The Inaugural Ironman Tri-Cities: Pushing Limits and Patience - By Rylee Morris

The gun went off at 6:30am, and Luke Tasker, Ironman Tri-Cities 2024 winner, dashed into the water. Adrenaline peaked as athletes embarked on their journey to swim 1.2 miles, bike 56 miles, and finally run 13.1 miles. A total of 70.3 miles traveled in one day. Like a herd of cows being corralled together, barely recognizable in matching uniforms of wetsuits and Ironman swim caps, athletes charged into the water every couple of seconds. It was a serene and crisp morning as the sun continued to rise over the Columbia River, casting a halo on the swimmers headed downstream. Over the loudspeakers, it was announced that the first athlete was out of the water and headed into the transition area. It had only taken Tasker a screaming 17 minutes and 46 seconds to complete a 1.2-mile swim. Tasker, a retired professional modern pentathlete, was still a rookie in Ironman, but you would never know as he has won the Ironman 70.3 Victoria, Oregon, and now Tri-Cities. Talking with Tasker about his race after the event, he surprisingly wished for a harder swim to show off his strong background in swimming. He mentioned, “The only thing I would love to change would be to make the swim harder and not downriver…” 

Photo: Luke Tasker

Athletes continued to exit the water one after another in Columbia Point Marina. They rushed, stripping their wetsuits off and onto their bikes, successfully, with Tasker sopping wet. It was a sight to see that millions of dollars worth of bikes had over $50,000 was left the corral, with an average triathlon bike being upwards of $4,000. Athletes rode along Bradley Boulevard hunched over in aero, a position with the elbows at about 90 degrees, allowing for faster speeds at the same power output. This is where issues arose in the community. Prior to the race, the city put out a great number of notices to community members regarding the road closures and delays from the Ironman. Speaking to Richland Police Department officer Jonathan Holen, he vocalized, “As a traffic officer, my primary goal is the safety of all those on the roadway. This was truly a collaborative effort between Ironman, all the law enforcement agencies involved (Pasco, Kennewick, Benton County, West Richland, Richland, and State Patrol), and numerous volunteers and community members.” Their efforts seemed to be of success with Tasker in interview sharing, “This was the best traffic control in any of my races so far, easily!” However, many community members were enraged and frustrated by such extensive road closures. Early into the race, at the intersection of Aaron Drive and Jadwin Avenue, I stood by a volunteer tasked with keeping cars from crossing the intersection. Many drivers came down Jadwin to cross onto Aaron Drive but were turned away by the volunteer. One particular driver became increasingly frustrated at the volunteer in an aggressive manner, asking for the volunteer’s name and threatening to call the City of Richland and report him for simply doing his job. This instance raised the question of whether the city did enough to communicate closures and delays? However, there was over $50,000 spent on bringing attention to community members, and the City of Richland created an extension for Ironman concerns. “This number was staffed for a full week leading up to the IRONMAN and the day of the event,” commented Michele York of Visit Tri-Cities. 

Photo: Rylee Morris

Finally, the athletes had arrived at the last leg of the race: the run course. Now, in the heat of the summer day, athletes were faced with a grueling 13.1-mile run along the Columbia River. Heat radiated from the black pavement at the athletes, a phenomenon anyone who has stepped foot on the pathway can attest to. Low on electrolytes, fuel, and energy, this is where athletes have to push past their perceived limits. They ran on the out-and-back course in a cringing gait, many cramping and experiencing a feeling of bricks in their legs. Triathletes train for this in “brick workouts”, a bike ride followed immediately by a run to mimic race conditions and smooth the transition from biking to running. Additionally, many athletes practice and tweak their nutrition during training. This important detail can often be forgotten, but it is crucial to executing a good race. It becomes increasingly apparent as to which athlete incorporated this detail into their training during the run. Athletes who have dialed in nutrition thrive while running, while athletes who haven’t refined their nutrition are easily spotted cramping, experiencing gastrointestinal issues, and hitting the wall - where an athlete’s body runs out of its glycogen stores.

Photo: Rylee Morris

Luke Tasker finished with a winning time of 3:52:52. Although an amateur athlete transitioning from professional modern pentathlon, you wouldn’t know. He had an incredible race, coming first out of the water, averaging over 25 miles per hour for the 56-mile bike course, and having a blistering run, averaging a pace of 5:59 for 13.1 miles. He has qualified for the Ironman 70.3 world championships and qualified for his pro card. “I’m not 100% if I’ll come back next year as I am debating taking my professional card, or maybe I will compete at the world championships as an age grouper next year,” Tasker explained to me, “I loved the course, the bike was very scenic and beautiful, although very tough with the uneven long straight roads. The run, too, was beautiful and scenic running along the river; the crowds of volunteers and locals cheering us on were fantastic.” This hinted at a deeper impact as a result of the event. 

Photo: Rylee Morris

"Wow, this place was made for an IRONMAN," said the Ironman Pacific Northwest Director, and it’s hard to argue against him. The Ironman brought in millions of dollars in revenue to Tri-Cities and local businesses, even seeking interest from Lululemon CEO Calvin McDonald and his team. It was even noted by Michele York, “These events lower the tax burden on local families by about $600 per family as it boosts our economy.” The weekend brought together 20 countries, 3,000 racers, and 1,300 volunteers. According to York, Ironman Tri-Cities is a top contender in the Ironman Awards, being “one of the most popular and well-run races.” Furthermore, other races typically have a few hundred volunteers, which seems starkly few to than the 1,300 volunteers that participated in Ironman Tri-Cities. Volunteer Avi McGinnis, a swimmer for Tri-City Channel Cats, participated with roughly 30 other swimmers from the team on race day. She described, “I felt more connected to the community and have never seen the Tri-Cities come together like that.” Ironman Tri-Cities was a commendable feat championed by Visit Tri-Cities, which showcased a community coming together.