IRONMAN 70.3 KANSAS – THE SPORT OF SPECTATING

Linsday ready to rock Ironman 70.3 Kansas.

Now that you’re in Lawrence, Kansas for Ironman 70.3 Kansas, as a spectator, you may be wondering where are the best veiwing/cheering spots.  Well, wonder no more.  We have you covered.  Jodi is in town cheering on her daughter, Lindsay, so has scoped it all out.  Plus, she’s been here a couple of times before, so she knows the territory.  Be sure to follow us on twitter and facebook over the weekend, as we will be giving you updates.  Have a great race day!!!

SWIM

The best place to position yourself is to either secure a spot close to the swim-out and cheer your triathlete out of the water….and if you are fast, run to the bike-out chute to catch them going out on the bike…….or just choose one or the other.  Either is easy and effective, depending on you or your triathlete’s preference.

I’d say Lindsay looks pretty relaxed going into this race…..

BIKE

Once your triathlete is out on the bike, there is really no way to see them until they return.  I like to pick a rare shady spot under one of the small trees just before the bike-in chute on the right side of the road.  The sun can be surprisingly brutal in Kansas and there is little shade relief in the central Ironman Village/finish line/T2 area.  It is basically a huge field.

RUN

The run is a spectator’s dream come true.  It is a 3-spoke course that is done 2 times….So, you literally can see your triathlete at least 6 times and even more, if you are willing to move around constantly.  (No need to work out on race day if you choose this route).  If you position yourself around T2, you will be able to see your triathlete run out of T2.  Then, wait on the nearby main road to catch them coming back from the first spoke and head down to T1.  Then, see them come back from up the hill and head out to the campground.

Finally, move quickly over to the turnaround on the other side of T2, then back out again on the first leg, as they repeat this whole thing again.  The triathletes love it as much as spectators.  My daughter commented that every time she turned around we were there cheering her on…it was like we cloned ourselves.  And, if you have more supporters in your group, you can split up, and spread out more and really increase your cheering impact!

Lindsay on the run in 2013.

TIPS

• Bring a cooler with drinks, lunch, and snacks.  This race is held in a state park and is very contained and lovely, but with little to no options for food for the day.
• A blanket and chairs are also nice.
• If you really want to live well, a small pop-up tent is great, since there is little shade in the area where you will be spending most of the day.
• Make it a picnic outing event!
• If you get there early enough, you will secure a parking spot on the blacktop area, which is closest to the main Ironman Village/T zones area.  It is still a bit of a walk, but closer than if you have to park in the huge fields further away.  Be prepared to do some walking either way.
• Many camp in the campground, as it is a very family-friendly race event and atmosphere.  Dogs are welcome, too.

Ironman 70.3 Kansas is relaxed, low key, and extremely welcoming to all, young and old.  So, just relax and enjoy and check back with us for more updates……

 – JODI

Sherry Wernicke

Sherry is one of the TriWivesClub and LifeDoneWell co-founders and contributes to multiple blogs. She is a former co-owner of the California Apparel News and had a career in the healthcare industry. Her passions include traveling, real food, the environment, and animal rescue/welfare. She lives a healthy lifestyle and has been a vegetarian since 1987. She and her husband are parents to two rescue pups and reside in Connecticut.