We all participate in the TriFit Challenge for different reasons, and it's important to stop and look at the "why’s." Maybe you have a goal to lose weight, or prove something to yourself. Maybe you simply love the activities of swimming, biking and running. For many athletes, supporting an event with a charitable purpose is the logical next step in using their favorite hobby to make a positive change.

Event proceeds, additional donations, and pledges go directly to the TriFit Challenge Fund at The Ohio State University’s Wexner Medical Center Davis Heart & Lung Research Institute and Ross Heart Hospital for much needed research into early detection of heart disease – the #1 cause of death in the United States. The research being performed through your participation in the TriFit Challenge is helping to identify genetic markers of heart disease and slow their progression through preventative care. The TriFit Challenge Fund supports the long-tradition of pioneering genetic breakthroughs in the field of cardiology at Ohio State.

Run Course route on Ohio State campus TBA.

The TriFit Challenge Triathlon and Duathlon is far from a one-size-fits-all event. The event is composed of a variety of special programs and competitions, each designed to accommodate participants of every ability, interest level and goal. In the spirit of providing a customized race experience, athletes have the ability to decide how competitive they wish to be, who they start alongside, and/or when they start their respective journey. Athletes will have the option to choose if they wish to compete as an award-eligible competitive athlete or purely for the joy of participating as a recreational athlete.

Individuals must select from one of these divisions within the registration process. Full descriptions for each group are included below.

COMPETITIVE DIVISIONS AND AWARD STRUCTURE

Participants within these divisions are primarily focused on speed, each of whom are eligible for competitive awards within their specific group. Please note certain categories are triathlon-only categories. Competitive categories include:

Age Group - All individuals registered for the Fit and Challenge Triathlon distances are automatically placed in this category, unless choosing a different division during the registration process. Note: All participants in the Tri Distance are automatically registered in the Recreational Division (See below).Age groups are subdivided by gender and five-year age increments (e.g. 20-24, 24-29, 30-34, through 80 – 84, etc.). It is important to note that Age Groups are assigned based on athlete age as of December 31 of race year (thus no changes during the calendar year).The Top Male and Female finisher in each age group are eligible for award commemorating their finish and place. Friends & Family division winners are not eligible for age division awards. See below.

Duathlon - The top 3 male and female overall finishers in the Tri, Fit and Challenge Duathlon are recognized for their finish. There are no age division awards for Duathlon.

High School - Athletes must register for the High school triathlon category to be eligible for awards in this category. The Top 3 male and female finishers are eligible for awards commemorating their finish and place. Eligibility for the High School Division for students as June 1st after 8th grade graduation until September 1 after Senior Year. This is a triathlon-only category.

Collegiate - Current undergraduate college and university students. Collegiate athletes must present current student IDs at Packet Pick Up. Collegiate athletes are subdivided by gender. Athletes who register under the collegiate entry category are automatically entered into this category.The Top Three Male and Female finishers are eligible for an award commemorating their finish and place. This is a triathlon-only category.

Paratriathlon - There are six Paratriathlon categories (see below for descriptions) that are eligible for award. The top male and female finisher by time the following categories: PTCH-Wheelchair, PTS2 - Severe Impairment, PTS3 - Significant Impairment, PTS4 - Moderate Impairment, PTS5 - Mild Impairment, and PTVU - Total or Partial Visual Impairment.

Aquabike - Athletes who choose to participate in the Fit and Challenge Aquabike division will complete their respective swim and and bike and then head to the finish line to finish their event.Their time officially stops when then cross the finish line; however, for scoring and results purposes it ends when they enter Transition No. 2. The Top Male and Female finisher in each age group are eligible for award commemorating their finish and place.

Clydesdale/Athena - Generally larger participants may opt-into this division who are participating in the Fit and Challenge distances. These athletes are subdivided by gender, each of whom must meet these minimum weight requirements – Athena: 165 lbs and Clydesdale: 220 lbs. The Top Male and Female finishers are eligible for an award commemorating their finish and place. This is a triathlon-only category.

For the Friends & Family Division - This is a non-award category.

Recreational - Purely participating to challenge themselves to stretch out of their comfort zone and experience a triathlon or duathlon without the pressures of competing. This division is ideal for the first-time participant to the experienced athlete looking to just to have fun. The Top Three Male and Female finishers are eligible for an award commemorating their finish and place. Note: All participants in the Tri Distance triathlon and duathlon are automatically registered in the Recreational Division.There are no age group based awards in the Tri distance.

Relay Teams - Participants have the option to enter varying distances as a relay team, consisting of 3 individuals. Teams may elect which person will complete each specific discipline. Team members share a single timing chip, which is passed from one team member to another in transition. While not all relay teams are competitive by nature, all teams are eligible for competitive awards. Relay teams are subdivided into these groups - Female, Male, and Coed (mixed gender teams). The Top Team finishers in each category are eligible for an award commemorating their finish and place. Each team member will receive an award commemorating the team’s finish.

TBA - Take advantage of Ross Advantage program and have your package delivered. See details during registration process.

What is the expected water temperature in Antrim Lake in July? The water temperature will be in the mid-to-high 70s. Wetsuits will be allowed if the temperature is under 78 degrees. We will take the water temperature the week of the event and post to the Ross TriFit Challenge Facebook event. Final water temperature will be taken and announced on race morning.

Do I have to wear the swim cap provided in my event packet? Yes, all participants will be issued an official race swim cap and it MUST be worn during the entire swim portion of the race. Please note the swim cap is latex. If you have a latex allergy, please contact us at elaineboyd@greenswell.com

Will I be able to do a swim warm-up before I start? No, all triathletes must be in their designated staging area 10 minutes prior to the start of the triathlon. There will be an opportunity prior to the start of the race to acclimate to the water. We will announce on event morning when water entrance is permitted.

How will the swim start? What is a time-trial start? You will be staged by event and by Corral number (alpha character on your race bib) in a designated staging area. You will enter the water with 8-10 other athletes (athletes will enter water in small groups at a time). There are several seconds between groups swim starts. Paratriathlon categories will begin first.

Will I be able to stand up during the swim? No. There may be parts of the lake that are shallower than other parts in which one may be able to touch the bottom; however, please prepare for the swim as if you will NOT be able to touch bottom. You are permitted to swim to the closest shore bank and rest but you are not permitted to get out of the water. You are also permitted to hang on to a lifeguard’s kayak or swim float to rest.

Will there be lifeguards for the swim? Yes. There will be lifeguards and other water safety personnel in the water and along the bank during the swim.

What do I do with my swim and warm-up gear after the swim? All participants will be issued a swim gear bag for your swim warm-up gear and wetsuit. You will be required to place your gear into this bag before leaving transition #1 to start the biking portion of the race. Please be sure your name and number are on the bag and wetsuit. All swim gear bags will then be brought back to transition #2 to be picked up after the race.

Where can I pick up my swim and warm-up gear after the swim? Participants may start picking up their gear bags at 10:00 a.m. at the stadium (transition #2). Please be sure to keep your wristband on until after you pick up your gear bags.

Is the bike course OPEN to traffic? Yes. The Columbus Police Department, along with support from The Ohio State University Police, Worthington Police, Perry Township Police, Sharon Township Police, and Upper Arlington Police, will be in force on race day to shut down certain traffic lanes along the route. Nearly the entire route will be tightly coned, and it is imperative that all participants stay within the coned-off lane. Participants caught riding or passing other participants outside the coned-off lane(s) will be disqualified.

How do I know where to turn on the bike course? There will be directional arrows at ALL turns. Course maps are provided online for your review prior to the race. You are required to know the course.

What if I need to pump up my tires on race morning? There will be tech support on site at transition #1 with several dozen pumps to use on race morning. If your wheels use a special adapter please be sure to bring that with you on race morning.

Are there water stations on the bike course? No. You will need to carry your water or hydration drink on your bike.

Can I ride a recumbent bike or hand-cycle? No. Recumbent bikes or hand-cycles are NOT permitted (exception: Paratriathlon categories - see Paratriathlon rules and categories information section) . Permitted bikes are triathlon, road, mountain, city, hybrid and touring bikes.

Do I need a triathlon bike? No. here are special event options available for Mountain Bike, City or Hybrid, or Bike Share bikes.

Can I wear headphones on the bike? No. It is a safety issue for you and other cyclists.

BIKE RULES: What are biking rules that I must follow?

• A bike helmet must be worn and fastened any time you are on your bike, even riding before the event.
• You must ride at least three bike lengths behind the person in front of you.
• You are not permitted to ride side-by-side with another participant.
• Please ride on the right or inside of the lane. Do not ride in the middle or left side of the bike lane.
• When passing, inform the cyclist you are passing by calling out “LEFT” to let the cyclist know you are passing.
• Once you pass the cyclist, maintain passing speed. Do not slow down.
• If you are being passed, do not speed up. Allow the cyclist to pass. Do NOT RACE.
• Once passed, you must fall back three bike lengths before attempting to pass the bike in front of you.
• When turning, slow down and hold your “line.” Do not swing out in a wide turning arc and disrupt the turning path (or line) of other cyclists.
• Obey all commands of police officers and volunteers.
• Do NOT ask police officers or volunteers for course directions. It is incumbent upon you to know the course.

Where is the first Duathlon Run? The first run for the duathlon will be at Antrim Park. The second run is on the OSU campus and same course at the triathlon.

Do I need two pairs of shoes for the Duathlon? Depends. If you bike in cycling shoes, you will need 2 pairs of running shoes. One for run #1 at Antrim and another pair for run #2.

Are there water and aid stations on the run course? Yes, there will at least 3 aid stations where you can stay hydrated and drink water and another re-hydration drink, There will also be basic first aid at station and medical personnel throughout the course.

Can I wear headphones during the run? Headphones are technically not permitted under USA Triathlon rules.

Do I have to participate in all three events (swim, bike and run)? Although you do not have to participate in all three events of the triathlon, all three events must be completed. This can be accomplished in a team of three individuals where the other individual(s) would complete the remaining events.

Can I change distance during the race? No. All athletes must complete the distance for each event they registered. Any distance changes must be made by the transfer date and can be done online.

Do employees or students of The Ohio State University receive a discount on registration fees? Employees and undergraduate students of Ohio State can register at a discounted rate if they provide their employee or student ID numbers. Employees are eligible for a 15% discount ("osuemployee") and undergraduate students are eligible for a 15% discount ("osucollege").

I picked up my race packet on Saturday but I realized I didn’t receive my timing chip. What should I do? Lost or forgotten timing chips can be picked up before the race starts on Sunday at the deck at Antrim Lake. You will be required to mail the forgotten timing chip to the timer or incur a lost-chip fee.

Where do I park on race morning? Participants must park at Ohio Stadium on Sunday morning. No parking will be permitted at Antrim Park. (OSU Employees are encouraged to park in Tuttle Park Garage with A passes or in the south French Fieldhouse lots with B or C passes). If your family is dropping you off, please have them drop you off at Thomas Worthington High School and take the Olentangy Trail to Antrim Park. (Note: All bikes must be checked in on Saturday). Handicap accessible parking is available at Ohio Stadium and Antrim Park for Paratriathletes.

How do I get to Antrim Park on Sunday? All participants will be shuttled to the start from Ohio Stadium (transition #2) on race morning. No bicycles will be allowed on the buses. Buses will begin leaving at 4:30 a.m. with the last bus leaving Ohio Stadium at 6:00 a.m. NO PARKING will be permitted by participants or family members at Antrim Park. For those doing relays, see relay FAQs below.

My family wants to watch the swim at Antrim Park. Where can they park? Family members watching the swim at Antrim Park should park at Thomas Worthington High School and walk to Antrim Park via the Olentangy Trail.

My family wants to watch the swim then head to Ohio Stadium to see me finish. What route should they take to avoid interfering with the race? They must use the spectator Travel Route Route: 315 South, Exit at Kinnear Rd., Turn Left onto Olentangy River Road, Proceed South, Turn Left onto King Ave., Turn Left onto Cannon Dr., Turn Right onto Medical Center Dr., and park in visitor garages. Walk to Ohio Stadium (North)

Can my family cheer me on along the bike route? No, for the safety of all athletes, we ask that family members travel directly down to the Stadium during the event. Please follow the Spectator Travel Route and park in designated locations. The less traffic on the course, the safer the event will be for all athletes, volunteers, police officers and the community.

Can a friend or family member pick up my race packet? No only you may pick up your race packet, and you must bring a valid ID and your USA Triathlon membership card (if you are a member).

How does a three-person relay work? For a three-person relay, the first teammate will swim, the second will bike and the third will run. When the swim is completed, the first teammate will enter transition where the biking teammate will be stationed at their designated bike rack position. The biking teammate will remove the timing band from the ankle of the swimming teammate and strap it to their ankle BEFORE leaving transition. At transition #2, the running teammate will be waiting at the designated bike rack position where they will follow the same procedure. The timing band must be strapped to their ankle BEFORE leaving transition #2.

I do not want to swim; can I participate in the triathlon? Yes, you may team up with two of your friends or family members and participate on a three-person relay team (one swimmer, one biker and one runner). All relay members must be at their designated locations prior to the race.

How does the swimming member of a three-person relay get to Ohio Stadium after their swim? There are several options: Take the shuttle bus after the swim down to OSU Stadium, or the swimming teammate can park at Thomas Worthington High School and follow Spectator/Family Travel route to Ohio Stadium.

Do I have to rack my bike on Saturday? Yes, all bikes must be checked in at Antrim Park transition #1 on Saturday during the designated times. Overnight security has been contracted to protect the transition. You will have the opportunity on Sunday before the race to re-enter transition to check your tire pressure and perform other pre-race inspections. No bikes may be removed from transition once racked.

Where do I rack my bike in transition? You will rack your bike seat first at the bike rack position that corresponds to your bib number. For example, if your bib number is 756, you will rack your bike at bike rack position #756.

Will there be bike technical support on Saturday and before the race on Sunday? Yes, there will be bike technical support in transition to assist you with any mechanical needs, including pumping tires. If you have special wheels requiring a special adapter, please bring the adapter with you on Sunday. We encourage you to have your bike inspected and properly tuned at your local bike shop prior to Saturday.

How do I get my running gear into Ohio Stadium and transition #2? Participants may set up their bike-to-run transition prior to boarding the bus on Sunday morning. You will be able to enter Ohio Stadium and set up your bike-to-run transition. It is important, if you decide to drop off your bike-to-run transition items on Sunday morning,that you arrive early enough to set up and make the bus to Antrim Park. No one will be allowed in transition #2 without an official race wristband—security will be provided.

Where do I rack my bike and get my running shoes in transition #2? You will rack your bike seat first at the bike rack position that corresponds to your bib number. This will also be the location where you will set up your running shoes and equipment the morning of the race. Again, if your bib number is 756, you will rack your bike at bike rack position 756 in transition #2 just as you did in transition #1.

Swim

Will Paratriathletes start in their own wave? Yes, Paratriathletes will start in the first wave and 8-10 min head start before the start of the Age Group and other race categories waves. Any special equipment for the swim should be staged at the swim start.

What start mechanism do the Paratriathletes use? According to the USAT rules, Paratriathlon events MUST have an in-water start.

Will there be water exit handlers? If athletes do not have their own designated water exit handlers, we will assign a handler to do this task at the water exit. For visually impaired athletes (PTVI) no handler will be assigned as your guide can assist, all other categories (PTHC, PTS2-PTS5) are allowed one, accordingly to USAT rules.

Transition

What surface will be transition? The surface of transition will be grass or turf.

What is the surface and distance from swim exit to Transition No. 1? The pathway is paved from the swim exit to transition. The distance from swim exit to transition is approximately 300 meters.

Will there be a separate transition? Yes, there will be a designated transition area within the main transition area.

Bike

Does the bike course have sharp turns or a significant ascents or descents? There are no sharp turns or curves on the course. There is one ascent about 4 miles on the course, approximately Grade 5-6 and 3/4 mile in length.

Does the bike course has a curb to go over between transition and the mount/dismount line? No.

Is the bike course be open to car-traffic? Yes, but we have a designated travel lane for the bike course and all major intersections are managed by local law enforcement. For safety and visibility, we ask that you bring a flag to mount on bike equipment.

Run

What surface is the run course?
The run course is paved and mostly on trail and sidewalk. The majority of the sidewalk is wide enough to accommodate 2 racing wheelchairs side by side going the same direction.

Event Categories

What are the different Paratriathlon Categories?

- PTHC - Wheelchair users. Includes athletes with comparable activity limitation and an impairment of, but not limited to: muscle power, limb deficiency, hypertonia, ataxia, athetosis that prevent the ability to safely ride a conventional bike and run. Through classification assessment, athletes must have a score of up to 640,0 points. Athletes must use a recumbent handcycle on the bike course and a racing wheelchair on the run segment;

- PTS2 –Severe Impairment. In both bike and run segments, amputee athletes may use approved prosthesis or other supportive devices.

- PTS3 – Significant Impairment. In both bike and run segments, amputee athletes may use approved prosthesis or other supportive devices.

- PTS4 Moderate Impairment. In both bike and run segments, the athlete may use approved prosthesis or other supportive devices.

- PTS5 – Mild Impairment. In both bike and run segments, the athlete may use approved prosthesis or other supportive devices.

- PTVI- Total or Partial Visual Impairment (IBSA/IPC defined sub-classes B1, B2, and B3): Includes athletes who are totally blind, from no light perception in either eye, to some light perception but unable to recognize the shape of a hand at any distance or in any direction (B1) and partially sighted athletes with a visual acuity of less than 6/60 vision or visual field less than 20 degrees with best corrective vision (B2-B3). One guide is mandatory throughout the race. Must ride a tandem during the bike segment

IMPORTANT -You will be required to acknowledge the policy guidelines during registration.

REFUNDS

1. There are no refunds if the event is cancelled, postponed, rescheduled, or latered, due to events outside our control (weather, water conditions, road construction, police directive, etc).
2. There are no refunds for job transfers, relocation, job travel, pregnancy, or medical condition or injury.
3. Any refund request will be referred to this policy.

BIB or RACE ENTRY TRANSFERS

1. Race entries and/or Race Bibs can be transferred to another individual up to July 15. No transfers will be permitted after July 14.
2. The individual transferring ("Transferer") must initiate the transfer. This is performed by you (you do not need to contact the race organizer) through the registration system. There is a button located on the main event registration page that initiates the process. Follow the procedures from there. You will need to indicate the individual's email address receiving the transfer.
3. The individual receiving the race entry or bib ("Transferee") will receive a transfer email and must then within 3 days register themselves online.
4. The transferee be required to pay the current event entry fee less credit for transferer’s entry fee paid.
5. Additionally, all transfers are subject to an additional administrative fee of $15, plus any applicable online registration service fees.

Note: If it is your original intent to Gift someone a registration, please use the Gift Registration feature when you initially register.

DISTANCE TRANSFERS

1. You are permitted to transfer up or down in distance (example: move from Challenge to the FIT Sprint distance) through July 14.
2. If you wish to transfer to another distance you must initiate the transfer. Again, this is performed by (you do not need to contact the race organizer) through the registration system. There is transfer button located on main event page.
3. Any distance transfers "up" to a longer distance will be required to pay the difference between the entry fee paid and the current entry fee for the longer distance selected. There is no refund or credit for transfers "down" in distance.
4. Any distance transfers are subject to an additional administrative fee of $15.00, plus any applicable online registration service fees.

DEFERRAL POLICY

1. There are no injury deferrals for this event. You are able to Transfer your entry or transfer "down" in distance per the guidelines listed above. There are no refunds.
2. There are no deferrals for this event.