STATE COLLEGE — Most people see the Ironman 70.3 Pennsylvania Happy Valley as a grueling athletic test of endurance and determination. But for volunteers like The Gazette’s own Billi Hoover, it’s a celebration of community, teamwork and a front-row seat to human grit and glory.
Hoover, an account executive for The Centre County Gazette, worked with the athlete food tent on race day. She could be seen gathering fruit, organizing sandwiches to hand out and passing out snacks to weary finishers.
“After the runners came back, they had a band on and they had a food line set up that they would come through and they would get to choose whether they wanted a meat sandwich or if they were vegan or vegetarian, they had food,” she said. “And then they got free chips. I did the fruit.”
It may sound simple, but the energy was electric.
“I think that it’s great because everybody’s happy to be there and everybody is happy and positive,” Hoover said.
Hoover volunteered to work the 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. shift.
“We got there early, checked in at the volunteer tent, scanned a QR code and got our t-shirts,” she explained.
Volunteers were offered snacks and a place to stow their bags before being assigned to duty stations by race captains.
This was Hoover’s second year volunteering at Ironman, and while she’s helped with race check-ins in the past, she prefers being on the ground for race day.
“There’s just more energy. You get to interact with more people. The participants were coming through, thanking us,” she remarked.
The 2025 Ironman edition drew in a large crowd, which included amateurs and professional racers. The weather was also a factor, with rain happening early in the day, making parts of the bike course slick. Hoover saw several athletes wrapped in blankets to stay warm. But their spirit never wavered.
“There were quite a few that did come in that had the silver wrap around them that were trying to keep warm, because of being cold from the weather,” Hoover said. “They handled it really well.”
Beyond the race itself, the event left a mark on the local economy.
“Every parking lot was full,” Hoover said. “You’d see athletes and their families eating out, shopping.”
The Gazette’s Ironman Happy Valley 70.3 event guide even made a lasting impression on those who attended.
“A lady I was working with told me how much she enjoyed flipping through the Ironman guide the night before. She said it really helped understand how long everything was and what to expect,” Hoover stated.
With a steady stream of cheers, claps and grateful athletes, Hoover said she’d volunteer again “in a heartbeat.”
“Yes, I would definitely do it again. I mean, this was my second year doing it and I just love being involved. It’s a good fun event to volunteer at. I think because everybody’s excited, happy and just participants that participated were thanking us for being volunteers saying, ‘Thank you for doing this.’”
