Men and Women of Steel
Whistler hosts Subaru Ironman Canada
In the world of endurance sports, few events surpass the physical and mental demands of an Ironman. A triathlon originating on the Hawaiian island of Oahu in 1978, this gruelling race puts its contestants through a 3.8-kilometre swim, a 180-kilometre road cycle ride and a marathon distance 42-kilometre run. Whistler is hosting Subaru Ironman Canada for the sixth time on July 29, 2018. One of the biggest attractions of Whistler’s Subaru Ironman Canada race is its scenery. Beginning with a mass start on the misty shores of Alta Lake at Rainbow Park, hundreds of neoprene-clad triathletes simultaneously dive into the waters, swimming furiously around floating buoys while spectators look on from the water’s edge and even floating watercraft in the lake. A small army of volunteers helps peel off wetsuits before racers mount their bikes for three loops of the Whistler and Callaghan valleys, cheer squads holding hand-painted signs and lining the edge of the Sea to Sky Highway. Swapping bikes for running shoes, the final marathon leg of this gargantuan triathlon sees racers complete two running laps around Green Lake and Lost Lake, with shouts of encouragement heard continuously from the sidelines. The finish line at Whistler Olympic Plaza is a hive of emotional energy as both veterans and newly minted Ironmen and Ironwomen cross the line in cathartic triumph. If you plan on making the trip up to see these men and women of steel take part in Subaru Ironman Canada (as well as the half-distance Subaru Ironman Canada 70.3), make sure you plan ahead. Parking will be located at Village Day Lot 4 and Rainbow Park. There will be periodic closures before, during and after the weekend of the event. Highway 99 will have closures in place from the Callaghan Valley turnoff up to Lorimer Road on race day. The best way to get around to different spectator spots is to park the car for the day and get around by bike. The contestants of Subaru Ironman Whistler often attribute their performance to the endless energy of spectators in Whistler. Whether you are family, a friend or even a stranger to these hardened athletes, giving them a motivational boost can be as rewarding for you as it is for them. The energy of Ironman Canada in Whistler is truly something special. Make your mark on the event for 2018.