Originally Posted by VegasJen

Thanks. I know I'm more of a participant than a competitor but I get it done. Not impressive but completed.

I remember heading into the second lap, and that would mean there was MORE than an hour left on the course, and one station was completely broken down. Now, to be fair, there was another station about a 100 yards further on the return part of the course. There really wouldn't be anything preventing an athlete from stopping at that aid station in either direction, beyond just going the wrong way on the course for 100 feet. Other aid stations closer to the finish were being broken down as I went by. So, technically, they were still open but they did not have all of the same items available at that time as they had earlier in the day. The one thing in particular I was actually looking for but that station was closed up was an energy gel. Fortunately, I had one in my pocket but when I'm on course, I prefer to use the ones provided by the event.

And to "turn in a chip" means to voluntarily quit the race. When you show up at registration, you are given a packet that includes a bunch of race related gear, helmet sticker, gear bag, that sort of stuff. One of the things you are issued is a timing chip that looks very similar to one of those home arrest ankle monitors, but it tends to be blue or orange and is held on by a velcro strap. That's how they track your progress throughout the event. When you start, you cross a mat that reads the chip and that officially starts your time. When you cross the finish line, you cross another mat and that ends your time. Then there are timing devices placed throughout the course to track you in each event (and to keep everybody honest about doing the whole course). If you get to a point, for whatever reason, when you are unable or unwilling to continue, you can remove your timing chip and give it to a race official who will then call in to race control and inform them that you are unable to continue. That gets you a "DNF" for the event. You do not pass go, you do not get $200, you get no points and you do not get labeled a "finisher" in the official results.