The return of the Sunbelt Bakery Ironman 70.3 Sunday after a year off due to the COVID-19 pandemic means street closures and heavy traffic for drivers in the downtown area and along the route.
The triathlon begins early Sunday with the competitors walking along the Tennessee Riverwalk to the starting location at Ross’s Landing at 6 a.m., followed by the race start at 6:50 a.m.
As part of race preparations, Riverfront Parkway from Molly Lane to Aquarium Way was closed Wednesday and will reopen at 5 a.m. Monday, according to organizers of the Sunbelt Bakery Ironman 70.3 Chattanooga event presented by McKee Foods.
The more-than-3,500 athletes will begin with a 1.2-mile swim. They will then transition to the 56-mile bike portion of the race, followed by a 13.1-mile run south of downtown Chattanooga, into North Georgia and Walker County, according to Ironman officials.
Athletes will take on a new swim course in the Tennessee River this year as they swim directly downriver, which will result in faster swim times, officials said.