By Brad Culp
Photos Courtesy Ryan Robinson
Dec. 12, 2007 -- Singapore, Pucon, Brazil, Monaco, South Africa. If you take a look at the list of Ironman 70.3 events you’ll notice some pretty exotic locations. Lawrence, Kansas definitely isn’t one of them, but it’s a perfect town for triathlon and on June 15, 2008, Lawrence will host the inaugural Ironman 70.3 Kansas.
We know what you’re thinking…why Lawrence, Kansas? Why not Costa Rica, Thailand or New Zealand? We were thinking the exact same thing when we heard about the event, so naturally, we asked race director Tom Ziebart (also RD of Ironman 70.3 Florida, Steelhead and Firecracker Tri), why in the world did he pick Lawrence?”
“Lawrence is a pretty unique town. It’s often called the Boulder or San Francisco of the Midwest,” Ziebart said. “It has an aura of ‘hippiness’ that people don’t expect when visiting Kansas.”
The laid back lifestyle likely comes from Lawrence being a true college town. The University of Kansas runs the show in this relatively small town and college basketball is King when it comes to sports.
While you’re in Lawrence, be sure to visit the Free State Brewery and ask a local how they feel about Missouri…seriously. According to Ziebart, the two States have a “Fun, but serious rivalry.” Missourians burned down Lawrence during the Civil War and locals still haven’t completely forgiven their neighboring State.
Okay, enough about Lawrence. Sure, it’s great, but you’re really coming to race. The expo will be unique as it will be one of the few on the Ironman circuit to take place in the heart of the city. Most expos are relegated to some far away corner of a city, but this expo will bring athletes to the heart of the city (much like Ironman Coeur d’Alene).
The 1.2-mile swim will take place off of Bloomington Beach at Clinton Lake. The Lake is one of the cleanest in all the Midwest an actually supplies Lawrence with it’s drinking water. Over 400 campsites are available around the lake, with prices less than $20 per night.
The bike course will cover the Southwestern roads of Douglas County. It is a bike route known to locals as the “Iron Cross” (due to the intersection of two of Douglas County’s major highways). The course offers athletes a mix of winding, flat stretches and short, steep climbs. Wind may be a factor (this is Kansas), so it’s best to check the expected gusts before race day and then decide on the proper set of wheels. The course is flat enough to run a disc as your rear wheel, but if the wind is gusting around 20mph, you may want to reconsider. According to ZIebart, you can expect a headwind going out and a tailwind coming back.
The run will take athletes around Clinton Lake (just to the West of Lawrence) and through the town of Clinton. There’s a mix of paved asphalt and packed trails throughout the rolling run course. The final mile is all downhill as athletes head back toward the lake for the finish.
Expect the low temperatures in the morning to be around 62 degrees, with afternoon highs reaching the low-80s.
Other Lawrence Facts:- The National Trust for Historic Preservation ranked Lawrence among its “Dozen Most Distinctive Destinations”.
- The Booth Family Hall of Athletics is a 26,000 square foot museum adjacent to Allen Fieldhouse (where the Jayhawks play ball) and is one of the largest athletic museums in the country.
- Lawrence has hosted the Collegiate Road Cycling Championship for the past three years.
- Ironman 70.3 Kansas will be the official Collegiate 70.3 National Championship.
- Lawrence has been ranked by various publications as one of the top places in the country to live and raise a family.
For more info visit
IronmanKansas.com