Frequently asked questions:
Q. If I can't participate by riding or running in all of the races can I still participate?
A. Life is hectic; we understand. Even if you can only run in one race a year, we would still love to have you. We can't express how rewarding it is to ride or run during an event...to hear the cheer of the crowd or see the smile in the stroller up ahead. If you have the opportunity, seize it! Just make sure that you have filled out the proper paper work and have been cleared, whether you are running or riding with us (see the GET INVOLVED tab at the top of this page).
Q. Are there any age or weight requirements to participate as a rider athlete with Team Hoyt VB?
A. Nope! We have quite the fleet of strollers and have learned (after a few tweaked wheels along the course) which rider athletes to put in which strollers to give everyone—from our rider athletes to our runners—the best experience possible. We would love to have your child or young adult participate and feel the power of "YES, YOU CAN!" We will work around any concerns or limitations you or your rider athlete may have.
Q. I'm a runner, do I find a rider athlete or do you pair one with me?
A. You can provide your own rider athlete if you have a special needs family member or friend who wants to race. You can also request a pairing for a specific rider athlete. Otherwise, you will be paired with a rider athlete that is an appropriate weight, gender, and/or needs for you. The goal is to provide you with a rider athlete that you will be physically able to push for the duration of the event.
Q. I don’t have a chair/jogger—are those provided?
A. Team Hoyt VB will provide all equipment for the rider to participate. Some rider athletes have personal chairs that they will bring to the events.
Q. Who needs to actually sign up for the race? The runner, the rider athlete, or both?
A. All runners need to sign up and register for the event with the race organizer (see the EVENTS CALENDAR tab at the top of this page). We have made great relationships with the race organizers in this area, they allow our rider athletes to participate for free. Some events require that the rider athletes be registered for insurance purposes - this will be noted in the event description on the Events Calendar page.
Q. Will my rider athlete receive a number and/or medal at the end of the race?
A. Yes, all rider athletes will receive a medal (if provided by the race) and any of the swag. Since the rider athletes are not required to register, they do not usually receive a t-shirt or any of the expo or pre-race gear. If the rider athlete is required to register for the event, they will be issued a bib to have on the course along with a full swag bag provided by the race.
Q. A couple of friends are interested in running alongside me and my rider athlete on race day—do they also need to do the background checks provided on the Team Hoyt VB website? How does that work (see the question below about corrals)?
A. To ensure the safety of our rider athletes, THVB permits only cleared runners to push our rider athletes during race events. If you have friends running in the race, they will need to start in their specific corral. They can catch you during the race and run alongside you during the event. Family members of the rider athlete are the exception to this, they are permitted to start with the team.
Q. Where do I go on race day?
A. Race instructions are sent out to the team several days before the race event. The instructions provide details about parking, packet pickup, location of the trailer and staging area, pre-race details, a specific schedule of events for the race morning, and pertanant weather concerns for race day. You will also have a specific contact person for each race and his/her phone number if you have questions race morning.
Q. What is race morning like?
A. The emailed instructions will give you a timeline for the flow of events. After your park, locate the trailer at the race venue and check in with the event race director. He/She will need your bib number if you are a runner or will issue you a rider bib if you are a rider athlete (if required for the event). Next, you get your chair from the trailer or assist our equipment manager with building the chair. Then find your pairing for the race and get your chair set up with drinks, snacks, speaker, or other gear. Make sure the rider athlete is strapped in and positioned comfortably. We usually have a team picture before the event and go over last minute details for the race and then head for the start line.
Q. How do I know the chair will fit?
A. Team Hoyt VB has a variety of race chairs to fit a range of rider athletes based on weight, size, and specific special needs. There are several therapists on our team who will check the fit of the rider athlete to the chair and provide positioning aids if needed.
Q. Is there a Team Hoyt corral, or do we run in the corral corresponding to our time?
A. Team Hoyt VB usually starts at the front of the race field to allow the chairs to space out on the course. This allows the other racers to pass us on the course safely. During triathlon events, we start often start in the elite/first wave.
Q. I’m nervous because I have never run a race pushing a rider athlete. Will I be grouped with a more experienced runner? If so, will that person also be pushing someone, or will they be able to help me push my rider athlete?
A. For your first race, you will be paired with a veteran runner to run alongside and answer questions. Depending on the number of rider athletes for a specific event, the veteran runner may be pushing another rider athlete alongside you or sharing the work with you. You can pair up with other runners for events to push as a team if you like. Once you're comfortable and have cleared the necessary background checks, you may be paired directly with a rider athlete.
Q. I usually see Team Hoyt runners wearing red shirts. Are those provided? Are they provided for the runner, the rider athlete, or both?
A. We provide a Team Hoyt VB jersey for all runners that join the team. We have many styles of jerseys from tanks to long sleeve. You can purchase other Team Hoyt VB gear from the trailer, or you can get in touch with our merchandise coordinator to help create custom items. We have cotton t-shirts for rider athletes and are working on providing jerseys/gear in the near future.
A. Life is hectic; we understand. Even if you can only run in one race a year, we would still love to have you. We can't express how rewarding it is to ride or run during an event...to hear the cheer of the crowd or see the smile in the stroller up ahead. If you have the opportunity, seize it! Just make sure that you have filled out the proper paper work and have been cleared, whether you are running or riding with us (see the GET INVOLVED tab at the top of this page).
Q. Are there any age or weight requirements to participate as a rider athlete with Team Hoyt VB?
A. Nope! We have quite the fleet of strollers and have learned (after a few tweaked wheels along the course) which rider athletes to put in which strollers to give everyone—from our rider athletes to our runners—the best experience possible. We would love to have your child or young adult participate and feel the power of "YES, YOU CAN!" We will work around any concerns or limitations you or your rider athlete may have.
Q. I'm a runner, do I find a rider athlete or do you pair one with me?
A. You can provide your own rider athlete if you have a special needs family member or friend who wants to race. You can also request a pairing for a specific rider athlete. Otherwise, you will be paired with a rider athlete that is an appropriate weight, gender, and/or needs for you. The goal is to provide you with a rider athlete that you will be physically able to push for the duration of the event.
Q. I don’t have a chair/jogger—are those provided?
A. Team Hoyt VB will provide all equipment for the rider to participate. Some rider athletes have personal chairs that they will bring to the events.
Q. Who needs to actually sign up for the race? The runner, the rider athlete, or both?
A. All runners need to sign up and register for the event with the race organizer (see the EVENTS CALENDAR tab at the top of this page). We have made great relationships with the race organizers in this area, they allow our rider athletes to participate for free. Some events require that the rider athletes be registered for insurance purposes - this will be noted in the event description on the Events Calendar page.
Q. Will my rider athlete receive a number and/or medal at the end of the race?
A. Yes, all rider athletes will receive a medal (if provided by the race) and any of the swag. Since the rider athletes are not required to register, they do not usually receive a t-shirt or any of the expo or pre-race gear. If the rider athlete is required to register for the event, they will be issued a bib to have on the course along with a full swag bag provided by the race.
Q. A couple of friends are interested in running alongside me and my rider athlete on race day—do they also need to do the background checks provided on the Team Hoyt VB website? How does that work (see the question below about corrals)?
A. To ensure the safety of our rider athletes, THVB permits only cleared runners to push our rider athletes during race events. If you have friends running in the race, they will need to start in their specific corral. They can catch you during the race and run alongside you during the event. Family members of the rider athlete are the exception to this, they are permitted to start with the team.
Q. Where do I go on race day?
A. Race instructions are sent out to the team several days before the race event. The instructions provide details about parking, packet pickup, location of the trailer and staging area, pre-race details, a specific schedule of events for the race morning, and pertanant weather concerns for race day. You will also have a specific contact person for each race and his/her phone number if you have questions race morning.
Q. What is race morning like?
A. The emailed instructions will give you a timeline for the flow of events. After your park, locate the trailer at the race venue and check in with the event race director. He/She will need your bib number if you are a runner or will issue you a rider bib if you are a rider athlete (if required for the event). Next, you get your chair from the trailer or assist our equipment manager with building the chair. Then find your pairing for the race and get your chair set up with drinks, snacks, speaker, or other gear. Make sure the rider athlete is strapped in and positioned comfortably. We usually have a team picture before the event and go over last minute details for the race and then head for the start line.
Q. How do I know the chair will fit?
A. Team Hoyt VB has a variety of race chairs to fit a range of rider athletes based on weight, size, and specific special needs. There are several therapists on our team who will check the fit of the rider athlete to the chair and provide positioning aids if needed.
Q. Is there a Team Hoyt corral, or do we run in the corral corresponding to our time?
A. Team Hoyt VB usually starts at the front of the race field to allow the chairs to space out on the course. This allows the other racers to pass us on the course safely. During triathlon events, we start often start in the elite/first wave.
Q. I’m nervous because I have never run a race pushing a rider athlete. Will I be grouped with a more experienced runner? If so, will that person also be pushing someone, or will they be able to help me push my rider athlete?
A. For your first race, you will be paired with a veteran runner to run alongside and answer questions. Depending on the number of rider athletes for a specific event, the veteran runner may be pushing another rider athlete alongside you or sharing the work with you. You can pair up with other runners for events to push as a team if you like. Once you're comfortable and have cleared the necessary background checks, you may be paired directly with a rider athlete.
Q. I usually see Team Hoyt runners wearing red shirts. Are those provided? Are they provided for the runner, the rider athlete, or both?
A. We provide a Team Hoyt VB jersey for all runners that join the team. We have many styles of jerseys from tanks to long sleeve. You can purchase other Team Hoyt VB gear from the trailer, or you can get in touch with our merchandise coordinator to help create custom items. We have cotton t-shirts for rider athletes and are working on providing jerseys/gear in the near future.