IRONMAN 70.3 Washington Tri‑Cities

It takes thousands of volunteers to bring IRONMAN athletes across the finish line. From packet stuffers and VIP lounge assistants to bike techs and finish line catchers, there are volunteer opportunities to fit any schedule, skill set, and activity level. Show your community spirit and get energized in the process. Visit the registration page (link to IM volunteer site) to discover volunteer opportunities.

The race is Sunday, September 22, 2024, and there are a variety of volunteer positions open - both at the race and in the days leading up to it. Volunteer to get the same level of excitement and passion as the athletes you’re supporting!

To sign up:

1. Visit the IRONMAN volunteer registration page.
2. Sort by date or by job and select your spot. (opt for multiple days, if you’re able!)
3. Enter your contact information and sign the waiver.
4. Once you’re signed up, the area’s team captain will contact you with more information.
5. Invite your friends and family to join you!
6. Receive a t-shirt, an invite to the volunteer welcome banquet and, a “front row seat” to all of the
excitement that this event brings.

• Gear & Bag Check in Stations
• IRONKIDS Race Day
• Massage
• Packet Stuffing
• Penalty Tents
• Practice Swim – Gear Check & Info
• Run Course Pointers
• Shuttle Attendants
• Transition Support & Tear Down
• Registration/Check In
• Aid Stations
• Bike Course Pointers
• Bike Tech
• Environmental Crew
• Gear Bag Sorting
• Bike Handlers
• Bike & Gear Checkout
• Timing
• Finish Line
• Kit Building
• VIP Check In & Credentials
• Motorcycle Course Support
• SAG Bike Course

Volunteer registration is open for the IRONMAN 70.3 Washington Tri-Cities!

Join us for a Volunteer & Community Welcome Party at the IRONMAN Village at Columbia Point Marina Park on Friday from 5p – 7p. Everyone is welcome and Volunteers who check-in at the Visit Tri-Cities table will receive a ticket for a free meal! The volunteer food will be provided by Tumbleweeds and Food Dude and covered with appreciation by Visit Tri-Cities. This event is open to the community as well! Come make signs for race day, get acquainted with IRONMAN, and enjoy the vendors and booths! It's not too late to sign up to be a volunteer either, you can register here.

With one day of racing, road closures apply September 22. All times are approximate and subject to change. For questions and concerns, email us at washington70.3@ironman.com or call 509-713-2742

Please be aware of these event-related traffic impacts so you can adjust your plans to minimize the impacts to your week. This may add a little bit of time to your commute or errands. Plan ahead:

• Get errands completed on days prior to road closures.
• Plan your route to/from work.
• Expect delays when entering or leaving impacted neighborhoods.
• Reschedule regular deliveries; opt for delivery times other than Sunday.
• Avoid crossing the race route; find alternative through routes.

IRONKIDS events offer youth who are under one to 17 years old to experience the excitement of competition while enjoying the outdoors and promoting healthy living. Cheer on these racers while enjoying the area and family-centered events!

Date: Saturday, September 21, 2024
Location: Columbia Point Park
Race Times:
Diaper Dash 9:00 a.m.
Toddler Trot 9:15 a.m.
½ mile: 9:30 a.m.
1 mile: 9:45 a.m.
Registration/Check-in: Opens at 7:00 a.m. Closes at 8:45 a.m.
Entertainment: Bram Brata Steel Drum Band!

SWIM

6:30a – 7:30a Swim Start
Howard Amon Park

The parks along the Columbia River provide a beautiful setting to watch the swim. Sunrises here are magical and the energy of the race is invigorating.

Watching the start of the race is exciting, but it requires detailed planning. To view the Start at Howard Amon, spectators can find street parking near George Washington Parkway (or ride Ben Franklin Transit) then walk to the start area at Howard Amon. Once you’ve arrived, make your way to the main dock area where athletes start the swim. You can line the riverbank to watch the athletes enter the water and if desired you can walk toward Columbia Point Marina to watch them exit.

6:50a – 8:40a Swim Finish
Columbia Point Marina

There is only one entrance into Columbia Point Marina, and the bike and run courses limit access in and out. Because of this, the only way to access Columbia Point Marina is by walking or shuttling in from remote parking areas. Access by personal vehicles is prohibited on race day. Shuttles will run a loop from the City of Richland Building parking lot (651 Mansfield St.) and the Richland Federal Building parking lot (825 Jadwin Ave.) to Columbia Point Marina, beginning at 4:00 a.m. but athletes will have priority boarding from 4:00-7:00 a.m. It is estimated that shuttle spots for spectators will be available beginning around 6:00 a.m. To catch the shuttle, spectators can park in available lots as indicated. Please watch for extra pedestrians and traffic in the area and observe all street and traffic laws and signage.

Shuttles will continue to run in a loop from shortly after the start of the race until the last athletes exit the water and start their bike.

Once you’ve arrived at the Marina, make your way to the main boat ramp area where athletes finish the swim. As they exit the water, athletes run up the beach near the ramp to where their bikes are mounted in a fenced transition area in the parking lot (T1), then walk their bike to the starting chute before mounting for the bike course.

Spectators can line the transition area and the beginning section of the bike course to watch the cyclists head out on Columbia Point Drive toward Bradley Boulevard.

BIKE

6:50a - 8:50a Bike Start
9:00a – 1:00p Bike Finish
Columbia Point Marina

As noted in the Swim section, watching the action at the bike transition area and finish line requires detailed planning. There is only one entrance into Columbia Point Marina, and the bike and run courses limit access in and out. Because of this, the only way to access Columbia Point Marina is by walking or shuttling in from remote parking areas. Access by personal vehicles is prohibited on race day.

Shuttles will run a loop from the City of Richland Building parking lot (651 Mansfield St.) and the Richland Federal Building parking lot (825 Jadwin Ave.) to Columbia Point Marina, beginning at 4:00 a.m. but athletes will have priority boarding from 4:00-7:00 a.m. It is estimated that spots for spectators will be available beginning around 6:00 a.m. To catch the shuttle, spectators can park in available lots as indicated. Please watch for extra pedestrians and traffic in the area and observe all street and traffic laws and signage.

Shuttles will continue to run in a loop from shortly after the start of the race until the last athletes exit the water and start their bike. Limited shuttles will be available between 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

The bike transition area is in the parking lot at Columbia Point Marina. After exiting the water, athletes will pick up their bike in the transition area and head out on the bike course. After completing the bike course, athletes rack their bike in the transition area then head out onto the run.

Spectators can line the transition area and the start/finish sections of the bike course on Columbia Point Drive.

SOUTH RICHLAND
7:00a – 9:30a

Badger Mountain Trailhead Park is a great spectator location for those coming from South Richland and Kennewick. The Bike Course goes past Bethel Church on Shockley Road and up Queensgate Drive so don’t plan on driving on those roads. Instead, enter the neighborhood at Westcliffe Blvd and Keene then make your way toward Trailhead Park using Big Sky Drive, White Bluffs, Westgate Way, Tuscany or Alla Vista. Please watch for extra pedestrians and traffic in the area, be respectful of homeowners, and observe all laws for on street parking and traffic. Traffic on Shockley and Queensgate is not recommended on race day.

WEST RICHLAND
8:15a – Noon

For spectators in West Richland who are south of Van Giesen and north of Keene, Brick House Pizza on the corner of 38th and Van Giesen could be a fun place to grab an early lunch and watch the bikes go by. Spectators could also make their way to the parking at the Yakima River Bridge and watch from there. The Bike Course turns from Keene onto Van Giesen so adjust your travel accordingly on race day.

RICHLAND
8:40a – 12:40p

The Uptown Shopping Center and John Dam Plaza are both great spectator locations for residents between Bypass Highway and George Washington Parkway. Make your way to the area using Jadwin Ave. The Bike Course uses both 240 Bypass and George Washington Parkway, so adjust your travel accordingly on race day.

RUN
9:30a – 4:30p

Make your way to any of the Parks along the River Front Trail from Columbia Point to WSU Tri-Cities for a beautiful setting for watching the Run. Spectators can line the River Front Trail and cheer the athletes on as they complete the last segment of the race. To see the culmination of it all, gather around the Finish Line at Columbia Point Marina.

What initially drew you to the world of triathlons, particularly the IRONMAN 70.3 distance?
I always admired endurance athletes. Marathons, Triathlons, ultra-marathons and I always thought “it’d be so cool to do a triathlon before I’m 30…. But I don’t know how to swim”.

How do you approach the multi-discipline nature of IRONMAN 70.3 races in terms of training and preparation?
I focused on my weakest area (swimming) and did maintenance training with the other two. Now in this point of training I am incorporating them all together and building my cardiovascular health and endurance. I never forget strength either!

What challenges have you faced along your athletic journey, and how have you overcome them?
I didn’t know how to swim. I never learned as a child. I signed up and reality set… “I need to learn how to swim”. I started off alone with YouTube videos just flopping around, eventually got lessons and now I’m set to finish 1.2 miles in under an hour.

Can you share a memorable moment or achievement from your athletic career?
I never thought I’d be athletic. I thought my diabetes would define who I was. My first run was the virtual Bloomsday in 2020, I had never run anything more than 4 miles. Once I completed the 12k I thought to myself “I can do this” and have been chasing more miles since. I completed my first 1/2 marathon in October!

How do you balance your athletic pursuits with other aspects of your life, such as work, school, or family?
Working full time is tough, fighting the mental battle of being tired or burnt out from the day and having to go train is the biggest hurdle. Being sore and working with animals is the WORST! But I know my body is capable, if I tell it to keep moving it will. I also bring my husband along for the ride, he is the motivator, the pacer, and the comedic relief I need when I’m ready to drop.

What message or advice do you have for aspiring athletes in our community? DO THE THING!
Sign up for the race! Chase the impossible!! You’d be surprised at what you are capable of. Set the goal and GO FOR IT!

What initially drew you to the world of triathlons, particularly the IRONMAN 70.3 distance?
Several years ago, I saw a friend of mine complete his first Ironman and it inspired me to sign up for a half marathon. Fast forward 3 years and about 15 half marathons later, I decided to sign up for my first 70.3 to show my daughter that anything is possible if you work hard enough for it.

How do you approach the multi-discipline nature of IRONMAN 70.3 races in terms of training and preparation?
Knowing that I have a 9-month-old daughter at home, I know that I need to wake up early to get my first workout in before its time for her to wake up. Utilizing my time appropriately, I know that I can squeeze another one in before being able to spend time with my family in the evening. It's about knowing what your priorities are and making time for what matters.

What challenges have you faced along your athletic journey, and how have you overcome them?
The biggest challenge is people questioning whether I can accomplish the goals I have set for myself. This includes friends and family, but I use this as motivation to show that anything is possible

Can you share a memorable moment or achievement from your athletic career?
Running a half marathon PR for the first race my daughter ever saw me run and being able to hold her right after I finished

How do you balance your athletic pursuits with other aspects of your life, such as work, school, or family?
I schedule everything in my day, and I make time for what matters. That means making time for working out, spending time with my wife and daughter, doing my job, taking my dog for walks as well as managing a personal life.

What message or advice do you have for aspiring athletes in our community?
If it matters to you, you will make time for it

What initially drew you to the world of triathlons, particularly the IRONMAN 70.3 distance?
I initially started training for triathlons in 2017 because as an obese healthcare provider, I felt like a hypocrite telling my patients they needed to eat healthy and exercise. I wanted to be a good example. Then I decided I wanted to do a full Ironman for my 40th birthday in 2019 and I did another full distance in 2021. However, I have children, a husband, a job and an aging body and the training/racing a full distance puts significant stressors on all those things. The 70.3 distance gives me all the fun of training and looking forward to the race without the threat of injury or divorce, and I have time for other hobbies as well.

How do you approach the multi-discipline nature of IRONMAN 70.3 races in terms of training and preparation?
I cycle nearly every day because it is my favorite discipline, I run 2-3 days per week, and I swim as little as possible. Hahaha. Maybe 1-2 times a week for a month before a long course race like 70.3.

What challenges have you faced along your athletic journey, and how have you overcome them?
My worst challenges have been injury and illness, which tends to put a damper on training. I’ve had kidney stones, sprained an ankle, struggled with hip pain, crashed my bike a couple times and broken a rib and a clavicle. I’ve adjusted my training to doing a lot of indoor training where injury and crashing are far less likely, avoiding riding in the rain, avoiding the bike path, done physical therapy to rehab my hip and shoulder, etc.

Can you share a memorable moment or achievement from your athletic career?
I suppose my most memorable moment was becoming an Ironman at IMAZ in 2019.

How do you balance your athletic pursuits with other aspects of your life, such as work, school, or family?
I have come to accept that I will not win my age group or qualify for the world championships without training to the detriment of other things and people in my life. Sometimes I will skip a workout to hang out with my daughter or husband and that is ok.

What message or advice do you have for aspiring athletes in our community?
I started out being very overweight, not able to run a mile or ride 10 miles, and now I’m an old lady that has lost 80 lbs. and kept it off for the most part for 6 years, feels good about her health, and can do 140.6 or 70.3 miles in a few hours.