Tim Morgan said it all started with an email.
The new president of the Chattanooga Sports Committee was just settling into his job in spring 2013 when he received a message from a passionate local athlete and business owner about a race called Ironman.
The email alerted Morgan to the fact that World Triathlon Corporation was looking for a new southeastern location. Asheville and Myrtle Beach were being considered, and so was expanding the half Ironman in Augusta, Georgia. So why wasn't Chattanooga in the game?
Good point, thought Morgan. So, together with the region's mayors and local leaders, they went for Ironman Chattanooga. And they got it-every year for the next five years, per the contract.
"Over the past year we have been planning to define this event as the premier Ironman in the continental United States. We'd love to outdo the world championship in Kona but I don't know if Ironman wants to outdo their own world championship," Morgan laughs. "This is an example of how passion can be rewarded."
The reward? For starters, the event will likely bring 12,000 athletes, volunteers and spectators into the city that last weekend of September. "Probably around 2,750 total will jump in the Tennessee River and go," says Morgan, explaining that though 3,000 slots were sold, it's generally expected that some will drop out along the way. An estimated 2,800-3,000 volunteers alone are expected, incited by the lure of priority registration for next year's Ironman Chattanooga.
And then there are the families and friends traveling with the athletes. "The chief reason the athletes are coming to Chattanooga is because they want to complete the race, but this doesn't happen without the support of family and friends," says Ironman Managing Director of Global Race Operations Steve Meckfessel, calling from Ironman world headquarters in Tampa, Florida. "While mom or dad and the kids are out watching the race, it's a 10- to 17-hour day. It's the downtown and the surrounding regional attractions that really make these trips for family members appealing-spending an afternoon at the aquarium for instance. It's something to do for everybody else."
The race is estimated to bring $8 million into the city, which Morgan says he thinks is very conservative. "That doesn't account for all the training opportunities, all the travel that has taken place through the duration of the past year. Our hotels have been impacted, our restaurants have been impacted, our small businesses that are triathlon niche have been impacted," he says.
Money is also coming into the community from the Ironman organization itself. "We're going to come in and give money back," Ironman Chattanooga Race Director Brian Myrick says, explaining that the Ironman Foundation will donate to local volunteering community groups.
With races slated for the next five years, Myrick was more than happy to be stationed in Chattanooga to represent the organization. "We're excited to showcase Chattanooga. It's going to be unbelievable to stand on the pedestrian bridge or walk along the Riverwalk with the swimmers."
Even when all the numbers and dollar signs have been accounted for, the impact this race will have on Chattanooga reaches even further. As we all know, the city has one of the best outdoor scenes in the nation, and Meckfessel says he thinks Ironman will only enhance it.
"We believe Chattanooga is one of those markets that aligns itself very closely with our ideals and values; it just further underscores and emphasizes in this case that Chattanooga is a very progressive outdoor destination. That was clear to us from the very first phone conversation we had with the sports committee."
From local businesses uniting to locals volunteering to health awareness growing, the social impacts are endless. "We've already seen it in Walker County with an influx of cyclists on the road ... that local, rural residents have never seen before," says Myrick. And then there's the local spectators on race day who, whether they like it or not, will be affected by the passion and effort of the athletes. "I oversee 50-something of these a year and it's still amazing to see," Myrick says. "It sounds crazy that an event can be a life changing thing. If you are at the finish line on race day, I don't know anyone who wouldn't say, 'I have to do something.' I hope people are inspired to volunteer, compete in any event."
Morgan even trekked out west to Arizona to witness an Ironman race for himself. "It was absolutely amazing. It was amazing from the emotional perspective. To see these people come across the finish and to know it is gratifying to see the emotional reward on their face," he says. "Now's the opportunity to come out and be a part of it and experience something you've never seen before in your whole entire life. This is something completely different.
"To go from a local passionate enthusiast shooting one email to hosting one of the largest outdoor adventure events this community has ever hosted ... it has been an amazing year and half," Morgan adds. "It's been an amazing process throughout. We are looking forwardto showcasing our capabilities of our community to the world and building upon it for the next four years."
The city, county and state are all working together to pull Ironman Chattanooga off in September. "Without a doubt an Ironman triathlon is probably the most complex special event to take place anywhere," says Meckfessel. "Just the shear footprint of 140.6 miles of waterway and roadway is just an incredible exercise of planning and preparation. All the resources of the community will be put toward Ironman. Likewise we will give our full attention and commitment to the community."
Morgan says plans have been made to accommodate everyone-athlete, spectator and local. "We're trying to minimize road closures so people have access and freedom and can still get around the city," he says. Though he doesn't yet have the specifics, Morgan explained that one lane will be closed off on Amnicola Highway as well as on Hixson Pike. For the cyclist portion, the triathletes will be following typical rules of the road. The start and finish line of the race will of course be sectioned off, he adds. "All of the race officials have been getting together and planning the logistics of the race itself with the mind set of minimal impact and maximum experience of the athlete," Morgan says.
Catching Up
Dana MacCorquodale
Dana is recovering from a pretty nasty wipeout on her bike. She was out cycling when she flipped over her handle bars and ended up with a concussion, whiplash, a hurt shoulder and lots of bruises. Thankfully Dana's helmet did its job and she's getting back into training full force. "Ironman, when you come down to it, is about reaching deep down inside and seeing what you are made of. It is about your will, your heart and your desire to do something amazing," she says. "I believe that anyone with enough heart, will, desire and determination can complete an Ironman. And once you have done one, it will change your life forever."
Dan Henry
As a longtime cyclist, Dan has high hopes for a positive Ironman impact. "I hope that an annual Ironman competition leads to motorists becoming more tolerant of cyclists throughout the rural parts of the Tennessee Valley and North Georgia," he says. "Since there will be a larger number of athletes riding the streets, motorist reactions could go either way." Dan also just completed his first half Ironman, which he sees as a huge stepping stone to Ironman Chattanooga this September.
Jason Greer
"I'm really excited to have this become an annual event here," says Jason. "I think it will reinforce and solidify Chattanooga as one of the top hotspots in the country for outdoor activities and adventures." Jason just completed his first century bike ride of 109 miles and participated in the Chattanooga Waterfront Triathlon this past month. "I was a little anxious getting in the river to swim but it went fine-I felt like I conquered that fear," he says. "I just need to keep training hard."
Alexis Willis
Alexis says she can already see the impact that Ironman is having on the community. "I think that it will be awesome for the culture of Chattanooga," she says. "Already, I have been around people whose mindset is like, 'Anything is possible!' and what an impact that would make to our city." Alexis has been plowing onward toward her goals, but she said she just recently had an epiphany. "Folks are caught up in 'what's your numbers, what's your pace, how far can you swim?' And if I am not careful it can overwhelm me," Alexis says. "I finally settled that I am running my own race. Not the last Ironman finisher, but my own."
Scott Wilhoit
Scott also raced in the Chattanooga Waterfront Triathlon, but unfortunately he started noticing some pain in his calf again. Recap: early in the training season Scott experienced some major couch time because of a calf injury. He says when he started to feel the pain he immediately backed off, and it's feeling pretty good now. "I feel good about everything. Training is where it needs to be. These next few months are really going to be where you start stepping up your training and really buckling down," he says.