Sprint Triathlon
Sunday, May 5, 2024
High noon
High noon
Register on Active.com starting February 1 at 8 am Alaska time
Breakup 2024 is full but send us an email, including your phone number, and we'll put you on the waiting list.
[email protected] If you are already registered and know you won't be able to participate, all those folks on the waiting list would REALLY appreciate if you'd send us an email to let us know your spot is available. Thanks! And if you are unable to race but are available to help out, it's super easy to pick a task on signup.com. Consider giving some time to others by volunteering for an hour or two. -----> NEW FOR 2024! <-----
You can say on the registration form that you'd like to be in the first wave of 12 swimmers. We will award these spots first come, first served based on the time and date that you register. If fewer than 12 say they want them, the remaining spots will be randomly filled. Update Feb 1: The spots are all taken but we have a waiting list for this, too. On the registration form, check that 'yes' box and we'll let you know if a space opens us. Breakup Triathlon 2024
Sunday, May 5 The race was named after Alaska's spring when the ice and snow accumulated over the winter months start to melt away. As the ice thaws, the days become longer, temperatures grow warmer, and ice over the rivers begins to give way to the currents of the Chena River and surrounding rivers. The ice breaks up into chunks of all different shapes and sizes and floats lazily downstream. This is the first sprint triathlon of the season for Fairbanks, Alaska and the only sprint triathlon within a 250 mile radius in the month of May. The Breakup Tri offers a unique opportunity to give the sport of triathlon a try without being intimidated or overwhelmed by the number of participants. The race will consist of a 500 yard swim, 13.1 mile bike, and 3.1 mile run through and around the beautiful University of Alaska Fairbanks campus. There is a 99-participant limit and it sells out every year, so be sure to register early to ensure a spot. The mission of The Breakup Tri is to introduce the sport of triathlon to those who are looking for a new challenge, a new way to lose weight, cross training, or to see what the sport is all about. Another incentive for the Breakup Tri is that it doesn't include an open water swim which deters some people from ever entering a triathlon. Use this link to modify or update your Active registration until 5 pm on May 2:
myevents.active.com/ArcticTriathlonSeries Refunds are only available to those who purchase an ACTIVE Refund at race registration. Transfers to another event are not available. For those under 18, UAF requires that they must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. For athletes, this doesn't necessarily mean they need to have an adult participate with them but rather be on site (start/finish line or around the course) to address any emergencies that may arise.
UAF also requires spectators under age 18 to have a parent or guardian with them. |
KEY INFORMATION
The Breakup Triathlon is held on the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus, starting at noon on Sunday, May 5. All transitions will be at the UAF Patty Center. Registration opens Feb. 1 and will close when 99 participants have registered, which usually happens within 7 days. Those who sign up after the race is full will be placed on a waitlist and can get a race slot as participants cancel. Those on a waitlist will not be charged until their registration is confirmed. Entry fees are listed below. USA Triathlon membership is also required. If you are not a USAT member you will need to buy either a one-day membership pass ($10 ages 16-17, $23 age 18+) or an annual pass ($40 ages 18-23, $60 age 24+) to participate. Minimum age to participate is 16 years as of 12/31/24. Refunds are only available to those who purchase ACTIVE Refund. Transfers to another event are not available. Note: it is not necessary to be an Active member to register. Registration Prices Feb 1 – April 17 $40 April 18 – May 1 $60 May 2 $80 Registration closes at 5:00 pm AST on May 2 We do our best to mark the course clearly, however RACERS ARE ACCOUNTABLE TO BE FAMILIAR WITH THE ROUTE. An optional bike course preview is available on Saturday, April 27. Meet at the Patty Center; we will depart promptly at 11 am for a leisurely 13.1 mile ride. The optional run course preview is on Sunday, April 28 at 11 am. Meet at the Patty Center for an easy 3.1 mile jog.
Awards will be given to the top three men and women. Not racing but want to check it out? Or know someone looking for something to do?
Volunteers are critical for race success (directing racers at intersections, handing out drinks, counting pool laps, applying racers numbers/body marking, and other simple tasks). If you know anyone who’s interested, please contact Samantha Royer, [email protected] or go directly to https://signup.com/go/guemHyK and choose the spot(s) you like. Thank you! Things to do in Fairbanks
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Breakup FAQs:
How long is the swim? The swim is 500 yards. This is 20 lengths of the pool or 10 laps.
What is the swim course? Each person takes one side of a lane. You swim up and down your side of the lane only. This means a maximum of 12 people in the water at a time.
Do people start the swim by their estimated time? No, the swim is not seeded. Racers start in order of their number which is randomly assigned. The first twelve start together then, as a spot clears, the next person in line is invited to jump in.
What if I’m not a strong swimmer? If you prefer to swim next to the wall, just let us know when it’s your turn to start. We’ll be happy to arrange that. This will not impact your total time.
What should I wear to swim? Feel free to wear a swim suit or the clothes you will wear for the bike and run.
Are the locker rooms available? Yes, they will be open before the race starts if you want to stash any gear there. They are also available during the race if you want to change clothes. And you can access them afterward to shower and grab your things.
How does the timing work? The clock starts for each person when they push off the wall to start swimming. The clock continues until you cross the finish line after the run.
Will I have transition splits? We will record your swim time from pushing off the wall to touching it at the end. Your next split will be the combination of your time moving from the pool to the transition area then the entire bike leg. Your final split will be from the time you re-enter the transition area with your bike until you cross the finish line. In other words, the three splits are swim, transition 1 + bike, and transition 2 + run.
How far is it from the pool to transition? It’s about 100 yards. You will be on concrete which we sweep and there will also be carpet squares on the concrete. Bring footwear (staged outside the pool exit) if you prefer.
Are there any food and water stations? There will be water available about halfway through the run.
Can I wear headphones? No. This is USA Triathlon policy and is for your safety. This policy also includes jawbone/conduction headphones.
Do I get a bib? No. At race day check in we will stamp both upper arms and one calf with your number.
Am I "good enough" to do this? Yes! This race is designed for beginners and over 80% of participants every year are first-timers.
If you are unsure about anything else, the bike and run course previews are a great opportunity to ask questions. Packet pickup is another option to ask questions. Or pop us an email, [email protected].
Fairbanks at Breakup
— for Susan Campbell and Keith Echelmeyer
And then it’s time, again,
to divert the water:
dig trenches, build small dams,
try to keep the rushing, happy water
(lately liberated from ice crystals
by that night-owl, shiny sun)
from ruining the gravel driveway,
rotting the plywood outhouse floor, seeping
under thick dirt walls,
deep into the root cellar.
And if you’re vigilant
and happy (like the water)
to push slushy snow
down tire-tracks in the driveway
and chip away the ice
still stuck in one low corner
of the tilting outhouse,
and if you’re willing
to shovel crispy whiteness
away from cabin logs
as soon as the clear crystals loose
their long, hard winter hold,
you will be rewarded
with not much damage --
and, in fact, the honk
and wave of a neighbor
driving down the hill this balmy evening,
his smile a bell, a prayer flag,
reminding you that you are blessed
to live in this small town,
where friends greet friends with hugs
at Fred Meyer's among the
California strawberries, high
on all the outdoor things they’ve done
this April Saturday:
high on intermittent sunshine,
Goldstream skiing, sandhill cranes
and geese, quick bicycles.
And it will be as though the souls
of all the people
you and they have lost --
to war and sickness, accident
and old age, broken promises --
all those souls
are present here
in the headstrong, rushing,
cyclic change of ice
to shining water.
— Carolyn Kremers
"Fairbanks at Breakup," Fairbanks Daily News-Miner, Fairbanks, AK, page A3, 15 April 2012