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Ironman takes place today

By Times Staff Writer
Published November 10, 2007

The Ford Ironman World Championship 70.3 takes place this morning and early afternoon and could make getting around some parts of Pinellas County tricky, officials say. More than 1,500 elite triathletes are expected to compete.

The event consists of:

- A 1.2-mile swim on Clearwater Beach

- A 56-mile bike course that goes from the beach as far east as McMullen-Booth Road, south to Gandy Boulevard and north to East Lake.

- A 13.1-mile run, mainly through Clearwater.

Where to watch

Spectators can catch shuttles from downtown and Sand Key Park. Pier 60 is a good place to watch the swim, and the Pinellas County Courthouse is a good spot to watch parts of the bike and run.

Volunteers will begin to set up for road closures around 5 a.m., 3 a.m. on the beach. Drivers will not be allowed to go south of the beach roundabout. South beach residents and those needing access to and from south beach after 3 a.m. will need to use the Belleair Causeway.

The bike route

Cycling will start about 7:30 a.m. and will go on until 1 p.m. Racers who haven't finished the bike ride by then are eliminated. Here's where and when to expect the heaviest bike traffic:

- Ft. Harrison Avenue from Chestnut to Drew streets, 7:30 to 9:18 a.m.

- Drew Street from Ft. Harrison Avenue to Belcher Road, 7:30 to 9:30 a.m.

- Belcher Road from Drew Street to Countryside Boulevard, 7:38 to 9:55 a.m.

- Countryside Boulevard from Belcher Road to Lake St. George, 7:48 to 10:13 a.m.

- Tampa Road from Lake St. George to East Lake, 8 to 10:22 a.m.

- McMullen-Booth Road from Curlew Road to the Bayside Bridge, 8:18 to 11:20 a.m.

- 49th Street from the Bayside Bridge to Park Boulevard, 8:41 to 11:56 a.m.

- Park Boulevard from 49th Street to Belcher Road, 8:49 a.m. to 12:06 p.m.

- Belcher Road from Park Boulevard to Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard, 8:55 a.m. to 12:43 p.m.

- Gulf-to-Bay Boulevard from Belcher Road to Clearwater Beach, 9:13 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The run

The run will go from Pier 60 through downtown and into Harbor Oaks and back to Pier 60. Runners will do two loops.

This part of the race will affect traffic on the Memorial Causeway, in downtown Clearwater, and in the Harbor Oaks neighborhood between approximately 9:20 a.m. and 4 p.m. To get to Morton Plant Hospital, use Pinellas Street.

Roads to be closed

Most roads along the route will have only partial lane closures. Full road closures include the following:

- S Gulfview Boulevard south of the roundabout to Fifth Street.

- Coronado Drive from the roundabout to Second Street, 3 a.m. to 4 p.m.

- Ft. Harrison Avenue from Chestnut Street to Drew Street, 7:30 to 9:18 a.m.

- Countryside Boulevard from Northside Drive to Curlew Road, 1:30 to 11 a.m.

- Bayside Bridge southbound from Drew Street, to Roosevelt Boulevard, 7 a.m. to 1 p.m.

- Ft. Harrison Avenue from Chestnut Street to Jeffords Street, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

- Bay Avenue from Druid Road to Jeffords Street, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

- Magnolia Drive from the Pinellas Trail to Druid Road South, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

- Druid Road S from Jeffords Street to Orange Avenue, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

- Orange Avenue from Druid Road to Turner Street, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

- Turner Street from Orange Avenue to Oak Avenue, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

- Oak Avenue from Turner Road to Chestnut Street, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Driving tips

If you're going north and south, use U.S. 19.

Avoid Belcher and McMullen-Booth roads.

Police will help motorists at intersections with traffic signals along the route.

Yield to cyclists at intersections without signals. Bikes have right of way on the course.

Drivers will share multilane roads with bicyclists. Throughout most of the route, cyclists will be in the outside curb lane and vehicles will travel in the remaining lanes. On McMullen-Booth Road, cyclists will be traveling on the inside median lane, and vehicles will be traveling in the outside lanes.

For more information: Visit www.myclearwater.com/ironman or call (727) 562-4636.

[Last modified November 9, 2007, 23:26:15]