so im doing the olympic quassy this weekend and the weather forecast is predicting thunderstorms for the morning. what usually happens during a triathlon if it starts thunderstorming. i know about the 30 min rule with the water, but what about the bike and run? also, is it safe to say that the swim will be cancelled?
This is usually discussed in the context of the RDs event cancellation policy on the webite/registration form.
Usually the start is delayed up to an hour or so, if the rumbling doesn’t stop then the race starts with some type of run into the transition area, followed by bike and run as usual.
If it is lightning outside that may be grounds for cancellation outright.
Had an experience with a thunderstorm at a triathlon last June (Breezy Point Tri) at Norfolk Naval Base here in Virginia. Thunder was in the distance about 20 minutes before race start, postponed the race about 30 minutes. Began raining and continued to thunder. Swim was announced to be canceled therefor a duathlon was going to be the race setup with a 1 mile run, normal bike course, then 5k. Lightning struck so that postponed the race longer. Announced that the bike would be now be canceled so we were looking at just having an open 5k. Rain continued…everything was canceled except for the post race food tent.
That is normally how postpones and cancels work in that order.
**Edit ** No refund per race registration contract but we did get a discount for a future race ($10 dollars off maybe?).
Did Chicago years ago and the start was just delayed until things blew by. Muncie Endurathon half in 2008 the race director pretty much told us that storms were on the way and we were on our own, and that course had pretty much no where to seek shelter. The storms moved in a bit quicker then predicted and they were pulling some of the later waves out of the water due to the lightening. Never rode in such a nasty storm as that and hope it never happens again. There were points that I thought my contacts would wash out of my eyes from the downpours and the small hail was a nice added touch. Not sure what there policy is now but remember seeing an updated weather policy on there site before it went IM brand and pretty certain they would’ve delayed, shortened or modified things. They didn’t realize how bad it was going to get.
Kansas 70.3 pulled folks off the run course if I recall correctly in there first or second year due to storms.
If they cancel your swim no telling what they will do. Steelhead 70.3 added another run in place of the swim in 2008, in 2011 they did a time trial start for the bike when the swims were canceled due to wind and waves in Lake Michigan.
Last Saturday I was in a Olympic race. The thunder storms were supposed to hold off until the afternoon. On the first of two loops on the run course I heard some thunder. I was expecting that when I finsihed the first loop they would stop me and say the rest of the event was being cancelled. But, no one stopped me at the turn, and the race kept going.
Ultimately there were only about 2-3 Lightning strikes, though.
Mooseman two years ago had a terrible storm roll through right on top of us when we were setting up in transition. Made the fact that we all had to park at least a mile away really extra awesome. They wound up starting us about 90 minutes late and turning it into a shortened bike and then the usual run. At that point it had more to do with timing and road permits because once we started the sun came out and it was beautiful.
Last year at Florida 70.3 it was storming when we were prepping in transition as well but they assured us after only a slight delay they would move along as scheduled, and they did. Usually they are paying attention and looking at weather radars and they have some idea whether or not a storm is going to stick around for a while or be gone quick. I don’t know if there is standard procedure as far as how far away lightning has to be before they will let you in the water but I would guess they are going to be pretty careful about that.
I am sure that a race management organization, as good as the Rev3 folks will have a policy and a procedure in place to deal with this sort of thing. Make sure to pay attention to ALL pre-race communication. If there is a pre-race meeting of any kind, MAKE SURE that you are there for that.
Generally speaking if there is active electrical activity within a certain distance and time of the swim, the swim may be delayed. I say “may” because, my sense is that race organizations are having less and less wiggle room these days in terms of delaying the start and indeed the whole race longer, due to time restrictions with road closure permits and contracts, with key support and safety people such as Police etc . . Years ago there seemed to be more flexibility in this regard - but these days it is what it is. Smart race management people know this and will have a plan to deal with these sorts of things. That’s why it’s important to pay attention to all pre-race communication.
In longer races, both in distance and time, you can be more subject to the variability of the weather, over time and distance. I’ve started races in the past, with a swim in brilliant, cloudless, sunshine and calm conditions, but had to deal with violent down-pours and winds on the bike or run that came on all-of-a-sudden. This is why it’s important to be ready for anything while you are out there - both physically and mentally. We compete in an outside and outdoor sport, and the weather is what the weather is . . . we can’t control it!
I remember that storm at the '08 Endurathon…I’d have to say it was a good one.
I rode a trispoke that day and got blown around quite a bit 
jaretj
so im doing the olympic quassy this weekend and the weather forecast is predicting thunderstorms for the morning. what usually happens during a triathlon if it starts thunderstorming. i know about the 30 min rule with the water, but what about the bike and run? also, is it safe to say that the swim will be cancelled?
Think positively. It’s Connecticut. Thunderstorms in the morning are rare. If they do occur, just hope they come in and get out quick.
So Fleck touches on a point that I was curious about…what do they do if the swim is already underway, you have hundreds / thousands of people in the water and lightning rolls into the area?
Was doing my first OWS of the season the other day…it rained a bit during the swim, but we did not hear any thunder, etc. As we were getting out (and I was pondering going back for a few more meters), we heard thunder and saw a flash of lightning. “OK, I’m good!!”
Next question - how big of an area does a lightning strike “electrify” if it hits OW? I mean, it is not like you see hundreds of dead, electrified fish floating in lakes after thunderstorms. Not that I am ever gonna swim in lightning / thunderstorms…just curious.
I did a little local modified sprint a couple of years ago where we started seeing some lightning in the distance about the time the swim started. I was in the last wave, and by the time my wave started, it was getting a little closer than I would like. I figured they had someone watching, though, so I went ahead and swam. Sometime during my swim they called the race. Not exactly sure when, I just know when I got out of the water a volunteer grabbed me. I was a little miffed about it. Then, about the time I got to my car, the skies opened up and it POURED for about 15 or 20 minutes. At that point, I was pretty glad I wasn’t out on the bike course.
I’ve done a race where a storm cancelled the event just about the time I hit the bike turnaround. A volunteer told us there. Transition was flooding, it was pouring buckets and there was thunder and lightening. There was no way for the RD to have known this storm would pop up. Triathlon is, after all, an outdoor event. RD’s don’t have crystal balls or control weather (I wish we did).
The general policy, especially around here where storms popup quickly, unforeseen and frequently, is not make any call until race day start time, no matter what the forecast says (unless it’s a hurricane).
We had a local race 3 weeks ago that was predicted to have 85% thunderstorms all day the day of the event. Many people did not drive in for it. It turned out to be partly cloudy blue skies - perfect race conditions. Everywhere else around us got rain all day. Go figure.
As I type this, my husband is sheltering from a storm in the marsh in his kayak as the forecast jumped from 10% chance of rain to 85% chance of rain…after he was already on the water. Part of the gig…
I’ve done delays of an hour or so, and then all systems go.
I’ve done it where one or two waves get a swim in, and are out on the bike course when they cancel the swim for the rest or delay their starts (<—scariest “I might die” moment on a race course came that day when lightning hit a pole right across the ditch in the field near me when I was out on the bike. The guy riding by me and I both screamed like girls and about shat ourselves.).
I’ve done races where they cancel everyone’s swim, and just do a (barefoot through the sand) run from the swim start to T1 and then head out for the bike and run.
I’ve done a version of that previous scenario where half of the racers are already out on the run, and they cancel the race for everyone still coming in off the bike.
Basically, it depends. So bring some garbage bags to keep whatever dry if you can, and be prepared for anything.
So Fleck touches on a point that I was curious about…what do they do if the swim is already underway, you have hundreds / thousands of people in the water and lightning rolls into the area?
*This is what you don’t want to happen. *Good RD’s use a combination of resources - local knowledge of local weather patterns, weather radar (now available on most smartphones so at your finger-tips), experience from past events and weather instances, and being able to make a gut call on it.
I was working as the Race Announcer at a race on the weekend at Ontario. “Chance of Showers early in the morning” was forecast. Sure enough at 8:00am an hour before the race start, a few sprinkles started to come down and it started to get a bit more steady over a 10 minute time frame. I said over the PA that we would check the local weather radar and report back. In 5 min,. the RD was back to me with a report that the showers were passing through. There was no reported electrical activity, and that the showers would be done by 9:00am. It all turned out well as the sun came back out, by about 8:45 just in time for people to assemble for the swim. I did leave racers with this warning though over the PA - that lightly wet roads, are often the slipperiest roads to ride on, as the water combines with that surface oil on the pavement to be very slick.
Race went off with out a hitch!
What is the general wisdom for racing in the rain - do everything exactly as if it were dry (other than cornering a bit slower), or are there tips people have for rain?
interesting stuff. thanks everyone.
looking forward to the pre-race meeting tomorrow night.
will stay positive on the storms passing. only my fifth tri so it’s going to interesting running through a muddy transition area.
First race I ever did, a few years back, was pretty much a torrential downpour throughout. I thought I was going to lose my contact lenses to rain, my skin to the asphalt in a wipeout, and my life to the lightning bolts zapping overhead. It was raining when the swim started, thundering by T1, and didn’t relent until it got nice and steamy on the run. As I recall they considered delaying it, but didn’t…
I saw a LOT of wipeouts as people took the corners too aggressively. Funny enough, I ended up wiping out because I forgot to unclip my feet (first month in proper pedals) going into T2.
Certainly didn’t discourage me though - my dad said I was grinning my ass off like an idiot the entire time. Hard to believe, given that I was riding a steel frame circa 1985.
Probably depends on the RD.
interesting stuff. thanks everyone.
looking forward to the pre-race meeting tomorrow night.
will stay positive on the storms passing. only my fifth tri so it’s going to interesting running through a muddy transition area.
its pavement. no mud. :0)
“Into one’s life some rain must fall in order to water and spring forth hope ethernal.”
.
I got stuck riding in a thunderstorm this weekend. I found that if the storm is bad enough, there does come a point where it becomes impossible to ride because of wind and visibility. The trick is being smart enough to stop just before you get blown into a ditch but not to stop someplace that is so comfortable that you end up hanging out for 45 minutes before you get going again 