Ironman Triathalon September 2021 by Hearst Midwest

IRONMAN TRIATHALON SEPTEMBER 2021

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Ironman | September 2021

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Ironman | September 2021

Frankfort to host Ironman triathlon Sept. 12 Scott Fraley

scott.fraley@pioneergroup.com

For the first time, the Ironman triathlon competition will be held in Frankfort on Sept. 12. Athletes from around the nation will gather in Benzie County for the Ironman 70.3 — named after the overall distance in miles that competitors will swim, bike and run during the event. The Ironman is a global triathlon competition, with more than 100 qualifying races in over 50 countries around the world. Races are 70.3 miles for half-distance competitions like the one coming to Frankfort, and over 140 miles for the full triathlon distance. The event at Frankfort is a qualifier for an annual world championship that will be held Oct. 9 in Hawaii. Joel Gaff, race director for the Frankfort competition, said that over 1,000 competitors are expected to participate in the race on Sept. 12. Activities will take place in downtown Frankfort on Sept. 10 and 11 as well. The event is free to watch, and signup for competitors is available online at ironman. com/im703-michigan. “So the race starts at eight o’clock in the morning — we’ll get our first folks starting to swim, and then we do have a rolling start,” Gaff said. That means the first place competitor could reach the finish line at the west end of Main Street in Frankfort

around 11:45 to noon on Sept. 12, according to Gaff. “Believe it or not, they’re going to cover those 70.3 miles in under four hours.” A similar event planned in Traverse City last year was canceled due to COVID-19 and organizers say they’re following all state, local and national pandemic guidelines. There will be a passive screening at the entrance to the venue and anyone who feels sick is being asked to remain home. Athlete check-in will take place on Sept. 10 and 11. Bikes will be checked Sept. 11 and held in a secure location overnight. Vendors will be in place starting in the afternoon on Sept. 9 through the weekend. For the competitors, this event will be the culmination of months or even years of hard work and training, according to Gaff.

Frankfort will host the Ironman triathlon on Sept. 12 with the Ironman Village serving as the location for athlete check-in, briefings and more at Mineral Springs Park. (File photo)

“(For) folks who have overcome some personal or physical or other challenges in their life — this is kind of their bucket list journey,” Gaff said. “It’s kind of magical to see folks get to the finish line and finally reach the goal, that metaphorical and literal finish line.” “If there’s one moment in time, that’s during race week to be somewhere, I would say, head down to the finish line if you can, because it’s going to be a really special place,” he said. Visit ironman.com to learn more about the competition.

The Ironman 70.3 will take place on Sept. 12 in Frankfort, with much of the action taking place around Betsie Bay. (File photo)

Ironman | September 2021

How to unleash your inner Ironman Kyle Kotecki

kkotecki@pioneergroup.com

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 begin? Earl 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. “The beauty 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/coachsearch and ironman.com/find-aclub. “At Ironman we 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 same thing.” Though training for an Ironman is anything but easy, it may be less time-consuming than one would think. “There’s a misconception 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

Although training for an Ironman may be less time-consuming than one might think, it is best to find a coach or triathlon club help an athlete formulate a training plan. (File photo)

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.”

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 Walton said it is best to rotate minutes to run 3 miles, but I tell through each discipline twice per somebody else to run for 3 miles week to start out. and it takes them 30 minutes, “Your typical work week training then they’re going a lot longer, so stays relatively the same,” he said. it’s a different type of workout,” “It’s an hour to an hour and a half, he said. “You always go by time, four to six days a week.” because that’s what makes the training more accessible to Walton says he has his athletes measure their training sessions by everyone.

“... You go 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 ‘I have to run 16 miles so I have confidence in my training,’” Walton continued. “Other than that, it should be all time-based.” As your training progresses it is best 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 three-week 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 successful. “Coaches, training plans, clubs — those are the real keys to the Ironman experience, in my opinion.”

Ironman | September 2021

2021 IRONMAN EVENT SCHEDULE Open Space Park

FRIDAY SEPTEMBER 10, 2021 •

•

Noon-7 p.m. Athlete Check-In, Open Space Park, 800 Main St., Frankfort, MI 49635 Noon-7 p.m. Bike Store & Tech Service and Information Tent/Lost & Found, Ironman Village, Open Space Park

SATURDAY SEPTEMBER 11, 2021

Open Space Park •

Noon Athlete Briefing, Open Space Park

•

8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Official Village, Open Space Park

2 p.m. Athlete Briefing, Open Space Park

•

8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Official Ironman Store, Open Space Park

4 p.m. Athlete Briefing, Open Space Park

•

9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Information Tent/Lost & Found, Open Space Park

•

11:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Post-Race Athlete Food, Open Space Park

•

2:15-5:30 p.m. Mandatory Bike & Gear Check-Out, Open Space Park

•

5 p.m. Awards Ceremony

•

8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mandatory Bike Check-In, Open Space Park

•

9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Athlete Check-In, Open Space Park

•

9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Bike Store & Tech Service and Information Tent/Lost & Found, Ironman Village, Open Space Park

Noon-7 p.m. Official Ironman Store, Open Space Park

•

3 p.m. Athlete Briefing, Open Space Park

•

5 p.m. Athlete Briefing,

•

9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Official Ironman Store, Open Space Park 10 a.m. Athlete Briefing,

Open Space Park

SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 12, 2021 RACE DAY •

•

5:30-7:45 a.m. Transition Open; Bike & Gear Set-Up, Open Space Park 8 a.m. Race Starts – Age Group Rolling Start,

& 2022 Ironman 70.3 World Championship Slot Allocation/Rolldown Ceremony, Open Space Park The Slot Allocation/ Rolldown Ceremony will begin immediately following Awards. Athletes must be present to claim their slot •

6:30 p.m. Volunteer Banquet, Open Space Park The schedule is subject to change; last update on Aug. 23, 2021. Visit ironman.com/im703michigan-athletes for more information

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Ironman | September 2021

What you need to know about traffic routes the day of the race Jeff Zide

jeffrey.zide@pioneergroup.com

The town of Frankfort, could see its population quadruple for three days from Sept 10-12 when the Ironman competition comes to town. The town of about 1,059 will play host to thousands of runners and anywhere from 1,000 to 1,500 volunteers according to Joel Gaff, Ironman race director.

-11:00 a.m. • M-22 Northbound — from James Street to South Shore Drive 8:25 a.m.-12:00 p.m. 9:25 -11:15 a.m. • M-22 Northbound — from South Shore Drive to Crystal Drive 8:30 a.m. - 12:20 p.m. 9:30 -11:35 a.m. • M-22 Northbound — from Crystal Drive to Platte Road 8:40 a.m. - 12:40 p.m. 9:40 -11:55 a.m.

Restaurants will be hopping with business, the downtown is likely to • M-22 Northbound — from be packed, so here is a handy guide Platte Road to Aral Road for race day, Sept.12. 8:45 a.m-1:10 p.m. 9:45 There will be portable bathrooms a.m.-12:25 p.m. along the entire course and for • Esch Road Eastbound — from participants and spectators. M-22 to Indian Hill Road 9 a.m.-1:15 p.m. 10 a.m.The traffic could bad on race day; 12:30 p.m. here is a list of all the roads that will be impacted: • Indian Hill Road Southbound — from Esch Road to Dymond Closures Road 9 a.m.-1:25 p.m. 10 • Main Street — all lanes from a.m.-12:40 p.m. Michigan Street to 3rd Street 1 • Indian Hill Rd. Northbound — a.m. to 6 pm. Full Closure from Dymond Road to Esch Road. • Main Street — all lanes from 9:10 a.m.- 1:35 p.m. 10:10 a.m. 7th Street to 9th Street 5-11:45 - 12:50 p.m. a.m. Full Closure • Esch Road Westbound — Impacted Routes: from Indian Hill Road to M-22 9:15 a.m. - 1:35 p.m. 10:15 • Main Street Eastbound — a.m. - 12:50 p.m. from 9th Street to Lake Street 8-10:45 a.m. Peak Impact Time: • M-22 Southbound — from Aral 9-10 a.m. to Road Platte Road 9:15 •M-22 Southbound — from Main Street to Grace Road 8 -11 a.m. 9-10:15 a.m.

• Grace Road Eastbound — from M-22 to Higgins Road 8-11:15 a. m. 9 -10:30 a.m.

a.m. - 2:10 p.m. - 1:25 p.m.

LOCATION: SET-UP:

PARKING: REMINDERS: • • • • QUESTIONS: • •

triclub@ironman.com michigan70.3@ironman.com

10:15 a.m.

• M-22 Southbound — from Platte Road to Crystal Drive 9:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. 10:30 a.m. - 1:45 p.m.

• M-22 Southbound — Crystal • Grace Road Westbound — from Drive to South Shore Drive 10:40 Higgins Road to M-22 8-11:30 a. 9:40 a.m. - 2:50 p.m. m. 9-10:45 a.m. a.m. - 2:05 p.m. • M-22 Northbound — from Grace Road to Main Street 8-11:45 a.m. 9-11 a.m.

• M-22 Southbound — South Shore Drive to James Street 9:50 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. 10:50 a.m. - 2:15 p.m.

• Main Street Westbound — from • 7th Street Southbound — James 9:55 Lake Street to 9th Street 8-11:45 Street to Main Street 10:55 a.m. a.m. 9-11 a.m. a.m. - 3:00 p.m. • 7th Street Northbound — from - 2:15 p.m. Main Street to James Street 8:25 -11:45 a.m. 9:25

Detour Route: There will be one northbound and one southbound.

Tri-club village guide. (Courtesy photo)

The northbound detour starts at M-22 at Herron Rd., goes through U.S. 31 in Beluah and then to the 677 at Folwer. The southbound starts at M-22 at Folwer and ends at Herron Street. Information for those in the race

or part of clubs: • The Tri-Club village is located in Mineral Springs Park along the running course. • Clubs can only set up on the morning of the race and tent space

is first come, first serve. • There is no designated parking for the Tri-club village. • Tents no larger than 10x20 will be allowed.

Ironman | September 2021

Frankfort an ‘efficient’ location for Ironman race Frankfort was made by a lot of public officials, like Josh Mills, Frankfort superintendent. Triathlons are not for the faint of But when asked “Why heart. And the Ironman 70.3 race Frankfort, ” Gaff replied, “Why not is not your average triathlon. Frankfort?” An Ironman race is 70.3 miles With beautiful beaches and a in total, consisting of 1.2 miles more rural setting, Frankfort was of swimming, 56 miles of biking at the top of their destination list. and 13 miles of running. It is the ultimate test of strength where the “It was a great first year in Traverse City,” said Gaff, “but winner is crowned an Ironman. [with Frankfort] we wanted to “The fastest finishers finish in bring awareness to what Benzie three hours and 45 minutes,” County has to offer.” said Joel Gaff, race director of Frankfort provides the perfect Ironman 70.3, but “the average is place for the event, he said. anywhere from five to six hours.” “It’s smaller,” said Gaff, “more The event was last held in efficient for such a large race.” Traverse City in 2019; this year the Ironman 70.3 will be hosted The Ironman 70.3 takes in Frankfort on Sept. 12. dedication and training. Athletes of all ability levels ranging from In past years, the race has been 18 to 70 years old spend 10-15 held in Traverse City, a big event hours a week training. for a summer populated town. The decision to hold the race in This race is a “big bucket list

K ate Goodman For the News A dvocate

With beautiful beaches and a rural setting, organizers found Frankfort to be the perfect setting for its Ironman 70.3 event. (File photo)

goal for these folks,” Gaff said. Swimming, biking and running workouts add up to a big commitment, especially if one with a full-time job. Racers from all over the United

States will gather in Frankfort for the race of a lifetime this year and for the next three years. A threeyear contract to host the event was approved by the Frankfort City Council.

Anyone interested in signing up or for information regarding admission fees as well as the course map, can visit the Ironman 70.3 at ironman.com/im703michigan.

Benzie Area Historical Museum is Open!

Benzonia Academy Lecture Series Second Thursday of each month, 7:00 p.m. Lectures available online; see website for details. Benzie County Historical Marker Tour Saturday, October 9, 10:00 a.m. - 3 p.m.

---------------

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Ironman | September 2021

Ironman will bring positive impact to northern Michigan economy K en Grabowski Hearst Michigan The Frankfort-Elberta business community is excited at the prospect of thousands of people coming to the area the week of Sept. 12 for the 2021 Ironman 70.3 competition. Very few people will disagree that 2020 wasn’t hard on the business community in northern Michigan. Although this summer was much better from a business standpoint an event like the Ironman 70.3 is the type of financial shot in the arm most tourist communities are looking for right now. Frankfort-Elberta Chamber Commerce director Joanne Bartley said it will be a very busy time in their community during the event. She said they haven’t put an estimate on the amount of money it will bring in, but it will be quite large. “We are expecting 6,000 to 10,000 people as there are 2,500 competitors entered right now and they told us they average bringing 2.2 people with them to these events,” said Bartley. Competitors are coming from all over the United States, Canada, Great Britain, Brazil, Australia and many other countries. Trevor Tkach, the president and CEO of Traverse Tourism which also covers Benzie County, said this will benefit several surrounding counties in northern Michigan. “We have strong feelings that Benzie, Traverse City, Manistee, Wexford will also all benefit because Benzie County doesn’t have enough rooms and restaurants to accommodate all those needs,” said Tkach. “There is a good chance this will spill over and have a good financial impact on a lot of

People eat in the outdoor dining area at Stormcloud Brewing Company in June. Restaurants, hotels in Benzie County and beyond are expected to see a large increase in business during the weekend of September for the Ironman event in Frankfort. (File photo)

communities.” Tkach pointed out that not only will the business community benefit, but so will the airline industry as people will fly in from areas all around the United States and several foreign countries. “We are trying to justify having consistent airline service

this time of year, as normally they start to wrap things up around Labor Day,” said Tkach. “So if we can give them a reason to keep more flights online that benefits us as a community to have more flights to go elsewhere and keeps prices lower as they do more volume. There is a lot of positives from

a transportation side to having this event when we are having it.” Benzie County Chamber of Commerce operations and marketing manager Michelle Barefoot said they expect lodging will spill over into the surrounding areas for competitors. She said once

Ironman officials announced late last year that they would be coming to Frankfort people started booking rooms, meaning they are pretty much filled up by now in the immediate area. “That is normally an off season for us,” said Barefoot. “The

Continued on Page 10

Ironman | September 2021

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Ironman | September 2021

Continued from Page 8 chamber plans to build a page with information for people telling them great places to eat, stay and visit.” She said the food industry will also benefit. “The restaurants are going to be packed. I think if the Frankfort restaurants filled every chair, there would still be people standing around waiting to eat,” said Barefoot. “So I can see it filter into Thompsonville, Traverse City, Honor, Empire and other locations.” She added the economic benefits will also spread into other areas of the local economy. “It’s going to be a benefit to other businesses as well as they are probably going to sell out of all their knick-knack and T-shirt type items as well,” said Barefoot. “That type of crowd coming into an area is going to wipe out their inventory and that is a good thing considering last year they didn’t sell as much because of COVID.” Tkach agreed saying most businesses can’t just rely on surviving on just the seasonal residents and tourists anymore and events like this help in that area. “It extends the season which is important as a lot of us live here 365 days a year and can’t just make a living off the summer months anymore,” he said. “We have to think about how we continue to grow into the fall and spring to generate revenue to be sustainable and vibrant.” Barefoot said it would be a great opportunity for food trucks and even catering services to offer food opportunities for those who want to pick up something in a hurry. “The nice thing is the restaurants who could do outdoor dining did it for COVID so some of that is already in place,” said Barefoot. “Downtown Frankfort unfortunately doesn’t allow dining on the sidewalk in the city.”

Stores such as Frannie’s Follies & Anet and Ollie’s Five and Dime in downtown Frankfort are expected to see a boost in sales during the Ironman competition in September. (File photo)

Barefoot said things will be extremely busy during the Ironman competition, but the positives greatly outweigh the negatives. “It’s great for the area and great for the economy,” she said. “It’s just one day and that isn’t such an inconvenience.” Bartley likened the influx to even more than what they get in the community for the Fourth of July and said they are working with Ironman officials on what to expect. “We have been working with them (the Ironman officials) and they are trying to give us an idea of what it is going to be like the day of the event and ones prior to it,” said Bartley.

“It sounds like it is going to be busy.” Bartley said one challenge the businesses, restaurants and hotels are facing is having enough staff for the influx of the big crowds. Like most resort communities on the shores of Lake Michigan, business tend to cut back on staffing after Labor Day when most tourist and summer residents head home. “All the restaurants and hotels are starting to prep and be prepared to make sure they have enough staff as everywhere there is staffing issues,” she said. “The college kids who worked for them are heading back to school so they are trying to entice them to come back to

work.” Chamber officials are hoping all of those who visit take home some memorabilia and souvenirs from area businesses of their time in the FrankfortElberta area. She added they also hope it will give them some incentive to come back again in the future. “I had a guy who called me weeks ago who is a competitor who came here to practice and he said it was an amazing place,” said Bartley. “We were just talking at our committee meeting that people who come to a beautiful area like this for the first time usually say, ‘My gosh, why have we never come here before,’ and then come

back again in the future.” Tkach said the average household income of the competitors is $247,000 which will give them the means to return in the future. “These are active and outdoors type people and demographics show they have an income that will support our economy by staying longer and probably come back,” said Tkach. “A lot of these people who participate come up early to train for it, so we probably have had people all summer long coming up to Benzie County to acclimate to the area.”

Ironman | September 2021

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Ironman | September 2021

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Ironman | September 2021

‘Whatever it takes’ Community gears up for Ironman 70.3

She said this is what the Hotel Frankfort has done all summer, and there there was no need for The Ironman 70.3 is fast extra staff, though she would be approaching, and some Frankfort losing some college-aged workers businesses are more prepared before Ironman. than ever to deal with the influx “Our whole season has been of thousands of people coming based on what staff we have,” she to watch, and participate, in the said. “When we had some collegeSept. 12 event. aged kids earlier this summer, For the lodging industry, dealing we were seating more people, but with fully booked hotels have we only let in what the kitchen been the norm all season. can handle. We’re going to do the “Honestly, we probably have it same for Ironman. I anticipate the easiest,” said Steve Campbell, we’ll probably be turning away some walk-in customers, but owner of Harbor Lights Resort and Condominiums. “We already we’ve been doing that all summer. We’re being very careful not know what it is like to reach full to overwhelm the bartenders, capacity. We know what it’s like. servers and cooks in the kitchen.” For us, it is business as usual.” Other restaurants in Frankfort Campbell said when he learned aren’t quite sure how they’ll hand last year the Ironman was to be the influx during Ironman, or if held in Frankfort, he blocked they’ll even be open the day of the off the weekend for Ironman event. competitors and supporters. Steve Christian, owner of “We held those rooms specifically for Ironman,” he said. Dinghy’s Restaurant and Bar, said “We got calls right away. We knew he would like to be open on the day of the event, but he’s not sure lodging would be a big deal. We had a few unrelated reservations, he can swing it. but the bulk are Ironman related.” “We’re normally closed on Sunday, and to be open for the Campbell said while it was Sunday when Ironman is here, business as usual for Harbor we’ll have to rearrange staffing,” Lights, he knew it was a big deal he said. “We’ve already got many for the rest of the community. of them working overtime hours. “I’m happy it is here and I’m We’re having a hard time getting happy to help support the staffing for regular business and community,” he said. I’m going to lose several when Judy Remmert, owner of Hotel they go back to school. I’m still Frankfort, said her rooms were waiting for confirmation from my booked within an hour of the manager as to whether we can announcement that Ironman pull it off.” would be held in Frankfort. She Christian said it might just said her business, which also be take out only, and that he’s includes a restaurant in the hotel, already cut his business hours and isn’t changing anything. capacity not due to COVID-19 “We’re doing our usual hours, restrictions, but problems staffing dinner service Thursday through the restaurant. Monday from 4-9 p.m.,” she said. “This year, we’re only been open “We’re not changing the menu. five days a week, and only serving When we get a wait list started, Continued on Page 16 we prioritize hotel guests. “

Colin Merry

cmerry@pioneergroup.com

Dinghy’s Resturant and Bar in Frankfort isn’t normally open on Sundays, but owner Steve Christian said he might try for the Ironman 70.3 competition, but isn’t sure if he’ll have the staffing to do so. (Colin Merry/Record Patriot)

Ironman | September 2021

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Ironman | September 2021

Harbor Lights Hotel and Condominiums in Frankfort blocked off rooms specifically for Ironman 70.3 competitors and supporters when they heard the news in 2020 that it would be held in Frankfort. (Colin Merry/Record Patriot)

Continued from Page 14 lunch Thursday, Friday and Saturday,” Christian said. “We’re doing dinner Tuesday through Saturday.” Christian isn’t the only restaurateur concerned about staffing. Rick Schmitt, owner of Stormcloud Brewing Company, has both the downtown pub and a brewing facility to staff. “We’re doing our best to recruit enough staff to be able to handle the number of people who will be here for those several days,” he said. “The number of people everybody is anticipating is going to be like the fourth of July, but in July, I had college students as staff. We’re going from 70 to 40 employees and having to handle the same volume.” Schmitt said he would be adjusting a few menu items for quicker service. He also said it will be interesting to see if the infrastructure of the community in general can handle the influx coming when the tourist season begins to wane. “This will be a good test to see if we have the infrastructure in September to support an event of this volume of people,” he said. “Dowe have enough places to park? Do we have enough places to eat? Do we have enough places for people to use the bathroom?”

Bill Kennis, executive director of the Benzie Bus, said he has some concerns about there being enough parking and other transportation related issues. “We know of the magnitude of the event and we know what the Fourth of July in Frankfort and Elberta look like,” he said. “It’s all hand son deck. We’re a bit concerned bout getting people to where they need to be when events start. There’s some very specific start and stop times. People can’t be late. We’re afraid without some remote parking and shuttles, there might be some issues.” Benzie Bus, which normally doesn’t run on Sunday, will have all of its 22 busses running at a capacity of about 15 passengers each. “We hope we can be sufficient as we run the numbers,” Kennis said. “Contestants have to be to the starting line. How are they going to park? How are they going to get there? There’s a lot of stuff we still don’t know.” Kennis said Benzie Bus is working with a committee the City of Frankfort created to deal with the influx of people during Ironman. “Whatever it takes,” Kennis said. “We’re a community asset and I hope we’ll be a part of the solution.”

Hotel Frankfort owner Judy Remmert said her hotel is booked solid for Ironman 70.3 and that she will prioritize hotel guests at dinner so that she doesn’t overwhelm restaurant staff. (Colin Merry/Record Patriot)

Ironman | September 2021

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Ironman | September 2021

Ironman event meant months of safety planning, here’s what to expect A rielle Breen

arielle.breen@pioneergroup.com

With such a vast undertaking as an event like Ironman, it takes more than athletes and race coordinators — it also takes some serious planning for emergency management. According to the event’s participant listing, there are upward of about 2,950 competitors expected at the Sept. 12 event. And athletes and supporters are expected to be in town from Sept. 10-12 adding to the population of visitors to the area for that duration. Rebecca Hubers, Benzie County emergency management coordinator, said it is also expected that there are about 2.5 visitors for every competitor. This means a massive coordination was needed for planning efforts between EMS, police, fire departments and Ironman leadership as well. Hubers said there are no road closures for the event, but there are expected impacts to traffic. “There could be significant delays,” she said. “We’re working on (preparing for) the impact of all the people being in the area to the best that we can.” Hubers encouraged people who will be in the area around Sept. 12 to research the Ironman course maps and other information ahead of time in case the events impact a person’s normal route. Previously, the event had been hosted by Traverse City but in December, Frankfort became the new host for the Ironman competition. That’s when the emergency

The Ironman cycling mainly takes place on M-22 from Little Platte Lake in the north down to south of Crystal Lake and Betsie Bay on Grace Road. (Courtesy map)

management planning process started. “We’ve been working on this for quite a while,” she said. “I’ve gone to several of the

township meetings before the route was even approved. … And now we’re into the final details where I know where an ambulance is going to be

sitting and who is on it and what their radio frequency is going to be and all those fine details that everybody needs to know.”

Hubers said each surrounding Benzie County township was considered in the planning.

Continued on Page 19

Ironman | September 2021

ambulance services, some mutual aid services, so some other ambulance services besides Benzie EMS will be coming to assist us on the route,” Hubers said. “We will have ambulances strategically placed along the route because it does cover quite a distance and we know that there will be traffic impacts.”

Rebecca Hubers

Continued from Page 18 She also sought more mutual aid services from entities that would not normally cover the area, when other emergency response entities can assist when needed. This means temporarily drawing from surrounding areas like Almira Township and Homestead Township. “We have coordinated with

Hubers’ emergency management team is responsible for athletes as well as residents and visitors’ wellbeing.

to get impacted by traffic — call 911 and we’ll get you an ambulance probably faster than a regular person trying to navigate traffic.” She said Paul Oliver Memorial Hospital will be the hub for medical services, but she recommended people seek some of the walk inclinics on the outside of town if a medical situation is not something that requires an emergency room visit.

Hubers said the county is also coordinating with Michigan State Police for “We’ll have incident command, we’ll be overseeing traffic crossing points, everything from every element intersection traffic controls and escorts to and from of the race,” Hubers said. high-traffic areas “that are a “Ambulances will get where concern” to they need to be. If people the county. are concerned or have an emergency that they think “Those areas being the west needs dire or immediate end of Crystal Lake where we medical attention and they have a lot of cottages and on are trying to drive in and east or west roads and places they think that they are going like that,” she said.

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The triathlon consists of a 1.2-mile swim in Betsie Bay. Once out of the water, athletes will transition to cycling for a 56-mile ride and then the event concludes with a 13.1mile run.

encouraged to contact the specific township or entity where the concern exists, or to reach out to the Benzie County Office of Emergency Management at 231-882-0567.

Ironman’s website lists each The swim portion of course map as a pdf online Ironman takes place in Betsie Bay near Ninth and 10th at ironman.com/im703streets. The cycling mainly michigan. takes place on M-22 from “We have Little Platte Lake in the north down to south of Crystal Lake coordinated and Betsie Bay on Grace Road. The Ironman run takes place on roadways that follow mainly around Betsie Bay cutting across the Betsie Valley Trail area to cross over to the southwestern shore area. Hubers said her highest priority is ensuring the safety of everyone. Anyone with safety concerns with the route that may not have been addressed, is

with ambulance services, some mutual aid services, so some other ambulance services besides Benzie EMS will be coming to assist us on the route.”

Ironman | September 2021

Nonprofits give back to community through Frankfort Ironman 70.3 competition K en Grabowski Hearst Michigan Not many people will argue with the fact that finishing an Ironman competition is an accomplishment to look upon with great pride. Anyone who is capable of swimming 1.2 miles, cycling 56 miles and running 13 miles in the course of one day deserves recognition for their endurance and stamina as an athlete. That is the task facing competitors at the Frankfort Ironman 70.3 event on Sept. 12, but mixed among the more than 2,500 competitors are some who will be doing it with an even greater incentive than just finishing the event. Those will be the people competing to benefit five local charities through raising pledges of support to finish the race. The Traverse City Tourism Foundation is making this possible by awarding complimentary Ironman entries to these individuals and groups who will be competing. The five local charities benefiting this year are Munson Manor Hospitality House, Friends of the Betsie Valley Trail, Paul Oliver Memorial Hospital, Frankfort Lighthouse and Single MOMM. Trevor Tkach, president and CEO of Traverse City Tourism which also covers Benzie County, said what these people do to raise money for a good cause is inspiring. The charity team concept is something Traverse City Tourism came up with for the Ironman event when it was previously held in Traverse City.

“We kicked this off in 2019 in Traverse City and it was successful, and we learned a lot that year,” said Tkach. “So I think we are coming back with an even better plan and strategy, and I hope we can have a real impact for these important causes.” Tkach said once they saw this concept, the realization hit that it could really benefit some worthy causes in this area. “We had witnessed other Ironman events across the country and there are different types of fundraising and it seemed logical that we could mimic some of those concepts and gave it shot,” said Tkach. “Ironman also does their own foundation participants, so we are not the only ones working hard to get dollars funneled back into the community as they will also be making some pretty big contributions back to the Benzie County region.”

are pushing their limits and doing it for a good cause,” said Tkach. “Some teams will have one person doing it and others will have a different person for each discipline. So the teams with three people will have one person swim, another will bike and the third will run.” Teams are: • Munson Manor Hospitality House: Justin Moriter, Jeremy Crum and Dan Spalla;

Continued on Page 21

Local triathlete Frederick Stig-Nielsen is competing in the Ironman 70.3, representing the Friends of the Betsie Valley Trail. (Courtesy photo)

Tkach said it is no small effort on the parts of these individuals to take on this challenge. “For a lot of people it is a bucket list event and there are very few who do it on a regular basis as more commonly they said it is lifetime achievement,” said Tkach. “I am guessing for some of these competitors who are representing the nonprofits that is probably the case.” He said for some of the nonprofit fundraising competitors this might be the first time trying something of this nature. Teams vary from one to three members. “They might be athletes, but I am guessing there might be a few in there who probably

Munson Manor Hospitality House provides a home away from home to patients and their families while receiving treatment at Munson Medical Center. To support this mission, Justin Mortier, Jeremy Crum, and Dan Spalla are participating in the upcoming competition. (Courtesy photo)

Ironman | September 2021

Continued from Page 20 • Betise Valley Trail: Fredrick Stig Nielsen; • Paul Oliver Hospital: Andrienne Stephen Jones, Dr. Nancy Smith and Michelle Russell; • Frankfort Lighthouse: Ross Hammersley; and • Single MOMM: Patrick Mcintyre. All the charity teams have a variety of reasons for participating in raising money for their particular charity. McIntyre said the Single MOMM program plays an important role in the area. “Single MOMM guides families to healthy independence ensuring stability of the families are long lasting by deeply investing in women that are hardworking, courageous, determined

TON’S

and willing to preserve,” said McIntyre. Hammersly is an attorney in Frankfort and an amateur triathlete who really believes in the city where he and his family live. He is dedicated to seeing the Frankfort lighthouse preserved. “The City of Frankfort obtained the North Breakwater Light in 2011 under the National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act program,” said Hammersly. “The city is dedicated to the full preservation of this significant structure which stands as symbolic tribute to our maritime heritage.” Tkach said the Munson Manor team raised more than $7,500 for their cause from the last local Ironman in 2019.

“We are using that as a model, because we would like to have a lasting impact for all these nonprofits,” said Tkach. The different groups that were selected came to the attention of the Traverse City Tourism Foundation through a variety of methods. “Some we had worked with in the past and we worked with City of Frankfort and Benzie County and kind of listened to the community as we went through the exercise to see what was important to them,” said Tkach. “We heard a lot about the hospital and the lighthouse and how important they were to the community.” He said down the road he expects to see more

Continued on Page 22

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Ironman | September 2021

Ross Hammersley, city attorney for the City of Frankfort, is competing in the Ironman 70.3, raising money for the Frankfort Lighthouse. (Courtesy photo)

Patrick McIntyre, of Traverse City, has been competing in triathlons since 2012. He will represent and raise money for Single MOMM in the Ironman 70.3 event. (Courtesy photo)

Continued from Page 21 groups get involved and with this being the first time it is being held in Benzie County, they expect to learn a great deal from it. “I am optimistic that over the years we can see more groups participate in this way for their cause,” he said. “Traverse Tourism and our network are here to support them (to) achieve their goals. It’s not just about raising funds as it’s about raising awareness as well.” Tkach said these entrants are making a big sacrifice to participate in this event for a

cause they believe in. “We are so passionate about what they are doing that Traverse City Tourism covered the cost of all these entrants’ registration fees, because we want to make sure any money raised for this goes directly back to these causes,” said Tkach. “I don’t want them paying any money to be a part of this race and any money they raise should go right back to the nonprofits.” For information on how to donate to one of the charities, visit traversecity.com/ ironman-charity-challenge/ charities/.

Paul Oliver Memorial Hospital Chief Medical Officer and Frankfort Medical Group primary care physician Dr. Nancy Smith, board member Michelle Russell and Adrienne Stephen Jones, DPT and POMH rehab director will compete in the Ironman 70.3. (Courtesy photo)

Ironman | September 2021

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