adequate working condition, which includes tight brakes and headsets, inflated tires, and bar-end plugs. Non-approved bikes will be sent to the mechanical support tent. If a bike can’t be fixed, it will not be allowed into the Transition Area. All participants must have a working, approved cycling helmet (skate/snowboard/ski helmets are not permitted).

    Getting to the Swim Start
    Athletes should plan to walk approximately 1/4 mile along Carson Beach to the Swim Start. The walk is mostly on trails and sand, so shoes are not needed. All athletes need to be at the Swim Start by 8:05 a.m. for the pre-race meeting with the Race Director.

    Pre-Race Meeting
    There will be a mandatory pre-race meeting for all individual participants and relay swimmers at the Swim Start. The Race Director will be discussing key points about the course and any important changes to the race (including issues with weather, routes, etc). Non-swimmer relay members will be gathering at the Transition Area for a similar meeting with Race Staff.

    Water Quality
    The swim course is off Carson Beach, in the Atlantic Ocean. The water quality is safe for swimming,  Race management, along with the Department of Conservation and Recreation, will continue to monitor the quality of the swim course and post updates on the Urban Epic website. If the water quality is deemed unsafe on race weekend, the Urban Epic will become a duathlon (run-bike-run).

    USAT Sanctioning
    The 2011 Urban Epic Triathlon is sanctioned by USA Triathlon. If you are not an annual member of USA Triathlon, you will need to purchase a $10 one-day membership when you register and sign the USAT waiver.

    Rules
    Please look over the USAT competitive rules – you are responsible for understanding them and abiding by them. They are available at www.usatriathlon.com. Please note that all athletes who ride a bike during the race must have an approved Cycling Helmet!

    Relays
    Relays can include two or three members. Chip handoff will take place in the Transition Area. Specific information about relays will be available in the Athlete Guide, which will be posted to this website the week of the race. The overall time for a relay will be the aggregate of times for each of the members.

    Timing & Results

    LIVE RESULTS WILL BE AVAILABLE BY CLICKING HERE!

    The Urban Epic Boston will be timed with the latest technology – the highly accurate MyLaps ProChip system. Ankle chips will be provided before the start of the race at packet pickup. Results will include your swim split, T1, bike split, T2, run split, and overall time). Live results will be available during the race. Tell your friends and family that they can track your progress online from anywhere.

    Finish and Après
    One of the most exciting parts of the 2011 Urban Epic Boston is that you will be finishing at a party on the beach! Celebrate your accomplishment by joining your friends, family and fellow competitors at “Après Epic,” the best post-race shindig you’ll enjoy all year. It will include food, massage, vendors, music, beer, and much more, all on the beach – what else could you ask for?

    Awards
    Individuals – Recognition and awards will be give to the Top 3 men and women overall, and the top 3 in men and women in each age group (starting with 19 and under, and going every 5 years up to 80 and over).
    Relays – There are special awards and prizes for the top relays in all-Male, all-Female, and co-ed categories

    Finisher shades will be presented to every participant, including relay team members.

    The Awards Ceremony will take place at the L-Street Bathhouse at approximately 11:30 a.m.

    Safety and Medical

    There will be safety boaters in the water to assist with the swim.

    Medical coverage will be provided by Boston EMS and by Boston University Sports Medicine professionals. There will be a full medical tent at the finish line, as well as an ambulance on site and roaming EMTs. If you have a pre-existing medical condition, please contact Race Management at 207-751-6003.

    Cancellation
    The event will not be canceled for any reason other than severe conditions that pose extreme danger to the health and well-being of athletes, staff, and volunteers. Race Management reserves the right to alter the course in whatever way they deem is in the best interest of the athletes and volunteers. This includes, but is not limited to, shortening or changing the course, removing one of the sports, postponing the start, etc. There are no refunds in the case of weather-caused changes or cancellations. If canceled, the 2011 Urban Epic Boston will not be rescheduled.