CANADIAN RACE

Ironman 70.3 Calgary

Ironman 70.3 Calgary, one of Canada’s favourite races, is marking its 11th anniversary this summer.

The course has a reputation for being flat and fast, which makes it a popular choice for newbies and racers seeking a new personal best. Oh, and the amazing views of the mountains are quite popular, too.

Back in 2009, the start line was in Cochrane, Alta., and, as runners and cyclists made their way to the finish line in Calgary, there were quite a few hills to tackle. In 2015, the race venue shifted to start and finish in Calgary’s Auburn Bay community, which has a 43-acre lake and a 13-acre park.

There were adjustments made to the course in 2018, but for this year, the race remains the same except for the date. Although it coincided with Ironman Canada in past years, in 2019 Ironman 70.3 Calgary happens on August 11.

Tom Bamford, “chief sweat officer” of Platinum Racing, acquired the race late in 2018, but one of his staff has been the Calgary 70.3 race director since 2009. Bamford’s experience with producing races goes back to 1993 when he was hired as race director for the national championships in Calgary just after finishing university.

With the recent acquisition of several races in Alberta and British Columbia, Bamford considers himself lucky to bookend his career with race production.

“I stepped down from my tech company to pursue my passion for triathlon and help elevate the sport I’ve enjoyed for 30 years,” he says.

Thanks to a feedback survey from last year’s race, he knows participants most enjoyed the amazing organization and volunteer support. For the past several years, hundreds of Albertans have been among the 1,000 racers that typically arrive at the Calgary start line. On race day, 550 volunteers will be on hand to see them through the competition.

Bamford says Calgary was voted the best Ironman 70.3 for first-timers and for features that set the race apart. He lists a start line

that’s two blocks from the host hotel, a residential lake swim with warm and clean water, a flat and fast cycle, and just one hill on the run along the Bow River pathways as the benefits.

The race begins at Auburn Bay Lake with a rolling start for the two-loop swim. Cyclists head east out of the city into ranch country on a single loop that gives great views of the Rockies in the distance.

And then there’s that one hill on the single loop run course.

“The ‘Cranston Crawl’ is about 500 metres,” explains Bamford, “and takes runners out of the Bow River Valley to a residential community rising about 100 feet in elevation. It’s the only hill, and it’s a steep one.”

Registration began in December and, by May, the first two tiers of individual spots were sold out. Participants can also register for relay teams but, since 2017, there has not been a professional category.

For those looking to expand their horizons beyond Canada, this year’s race offers the chance to qualify for 30 age-group spots in the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Taupo, New Zealand, on November 28 and 29, 2020.