Rockford Ironman excites local triathletes, shows off city, but is it safe?

Ironman is coming to Rockford next June. What does that mean to our city?

Well, the first thing is that it has energized the local endurance community, which had petered out some after COVID.

“People are coming out of the woodwork for this,” said Tara Sheetz, one of Rockford’s top triathletes, who has participated in more than 50 Ironman events. “People who have done only two or three (triathlons) are telling me, ‘I’ve got to train for this.’ It’s good to light a fire under people who haven’t done much.”

Sheetz said many local triathlons have folded in recent years and the main local club has cut down on its social events.

“Rock River Multisport puts on races now, but doesn’t do the stuff to bring the community together,” Sheetz said. “Not the monthly meetings, pool parties and Christmas parties they used to. And the Janesville tri, Freeport tri, Beloit tri, Rockford tri, Westlake Village tri — they are all gone. It’s great to do a triathlon now, trying to get the community back into it.”

Expanding Ironman

Ironman was first envisioned as an event so difficult its target audience laughed when Judy and John Collins first pitched their idea in October of 1977 of running a 140-mile competition where entrants swim 2.4 miles and bike for 112 before finishing with a full 26.2-mile marathon run in Hawaii.

But being so ridiculously hard is what made it famous. ABC’s Wide World of Sports began filming it in its third year in 1980. And it became iconic in 1982 after college student Julie Moss lost the lead when she collapsed just yards from the finish, then crawled across the line to take second.

Yet it really exploded when Ironman expanded its brand to races cut in half. Rockford will be the 35th race on the Ironman 70.3 North American Tour, joining Tulsa, Des Moines, Steelhead, Ohio, Wisconsin, Michigan and Muncie as the eighth city in the Midwest Region.

“A lot of it is false advertising; it’s Ironman branded, but it’s half,” said Sheetz, who has competed in 35 full Ironmans and 15 of the 70.3 events.

Half an Ironman is still ridiculously difficult. But it’s far more accessible than the full version. Rockford officials expect many people who have never entered any triathlon of any distance to give Rockford’s Ironman a try on June 22, 2025.

“Since it’s right here, there are going to be so many newbies,” said Lindsay Arellano, the vice president of sales and services for the Rockford Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. “I’ve already talked to a handful of people who want to do it and have never done anything like it.”

Ericka Danckers, another top local triathlete who has competed in four full Ironman events and seven of the 70.3 variety, said veteran triathletes are “excited because it’s logistically easy and celebrates our home turf.” But said the race’s biggest impact will come from those newbies.

“The most exciting part is the opportunity for people who are not in the sport already but have thought about it,” Danckers said. “It’s now going to be easily accessible for them. It’s a great opportunity to get into it if it has been on your radar at all.”

Showing off Rockford

While Arellano cautions “the route is not final, final yet” most of its details have been mapped out. And that route will showcase many local attractions. The race will start with swimmers entering the Rock River near the Rock Guardians and they will get out of the water and hop on their bikes 1.2 miles later at Davis Park.

From there, they will bike on West State Street towards Kilburn Avenue, then head north on Meridian onto county roads through rolling hills and past farmlands before riding through downtown Rockton and heading back to Davis Park on routes used for past road races.

“I run those roads all the time,” Danckers said. “You go past some of the iconic Rockford art — the big orange thing and other art on the trail. I have been in Rockford for nine years now and the river has always been my favorite part of the city. They did that well, celebrating downtown and some of Rockford’s natural beauty.”

The route was chosen as much for spectators as competitors. Rockford officials estimate the race will draw up to 2,500 participants and 10,000 people to watch.

“We wanted to keep it spectator-friendly and close to downtown,” Arellano said. “The river itself is the perfect backdrop and they are going to run past the rock men and The Symbol and a number of other Rockford landmarks. We have seen people line the bike path before for other events. It’s the perfect spot for people to bring out their lawn chairs and sit and cheer people on.”

Is the Rock River safe?

Yes, the Rock River showcases some of Rockford’s best, but it’s usually illegal to swim in. Rockford law enforcement groups have made an exception for the Ironman.

“We worked with the Sheriff’s department and they ultimately agreed to open the river because of the number of safety measures,” Arellano said. “We will go to watch the Louisville Ironman, which is on a river similar to ours, just to see how they control things and make their river swim safe. We will implement those same things here. There will be safety boats and kayakers and jet skis.

“We also tested the water and brought it to a state-certified lab. It came back good. We will continue to test the water. The quality of the water will be one of the main questions people have.”

Although Arellano said “Ironman has done this for years and years” and “river swims are preferred for Ironman,” more than 220 people have died during the Ironman over the years. Since 2021, 42 of the 53 deaths have been during the swimming portion.

When Sheetz first heard the Rockford Ironman would begin with a swim down the Rock River, she flashed back to when she entered an Ironman near Provo 22 years ago. That race was called off after a man drowned in Utah Lake, where 50 mph wind gusts produced three-foot waves.

“That was the scariest swim I ever did,” Sheetz said. “I am a little shocked they are having us swim the Rock River,” Sheetz said. “Anyone who lives in Rockford doesn’t want to swim in the Rock River. I am not keen on it, even swimming downstream. It’s no secret there is a strong current. I would have picked a different body of water.”

Sheetz compared the idea of swimming the Rock River to swimming Utah Lake in an Ironman event near Provo 22 years ago.

“That was the scariest swim I ever did,” Sheetz said. “The (Rockford) course could have been safer, but Ironman isn’t always smart when they choose their courses.

“There are a few sections of the course I am scratching my head at. I am hoping for the best for everybody, that it goes off without a glitch and can return.”

Danckers, though, said going south will make all the difference in the Rock River swim.

“There might be a perception from local people against swimming in the Rock River, but competing in the race, it’s a good course to get started on,” Danckers said. “For open water, a down-river swim is as good as it gets. A lot of the courses joke that you can put a rubber ducky in it and it will make the swimming cut-off. For weaker swimmers, it’s actually a pretty forgiving course.”

Helping first-time triathletes

With so many novice triathletes expected from the Rockford area, competing with veterans from around the world, there is a concern from organizers to keep them safe. And help them get better. The best way, Arellano said, is to prepare in advance.

“There are a lot of triathlon training clubs out of Chicago; I think there will be training clubs popping up out of Rockford,” Arellano said. “That’s a safe and smart thing to do.

“They can train you. What kind of equipment do you need? How to swim? How many miles should you be doing? That is one of the safest places to train. And you can train with others and motivate each other.”

This article originally appeared on Rockford Register Star: Ironman excites Rockford triathletes, shows off city, but is it safe?