ATHLETE GUIDE TRANS AM TRI FULL TRANS AM TRI 945 TRANS AM TRI FLORIDA - TRANSAMTRI
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Athlete Guide
Trans Am Tri Full
Trans Am Tri 945
Trans Am Tri Florida
Disclaimer: This document will continuously be updated. When a change is made, you will receive
an updated version via email. You can also find the latest version located on the website:
www.transamtri.com Follow TransAmTri on Facebook: facebook.com/transamtri
Updated TransAmTri Full, 945 and Florida 2021 Version 1
Welcome to the Trans Am Tri
Trans Am Tri Full
Trans Am Tri 945
Trans Am Tri Florida
The Trans Am Tri races originated from crazy discussions during the 2013 Triple
DECA Iron race in Lake Garda, Italy. As we covered thousands and thousands of
loops swimming, cycling and running the idea of a point-to-point triathlon across the
USA seemed pretty cool.
Trans Am Tri will be three unique semi or fully supported triathlon races consisting
of:
• Trans Am Tri Full: 31 mile swim, 3,150 mile bike, 310 mile run
• Trans Am Tri 945: 16 mile swim, 805 mile bike, 124 mile run
• Trans Am Tri Florida: 9 mile swim, 500 mile bike, 85 mile run
With the increasing trend toward the self-supported bike-pack and running global
racing scene, the concept follows some of the same rules.
Each race is limited to 20 participants.
All COVID-19 state mandates in effect at the time of the race MUST be followed for your
safety. A mask must be worn to enter any store in the USA.
The Trans Am Tri Full will be the first ever point-to-point Triathlon across the United
States. This inaugural event will take place to set the stage for future growth in semi-
supported ultra-distance triathlons.
Athletes are urged to take planning seriously. Athletes must study the bike and run
courses; as well as services available along the route.
We will provide the bike and run GPX file links to all athletes via email - early 2021.
WARNING: Get ready to suffer in the heat with temperatures during the bike and run
reaching 110+ degrees Fahrenheit. This is a serious extreme heat endurance
adventure. The Trans Am Tri Full will be the toughest ultra-long-distance point-
to-point triathlon ever held in the history of the sport.
This athlete guide contains rules, guidance, and general information about the event.
2
About the Races
When and Where does each race Start:
Trans Am Tri Full:
May 25, 2021, 8AM EST
Lake Cane – Orlando, Florida to Point Mugu State Park, California (ocean coast)
The Course
31 Mile Swim – held in Lake Cane, Orlando, Florida. One lap of the lake (out and
back is a lap) is 1 kilometer in length, therefore the total swim laps is 50.
We will have some support staff at the start but recommend you have your own crew
members. Each athlete will be required to have an open water swim buoy.
Here is an example of one: https://trigearlab.com/best-swim-buoy/
Swim Cutoff 36 hours – If an athlete misses the cutoff time for the swim, they
will be stopped at 36 hours and must exit the lake. NO questions asked, no
pleading, no arguing, etc. They can continue to the bike but will be considered
scratched from the race and no further race timing will occur. However, their
SPOT device MUST remain active during the bike and all biking rules must be
adhered to.
After exiting the swim, the athletes will start the bike route toward St. Augustine,
Florida. All registered athletes will receive the GPX files to download to Garmin or
other various GPS devices.
3,150 Mile Self-Supported Bike Route – The course will traverse a good
portion of the Adventure Cycling Association Southern Tier Bike route from the
Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean. One major difference is that the Trans Am Tri
route will go north to Death Valley National Park vs. going to Point Mugu State Park,
San Diego. The bike route is self-supported. No assistance is allowed and is what
defines self-supported bike-packing events – we will follow the same rules.
Each athlete will sign an agreement and will be 100% self-reliant and responsible for
themselves during the bike. We will provide no assistance during the bike section,
but we will supply some food items and drinks at the mandatory checkpoints.
If an athlete scratches/elects to no longer participate in the race, they must provide
their own means of transportation from where they stop racing to their home. Trans
Am Tri will not provide any type of “sag wagon” to pick up racers along the bike
course. Assistance with locating the nearest bus station, airport can be provided,
however, no transportation will be provided.
3
310 Mile Run – Crew supported only (YOU MUST HAVE A CREW). The course
will begin at Furnace Creek in Death Valley National Park and finish at Sycamore
Canyon within Point Mugu State Park, California. The specific course directions will
be provided to all crew and athletes. The course will be a mix of trails and pavement
surfaces. The run will have approximately 21,000 feet of climbing.
One car/van is preferred for crewing. Marking the crew vehicle with any race/athlete
specific materials is prohibited -- NOT ALLOWED. While in the National Park, you
must follow all state and national laws. All athletes must adhere to wearing a
reflective vest during dawn, dusk and nighttime running. Highly visible clothing is
the key and mandatory for the bike and run sections of Trans Am Tri. Hiking poles
are allowed.
Athletes MUST run against traffic (much of the run will have very little cars) on the
left side of the road and support vehicle must ride on the right side of the road.
Crewing for the run – if you need crew for hire, we can work to assist you with a
good team. The cost is $125 per day for a 1-person crew. Crew is limited and on a
first come first serve basis – NOT GUARANTEED.
There is also a Fully Supported Trans Am Tri Full Option where you can have your
own crew for the race. This is a separate race category. For more information
please see info at racetwitch.com.
Overall Time Limit: 35 Days to earn your spot on the Internet as an official finisher
and we might even give you a race t shirt so you can pat yourself on the back☺
Registration Requirements
Registration is open till April 1, 2021
https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=81638&fbclid=IwAR3WWtDa8pc1nwE3
AKw1F0_h8CtGAxaVsjeRI6GmR_EqfctMcvlXtdcBKJw
Entry Fee:
$1,095.00 US Dollars
Fees will cover boats for the swim, swag including: Custom running cap, unique
Bikepack shirt, and checkpoint food and drinks
Additional Fee:
$125 US Dollars per day fee for a 1-person crew for the run – (this is limited and on
a first come first serve basis – NOT GUARANTEED)
4Trans Am Tri 945:
May 25, 2021, 8AM EST
Lake Cane Orlando, Florida to Dauphin Island, Alabama
The Course
16 Mile Swim – held in Lake Cane, Orlando, Florida
We will have some support staff at the start but recommend you have your own crew
members. Each athlete will be required to have an open water swim buoy.
Here is an example of one: https://trigearlab.com/best-swim-buoy/
Swim Cutoff 18 hours – If an athlete misses the cutoff time for the swim, they
will be stopped at 18 hours and must exit the lake. NO questions asked, no
pleading, no arguing, etc. They can continue to the bike but will be considered
scratched from the race and no further race timing will occur. However, their
SPOT device MUST remain active during the bike and all biking rules must be
adhered to.
After exiting the swim, the athletes will start the bike route toward St. Augustine,
Florida. All registered athletes will receive the GPX files to download to Garmin or
other various GPS devices.
805 Mile Self-Supported Bike Route – The course will traverse a good
portion of the Adventure Cycling Association Southern Tier Bike route. The bike
route is self-supported. No assistance is allowed and is what defines self-supported
bike-packing events – we will follow the same rules.
Each athlete will sign an agreement and will be 100% self-reliant and responsible for
themselves during the bike. We will provide no assistance during the bike section,
but we will supply some food items and drinks at the mandatory checkpoints.
If an athlete scratches/elects to no longer participate in the race, they must provide
their own means of transportation from where they stop racing to their home. Trans
Am Tri will not provide any type of “sag wagon” to pick up racers along the bike
course. Assistance with locating the nearest bus station, airport can be provided,
however, no transportation will be provided.
124 Mile Run – Crew supported only (YOU MUST HAVE A CREW). The course
will begin near Mandaville, Louisiana and finish at Dauphin Island, Alabama. The
specific course directions will be provided to all crew and athletes. The course will be
a mix of trails and pavement surfaces.
5One car/van is preferred for crewing. Marking the crew vehicle with any race/athlete
specific materials is prohibited -- NOT ALLOWED. All athletes must adhere to
wearing a reflective vest during dawn, dusk and nighttime running. Highly visible
clothing is the key and mandatory for the bike and run sections of Trans Am Tri.
Hiking poles are allowed.
Athletes MUST run against traffic (much of the run will have very little cars) on the
left side of the road and support vehicle must ride on the right side of the road.
Crewing for the run – if you need crew for hire, we can work to assist you with a
good team. The cost is $125 per day for a 1-person crew. Crew is limited and on a
first come first serve basis – NOT GUARANTEED.
Overall Time Limit: 15 Days to earn your spot on the Internet as an official finisher
and we might even give you a race t shirt so you can pat yourself on the back☺
Registration Requirements
Registration is open till April 1, 2021
https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=81638&fbclid=IwAR3WWtDa8pc1nwE3
AKw1F0_h8CtGAxaVsjeRI6GmR_EqfctMcvlXtdcBKJw
Entry Fee:
$895.00 US Dollars
Fees will cover boats for the swim, swag including: Custom running cap, unique
Bikepack shirt, and checkpoint food and drinks
Additional Fee:
$125 US Dollars per day fee for a 1-person crew for the run – (this is limited and on
a first come first serve basis – NOT GUARANTEED)
6Trans Am Tri Florida:
May 25, 2021, 8AM EST
Lake Cane Orlando, Florida to Ft. Pickens Beach, Florida
The Course
9 Mile Swim – held in Lake Cane, Orlando, Florida.
We will have some support staff at the start but recommend you have your own crew
members. Each athlete will be required to have an open water swim buoy.
Here is an example of one: https://trigearlab.com/best-swim-buoy/
Swim Cutoff is 7 hours – If an athlete misses the cutoff time for the swim, they
will be stopped at 7 hours and must exit the lake. NO questions asked, no
pleading, no arguing, etc. They can continue to the bike but will be considered
scratched from the race and no further race timing will occur. However, their
SPOT device MUST remain active during the bike and all biking rules must be
adhered to.
After exiting the swim, the athletes will start the bike route toward Ft. Pickens Beach,
Florida. All registered athletes will receive the GPX files to download to Garmin or
other various GPS devices.
500 Mile Self-Supported Bike Route – No assistance is allowed and is what
defines self-supported bike-packing events – we will follow the same rules.
Each athlete will sign an agreement and will be 100% self-reliant and responsible for
themselves during the bike. We will provide no assistance during the bike section,
but we will supply some food items and drinks at the mandatory checkpoints.
If an athlete scratches/elects to no longer participate in the race, they must provide
their own means of transportation from where they stop racing to their home. Trans
Am Tri will not provide any type of “sag wagon” to pick up racers along the bike
course. Assistance with locating the nearest bus station, airport can be provided,
however, no transportation will be provided.
85 Mile Run – Crew supported only (YOU MUST HAVE A CREW). The course will
begin at a location to be determined and finish at Ft. Pickens Beach, Florida. The
specific course directions will be provided to all crew and athletes.
One car/van is preferred for crewing. Marking the crew vehicle with any race/athlete
specific materials is prohibited -- NOT ALLOWED. All athletes must adhere to
wearing a reflective vest during dawn, dusk and nighttime running. Highly visible
7clothing is the key and mandatory for the bike and run sections of Trans Am Tri.
Hiking poles are allowed.
Athletes MUST run against traffic (much of the run will have very little cars) on the
left side of the road and support vehicle must ride on the right side of the road.
Crewing for the run – if you need crew for hire, we can work to assist you with a
good team. The cost is $125 per day for a 1-person crew. Crew is limited and on a
first come first serve basis – NOT GUARANTEED.
Overall Time Limit: 7 Days to earn your spot on the Internet as an official finisher
and we might even give you a race t shirt so you can pat yourself on the back☺
Registration Requirements
Registration is open till April 1, 2021
https://ultrasignup.com/register.aspx?did=81638&fbclid=IwAR3WWtDa8pc1nwE3
AKw1F0_h8CtGAxaVsjeRI6GmR_EqfctMcvlXtdcBKJw
Entry Fee:
$695.00 US Dollars
Fees will cover boats for the swim, swag including: Custom running cap, unique
Bikepack shirt, and checkpoint food and drinks
Additional Fee:
$125 US Dollars per day fee for a 1-person crew for the run – (this is limited and on
a first come first serve basis – NOT GUARANTEED)
Photos of Trans Am Tri “Swag”:
Award:
8Cap:
Shirt:
Forms - Trans Am Tri must have the Agreement signed and dated by each athlete
which can be found on the website. The form will be emailed to all athletes.
Event Cancellation - Trans Am Tri can be cancelled by the organizers in case of force
majeure or in any other case when the organizers believe that it is irresponsible to let
the race go forward. This decision is entirely up to Trans Am Tri race organizer and
is final.
Refund Policy - There are NO refunds for any reason.
Pre – Race Meeting - The mandatory pre-race meeting will begin at 5:00PM on
Monday, May 24th 2021 at Lake Cane, Orlando Florida. All athletes are required to
bring their bike, helmet and bike gear safety checklist (outlined in Bike Safety
Requirements section) Medical examination and insurance will be reviewed at the
pre-race meeting.
Race Timing Spot Tracking - Every athlete is required to have a Spot Tracker or
Garmin Inreach All race timing after the swim (The swim will be timed separately and
added to overall time as it’s a bit difficult to carry with a vertical antenna while in the
water – our race timing will be accurate) will be on the Trackleaders
http://trackleaders.com
All family and friends can follow your “dots” and progression across the US country.
Once the athlete is registered to the race, Trackleaders will contact each athlete by
email to register on Trackleaders with the ESN number (serial number) and send a
9PayPal invoice that is typically $40 USD (that is separate pricing from Track leaders)
and the athlete name will be listed as a participant on the specific Trans Am Tri link
on Trackleaders.
Spot Tracker Info. – We will attempt to get rental units from Trackleaders and/or
Spot for those athletes without their individual Spot Trackers. Keep in mind that Spot
requires an annual agreement (monthly charges) if you purchase a Spot. Please speak
to Spot directly or review their website https://www.findmespot.eu/en/
Semi – Supported Race – The races are semi-supported event. Athletes will be
required to have crew and kayaks through the evening hours during the swim.
Kayaks/boats will be available for all the crew.
The bike sections are self-supported. Please refer to Rules and Penalties section of
this guide. No outside assistance is allowed during the bike section and each athlete
will be thinking non-stop for the 3 key variables: where to sleep, where to get food
and where to get water. The athletes will be traveling through small towns for plenty
of resupply points, however there will be sections where preparing for 100 miles
without resupply. We will discuss the specific locations in a series of education videos
so the athletes can prepare to carry plenty of food and water.
Athlete behavior – in the spirit of keeping our country clean – we will adhere to
Leave No Trace rules. If you carry something along, you must discard of it in
appropriate trash containers. Be nice to people and their response will be
overwhelming. The common theme from athletes who have competed in long 30-
day races like Trans Am, Tour Divide or Trans US runs is that everyone is so nice, and
you will find Trail Angels along the bike course.
1. The Race Directors decisions are final regarding athlete behavior.
2. Athlete must complete the entire race to be an official finisher.
3. Athletes must be at least 18 years old.
4. Athletes must have health insurance and foreign athletes must coordinate
their own insurance coverage.
5. Athletes are responsible for their own visas and passports from your country.
Athlete Identification Requirements:
1. Must have clear identification on the body (not in a pocket) such a Road ID
bracelet or Dog Tags
2. The bike must have a laminated ID card that is visible on the front of the bike.
10Race Coverage and Road Detour Updates:
Detours – Text and email updates will be sent athletes in the event of detours during
the bike section or run. The leaders will experience detours first, communicate to our
race team and then we will transmit this information to all athletes. Expect the
unexpected and detours will almost always happen with summer road construction,
flooding, etc. and a racecourse over this long distance.
Contact with Race Organization during the event – Each athlete will be supplied
with a card with the phone numbers of the key race team personnel. Keep in mind
this is for information purposes, such as a detour on a road, emergency, etc.
Insurance - Each athlete is required to have emergency evacuation coverage – a
separate policy from health insurance. This is very inexpensive and can be purchased
online for $30-$60 USD. The insurance proof must be shown at race registration.
NO EXCEPTIONS.
Medical Examination – We will require a note from your clinic or doctor that you
are physically fit to race Trans Am Tri. This must be brought to the pre-race meeting
showing proof of coverage.
GPX Files and Tech Stuff - All athletes will be provided GPX files for the bike and
run sections that can be loaded to GPX units. We will send the files to registered
athletes early 2021.
Required Checkpoints (Bike) - The exact address will be provided to all
registered athletes. Athletes are required to stop at each checkpoint to check in
and resupply with limited food and drinks.
Trans Am Tri Full:
Checkpoint #1 – Mandeville, Louisiana
Checkpoint #2 – Kerrville, Texas – in town by the Guadalupe River.
Checkpoint #3 - Silver City, New Mexico
Checkpoint #4 - Blithe, California
Checkpoint #5 – Furnace Creek, California – the start of the run section.
Trans Am Tri 945:
Checkpoint’s to be announced
11Trans Am Tri Florida:
Checkpoint’s to be announced
3 Guiding Race Beliefs -
1. Be safe at all times
2. Race your own race with fun
3. Be polite and friendly to all the people you meet along the way
I am doing the Trans Am Tri Full. What will happen to my bike when I finish at
Death Valley ??? – Our recommendation is to have a bike rack on the crew vehicle.
Trans Am Tri is not responsible for bike dismantling and/or shipping the bike to your
home. The bike breakdown, finding a bike shop, getting the bike to the bike shop, all
associated costs are 100% the responsibility of the Athlete. Athlete’s crew can assist
in this task.
Mailing supplies to locations – You may mail supplies to post offices along the route.
Bike shops will have plenty of supplies in the event of a mechanical along the route.
Each athlete can create his or her own cue notes of bike shops.
Booking Accommodations – There are no pre-booking of hotel rooms allowed prior
to the start of the race. After the race begins, the athlete can contact hotels if they
decide to not camp or sleep in a ditch ☺. There are many campgrounds, churches
and fire departments across the United States and many will be open to assist with
your sleeping (let’s just say resting as you won’t get into a deep sleep as you will be
exhausted day after day) needs.
A great resource to find free places to camp during the bike journey – check out
www.warmshowers.org
Gear list ideas, requirements and recommendations:
We will post a series of videos and written summary checklists for athletes to use for
ideas. Every athlete is different, and the video series content will be based up
common practices and tips. Check them out on the TransAmTri Facebook page:
facebook.com/transamtri
Water Carry Capacity Requirement on the bike for Trans Am Tri Full:
Every athlete MUST have the capacity to carry 4 Liters of water on the bike section
(either on the frame of the bike with bottles and if using a camelback, it can be
combined to the overall capacity). This requirement is mandatory and during pre-
12race check in we will examine the containers and storage capacity. We recommend
Double lined water bottles for some of bottles.
Bike Safety Requirements:
The following items are mandatory and will be examined during pre-race meeting for
every athlete – NO EXCEPTIONS (Safety is the key priority):
1. All riders MUST WEAR A BIKING HELMET.
2. Two bright lights mounted on the front of the bike. One light must use AA or
AAA batteries. The other light can be a rechargeable light.
3. Four rear mounted bike lights (RED) and must use batteries. “Planet Bike
Superflash” is recommended.
4. Reflective tape must be on the rear chain stays, front forks, and on the bike
rims. Any bare area must be covered with reflective tape. Don’t worry it won’t
ruin your bike and can be easily removed after the event. We want every
athlete glowing while riding at night.
5. Helmets will be checked – REFLECTIVE tape must be adhered to helmet.
6. Reflective Vest – must be worn during the twilight hours of dawn and dusk and
100% of the time riding in the evening. Check out the SAWNZC Reflective
vest, it’s lightweight and not warm and easy to put on:
https://www.amazon.com/SAWNZC-Reflective-Adjustable-Visibility-
Wristbands/dp/B07JM2KFKT
7. Clothing – Any black clothing MUST INCLUDE reflective material. This is for
your safety.
8. Extra safety – You many select any of the following for safety at your own
discretion: reflective ankle straps, daytime running lights, handlebar mirror
or helmet mirror.
9. A small bell is optional but we do recommend having one attached to your
bike.
Mandatory Photographs:
Each athlete is required to send the race director and their next of kin via text or email
two photos a day. This is to ensure that all athletes are adhering to being visible and
we have a record of it. During the run section, the crew can take photos. We
13understand phone service issues, so there will be a 72-hour grace period when photos
can’t be sent.
Next of Kin:
Every athlete must provide details on their next of kin on the race registration form.
There must be at least one person to contact in the event of an emergency – NO
EXCEPTIONS.
Bike Rules and Penalties
Rule #1: There will be absolutely no bitching, complaining or cheating. This
race is about self-discovery and pushing serious personal boundaries.
We will adopt all rules that have been established by the Trans Am Bike Race and Bike
Non Stop US, Director – Nathan Jones.
1. “Modus operandi: To complete the bike section, a rider may resupply food /
equipment, rent a room, launder clothing, even service their bike at
commercial shops along the way. The intent is to ride unsupported between
towns, and function self-supported when in towns. Any services utilized must
always be commercially available to all challengers and not pre-arranged. No
private resupply, no private lodging will be allowed. Family and friends may
visit the rider but cannot provide any support and shelter.”
2. “In the event of a serious mechanical that renders one’s bike un-ride able, a
rider may be assisted by motor vehicle in moving backwards, forwards, or
directly off the route. A rider may also receive assistance returning back to the
location they left the Trans Am Tri Route, however, the moment they rejoin
the route, any forward assistance is prohibited, even if a rider has already
ridden that stretch prior to leaving the route. The intent of this rule is to
encourage riders to exhaust self-rescue options first, and ensure any rider who
must hitchhike will still always ride the entire Trans Am Tri route (+ a few
penalty miles).”
3. “Shipping/receiving supplies (to the course): In the name of equal
opportunity for international riders and to minimize the ‘footprint’,
challengers are encouraged to race as reliant as possible on commercial
services along the route. However, in advance of a start, a competitor may
cache food or equipment resupply at US Post Offices only, care of general
delivery. Typical practice is to ship a replacement chain and fresh bike shorts
to the halfway point on route. If a racer misses a resupply due to Post Office
closure, that box may be forwarded to another Post Office down route.”
144. “When the race begins, a rider may be assisted by a third party in receiving
emergency repair/replacement items only. Food resupply is not considered an
emergency. Emergency items must be shipped using a commercial shipper
such as USPS, UPS, Fed-Ex, DHL, etc. Items may not be delivered privately by
family, friends or even anonymous persons. Items may only be shipped to a
commercial address (P.O., motel, bike shop, restaurant etc.), provided that
address is equally available to all racers. Use of a private address (residence)
along the route is forbidden. Utilizing any form of social media for help (i.e.
conjure ‘trail magic’) is also forbidden.”
5. “GPX navigators are all but essential, none of the competitive racers go
without them and the GPX ROUTE IS THE GOSPEL. SPOT GPX trackers are
required for racing. Final rankings will be based on SPOT tracking data. Mobile
phones are also permitted, though service can be very spotty. Social media is
actively encouraged, but within the spirit of the race, best applied as a way to
send messages out, not so much back in.”
6. “Athletes” are responsible for their safety and police their own conduct.” No
drafting is allowed.
7. “Riders alone are responsible for communicating with specific loved ones.”
8. “Online GPX tracking is also not intended to ensure rider safety. It is for info-
only, and validation of course compliance.”
9. “Relegation: Trans Am Tri reserves the right to disqualify a rider from the”
General Classification” of the race for confirmed rules violations.”
10. “It is the rider’s responsibility to know and observe local laws.
Riders must act in the spirit of self-sufficiency and equal opportunity for all
racers.”
11. “If a racer voluntarily scratches from the Trans Am Tri mid-race, yet
continues on to finish, their individual tracking page will remain
online/updated for informational/safety purposes, However, they will not be
an official finisher.”
12. Visitation – Family and friends may visit an athlete when riding, but can
no way provide support, shelter or ride along with a car.
13. If an athlete experiences a mechanical issue with the bike and it’s
unrideable, they can be assisted to go off route to get it repaired. The rider then
must return to the exact location where they were assisted. Everything is
tracked on Trackleaders and disqualification will occur to any athlete who
does not return to where they received assistance. No exceptions.
15OK, that’s enough rules! Get ready for an adventure of a lifetime and thank you
for considering participating in the 1st ever Across the United States of America
official triathlon.
Simplicity, Unity, Freedom – This is Trans Am Tri
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