Frequently asked questions

Devices covering both ears are prohibited on the Road Cycle and Road Run legs and at every road crossing. Bone-conduction and single-ear devices are permitted everywhere. Officials and Wingmates may use radios. The reason is being able to hear traffic, officials and other athletes, and a marshal can see at a glance whether you are complying - which is why this is a rule rather than a request. Removing a device when an official asks is not optional, and refusing carries a heavier penalty than wearing one. Full rule: valkyrierelay.com/rules.

We would love to talk! Email us at info@valkyrierelay.com.

They are published in full. The price you see is the price you pay — Valkyrie covers the registration platform's participant service fee itself, so nothing is added at checkout. If you withdraw, tell us by July 20, 2027 and you receive a deferral credit for the full amount paid, valid for the next edition and transferable once; cash refunds are not provided. A paid entry may be transferred to another person, or moved to a different category, until September 15, 2027 at no charge, and swapping a teammate in is free right up to packet pickup. Read the full registration terms.

You can outright change teammates all the way up until packet pickup. If a teammate must be relieved mid-race, Race Organizers will take steps to eliminate any unfair advantage from doing so. If a competitor is injured and requires a replacement, they must inform a course referee or race organizer directly. The replacement athlete must return to the start of that racer’s start of discipline (i.e. previous exchange), starting the leg over. The replacement MUST wear a bib that matches the team – either as an athlete from another leg or one who has taken the bib from the injured competitor.

One entry covers the whole team: the captain pays and teammates join at no charge, so a bigger team splits the same cost further. The price you see is the price you pay — Valkyrie covers the registration platform's participant service fee itself, so no service fee, processing fee or surcharge is added at checkout or afterwards. Current prices for every course and entry type are on the registration page.

Yes. Competitors and their Wingmate(s) will need to arrange their own communication schemes to address and respond to such circumstances, as they happen. Please consult course maps to learn safe locations for equipment switch-out and any restrictions or advice on approaching the racecourse. Unlike the rule for replacement of competitors (i.e. for reason of injury), switch-out of equipment can happen on course, without returning to the start of the race leg.

Yes — the race runs on volunteers. At past races, roles included Race & Expo Logistics, Traffic Management, Race Safety, Expo Event Services, Athlete Services, Transition Zone Referees, Social Media, Photography/Videography and Event Hospitality. Volunteer sign-up for the 2027 Durango race will be announced here once it opens — or email info@valkyrierelay.com now and we will keep you posted.

Our Gear page lists the kinds of equipment each leg requires. Local rental and retail options for 2027 will be listed there as they are confirmed.

Mountain bikers and road cyclists should be prepared to make their own repairs along the racecourse, where they can safely move aside without obstructing the course. Assisted mountain-bike repairs or parts exchanges are restricted to designated assistance points, which will be named precisely — with locations — in the Race Bible and on the course maps. For road cycling, assisted repairs can happen at any safe, non-obstructing location off the roadway. Wingmates should carry essential tools and know how to use them.

Yes. Every team must provide its swimmer a spotter in the water, on a canoe, kayak or SUP — this is a Valkyrie team requirement. Our recommendation: after tagging the swimmer, have your SUP competitor or another teammate keep pace with your swimmer, off-course, on the SUP board, so you will not need to load and unload additional watercraft. Water-safety staffing for 2027 is being planned with the venue and qualified professionals, and the full water-safety rules will be published in the Race Bible.

At past races, Wingmates were the best real-time source for a competitor’s whereabouts, and knowing roughly when each leg would be running helped friends and family choose where to stand. For 2027, the run sheet shows when each leg opens and closes, and the exchange zones page shows where the hand-offs happen.

In short, while competing on the road sections of the race, competitors must obey all relevant pedestrian and cyclist laws of the community in which the course is located. The course-specific rules for 2027 are set out in the Race Bible as they are confirmed.

Yes, you can change your teammates all the way up until packet pickup, the evening before the race. If this is the case, the new team member will need to sign all waivers and follow any other instructions the rest of the team is subject to at race packet pick-up. We do ask that you submit the most accurate list of teammates you can when you register, because late changes can affect what we are able to have ready for your team on race weekend.

Logistical services and standard furnishings & equipment, live site staging and audio/visual backline, temporary staffing for event services, volunteers, food & beverage trucks, hydration and nutrition products, radio communications, support vehicle fleet, signage design & printing, timing, merchandising (product supplier), merchandising (transaction services), trade show concessionaires and exhibitors.

Yes. The racecourse follows publicly accessible routes — city and county trail systems, the Lake Nighthorse recreation area, the Animas River, and public roadways. Day-use or entry fees may apply at some venues, so check each venue’s current access rules before you go.

The road sections — the Road Run (RDR) and Road Cycle (RCY) legs — operate under the rules of the road of the communities the course passes through, with selected portions under traffic control or controlled crossings. The water courses at Lake Nighthorse are closed to competitors only during the race and enforced by park officials. The Trail Run and Mountain Bike circuits stay open to the public on race day; course marshals alert other trail users, and racers yield as trail rules require. Final traffic-control and closure plans for 2027 depend on event permits and will be published in the Race Bible once the permits are in hand.

Yes. A team can split the seven legs however it likes, and a racer can take more than one. Teams are two to nine racers. Two or three racers can enter as an Ultra Team, and one athlete can race the whole course alone on a Solo Entry.

Yes, a free one. The club is free too.

No. Joining, logging and the club leaderboard are free. Some segment leaderboard views are subscriber features on Strava's side.

No. Race results come from the official race timing. Strava is the training and community layer.

No. Anyone who runs, rides, swims or paddles is welcome, wherever you train.

Every club event on Strava lists its meeting point and time. RSVP there.

Volunteer Valkyrie Club Ride Leaders: Valkyrie ambassadors and experienced local athletes. Every ride lists its leader, meeting point and pace groups on Strava.

Yes, if you are 21 or older. See Valkyrie Club Ride Leaders on the ambassadors page, or email info@valkyrierelay.com.

No. Club rides are informal group training. They are not part of the race and are not covered by race-day medical or safety services.