The Land of Endurance Daily Recap – Thursday, May 5, 2022

May 5, 2022

- Race week festivities for 2021 Intermountain Healthcare IRONMAN World Championship presented by Utah Sports Commission continues with the Land of Endurance Fun Run, Professional Athlete Pre-Race Press Conference, Welcome Banquet as athlete check-in concludes

GEORGE, Utah (May 5, 2022)/ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ – Race week for the 2021 Intermountain Healthcare IRONMAN World Championship presented by Utah Sports Commission continued today in St. George, Utah, bringing along a plethora of activities and events. After a much anticipated two-year-plus wait, the countdown continues to the world’s most iconic single-day endurance event taking place on Saturday, May 7. The Land of Endurance Daily Recap pays homage to this year’s IRONMAN World Championship host location, recapping the last 24 hours of race week activities.

Land of Endurance Fun Run

Thursday morning, athletes, friends, families, and the local community had the opportunity to run through the breathtaking city of St. George, Utah, while they participated in the Land of Endurance Fun Run. The exciting 3.5 miles run (5.6 km) took participants through a scenic tour of downtown St. George, passing the St. George Utah Temple and the Greater Zion Stadium before ending at the finish line located at Town Square Park.

Pre-Race Press Conference

Some of the world’s top professional triathletes spoke with the media today during the pre-race press conference that took place at the Electric Theater in historic downtown St. George. Athletes arrived to fanfare as they were greeted with their names presented in the marquee sign outside of the theater. The 14 professional athletes shared their thoughts on St. George, the course, race preparation, and hinted at the strategy it’ll take to come out on top of Saturday’s Intermountain Healthcare IRONMAN World Championship presented by Utah Sports Commission. The panel consisted of the sport’s top stars, including previous IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 World Champions, Olympic Medalists and World Triathlon Champions. A full replay of the pre-race press conference can be viewed by visiting the IRONMAN Now Facebook Watch channel

*Previous IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 World Champions

Welcome Banquet

Tonight, at the Welcome Banquet the entire IRONMAN `Ohana was brought together to celebrate the more than 3,000 athletes from around the world that are set to compete in the most iconic one-day endurance event, as well as their families and supporters. Athletes and their guests were treated to a spectacular pre-race show, including cultural performances, inspiring stories of athletes racing, and guest appearances built around the event theme, Kumukahi – a Hawaiian word, meaning “A New Beginning.” As the Hawaiian Islands shine their light of aloha and the Land of Endurance, St. George, opens its arms to host the first ever IRONMAN World Championship outside of Hawai`i, the promise of Kumukahi gives everyone the aspiration to dream, strength to carry on, and perseverance to remain steadfast their quest.

Last Day of Athlete Check-In

With athletes hailing from 80 countries, regions, and territories converging in the Greater Zion region for the 2021 Intermountain Healthcare IRONMAN World Championship presented by Utah Sports Commission, Thursday marked the final day for athletes to check in to race on Saturday, May 7. On Friday, athletes will go through final preparation of gear and bike check-in before the big day.

Media Center

The 2021 Intermountain Healthcare IRONMAN World Championship presented by Utah Sports Commission media center is located on the first floor of the Washington Country School District Building. The operating hours are:

• Friday: 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. MDT
• Saturday: 5:30 a.m. – 1:30 a.m. MDT

For more information about the 2021 Intermountain Healthcare IRONMAN World Championship presented by Utah Sports Commission event, please visit www.ironman.com/im-world-championship.

For more information on the IRONMAN and IRONMAN 70.3 brands and global event series, visit www.ironman.com. Media inquiries may be directed to press@ironman.com

###

About Intermountain Healthcare

Located in Utah, Idaho, and Nevada, Intermountain Healthcare is a nonprofit system of 25 hospitals, 225 clinics, the Intermountain Medical Group with some 2,700 employed physicians and advanced care practitioners, a health plans division called SelectHealth, Homecare, and other health services. Helping people live the healthiest lives possible, Intermountain is committed to improving community health and is widely recognized as a leader in transforming healthcare by using evidence-based best practices to consistently deliver high-quality outcomes and sustainable costs.

About Utah Sports Commission

The Utah Sports Commission was created to be a catalyst for Utah in its Olympic legacy efforts and to help enhance Utah’s economy, image, and quality of life through the attraction, promotion, and development of national and international sports. Since the 2002 Olympics and Paralympics, the Utah Sports Commission has attracted nearly 900 major events to the state. The Sports Commission works closely with communities, sports entities, and organizations to provide event services ranging from the bid process, on-site logistics, volunteer coordination, sponsorships and promotional opportunities, and other related services. It is a not-for-profit 501(c)6 business league and Utah Sports Commission Foundation, a not-for-profit 501c3 charitable organization, is governed by an all-volunteer Board of Trustees consisting of statewide sports, business, community, and government leaders. For more information, visit www.utahsportscommission.com and follow us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

About the IRONMAN World Championship

Since its inception in 1978 on the Island of O`ahu, the IRONMAN World Championship has etched its name in history through stellar performances, inspirational participants, and emotional memories. In 1981, the race moved from the tranquil shores of Waikīkī to the barren lava fields of Kona on the Island of Hawai`i where it continues to take place to this day. The race now sees over 2,500 athletes embark on a 140.6-mile journey that presents the ultimate test of body, mind, and spirit to earn the title of IRONMAN World Champion. The most iconic one-day sporting event in the world is the culmination of 40 global IRONMAN events with over 94,000 athletes around the world striving for one of the coveted qualifying slots. The 2021 edition of the event will take place in St. George, Utah in May 2022, becoming the first location to host the event outside of Hawai`i since its origins in 1978. After a two-year hiatus from Kona due to COVID, the race will return to Kona and take place as a two-day event in October for the 2022 edition of the World Championship. For more information, visit www.ironman.com/im-world-championship.

About The IRONMAN Group

The IRONMAN Group operates a global portfolio of events that includes the IRONMAN^® Triathlon Series, the IRONMAN^® 70.3^® Triathlon Series, the IRONMAN^® Virtual Racing™ (VR™) Series, 5150™ Triathlon Series, the Rock ‘n’ Roll^® Running Series, the Rock ‘n’ Roll Virtual Running™ Series, IRONKIDS^®, World Triathlon Championship Series, premier running events including the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon™ and The Sun-Herald City2Surf^®, UTMB^® World Series events including Tarawera Ultra and Ultra-Trail Australia™, Epic Series™ mountain bike races including the Absa Cape Epic^®, road cycling events including Haute Route^®, and other multisport races. The IRONMAN Group is the largest operator of mass participation sports in the world and provides more than a million participants annually the benefits of endurance sports through the company’s vast offerings. Since the inception of the iconic IRONMAN^® brand and its first event in 1978, athletes have proven that ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE^® by crossing finish lines around the world. Beginning as a single race, The IRONMAN Group has grown to become a global sensation with hundreds of events across 55+ countries. The IRONMAN Group is owned by Advance, a private, family-owned business. For more information, visit www.ironman.com/about-ironman-group.

About Advance 

Advance is a private, family-held business that owns and invests in companies across media, entertainment, technology, communications, education, and other promising growth sectors. Our mission is to build the value of our companies over the long-term by fostering growth and innovation. Advance’s portfolio includes Condé Nast, Advance Local, Stage Entertainment, The IRONMAN Group, American City Business Journals, Leaders Group, Turnitin, 1010data and Pop. Together these operating companies employ more than 17,000 people in 29 countries. Advance is also among the largest shareholders in Charter Communications, Discovery, and Reddit. For more information visit www.advance.com.