Need to know
Frequently Asked Questions
Shoes: here's what we see most. Racers with lots of cycling experience who ride bike shoes with cleats will typically switch shoes for each leg of the race. Others do the entire race in running shoes on regular bike pedals. You'll get a quicker transition without switching shoes, but probably a slower bike leg in running shoes vs. cycling shoes, provided the bike leg is long and fast enough for it to matter. What you choose on race day comes down to your cycling ability and the terrain and trail conditions.
Clothing: in the shorter races, no one takes time to change clothes. Most racers wear what's called a triathlon short with a thin pad. Richardson Bike Mart carries them if you're in the Dallas area and is happy to mail you a pair. That's not to say you can't race in something else; some racers compete in running shorts, gym shorts, or cycling shorts. For a short race you can do almost anything, but tri-shorts will leave you in the best condition afterward. We've even seen a Superman and Batgirl costume at a race.
For the upper body, women typically wear a jog bra with a technical fabric shirt that breathes well, or a t-shirt. Guys wear the same. In cooler temperatures, come prepared with tights or knee warmers, full-finger cycling gloves, and a long-sleeve technical shirt with sleeves you can push up if you get hot. Consider layers and a light jacket for wind or rain, once you start racing you'll warm up fast!
Check out our Facebook page and browse the albums to get a feel for what racers wear and how race day looks. Contact us if you have a question.
We have a roped-off transition area where you'll place all your belongings. Some teams bring a blanket or mat to mark their spot within reason. It's first come, first served the morning of the race for picking your spot inside the roped-off boundary. There's a specific entry and exit with a lane down the middle; bikes must be walked through transition at all times.
You're responsible for having enough fluids and food for the length of the race. No outside support is allowed once the race starts. You'll pass through transition between each leg of the race.
The exchange takes place within the transition area between each event.
All racers must ride a mountain bike or mountain-biased hybrid, and wear a CPSC-approved helmet.
We recommend running with your phone in case of emergencies. The back of your race bib has our phone number and a QR code for race maps. Hydration stations are located roughly every 2 - 3 miles; bring a bottle, as we don't provide cups at hydration stations.
Please keep all waste with you, as there are no trash cans on the course. Thank you for keeping the trails clean!
Yes — every racer should attend the pre-race meeting.
Once you're in the Start/Finish or your team's pit area, you may change, repair, or replace any equipment or bike, and you may accept support from anyone. Teams may bring as many support people as they'd like, but that support is limited to the Start/Finish area and your team's own pit, not out on the course.
If you're racing single speed, you must use single-speed equipment for the entire race. Switching to a geared bike will disqualify you from that category.
Support on the course may only come from other registered racers, not spectators or crew. Supporting racers must reach you under their own power (on foot or by bike), traveling in the correct direction of the course; shortcutting the course is not allowed, except to cancel a lap. Supporting racers should stay clear of all competing racers.
Supporting racers may carry any equipment or tools, and may even swap bikes with teammates. Cannibalizing bike parts is legal in this event. Support can be given by any registered racer on any team to any registered racer on any team.
Water and food may be supplied to any racer by anyone, anywhere on the course, but racers must stay well clear of the course when taking food or water. Please don't litter or drop energy wrappers on the ground. Leave no trace!
Yes, your race number must be displayed on your bike handlebars any time you're on-course. It has an RFID chip on the back that's read when you cross the timing mat. If you fail to display your number, that lap won't count, and you'll be asked to leave the course if caught without one. Only registered racers are allowed on course.
Racers riding their bikes have the right of way over racers pushing or carrying theirs. When practical, a racer pushing or carrying their bike should stay on the least rideable part of the trail when being passed and can overtake a riding racer, as long as it doesn't interfere with them.
Lapped racers should yield to leaders. Leaders should be vocal when preparing to pass. Call out "Passing on your left (or right)!" and it's the challenging racer's responsibility to overtake safely. Racers being lapped should yield on the first call as soon as possible.
When two racers are vying for position, the leading racer doesn't have to yield to the challenger. That said, a racer may never bodily interfere to intentionally impede another racer's progress. That's considered highly unsportsmanlike.
Short-cutting the course by any logged-in racer results in disqualification of that racer's entire team. Foul riding, profane or abusive language, and other unsportsmanlike behavior are taken very seriously and can result in a warning or immediate disqualification for that racer's team; this is applied strictly when it's directed at course officials, volunteers, or spectators. The penalty is at the discretion of the race director (or co-director, if the director is unavailable).
Protests must be made in writing and delivered to the race director any time during the race, or up to 15 minutes after final results are posted. Include a description of the incident, witnesses, names, addresses, phone numbers, and the protesting team captain's signature.
The race director may change the rules and has final say on any ruling.
Quiet hours run from 11 PM to 6 AM. Please keep noise to a minimum during that window.
During the night ride, every racer must carry a primary light source rated at least 10 watts, plus a secondary or backup light (a penlight, flashlight, or similar). Battery chargers can be plugged in at the neutral charging station, label your batteries and chargers with your team's name.
Racers entering the course after 5 PM must show that both their primary and secondary lights are in good working order. After sunset, you're required to ride with lights on. Riding with lights off to save battery is dangerous and against the rules.
It's a difficult and costly call, but if an on-course racer can't complete their lap for any reason, it can be to the team's advantage to cancel that lap. Any team member can cancel a racer's lap by notifying the timing official. The new racer inherits the canceled racer's log-in time and must start from the relay exchange area after telling the timing official. Dlease don't bring your bike near the timing official, walk up instead. Once a cancellation is made, it cannot be undone.
A racer may only race for one team. The teammate finishing a lap drops their bike at the bike drop zone and hands their token to the next teammate, who then starts the next lap. The clock keeps running the whole time even though the computer logs the start and stop of each lap, your time in transition still counts toward your overall time. If a racer isn't on deck ready to tag in, the clock keeps rolling regardless.
In other words: the clock never stops. A racer may ride consecutive laps. Solo riders simply continue across the timing mat for each lap they complete.
Each person must complete at least 1 lap. You must wear a helmet at all times any time you're on the bike, racing or not. Butt on bike, helmet on head. Riders not following this will be disqualified. If you're using earbuds, keep it to one ear only, so you can still hear other riders around you.
Right to cancel or reschedule: Terra Firma Racing LLC reserves the right, in the event of any pandemic-related restrictions, inclement weather, emergency, or natural disaster, to cancel the race or move it to a later time that day or an alternate date within the year, if available. In the event of a cancellation with no ability to reschedule, there will be no refund of entry fees. Each athlete accepts this risk for their entry paid.
Contact us with questions.