CENTRE COUNTY — Ironman athletes will be brought all-around Centre County during the 70.3 miles of the race.
Starting off in Bald Eagle State Park, the competitors will enjoy a crisp and clean 1.2 mile loop in Foster Sayers Reservoir.
The loop involves just two right hand turns and is in the shape of a triangle. Turn buoys will be in place to help guide the athletes through the swim. Competitors will start and finish the swim on the shore, although the transition zone will be away from any sand.
The venue will allow spectators, similar to how it has in the last couple of years.
Following the swim, a short run to the transition zone will be the start of a 56-mile bike ride. The start of the ride is through Bald Eagle State Park. The 5,900 acres of land is located at 149 Main Park Road in Howard.
Shortly after leaving the park, riders will then go east up North Eagle Valley Road. This is the only part of the race that will be outside of Centre County, but it is the start of the athletes’ ride through central Pennsylvania’s rural farmland.
After transitioning from North Eagle Valley Road, the bikers will land on Eagle Valley Road before turning right onto Beech Creek Avenue.
The course will then take them through North and South Water Street to get to Nittany Valley Road in Cedar Springs.
Another right turn a few miles later, puts the athletes on Jacksonville road, around 17 miles into the ride. After only right hand turns to this point, the riders will take two consecutive lefts onto Hubler Ridge Road and then Nittany Valley Drive right past the 30-mile marker.
The course continues onto East College Avenue, after another left turn, before eventually reaching Brush Valley Road.
At the 50-mile marker, the riders will find themselves at Boalsburg Road. This is the final road before University Drive and Commuter Drive which brings the bikers to the outside of Beaver Stadium.
After the biking section, there are only 13.1 miles remaining, the athletes will finish the race on foot, running through the heart of the Penn State campus.
They will begin with a downhill slope on University Drive, before a left turn on Hastings Road will have them running past the Lasch Football Building.
Eventually, they will end up on Elm Road, the road that cuts through South Halls. Two miles in, the runners will travel north on Mifflin Road, followed by a few miles on Pollock Road.
This will bring them past the HUB before they are asked to run around the Old Main lawn. Following the trip around the historic building, competitors get back onto Pollock Road which will take them to Barnard Street and Railroad Avenue.
Athletes will then run back on Pollock until they reach the uphill of Shortlidge Road. This will bring them back to Curtin Road, where they will run west to Rec Hall and the Lion Shrine before turning around to run back up Curtin Road.
They will remain on Curtin as they head back to Beaver Stadium to complete the loop a second time.
Following completion of the second loop, runners will finish with a 50-yard sprint on the field at Beaver Stadium to the “finish line amid a lively pep rally atmosphere.”
Finally, after plenty of hours and 70.3 miles later, the athletes can catch their breath and take in their achievement.
