News
Ironman St. George Announces 2012 Course Change
Ironman race officials today announced that the run portion of the 2012 Ironman St. George race will change, enhancing the athlete and spectator experience in southwestern Utah.
“We’re thrilled to utilize the new run course in the 2012 Ironman St. George race,” said Jeff Gardner, race director for Ironman St. George. “This event has established itself as a challenging course with the added bonus of a beautiful setting and energetic local support. Our hope is that the new run course will facilitate a better overall experience for athletes, spectators and the thousands of volunteers who help to make the race happen each year.”
The new 2012 course will lead athletes through downtown St. George in the iconic Ironman M-Dot shape three times. The route will still incorporate a straightaway along Diagonal Street, but will avoid road construction on Red Hills Parkway and no longer turn on to Bluff Street. The downtown route creates new possibilities for those supporting their Ironman competitors. The entire 2012 running course stays within 1.5 miles of the finish line, which will remain along Main Street in front of Town Square.
Race officials say the changes are needed to facilitate course setup, volunteer access, and aid stations during the race—not to mention pre-race training. Officials hope the changes will steer crowds away from construction congestion and open up more avenues for spectator viewing and crowd support.
“The legs of the ‘M-Dot’ route are easily accessible from 700 South for both Ironman spectators and local residents trying to get in and out on race day,” said Kevin Lewis, Director of Sports Marketing with the St. George Convention and Tourism Office. “Spectators can see their athlete on one leg of the ‘M-Dot’ and easily cross over a mere two blocks to cheer for them two more times on each loop.”
Marc Mortensen, Assistant to the St. George City Manager, competed in the 2011 Ironman St. George race and has run the new course. He found the tree-lined, shady streets to be a nice break from the desert heat and the urban landmarks to be visually interesting and motivating. The new route will pass the St. George LDS Temple, the St. George Tabernacle, the Dixie Regional Medical Center 400 East Campus, Vernon Worthen Park and Town Square, offering a number of spectacular views of southern Utah’s stunning red cliffs.
The course for 2012 is one of gradual grades, making for a fast run that alternates between elevations of 2,600 and 2,800 feet. There is never more than a 150-foot consecutive climb. As a fan of interval workouts, Mortensen said he appreciates how the new course reminds him of running a similar workout that works different muscle groups.
Red Hills Parkway is a major roadway for east/west traffic in St. George. Construction to widen the road will provide better access and open more possibilities for fine-tuning the course in future years of the race.
One of 30 Ironman events worldwide, Ironman St. George is set to take place on Saturday, May 5, 2012. The race features a swim held at Sand Hollow Reservoir and bike and run courses with spectacular views of downtown St. George, Snow Canyon and Red Cliffs Desert Reserve. Athletes will compete for a professional prize purse of $25,000 and 50 age group qualifying slots for the 2012 Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i, on Oct. 13.
