Ep169: One Month Out - Latest IRONMAN 70.3 Traverse City Details from Joel Gaff

The countdown is on … IRONMAN 70.3 Traverse City is just one month away. Heather talks about how her training is going and catches up with Joel Gaff, an endurance athlete and longtime northern Michigan race organizer who is serving as race director of IRONMAN 70.3 Traverse City.

Some 2,500 athetes are signed on for the Aug. 25 event.

“It’s really been a totally different game, in a good way and in a lot of ways,” Joel says of taking on this new position. “There’s a large support team with me … It’s an exciting and challenging new opportunity. It’s been fun.”

Joel’s company Endurance Evolution is behind several northern Michigan road and trail races, as well as this weekend’s Traverse City Triathlon on Old Mission Peninsula. Heather is participating in the Olympic distance triathlon at this weekend’s event, and Joel shares how he’s seen a big uptick in the number of athletes signed on for the Olympic distance -- likely to help them prepare for IRONMAN 70.3 Traverse City.

Joel goes into detail about each course -- the swim in West Bay, the bike in Leelanau County, and the run in downtown Traverse City and around Boardman Lake. He also shares the best spots for spectators to see their athletes, as well as the ideal locations for parking on race day. 

Learn more about IRONMAN 70.3 by listening to these previous MRG podcast episodes:

- Behind the Scenes of Next Summer's IRONMAN 70.3 Traverse City

- Kicking off IRONMAN 70.3 Training with Rebecca and Tony Venticinque

- IRONMAN 70.3 Training Update