Ironman Triathalon - September 2022

‘Diverse group of folks’ to compete in Frankfort Ironman 70.3 event

Kyle KotecK i Staff Writer

FRANKFORT — More than 2,000 athletes will be in Frankfort on Sept. 11 to participate in Ironman 70.3 Michigan North American TriClub Championship.

Race director Joel Gaff said Ironman is excited to return to Frankfort after last year’s event.

“The community really came out and welcomed us warmly last year,” he said. “We’re excited to have a bunch of local groups as our volunteer force. ... We’re just excited to be in Frankfort again.”

Gaff said the event will see athletes swimming, cycling and running to reach the finish line.

“Its name comes from the distance that the athletes will cover during the event: 70.3 miles,” he said.

For more than 40 years, the Ironman race has been pushing athletes to their limit. The World Triathlon Corporation instituted the Ironman 70.3 race series — commonly known as the Half Ironman — in 2005.

Athletes will be covering a lot of ground — and water — during the Frankfort event.

“The race starts out with a 1.2-mile swim in Betsie Bay. The athletes will get out of the water and get on their bikes down at Open Space Park in Frankfort, and they will complete a 56-mile bike ride,” Gaff said. “They’ll head south out of Frankfort along River Road for a little bit, then come back north along (M-)22 on the way up toward Fowler Road, then weaving their way back down to Frankfort again to finish their 56 miles of biking.

“Then they’ll get off their bike at Open Space Park and put their running shoes on and complete a half marathon — or 13.1-mile run — around Betsie Bay, kind of

between Frankfort, around toward Elberta and back,” he continued.

“Then they’re going to finish down on Main Street between Michigan and Second to finish the 70.3 miles and finish their race.”

Gaff said the race in Frankfort is a qualifier for the world championship race, scheduled for Oct. 28-29 in St. George, Utah.

“This event is one of our many events in our series that offer qualifying spots to the 70.3 World Championship event,” Gaff said.

“There will be a limited number of spots that will be available for folks in each age group. Those folks who are in the top of their age group can qualify to go to the world championship race.”

To register for the event, register.ironman.com/im703-michigan-visitThe$399registrationfee

includes a finisher medal, finisher hat, event shirt, wet bag, timed race results, age group awards, on-course nutrition, finisher certificate and post-race food.

A USA Triathlon membership is required to register. Athletes will be required to provide a valid membership number or purchase a membership. A one-day license costs $15. Competitors must be 18 or older by Sept. 11.

Registration will be open until slots are sold out.

The Ironkids Fun Run is scheduled to take place at 9 a.m. on Sept 10 at the Open Space Park.. Children ages 1-17 can compete in a 1-mile run, half-mile run or 80-foot toddler trot.

The $20 registration fee includes T-shirt, medal, goodie bag and racing bib.

Gaff said the fun run is one of his favorite parts of the event.

“The parents and the kids get to pick whatever event they want for their kid. There are no rules in terms of what age has to do what distance,” he said. “Parents are allowed to run with their children — that’s totally fine. It’s just a really, really fun event for the kids to feel part of it, rather than it just being something for the adults. I’m excited we were able to add that back onto the event this year.”

As for coronavirus safety protocols, Ironman follows the local guidelines for wherever an event is held, Gaff said.

“In Michigan, I know we don’t have any real restrictions, if you will,” he said. “We’re just going to follow whatever the local regulations are, so as of now it

will be pretty open and clear for everybody to come to spectate and participate.”

As of July 29, there were nearly 2,150 people signed up to compete, with ages ranging from 18 to 80. Gaff said the Frankfort event will feature athletes from all over not only the country, but the world, with Canada, Pakistan, Colombia, Chile, Taiwan, Brazil, Hungary, India and Germany being represented at the event.

“Fortunately, with world kind of opening back up again, we’ll have more international participants.

... We had about 10 different countries represented,” Gaff said.

“That’s pretty standard for most of our events and we’re excited to have such a great, diverse group of folks racing with us.”

In this file photo, a competitor takes part in the bicycle leg of an Ironman 70.3 race in Frankfort on Sept. 12, 2021. (File photo)

2022 IRONMAN EVENT SCHEDULE

The 2022 Ironman 70.3 Michigan event will take place in Frankfort on Sept. 11.

The schedule is subject to change; last update on July 28, 2022.

MainOpenAllathletesironman.com/im703-michigan-Visitformoreinformation.eventstakeplaceorbeginatSpacePark,locatedat800St.inFrankfort.

SEPTEMBERFRIDAY,9, 2022

• 2-7 p.m.

Athlete Check-In by appointment only

• 2-7 p.m.

Bike Store & Tech Service and Information Tent/ Lost & Found, Ironman Village

• 2-7 p.m.

VIP credentialspectatorpick-up, Ironman Village

• 2-7 p.m.

Ironkids Fun Run registration packetand Ironmanpick-up,Village

• 2-7 p.m.

Official Ironman Store

• 3 p.m.

Athlete Briefing

• 5 p.m.

Athlete Briefing

SEPTEMBERSATURDAY,10, 2022

• 7:30-8:30 a.m.

Ironkids Fun Run registration packetand pick-up

• 9 a.m.

Ironkids Fun Run start

• 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Athlete check-in by appointment only

• 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Bike Store & Tech Service, pick-up,andTent/LostInformation&FoundVIPspectatorcredentialIronmanVillage

• 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Official Ironman Store

• 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Mandatory Bike Check-In

• 1 p.m.

Athlete Briefing

• 3 p.m.

Athlete Briefing

SEPTEMBERSUNDAY,11, 2022

– RACE DAY

• 5:30-7:45 a.m.

Transition Open

• 8 a.m.

Race Starts

– Age Group Rolling Start

• 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Ironman Village

• 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Official Ironman Store

• 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Information Tent/Lost & Found

• 11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Post-Race Athlete Food

• 2:30-6 p.m.

Mandatory Bike & Gear Check-Out

• 5:30 p.m.

Awards Ceremony & 2023 Ironman 70.3 World

Championship Slot Allocation/ Rolldown Ceremony

The Slot claimAthletesimmediatelyCeremonyAllocation/Rolldownwillbeginfollowingawards.mustbepresenttotheirslot

• 6:30 p.m.

Volunteer Banquet

Runners pause for water at a staiton manned by the Benzie Central School cross country team during the Ironman 70.3 Michigan event in 2021. (File photo)

Benzie Central School’s cross country team volunteered to manage a water station along the running course during the Ironman 70.3 Michigan event in 2021. The group featured 1980s outfits and music as well as fun signs and chalk art on the road. (File photo)

Businesses prepare for return of Ironman 70.3

colin Merry Staff Writer

FRANKFORT – Ironman 70.3 is on the horizon again, but more employees aren’t as spanroundneedwinterwe’retimeArboles.BirchofsaidtheycoupleofbecausetriathloninBenziebringandthousandstocountybusinessesFrankfortandBenzieservicespreparedealwithaninfluxofofcompetitorssupporters.Theeventisexpectedtoover2,000athletestoCountytocompetetheinternationalonSept.11. “It’shardtostaffupweloseamajorityourstaffoverthenextofweeksbecausearecollegestudents,”NickCrawford,ownertwolocalrestaurantsandMapleandDos“Thisisatoughofyearalreadyasrunningwiththecrewandthereisnotohiremoreyear-employeesfortheofthreeweeks.”

“We won’t need them come December and January,” continued.CrawfordCrawfordsaidthe fall is already a though time for area restaurants, and it is time to “lace up the boots.”

“We’re not staffing up, but we are concepting ideas on how we can maximize services with a minimal amount of staff,” he said.

Crawford said Birch and Maple would be open for regular brunch and dinner services, and Dos Arboles might be open for grab and go“Lasmeals.year we did well by prepping out about 150 breakfast sandwiches,” he said. “We were sold out by noon. This year I think Dos Arboles will have grab and go options where customers can walk up to the bar, order what they want from a limited menu, have a seat and we’ll bring them their order.”

Items could include breakfast sandwichesburritos,andother fast, fun meal ideas that can be premade and kept warm.

Crawford said he’ll make more concrete plans once he knows for sure what his staffing levels will be.

Rick Schmitt, owner of Stormcloud Brewing Company, which includes a downtown pub and off-site brewing facility, said he was trying to bring back as many staff members as possible for the Ironman weekend.“We’retrying to entice everybody to come back and work for the weekend, because the existing staff will not be remotely able to handle the business,” SchmittSchmittsaid.said he was also planning on utilizing the downtown pub’s outdoor areas for quick service.

“We’re trying to utilize

Rick Schmitt, owner of Stormcloud Brewing Company, said he was asking former employees to come back for the weekend of Ironman 70.3. (File photo)

Avoid traffic snarls at the 2022 Ironman triathlon

Scott Fraley Staff Writer

FRANKFORT — The Ironman triathlon isn’t just a demanding test for athletes, it’s also a challenge for organizers and local officials.

So when race day starts on Sept. 11 in Frankfort, it will be due to months of hard work behind the scenes to prepare.

Joel Gaff, race director for the Ironman 70.3, said it typically takes about 18 months of preparation for things to be ready for race day.

“It’s a lot of collaborating in bringing the right people and groups together,” Gaff had said. “There’s a whole lot of planning and communicating and dialing the plan in for race day or race week.”

TRAFFIC

Thousands of athletes from around the state and beyond are set to experience the beauty of Benzie County for the three-stage competition. Because of the high volume of athletes who  will be on the roads, race officials warn that delays in local travel along and near the route should be expected.

Motorists can expect full closure for all lanes of Main Street, between Michigan and Third streets from 1-6 p.m., and between Seventh and Ninth streets from 5 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. in Frankfort.

Other roads will be open for local traffic only, and organizers expect a high volume of athletes to cause delays on the following roads, according to the Ironman website:

• Southbound M-22 between Main Street and Grace Road from 8-11 a.m.;

• Eastbound Grace Road, from M-22 to Higgins Road between 8 and 11:15 a.m.;

• Westbound Grace Road,

from Higgins Road to M-22 between 8 and 11:30 a.m.;

• Northbound M-22, from Grace Road to Main Street between 8 and 11:45 a.m.;

• Westbound Main Street, from Lake Street (M-22) to Ninth Street between 8 a.m. and 11:45 a.m.;

• Northbound Seventh Street, from Main to James streets between 8:25 a.m. and 11:45 a.m.;

• Northbound M-22, from James Street to South Shore Drive between 8:25 a.m. and noon;

• Northbound M-22, from South Shore Drive to Crystal Drive between 8:30 a.m. and 12:20 p.m.;

• Northbound M-22, from Crystal Drive to Platte Road between 8:40 a.m. to 12:40 p.m.;

• Northbound M-22, from Platte to Aral roads between

8:45 a.m. and 1:10 p.m.;

• Eastbound Esch Road, from M-22 to Indian Hill Road between 9 a.m. and 1:15 p.m.;

• Southbound Indian Hill Road, from Esch to Dymond roads between 9 a.m. and 1:25 p.m.;

• Northbound Indian Hill Road, from Dymond to Esch roads between 9:10 a.m. and 1:35 p.m.;

• Westbound Esch Road, from Indian Hill Road to M-22 between 9:15 p.m. and 1:35 p.m.;

• Southbound M-22, from Aral to Platte roads between 9:15 a.m. and 2:10 p.m.;

• Southbound M-22, from Platte Road to Crystal Drive between 9:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.;

• Southbound M-22, from Crystal to South Shore drives between 9:40 a.m. and 2:50 p.m.;

• Southbound M-22, from South Shore Drive to James Street between 9:50 a.m. and 3 p.m.; and

• Southbound Seventh Street, from James to Main streets between 9:55 a.m. and 3 p.m.

People can also download the free WAZE GPS app available on iPhone or Android for traffic routing during Ironman 70.3 Michigan.

A recommended detour route is being set up from M-22 to U.S. 31, crossing the intersections of Herron and Mick roads, south of Elberta and the Betsie River State Game Refuge. The detour route follows U.S. 31 through Benzonia and Beulah north toward Empire.

PIT STOPS

Aid stations will be available for participants approximately every mile of the run course, stocked with things like Gatorade, Red Bull fruits and water, and nutrient rich energy bars and gel.

Bike course aid stations will also

be available at regular intervals offering much of the same. Toilet stops will also be placed at regular intervals at these stations.

SHUTTLE SERVICE AND PARKING

Shuttle service will run continuously on Sept. 11 between 4:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. at the following parking locations:

• Frankfort United Methodist Church: 537 Crystal Ave.

• Frankfort High School: 534 11th St.

• Trinity Lutheran Church: 955 James St.

• Frankfort Elementary School: 613 Leelanau Ave.

Shuttles will drop off near Open Space Park. Afternoon shuttles back to parking lots will be on an as needed basis from the Park. Street parking is also available throughout the downtown area.

FOR SPECTATORS

Ironman.com lists some of the best places for spectators to watch the different legs of the triathlon.

The swim start is a mile walk from the transition area. Spectators can walk down the beach to the swim start or stand along the beach toward the swim exit chute between Ninth and Tenth streets along Betsie Bay.

To watch the cycling and running legs, the website recommends finding a place “anywhere on the outskirts of the Jean Klock Park.”

Restaurants are also expected to remain open during the race.

“Come down to the village and just kind of mill around and check things out, or heck, sit on your front porch if you live along the race route and ring a cowbell or come to the finish line – anyone’s welcome to come,” Gaff had said.

Motorists should watch out for traffic backups in Frankfort when the Ironman competition takes place on Sept. 11. (File photo)

Ironman 70.3 Michigan helps local economies

K en GrabowSK i for the NeWS a dvocate

FRANKFORT — Few people will dispute the fact that northern Michigan is a prime destination spot for tourists from all over the Midwest and beyond during the summer season.

However, every year with the arrival of Labor Day tourist officials notice a distinct drop in the number of people coming to the area in the fall. Less people has a direct impact on those businesses making their living off the tourist trade and they in turn see less money coming into the community.Itwasoneof the main reasons that Traverse City Tourism president Trevor Tkach and others came up with the concept of bringing the Ironman 70.3 Michigan competition to norhtern heldIronmanBenzieGrandhandlesTraverseMichigan.CityTourismtourismintheTraverseandcountyareas.TheeventwasfirstinTraverseCity,but in 2021 moved to its present location in Frankfort.

“It really is a boost to the local economies and at a time of the year when it really matters,” said Tkach. “Coming off that big summer push we kind of have a lull, but we still have all the amenities and workers who want to get hours. It’s a good fit, and I feel like we found the perfect spot for it in Frankfort.”Tkachsaid the Frankfort

business community has been very accommodating since the move. This year they expect to have more than 2,600 competitors in the Ironman 70.3 Michigan event, meaning a great deal of visitors will be in the community.Withthose people come money, and Tkach said they haven’t done a revenue study on the Frankfort event, but when it was held in Traverse City there were economic income estimates showing that the event was bringing in between $5 million and $10 million in revenue from outside the local market.

“I think last year there was a big learning curve and the definitelybusinessescameinto it with their eyes wide open,” he said. “I think we learned a lot and the Frankfort business community has had the opportunity to adjust and capitalize on the (112who swimenduranceisTkach.knowsupportiveliketheunderstandingtownshipssmooth,thiswhatcommunityoutaspectopportunity.”AnotherimportantthatTkachpointedwaspeoplefromthenowknowtoexpectaswell.“Theapprovalprocessgoaroundwasveryasthesurroundinghadabetterofwhatexperiencewouldbeandweremaybemorenowthattheywhattoexpect,”saidTheIronmancompetitionastrongtestofforcompetitors,(2.4miles),cyclemiles)andrun(26.22)

miles.This year, some changes were mad to the course that organizers hope will work better for the community and the ownersfeedbacksaidSammieVisitorsimportant.”intoandtosoweekends,starts,traditionallyacountiesManistee,intoajusteconomy,”andbringingtheirenjoypluslodgingThatthemtwoaveragewhoeventprepareeveryonehavetrafficchallengescoursechanges“Ironmancompetitors.madesometoenhancetheandtoreducewithvehicularassomeissuesmaycomeuplastyear,sotookthetimetoforanevenbetterthisyear,”saidTkach.Tkachsaideachpersoncompetesusuallyouttobringingotherpeoplewithtothecompetition.meanstheywillneedandplacestoeat,thenon-competitorsshoppingduringvisit.“Onaveragetheyaremorepeopleitisabigboosttothehesaid.“It’snotFrankfortasitissuchbigeventthatitspreadsGrandTraverse,Leelanauaswell.ThatisniceshotinthearmasafterschoolespeciallyontheitcanbequietertohaveaneventlikethiskeeptheenergyhighthedollarsmovingourcommunitiesisManisteeConventionandBureaudirectorLukaskiewiczsheisgettingpositivefromlocalhotelaboutIronman.“Ihadmentioneditto

Spectators cheer on Sept. 12, 2021 during the Ironman 70.3 event in Frankfort. (File photo)

How to train for an Ironman competition

Kyle KotecK i Staff Writer

Maybe you wake up one morning and decide you want to complete an Ironman race and you are going to give yourself one year to get ready for it. Where do you

Earlbegin?Walton, Ironman global director of coaching and training, has been coaching people to compete in Ironman competitions for around two decades and believes it is best not to go it alone.

The best two resources a prospective Ironman competitor can find are a coach or a triathlon

club. Although a triathlon is not a team sport, Walton said the Ironman has a built-in support

system.“Thebeauty of Ironman is even though it’s this massive thing, it’s a super welcoming community,” he said. “The people that do the sport are really kind and welcoming, and they want to see you succeed because they know how cool it is to cross the finish line.”Walton said the best way to find a coach or club is via the Ironman website, at u.ironman. com/coach-search and ironman. com/find-a-club.“AtIronmanwe have Ironman

U certified coaches who are certified through Ironman University, which is our educational course,” he said. “Any coach anywhere would sit down and have a cup of coffee with a new athlete and talk to them and just kind of talk through how to train for the Ironman. The other way is to find a local Ironman or triathlon club. Again, it’s the sameThoughthing.”training for an Ironman is anything but easy, it may be less time-consuming than one would“There’sthink.amisconception that Ironman training is 20 hours a week and you have to give up

your life and you have to do all this stuff,” Walton said. “The truth is that you’re going to work out six days a week probably, so you always get a day off. I always tell people they have to take a day off for their body and their brain.”Walton said it is best to rotate through each discipline twice per week to start out.

“Your typical work week training stays relatively the same,” he said. “It’s an hour to an hour and a half, four to six days a week.”Walton says he has his athletes measure their training sessions by time instead of distance.

“The physiological adaptations that you get are usually timebased. If I tell you to go out and run 3 miles and it takes you 18 minutes to run 3 miles, but I tell somebody else to run for 3 miles and it takes them 30 minutes, then they’re going a lot longer, so it’s a different type of workout,” he said. “You always go by time, because that’s what makes the training more accessible to everyone.“...Yougo by distance when you want that big mental boost — when you want to say, ‘I’m going to crush that 100-miles to give myself confidence,’ or

The Ironman got underway on Sept. 12, 2021 with the swimming portion, then moving on to the bike, and then the run as the final leg of the triathlon. Thousands of spectators and participants descended on Frankfort for the Ironman 70.3 Michigan. (File photo)

Volunteer support key to Ironman 70.3 Michigan

K en GrabowSK i for the NeWS a dvocate

FRANKFORT — When any large event takes place, the thing people often overlook in contributing to its success is the dedicated efforts of people who serve asEventvolunteers.organizers are always quick to point out that participants are important, but without volunteers the activity would never take place. That is why the organizers of the Ironman 70.3 Michigan competition being held in Frankfort on Sept. 10-11 utilize the services of so many volunteers.Oneperson who really appreciates volunteer efforts is Janice Davidson, who serves as volunteer coordinator for the Frankfort Ironman 70.3 Michigan competition. She said they are still looking for people to serve in that capacity.“Itroughly takes about 1,000 volunteers and that is a lot of people,” said Davidson. “Right now we are looking pretty good, and last year we had more than enough so that is very encouraging. We are hoping that will be the case this year, but we are definitely recruiting right now.”Davidson said it is easy to become a volunteer by visiting volunteer/?id=57826volunteerlocal.com/ironman. to fill out a form. The site also lists the different types of

volunteer positions that are needed for the Ironman 70.3“Wecompetition.arestillinneed in

many areas yet, and I tell people there is a volunteer spot for everyone,” said Davidson. “We need volunteers from Thursday through race day. So I encourage people to sign up for two or three spots if they are available to help.”

The volunteer positions cover a wide area of tasks, according to Davidson.

“We have everything from bag stuffing, aid stations, to being on the water, working the information desk and so much more,” she said. “The website lists all the volunteer positions we are looking to fill and there are many

opportunities.”Davidsonsaid anyone with questions can call her at 231-631-1373 or out,rewards.whotoddlersasDavidson.thatcalledthisitself.volunteerbeplacehavedo.exactlyteamcom.janice.davidson@ironman.emailSheandthevolunteerwillletpeopleknowwhattheyneedtoShesaidtheyhopetoallthevolunteersinbySept.7sotheycanbriefedontheirroleasapriortotheraceAneweventwasaddedyear,setforSept.10,IronmanKids.“Weneedvolunteersforeventaswell,”said“It’salotoffunyougeteverythingfromto17-year-oldswillruninit.”BeingavolunteerhasitsThosewhohelpgettheopportunityto

meet people from all over the United States and the world who are competing in the “Rightevent.now we currently have 2,600 people registered to compete, which is a pretty big race and national event as well as many other countries represented here as well,” she said. “The athletes really love Michigan, so I am anticipating a great event.”Since the Ironman 70.3 was held in the Frankfort area last year, Davidson said any volunteerreturningshouldhave a good platform for what is expected in their role.

“It is a fun community event, and encouraging those athletes is so inspiring,” said Davidson. “Volunteers are at all locations as they may be on the core of an event or on the outskirts encouraging them from one of the aid stations out on the course at like Mile 30.”

Davidson said they can’t do the competition without the volunteers. Those who take part receive a volunteer T-shirt and food throughout the weekend.

“There also is a volunteer banquet on Sunday evening at 6:30 p.m. in the Open Space (Park) where prizes are given away,” she said. “It’s just our way of saying ‘thank you.’”

“Streng th of your agency i s in the companies that the y keep”

Good Luck to all Competitors!

Please call our office today for a review of your Personal and Business insurance needs with our fine companies.

Benzie Central’s cross country team volunteered to manage a water station along the running course of the Ironman 70.3 Michigan in Frankfort in 2021. (File photo)

Frankfort benefits from first year as host of Michigan Ironman race

JeFF Zide for the NeWS a dvocate

FRANKFORT — 2021 was the first year of a three-year agreement between the city of Frankfort and the organizers of the Ironman 70.3 Michigan race, according to Frankfort Mayor JoAnnFrankfortHolwerda.wasapproached by the organizers of the Ironman race to host the race.

According to Holwerda, the city of Frankfort and the organizers of the Ironman race agreed to a three-year non-binding contract that would allow either of them to get out of it should the

partnership not be beneficial for one or both of them.

However, according to Holwerda, that contingency is unlikely noting how well the first year went during the 2021 race.

“There were no incidents, and the community got behind (the race) a lot,” Holwerda said.

That being said, there may be one minor tweak to the 2022 event: The Frankfort-Elberta Chamber of Commerce is mulling over the possibility of adding a beer tent at the end of theThisrace.isbecause some of the restaurants along Main Street in Frankfort were not as busy as

they expected, and placing food closer to the end of the race could get more business with those who want pizza and beer at the same place. There were also food trucks parked along Main Street.

“We all know that pizza and beer go together well,” Holwerda added.Inaddition to Holwerda’s praises of the Ironman, Joel Gaff, Ironman 70.3 Michigan race director, said that Frankfort has been a great location to host the race.“The city really rolled out the red carpet, and we couldn’t have been happier. We tweaked the swim, bike and run courses just

a little bit to improve upon some course flow and general traffic flow points,” Gaff said.

Gaff noted that the closeness to water and access to open space in Frankfort made it a good place to host the race.

“With the calm, protected water of Betsie Bay, Open Space Park, scenic roads and trails for the bike and run courses, and ultimately, a fantastic community of volunteers, businesses and residents, Frankfort was an easy choice. Our 2022 event will be the second event in our current three-year agreement with the city of Frankfort, and we hope to call Frankfort home for this event

for many years to come.”

Preparations are underway for Frankfort’s second year hosting the Ironman 70.3 Michigan race, according to Holwerda.

She said the Benzie County Certified Emergency Response Team and state police help out during the race.

Holwerda said that overall, the contract with Ironman has been beneficial for Frankfort and the region in general and that the community has rallied around theVolunteersrace. from Beulah, Benzonia and other surrounding areas came over to Frankfort to help out in 2021, she said.

Frankfort will host the Ironman triathlon on Sept. 11, 2022 with the Ironman Village serving as the location for athlete check-in, briefings and more at Open Space Park. (File photo)

How safety coordinators prep for the Frankfort Ironman

a rielle breen a SSiSta N t editor

FRANKFORT — It takes a team of Benzie County’s first response groups to safely put on a regional event expecting at least 2,150 athletes, plus their families and spectators.

The competitive Ironman event on Sept. 11 consists of a swim, cycle and a run portion in Frankfort and each leg of the triathlon requires that first responders prepare accordingly for each challenge. RebeccaHubers, Benzie County

first Ironman in 2021.

“Whether … they ran into an inconvenience (last year) but know to work around it this year type of thing. I think that (first Ironman) helps a lot,” Hubers said.

One change this year is that the bike portion of the triathlon that had been on Grace Road is now farther north on River Road instead to make things smoother for all involved.

Hubers said one of the biggest takeaways from the last Ironman is the importance of getting information and maps out to the public to let residents and visitors know to prepare for the events in theButarea. thelearning process also includes Hubers’

team. “Wejust know where we needed more people, where we needed less people, how long people needed to stay at locations, that type of stuff,” she said.

Part of Hubers’ team includes some members of the Benzie County Community Emergency Response Team as those members are more familiar with emergencies than a general member of the public. Lastyear, the Ironman event was estimated to have brought 2,950 competitors and Hubers had previously said that there were 2.5 visitors for each CountyKylecompetitor.Rosa,Benziesheriff,said his team is focusing on the aquatic safety during the

swimming portion of the triathlon. “Thesheriff’s office role for that day is pretty much all marine access and water rescue type (roles),” Rosa said. “We have boats in the water, divers on the boats on standby. That is our primary focus at Ironman.”

Rosa encouraged visitors and residents to be aware of the race course routes and plan around the Sept. 11Whentriathlon. hewas asked why the sheriff’s office wanted to help out with the event safety, Rosa said it is their responsibility. “We’reinthe business of taking care of people,” Rosa said in part.

Hubers said there are also other entities helping from outside of Benzie County, like the Little River Band of Ottawa Indians Public Safety Department, the Michigan Department of Natural Resources and U.S. Coast Guard among others.Hubers said while her emergency response team is mostly set on volunteers, people can also sign up to volunteer through Ironman doing things like greeting people, working registration booths and handing out water bottles.

Anyone interested in volunteering should events.proposedalsomichigan.ironman.com/im703-visitThewebsiteliststhemapsoftheroutesforthe

that space more efficiently than we did previously” he said. “We’re looking to serve food and drink at both locations (downtown and off-site brew pub). We’ll have grab and go items on the lawn. We want to do some prepackaged food items.”

Schmitt said having a year of experience serving during the event will help shape his business’ schedule.“Allweknew last year was that there would be a lot of people in town,” he said. “On the day leading up to Ironman, most people were busy registering and stayed in the east end of town. Saturday had a big lunch and dinner crowd. Things died down that night because not everybody is staying here.”

Not all business are expecting an all-hands on deck rush. Steve Campbell,

owner of Harbor Lights Motel and Resort, said for Harbor Lights, it is business as usual.

“We prepare as we always do; getting the rooms thoroughly cleaned and ready for the thewaswereyear.thelookingcontinued.whichtototocompetitorsthisbethemostbeandwitharereservations,”incominghesaid.“WefullforthatweekendamixofcompetitorsIronmanstaffthatwillstayingwithus.”“Aneventlikethishaspeopledepartingonsamedaywhichcanchallenging,althoughyearI’venoticedsomearedecidingstayanextradayortwogivethemalittletimerelaxandenjoytheareaisgreat,”Campbell “WearereallyforwardtohavinggroupbackagainthisThepeoplelastyearextremelyniceanditimpressivehowwelleventwasmanaged.”JessicaCarland,interim

director for Benzie Bus, said the event poses a challenge to the county’s bus service because the event is on Sunday, when the bus normally doesn’t operate.“Wewill have four or five buses available for racers and spectators to park and ride from designated areas,” Carland said. “The details are still being finalized.”Carlandsaid Benzie Bus provided around 2,000 rides on race day in 2021.

“To prepare, we’re working with the Ironman organizers, reviewing our notes and schedules from last year and evaluating our staffing levels to determine if we can offer additional services,” Carland said.  “We received great feedback from those who used the service last year and are looking forward to a fun Ironman this year.”

one of the hotel operators, and they said they did see some folks who were competing coming to our hotels,” she Lukaskiewiczsaid.said if there is an event of this nature taking place in this region, there is usually some spillover into Manistee County.

“What also helps for us is sometimes people want to distance themselves from the race footprint by staying outside that area and having to deal with the traffic, and staying in some of our hotels can certainly help with some of those things,” she said.

Tkach said he feels the impact from the Ironman 70.3 Michigan spreads far and wide in this area. He said events of this nature continue to grow in

popularity.“Ithinkthere is a lot of pride for having an event like this just tied to health and wellness,” he said.

“This represents people trying to achieve very high goals related to their health. I have always been impressed by that part of it as it’s such a motivator for people of all walks of life.”Along those lines, Tkach said people are dealing better with the COVID-19 pandemic this year as opposed to last year. He said COVID isn’t in the rear view mirror yet, but people are dealing better with it for events of this

nature.“Lastyear people were a little nervous about events like this, but now they are getting back into those group settings,” he

said. “I think some events stopped their training during that time, but this year is different and I believe the participation numbers and those coming to cheer them on will be up this year.”

Tkach said a lot of credit goes to the community of Frankfort for the way residents have embraced this event. He said Frankfort Superintendent Josh Mills has been a really good leader in helping bring people together to have good conversations.“Ironmanhas also been very helpful in bringing people together and being transparent to work through the kinks and to make sure the community and participants are still safe,” he said. “That is a majority of our meetings.”

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Nick Crawford, owner of the Birch and Maple, said he didn’t intend to bring on more staff for the upcoming Ironman 70.3 events. (File photo)

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The Ironman 70.3 Michigan got underway on Sept. 12, 2021, starting with the swim, then moving on to the bike, and then the run as the final leg of the triathlon. Thousands of spectators and participants descend ed on Frankfort and other areas of northwest Michigan for the event. (File photo)

‘I have to run 16 miles so I have confidence in my training,’” Walton continued. “Other than that, it should be all timebased.”Asyour progressestrainingitisbest to start putting more of an emphasis on bicycling, according to Walton.

“You’re going to want to add more biking than anything else. As your season progresses ... you might start to do three days of biking, or even four on some weeks,” he said. “That’s why I always say it’s good to have a coach, because they can work on that mix with you. You’re going to add more cycling because cycling is the longest part. ... You’re going to spend more time on the bike than

anything else. Most people have cycling as the most, running as second and swimming as third.”

As race day draws near, it is best to pull back on the reins to ensure your body is ready to go when you step to the starting line. This is called “tapering.”

“Tapering is like a threeweek process that an athlete goes through where they bring the volume down and they bring the intensity down, so that they’re heading into the race day feeling fresh and ready to go,” Walton said. “As the volume and intensity goes down, you add in things like extra sleep, you make sure you maintain a healthy diet, and then when race day comes along you’re fit, fresh and ready to go.”

Walton reiterated that

to get the most out of one’s training, it is best to find a coach or club to put together an optimal training program.

“I really think it’s important to stress that people find a plan. If you’re spending a year chasing a goal and trying to find a plan and a guide to get there, you need directions,” he said. “And you don’t want IKEA directions; you want really good directions that are going to take you from Point A to Point B. It’s easy to get lost and I hate to see someone excited about the challenge of the Ironman and then get lost on their way to the starting line. I want to see people be Ironmanareplans,“Coaches,successful.trainingclubs—thosetherealkeystotheexperience,in my opinion.”

The Ironman 70.3 Michigan was held on Sept. 12, 2021 in Frankfort. The triathlon included a running, swim ming and cycling portion. (File photo)

Runners navigate the final leg of the Ironman 70.3 Michigan along Betsie Bay in Frankfort on Sept. 12, 2021. (File photo)

Olivia Dietzel the top female in the Ironman Michigan Sept. photo)

Runners take part in the final leg of the Ironman 70.3 Michigan in Frankfort on Sept. 12, 2021. (File photo)

Thousands of spectators descended on Frankfort on Sept. 12, 2021 for the Ironman 70.3 Michigan. photo)

Bicycling 56 miles just one part of the Ironman Michigan compe tition, which was held on Sept. 2021 in Frankfort. photo)

Runners near the finish line in the final leg of the Ironman 70.3 Michigan in Frankfort on Sept. 12, 2021. (File photo)

More than 2,000 competitors took part in the Ironman 70.3 Michigan in Frankfort on Sept. 12, 2021. (File photo)

Thousands of spectators and participants descended on Frankfort for the Ironman 70.3 Michigan on Sept. 12, 2021. (File photo)