Weather Contingency Plan – Waunakee 2017

by | May 18, 2017 | Uncategorized

Be prepared for a wet day, and know that we’re working hard to make this the best experience we can.

Dear Participating families,

We know you’ve been watching the weather all week, just like us.  So, you’ve likely seen that there is a significant chance for scattered thunderstorms, and certain chance of rain in some form on Saturday morning.  Our top priority is keeping your children (and ours…who are also racing!) safe.  With that, we feel it’s best for all parties included to be prepared and set realistic expectations in advance, while communicating with you all so you can prepare as best as you can.

With that in mind, here is our strategy for Saturday’s race:

  • Unless you see anything on our website or social media, the race will take place as scheduled.
  • If it is raining (other than a torrential downpour), we will race as scheduled.
  • At any time, in the event of lightning in the area, we will delay until 30 minutes after the last lightning strike within 10 miles.  We have worked with the Waunakee Aquatic Center to allow folks to wait inside the Field House (our swim staging area) as a safety precaution.  These are rules set by the pool, and we follow them in accordance with the National Lightning Safety Board and NOAA regulations as well.
  • If we cannot start the race by 10:00am, we will cut the swim portion of the event and do a bike/run.

Please know that we are monitoring this situation carefully, and in all likelihood, we will be able to do the entire triathlon, but with a potential delay.  With three separate courses, it might also mean that one group is allowed to do theirs, while another distance might be delayed.

We ask for your patience and flexibility, and your courtesy and kindness with our volunteers.  We also ask for you to help us by preparing your children for a wet race.  Bring an extra set of dry clothes, umbrellas, shoes, rain gear, and a few snacks or activities in the event of a delay.  Encourage them to bike a bit slower with the wet road conditions.

One important thing to note is that weather can be very different in different areas of the city – it could be pouring down rain in Oregon and completely fine in Waunakee.  We ask you to confirm with us via social media (Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram) or our website for weather updates, as we will be on site starting at 5:30am.

In closing, I’ve included a few photos of our very first race in 2011.  While we delayed for nearly an hour due to thunderstorms, everyone stayed and was able to complete the race (and within 30 minutes of the scheduled end time).

Thanks for your patience, flexibility, and support!

Sincerely,

the Tri 4 Schools race team