If i wasn’t able to get to my race for check in day… how would one check in… this is all hypothetical of course.
If i wasn’t able to get to my race for check in day… how would one check in… this is all hypothetical of course.
If I recall correctly, they were checking drivers license or photo ID at the last 2 races I did. You can check in for several days beforehand, just not the day before the race typically. If there are truly exceptional circumstances, email the race director and see if you can get an exemption. But generally speaking, you are expected to manage your travel such that you can check in on time.
Tried that… they were not feelin it.
If i wasn’t able to get to my race for check in day… how would one check in… this is all hypothetical of course.
If I recall correctly, they were checking drivers license or photo ID at the last 2 races I did. You can check in for several days beforehand, just not the day before the race typically.** If there are truly exceptional circumstances, email the race director and see if you can get an exemption.** But generally speaking, you are expected to manage your travel such that you can check in on time.
I’ve done that twice in the past and both of the race directors were accommodating in organising a way around my absence.
They were both exceptional circumstances though. For one I was going to a Tool concert. For the other, I was still running an ultra the night prior to the 70.3.
You just need a reason more important than a dying relative.
If i wasn’t able to get to my race for check in day… how would one check in… this is all hypothetical of course.
If it is a European race the only ID they will accept is an Identity Card or a Passport.
2 approaches I guess. Choice of method is yours
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Your friend pretends he is you. If you can give your friend your ID, unless he looks nothing like you, there is 0 chance the volunteer at check-in will notice or pay attention. Just try to send him at a time when check-in is busy. Ideally he’ll need to check-in your bike as well. The real concern is to transfer the race bracelet the volunteer fixes to your friend’s wrist at check-in to yours before the race. You need the bracelet to race. There are different kinds of bracelets, some of them are harder to work around than others (the paper ones with glue are ok, the plastic one a real challenge but google will help you with that “how to remove a festival wristband”). in any case, your friend should ask to have it very loose
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your friend explains the situation to the volunteer at check-in and hopes that he lets him check-in instead of you and gives him the race pack. Rate of success highly depends on the volunteer and the general culture in the country. I assume higher rate of sucess in Southern Europe than in the US. That’s a cliche obviously, athough it happened to me and worked
Good luck with that anyway
Some people here may consider that cheating, I don’t think it is, but that’s probably another debate
If i wasn’t able to get to my race for check in day… how would one check in… this is all hypothetical of course.
If I recall correctly, they were checking drivers license or photo ID at the last 2 races I did. You can check in for several days beforehand, just not the day before the race typically.** If there are truly exceptional circumstances, email the race director and see if you can get an exemption.** But generally speaking, you are expected to manage your travel such that you can check in on time.
I’ve done that twice in the past and both of the race directors were accommodating in organising a way around my absence.
They were both exceptional circumstances though. For one I was going to a Tool concert. For the other, I was still running an ultra the night prior to the 70.3.
You just need a reason more important than a dying relative.
To each their own, but those are two extremely questionable choices.
Honesty aside, at Ironman events you get a wristband snapped onto your wrist. If your accomplice aka friend checks in for you, they will have the wristband on their wrist not you. If you can’t play by the rules, you can’t/shouldn’t play.
If i wasn’t able to get to my race for check in day… how would one check in… this is all hypothetical of course.
If I recall correctly, they were checking drivers license or photo ID at the last 2 races I did. You can check in for several days beforehand, just not the day before the race typically.** If there are truly exceptional circumstances, email the race director and see if you can get an exemption.** But generally speaking, you are expected to manage your travel such that you can check in on time.
I’ve done that twice in the past and both of the race directors were accommodating in organising a way around my absence.
They were both exceptional circumstances though. For one I was going to a Tool concert. For the other, I was still running an ultra the night prior to the 70.3.
You just need a reason more important than a dying relative.
To each their own, but those are two extremely questionable choices.
I can’t imagine how exciting your life is when simply going to a concert is extremely questionable. 
Some people really do take this sport so seriously.
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To each their own, but those are two extremely questionable choices.
I can’t imagine how exciting your life is when simply going to a concert is extremely questionable.
Some people really do take this sport so seriously.
Maybe he’s just questioning your musical taste.
Having a friend pretend to be you puts both of you at risk of being barred from IM races. And really, what kind of friend would put a buddy in position of lying for you?
I’ve never had to use it, but every IM race athlete guide has an emergency phone number to contact race officials to ask for some sort of different arrangement. Flights get canceled, life happens.
I don’t know how often those requests are granted or denied, but taking a more truthful path will, at minimum, preserve your friendship.
If i wasn’t able to get to my race for check in day… how would one check in… this is all hypothetical of course.
If I recall correctly, they were checking drivers license or photo ID at the last 2 races I did. You can check in for several days beforehand, just not the day before the race typically.** If there are truly exceptional circumstances, email the race director and see if you can get an exemption.** But generally speaking, you are expected to manage your travel such that you can check in on time.
I’ve done that twice in the past and both of the race directors were accommodating in organising a way around my absence.
They were both exceptional circumstances though. For one I was going to a Tool concert. For the other, I was still running an ultra the night prior to the 70.3.
You just need a reason more important than a dying relative.
To each their own, but those are two extremely questionable choices.
I can’t imagine how exciting your life is when simply going to a concert is extremely questionable.
Some people really do take this sport so seriously.
This one time at band camp . . .
How freaking hard would it be on the registration to add just below the emergency contact name/number include an “alternate check-in”?
I feel like some events/people/organizations just act all crotchety about something when there’s an obvious and FREE solution. Shoot, they could even choose to PROFIT from it by calling it “concierge checkin” and charging you an extra $25 for it to be someone else at check-in like a coach, family member, or whoever you choose.
I realize for these events check-in the day prior is key so you don’t have a boatload of day-of check-ins and people missing the race. Totally. But the solution is a freaking blank space on an existing form. Check THAT person’s ID and check it in. Easy.
The equivalent is you can buy shit from places for your professional line of work and designate who will pick it up. As it’s almost NEVER the same person who does purchases versus who does pickups or accepts deliveries. You can ship shit from Amazon to other addresses. You can ship stuff “care of”. Expensive stuff. Can you imagine if your spouse’s vehicle needed tires and you called and paid ahead but they show up and they won’t service the vehicle because it isn’t exactly you? Or assistants picking up executive’s dry cleaning?
Every time this topic comes up I have to eye roll a little bit at the organization for not figuring something out the rest of the world has had down since, well, forever.
How freaking hard would it be on the registration to add just below the emergency contact name/number include an “alternate check-in”?
I feel like some events/people/organizations just act all crotchety about something when there’s an obvious and FREE solution. Shoot, they could even choose to PROFIT from it by calling it “concierge checkin” and charging you an extra $25 for it to be someone else at check-in like a coach, family member, or whoever you choose.
I realize for these events check-in the day prior is key so you don’t have a boatload of day-of check-ins and people missing the race. Totally. But the solution is a freaking blank space on an existing form. Check THAT person’s ID and check it in. Easy.
The equivalent is you can buy shit from places for your professional line of work and designate who will pick it up. As it’s almost NEVER the same person who does purchases versus who does pickups or accepts deliveries. You can ship shit from Amazon to other addresses. You can ship stuff “care of”. Expensive stuff. Can you imagine if your spouse’s vehicle needed tires and you called and paid ahead but they show up and they won’t service the vehicle because it isn’t exactly you? Or assistants picking up executive’s dry cleaning?
Every time this topic comes up I have to eye roll a little bit at the organization for not figuring something out the rest of the world has had down since, well, forever.
Im guessing part of it is forcing people to stay multiple days which means another night in the hotel, more meals in restaurants, etc. This likely also makes the hassle of shutting down roads on raceday more attractive to a town hosting an event if you get racers coming in for many days rather than just for race day or one night before the race.
How freaking hard would it be on the registration to add just below the emergency contact name/number include an “alternate check-in”?
I feel like some events/people/organizations just act all crotchety about something when there’s an obvious and FREE solution. Shoot, they could even choose to PROFIT from it by calling it “concierge checkin” and charging you an extra $25 for it to be someone else at check-in like a coach, family member, or whoever you choose.
I realize for these events check-in the day prior is key so you don’t have a boatload of day-of check-ins and people missing the race. Totally. But the solution is a freaking blank space on an existing form. Check THAT person’s ID and check it in. Easy.
The equivalent is you can buy shit from places for your professional line of work and designate who will pick it up. As it’s almost NEVER the same person who does purchases versus who does pickups or accepts deliveries. You can ship shit from Amazon to other addresses. You can ship stuff “care of”. Expensive stuff. Can you imagine if your spouse’s vehicle needed tires and you called and paid ahead but they show up and they won’t service the vehicle because it isn’t exactly you? Or assistants picking up executive’s dry cleaning?
Every time this topic comes up I have to eye roll a little bit at the organization for not figuring something out the rest of the world has had down since, well, forever.
They do this to try to prevent people from racing under another person’s bib number. If they didn’t, type-A, cheating triathletes would have their friends racing for them so that they could qualify for worlds. Almost every marathon does the same thing, for the same reason.
I know IM Maryland has a bib mailing option (or the have had in the past). A marathon I planned to participate in this month also had a bib mailing option. I used that option knowing I would have to work the day before the race and didn’t want to have to rush after work to get to the expo and all.
Definitely think there is a way to offer something like this for most races
How freaking hard would it be on the registration to add just below the emergency contact name/number include an “alternate check-in”?
I feel like some events/people/organizations just act all crotchety about something when there’s an obvious and FREE solution. Shoot, they could even choose to PROFIT from it by calling it “concierge checkin” and charging you an extra $25 for it to be someone else at check-in like a coach, family member, or whoever you choose.
I realize for these events check-in the day prior is key so you don’t have a boatload of day-of check-ins and people missing the race. Totally. But the solution is a freaking blank space on an existing form. Check THAT person’s ID and check it in. Easy.
The equivalent is you can buy shit from places for your professional line of work and designate who will pick it up. As it’s almost NEVER the same person who does purchases versus who does pickups or accepts deliveries. You can ship shit from Amazon to other addresses. You can ship stuff “care of”. Expensive stuff. Can you imagine if your spouse’s vehicle needed tires and you called and paid ahead but they show up and they won’t service the vehicle because it isn’t exactly you? Or assistants picking up executive’s dry cleaning?
Every time this topic comes up I have to eye roll a little bit at the organization for not figuring something out the rest of the world has had down since, well, forever.
They do this to try to prevent people from racing under another person’s bib number. If they didn’t, type-A, cheating triathletes would have their friends racing for them so that they could qualify for worlds. Almost every marathon does the same thing, for the same reason.
Couldn’t that person just get their bib and hand it over to their speedy friend or am I missing something
How freaking hard would it be on the registration to add just below the emergency contact name/number include an “alternate check-in”?
I feel like some events/people/organizations just act all crotchety about something when there’s an obvious and FREE solution. Shoot, they could even choose to PROFIT from it by calling it “concierge checkin” and charging you an extra $25 for it to be someone else at check-in like a coach, family member, or whoever you choose.
I think one of the main reasons this in person requirement is still so prevalent is they promise the expo vendors foot traffic. I just did the RnR Half and I was amazed how many people were buying all kinds if junk. I just wanted to get out of there as fast as possible.
Tried that… they were not feelin it.
You screwed yourself because your best option was just to e-mail them on check-in day claiming some kind of travel catastrophe that made it impossible to make it.
Can we rewind to why the checkin is earlier.
First up there’s an unbelievable amount of stuff that needs to be done ahead of race day. Trust me until you’ve crewed for an ironman you have no idea (eg one and a bit days spent pouring bottles of coke into buckets to flatten it ahead of it being packed into the vans to go out on course). So registration is ahead of the day before race day in part so volunteers can be diverted to do bike checkin, etc. So this is a good part of why it’s 3/2 days pre race.
Next there’s the fact that the race briefings are there so everyone gets a safe fair race. Course updates, aid station order, etc. Even if you’ve done the race for a decade you need to go (indeed in part if you’ve been doing same race you really need to go or else you’ll autopilot the old route without knowing they’ve added a detour this year…
Aid station bags, wave starts etc tend to get tweaked late and with the greatest of respect to us all, come raceday when we get our raceface on we can lose our shit in an epic way if something isn’t quite as we expect. Over the 20 years I’ve been racing, crewing and reffing then some of the toddler style meltdowns have been beyond belief. So that’s another reason the race week timings for the big races (distance and participant numbers) are as they are.
Now the first bit can be covered by your mate picking up the pack. The second less so. That’s why they do have a process for those with genuine unforseen issues. Not just a late pickup, but a check through of the safety processes, and normally personal run through what was covered on the briefing.
Now if you don’t want to make a huge week long song and dance out of an Ironman, don’t. Do one of the many low key races that have raceday of day before registration and drop off. But signing up to a race where the requirements to register 2 days prior is very clear, and then either ignoring that or choosing to do something else is disrespectful to the volunteers and other athletes.
So if you can’t register then don’t race. It’s all good, no-one is going to mind too much if you’re not there and are away doing something more important.