Ironman Village goes up
A 40-foot inflatable, lime-colored Gatorade bottle in the middle of City Park Wednesday was one of several signs heralding the erection of Ironman Village.
The set-up Jumbotron, vendor stations, temporary fencing and portable toilets were all indicators the 2016 edition of Ironman Coeur d’Alene is about to unfold.
With more than 1,600 athletes registered for Sunday’s race, as well as the thousands of the triathlon's volunteers and spectators expected, Ironman village aims to adequately accommodate a sizable crowd.
Dozens of exhibitors, both local and national, will display their products, the foremost vendor being a large, tent-covered Ironman store selling apparel and performance gear.
Jake Jansen of Zoot Sports, a Carlsbad, Calif.-based company, has promoted his company’s brand at every Ironman and has been in Coeur d’Alene the last seven years.
With the full Ironman Coeur d'Alene being pushed to August for the first time — it has previously been in late June — Jansen said he hopes business doesn't decrease.
"The biggest difference for us is just being out in the heat. It's hotter in August than June," Jansen said. "It's also a little busier in August. I would prefer that it be in June since it's more wide-open."
A handful of local food vendors were setting up shop Wednesday, including Island Noodles and the Biddy Booth.
Island Noodles, known for its wok-fired soba noodles, travels to various Ironman events throughout the country, but this will be its first time operating in Coeur d’Alene.
“We go all over and do pretty big events,” said Jeff Mcatee, Island Noodles’ operational manager. “We do pretty well.”
Other prominent triathlon outfitters such as ROKA Sports, Greenlayer and 2XU were setting up. Hoka One shoes, rudy Sunglasses, Greenlayer Quintana Roo bikes were also on display Wednesday evening.
Velo Stop, touted as the official bike store of Ironman, had a large tented store for sales and repairs posted up on the park’s grass. Other prominent companies such as body-improving Beachbody and Normatec also boasted fancy setups.
The Ironman Village will host fans and athletes throughout the weekend. It will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today through Saturday, from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday and from 2-8 p.m. Monday.