IRONMAN Lake Tahoe, Sunday, September 20, 2015

The IRONMAN Lake Tahoe event returns to North Lake Tahoe this Sunday, September 20, 2015.

This is the third year that the Ironman events will be back in our area and it is a big athletic and economic deal for Lake Tahoe area!

It is a huge athletic event with over 2,700 athletes participating, over 3,000 volunteers, and an estimated 10,000+ visitors coming into the area for this special athletic event, which is the toughest Ironman event in North America.

IRONMAN Lake Tahoe is estimated to generate around $10 million in new economic revenue for the North Lake Tahoe area, so this is a big, world-class event for everyone to enjoy.

If you’re not familiar with the IRONMAN (yes we have IRONWOMEN too) events the IRONMAN event is the superman of triathlons, and the IRONMAN Lake Tahoe event is one of strength, training, endurance and emotional stamina combining three physical events that all are done on one day – swimming, biking, and running.

Here’s the deal, in order to win IRONMAN Lake Tahoe you will need to swim 2.4 miles in Lake Tahoe, followed by a 112 mile bike ride that will take you to an elevation of over 7,000+ feet, followed by a 26.2 mile marathon run and be the first one to cross the finish line!

The start time is 6:30 a.m. in Kings Beach and the winner is estimated to cross that coveted finish line between 2 p.m. – 3 p.m. later that day at the Village in Squaw Valley. You do the math, that’s beyond impressive!

This year the weather should be picture perfect with early morning temperatures in the low 40’s rising to a day-time high of almost 80 degrees, athletes are in for a great day here in Lake Tahoe!

Swimming: The swimming event will take place in Kings Beach, California on Sunday morning with the Pro’s starting the race off at 6:30 a.m. IRONMAN participants will swim 2.4 miles in this first phase of the competition. Once they complete the swim portion of the contest, athletes will move onto the Bike Course.

Bike Ride: The biking event will begin in Kings Beach, California right after the swim portion is completed. The IRONMAN participants will begin their 112 mile bike ride in Kings Beach and move along the North Shore of Lake Tahoe moving through the Tahoe Vista area, then through Carnelian Bay with a detour up through the Carnelian Woods Condominium Development, and then back down to Highway 28 into Tahoe City.

Once they IRONMAN Biking get to Tahoe City, new this year, they will take a detour using Grove Street and come out at the other end of the downtown Tahoe City area at Fairway Drive (by the Chevron Station), so if you are waiting for the bicyclists to come through the core of downtown Tahoe City this year you will miss them.

You need to either be on the street before Grove street, or down by the entrance to Tahoe City along the Truckee River, but the Chevron gas station to see them in the downtown area.

After they move through Tahoe City, they are back onto Highway 89 South and headed towards Truckee, California.

As the bicyclists reach Truckee they will follow a new course that will take them through the Truckee area including downtown historic Truckee, and then out and this part is new this year, down towards Glenshire, and then back up to Highway 267 heading back toward Kings Beach. This year they will not be going through the Northstar area and up to the Village.

After passing the exit to Northstar the bike riders will climb up Brockway Summit (Highway 267) with an elevation of over 7,000+ feet above sea level, and then they will race (the speeds are incredibly fast) back down to Kings Beach, where they repeat the entire bike route for a full second lap, and then on the third lap after they pass through Tahoe City for their third and final time, they will end their bike ride at the Village at Squaw Valley where they will transition to the final leg of the event – the marathon.

Each leg of the race is timed, and once the deadline passes for that segment, athletes are done and can not move on to the next leg of the race.

Run – Marathon: Once athletes arrive in Squaw Valley, they will begin the last leg of their triathlon with a 26.2 mile race. That’s right, they will end the race on a full marathon.

Runners will start their journey at the Village at Squaw Valley running back down Squaw Valley Road, then up to the Resort at Squaw Creek, and then back down to Highway 89 South where runners will head towards Tahoe City along the bike trail that runs along the Truckee River. Yes, there are sections of the route that runners will do more than once, but you get the idea of what they will do in the race.

Runners will turn around just before getting to Tahoe City, and then head back to Squaw Valley on the bike path along the Truckee River.

Eventually the IRONMAN Lake Tahoe race will end at the Village at Squaw Valley in front of cheering fans!

Yes, that photo is the other side of the finish line from IRONMAN Lake Tahoe 2013, with a time posted on it of 10 hours 34 minutes and 1 second.

The IRONMAN Lake Tahoe 2013 winner was Chris McDonald, USA with a total finish time of 8 hours 55 minutes and 14 seconds! He completed the swim portion in 54 minutes and 54 seconds, the biking portion in 4 hours, 55 minutes and 42 seconds, and the marathon in 2 hours, 59 minutes and 40 seconds! That’s impressive!!!

Click Here to See the IRONMAP Maps of each event course along helpful information on the events.

Traffic Delays: On Sunday, September 20, 2015, the day of the IRONMAN Lake Tahoe event, volunteers will begin at 5 a.m. and the race will officially end at 12 midnight.

This all-day and late-night event will impact local area traffic and you need to expect travel times to be significantly longer as traffic will be re-directed, there will be single direction road traffic, roads will be closed, and athletes will be on the roads for most of the day.

If you’ll be in the great North Lake Tahoe area, or if you live in North Lake Tahoe – Truckee area remember there will be significant traffic delays, and roads will be closed. It will take longer to get around in the area, so plan ahead on your travel times to get from point A to point B!

For those Tahoe real estate buyers this is not the day to go out and look at homes, or condos. This is a day to sit back and watch world-class athletes perform!

In 2013, I had the experience of seeing first hand the strength it took to cross the finish line. I also had the opportunity to see the biking and marathon portions of the Lake Tahoe IRONMAN race first hand. It took hours to complete the event, and for those that made it to the finish line, it was an amazing sight to see.

I’ll admit, while seeing athletes pass over the finish line is amazing, I’ve always wanted to see that impressive beginning, where anything is still possible, and everyone at the start line still has the chance to win the entire race.

I’ve heard it is inspirational sight all of those swimmers lined up and ready to go. Years of training, countless hours of determination to get to that starting line, so the beginning of the race is where I’ll be tomorrow.

I’ve already set my alarm for 4:30 a.m. so I’ll have plenty of time to get to Kings Beach, find a parking spot, and watch the beginning of IRONMAN Lake Tahoe, Sunday, September 20, 2015, which starts at 6:30 a.m.!

I admire the dedication and determination it takes for an athlete to get to that starting line and to want to compete in the IRONMAN Lake Tahoe race. I wish everyone the very best in this year’s event!

Check out the IRONMAN Lake Tahoe event Sunday, September 20, 2015 at any of the event routes!

Thinking about making Lake Tahoe, California your second home? Check out the homes that are for sale here:

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For all of your Tahoe real estate needs –

Laura A. Allen | 530.414.1260 | Laura@TahoeLaura.com
BROKER ASSOCIATE, Tahoe Real Estate Agent
CalRE# 01473598
Coldwell Banker, Tahoe City, CA CalRE#01908304

All information is deemed reliable, but is subject to change, and/or correction without notice.

IRONMAN Lake Tahoe, Sunday, September 20, 2015