Important Information for Athletes
Registered athletes: Read our Athlete Information Guide, which contains important details about race day, schedules, and more.
If your question still isn’t answered there or in the information below, email ryan@steamdonkeyracing.com by September 4, 2024. Questions sent after September 4 will not be answered — you’ll have to ask your questions at package pick-up on September 7.
The following information is both for your safety and to help ensure you have a fantastic race day at Frontrunners Fit Chiropractic Dodge City X.
When you register, you will receive important new information as it’s available via email, so make sure to add ryan@steamdonkeyracing.com to your contact list.
First Things First
Smoking is not allowed anywhere on the race course or in the trail network, and dogs are not allowed in Village Park (Race Central) other than in the designated off-leash area near the skate park and pump track.
Package Pick-Up
Package pick-up for all athletes will be on Saturday, September 7 from 3-6 pm in Cumberland. For out-of-town athletes unable to make package pick-up, pick-up will be available on race morning from 6:30-8:30 am at the registration table at Race Central (Village Park, Cumberland) on race morning. PLEASE, IF AT ALL POSSIBLE, PICK UP YOUR RACE PACKAGE THE DAY BEFORE THE RACE.
Governing Rules
Frontrunners Fit Chiropractic Dodge City X is sanctioned by, and follows the governing rules of, Triathlon BC. It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with these rules. Click here for details.
Race Morning
Transition and body marking open at 6:30 am at Village Park in Cumberland (Race Central / T2). That will be your first stop on race morning. You must receive body marking at the registration table, and have your bike sticker applied to your seat tube and your bag sticker applied to your transition bag (to be provided) before you will be allowed to enter T2. Once you’ve set up your T2, you can proceed to Cumberland Lake Campground to set up your T1 and prepare for the start of the race. For maps, see the Getting Here page.
The first swim wave starts at 9:00 am.
Parking Info
Some parking is available at Comox Lake (race start / T1), but it will be limited; we encourage athletes to bike to the start from Village Park. Limited parking for Race Central (Village Park) is available at the Village Park parking lot (near the Coal Hills BMX track), and additional parking can be found on the streets of Cumberland.
General Race Info
Approximately one kilometre of the Dodge City Cycles Bike Course is on a paved road that is open to vehicle traffic. Marshals will be in place, but please bike safely. It is your responsibility to bike safely and in accordance with the rules of the road.
Some of the trails on the Dodge City Cycles Bike Course, particularly The Pig, have raised woodwork features built alongside them. Stay off of these features. This does not include the wooden bridges that are required to be crossed; you’ll know the difference. Triathlon BC officials will be out on the course. Please also be aware of the jumps on New Vanilla, all of which can be rolled over at lower speeds. Ride in control.
Course maps will be posted to our Standard Course or Sprint Course page at least three weeks prior to race day.
Littering is not allowed anywhere on the course or in Race Central other than at designated drop zones around aid stations. Racers caught littering may be penalized or disqualified.
This race is draft-legal, but be smart about it.
Helmet Info
As per Triathlon BC and ITU rules, you must wear your helmet, and it must be done up at all times that you’re in possession of your bike. This includes walking/running your bike into and out of the BodyNetix Transition Areas.
Mount & Dismount Lines
As our race attracts many seasoned trail athletes but first-time triathletes, we want to stress one important rule: When exiting BodyNetix T1 with your bike, you are not allowed to mount your bike until after you cross the mount line that will be clearly marked and monitored by a Triathlon BC official. At the end of the bike course as you near BodyNetix T2, you likewise must have at least one foot on the ground before you cross the clearly marked dismount line.
Aid Stations
Swim: There are no aid stations on the Dynamic Spine, Sport & Wellness Swim Course, although there may be water available upon your exit from the lake. We recommend you leave anything you require after the swim with your bike in BodyNetix T1.
Bike: There will be a small aid station with water available approximately 7.5 km. into the Dodge City Cycles Bike Course. You will be required to stop and dismount to access this aid station.
Run: There will be one aid station on the Thomas Dargie Standard Run Course that all runners will pass about 500m into the run and then again at approximately the 5k mark (right near the end of the sprint course and about halfway through the Standard course).
Dynamic Spine, Sport & Wellness Swim Course
The Dynamic Spine, Sport & Wellness swim course will feature a wet start out past the log booms, followed by a roughly rectangular course before heading back inside the booms for the home stretch. Standard/Relay athletes will complete one long lap and Sprinters will complete one shorter lap.
Lifeguards and volunteers in kayaks/SUPs will be out on the water during the Dynamic Spine, Sport & Wellness Swim Course. If you need a break during the swim, you are allowed to rest on a board/kayak as long as you do not use it to propel yourself forward.
Wetsuits & Skin Suits
Whether wetsuits are allowed or not is determined by the water and air temperature on race day. We used to say that wetsuits are almost guaranteed to be allowed, with a slight chance of them being mandatory, but with climate change all bets are off. All DCX swims to date have been wetsuit optional (but recommended).
If you wish to swim in a skin suit, you may do so only if you wear the skin suit for the reminder of the race, as per Triathlon BC rules. For more information about what you can and can not wear during the swim, please refer to section 4.10 of the Provincial Triathlon Competition Rules, also referenced above.
Cut-Off Times
There is a cut-off time of 3:15 (3 hours and 15 minutes) for Standard & Relay athletes to reach BodyNetix T2. Runners will not be permitted to start the run after that time.
Cut-off times for the swim are as dictated by the International Triathlon Union (ITU). There will be a cut-off time of 1:10 (one hour and 10 minutes) for the standard swim and 30 minutes for the sprint swim. Anyone still in the water after this time will be assisted as needed and will not be allowed to continue the race.
Dodge City X FAQs
Here are a list of some questions you may have. But if you do not find an answer to your questions, please feel free to contact us anytime.
A: It’s tough. That said, we’ve chosen it carefully to be challenging without presenting any undue safety hazards. What makes it tough is primarily the technical terrain. There are no drops, gaps or long, steep descents – but lots of gnarly roots and grunty climbs to keep you occupied. There are also a few small jumps on the course, all of which can be ridden around. As long as you’re not a complete beginner mountain biker you should really enjoy this race! And if you’re used to Cumberland riding, it’ll just be another sweet ride!
The Dodge City Cycles Bike Course is primarily singletrack, with some logging road and “quad tracks” in between. Most of the trails used in the race are rated blue squares (intermediate). Course maps will be available on our Standard Course or Sprint Course page at least three weeks ahead of race day. We highly recommend that you pre-ride the Dodge City Cycles Bike Course to familiarize yourself with the trails.
A: Only mountain bikes with wheel sizes 26, 27.5 or 29 are allowed, and tires must be 1.5″ wide or wider, although “fat bikes” are not allowed. Cyclecross, road or any other bikes are likewise NOT allowed. Clipless and flat pedals are both allowed, but pedals with toe cages are not. Both front AND rear brakes must be in good working order, and handlebars must have plugs on the ends (i.e. no hollow tubes at the end of your handlebars). It is your responsibility to ensure your bike is in good working order. For more information about what is allowed and not allowed on your bike, please refer to section 5.2 of the Provincial Triathlon Competition Rules, also referenced above.
A: Part of your transition at BodyNetix T1 will include putting all of your items into your race bag, which will be marked with your race number. Once all athletes have cleared T1, race volunteers will transport all bags to the registration tent at Race Central (Village Park), where they will be available for pick-up.
A: Unfortunately, we are not able to offer any refunds or transfers of registrations, although our third-party registration provider does offer refund protection that you can purchase at the time of registration. We are also happy to defer your registration to next year if requested before the end of August.
As participants of our inaugural year in 2018 saw, the race will go on in some truly nasty conditions. That said, our event is sanctioned by Triathlon BC and follows standard protocols for ITU racing. Onsite TriBC officials, along with the Race Director, will determine if weather, air quality or other conditions may adversely impact the safety of the event and make appropriate changes if necessary.
A note about fire risk: Much of our course traverses working forests that are privately owned. The landowners have been very generous with access and have great relationships with UROC and our organizing committee, but at the end of the day they determine whether access will be allowed in the case of extreme fire risk conditions, and they retain the right to revoke access at any time.
Please Note: Frontrunners Fit Chiropractic Dodge City X features a technical mountain bike course that’s not ideal for beginner mountain bikers.
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