Parking option before race starts on both Saturday and Sunday mornings: With the streets of Madison open prior to race start and ample parking ramps available, we prefer to drive and park within a few blocks of the race start instead of parking at the Alliant Center and taking the shuttle bus. Click here for information and the location of the closest parking to the start.

What to wear! If possible, please wear your ET shirts, jackets, visors, and hats. The ET Cheer Crew is world-famous, and our athletes love to see everyone flying the ET colors! Go Team Experience Triathlon! If you don’t have ET wear, Contact Us before race day, and we’ll try and get you some.

Athlete Tracking – You can track our athletes during the day with the official tracking app on your phone. It’s called Ironman Tracker.

ET race weekend contact is Coach Christa. If you have questions/issues or need directions to find us, you can CALL Christa at 708-207-0175.

Schedule overview for the ET Cheer Crew

Saturday – Ironman 70.3 race day

• We start our day around 6:00am on the “East” parking ramp (the Helix) of the Monona Terrace complex that the athletes walk down to start their race. We stand on the side closest to the lake, about 50-100 yards up the ramp from its base but before the ramp starts to curve into a helix. We are on the athlete’s left as they run up the ramp following their swim. Look for one of our Cheer Crew carrying the ET Flag. The race starts at 7:00am and we’ll be there until our last 70.3 athlete is out of the water.
• After the swim, we’ll likely have a few hours while the athletes are out on the bike course. During that time, most of us will stay in downtown Madison for a coffee/breakfast break and wait for the athletes to finish the bike. Some family/friends might choose to drive out a spot on the bike course to see their athlete. Since the 70.3 bike course is different than the 140.6 course and we don’t have any experience with the new route, we don’t have a suggested spot on the course for families to see their athlete on the bike.
• Athletes return from the bike and go up the “west” helix to transition for the run. They start the run down the “east” helix to get to the lakefront run course. We plan to stay at the point they enter the lakefront path from the bottom of the helix. Look for the ET Flag!
• Once all our 70.3’s are out on the run, we’ll move up to Martin Luther King Drive to the finish line area. Again, we’ll find a prime viewing spot to watch everyone finish. Look for the ET Flag.
• Note: Racers should plan to rejoin the Cheer Crew at the flag after they get their medals. This is a great time for group high-fives, hugs and photos with the Capitol in the background!!

Saturday evening – ET Team Dinner

• 5:00pm – Our Team dinner food order goes final on Sept 5. Friends and family are welcome to attend the dinner as we celebrate the 70.3 finishers and pump up our 140.6 racers for their big day on Sunday. Details for the dinner are HERE.

Sunday – Ironman 140.6 race day

• We start our day around 5:45am on the “East” parking ramp (the Helix) of the Monona Terrace complex that the athletes walk down to start their race. We stand on the side closest to the lake, about 50-100 yards up the ramp from its base but before the ramp starts to curve into a helix. We are on the athlete’s left as they run up the ramp following their swim. Look for one of our Cheer Crew carrying the ET Flag. The race starts at 6:45am and we’ll be there until our last 140.6 athlete is out of the water, so probably until 8:45’ish.
• We then load into our cars and head to Panera, 3416 University Ave., to pick up some sandwiches to bring out to the bike course.
• Our designated spot on the bike course is the 2nd of the three major hills (aka the 3 B’s) at Timber Lane, just north of Old Sauk Road. From the Capitol area/swim start, you get on University Ave., heading West towards Middleton. Left on Whitney Way, right on Old Middleton Rd., slight left onto Old Sauk Rd. Stay on Old Sauk, crossing the Beltline, until you come to Windsong Circle. Turn right and park anywhere here. Walk west to the next intersection, Timber Lane, and turn right. There will be lots of crowds, and you will see the bikers coming up the big hill.
• Look for the ET Flag on the east side of the road (the athlete’s left) between approximately the 1st and 2nd driveways. The athletes come by this spot twice since it’s a two-loop bike course. Needless to say, we’ll be there for the better part of the afternoon. Until approximately 3:00pm. Please make sure you have enough nutrition and hydration for the day out there! Some will bring a folding camp chair and/or a small cooler to keep beverages and food cool. Sunscreen, umbrella for sun protection, and bug spray are also good things to bring along.

Click here for google map to bike viewing location

We’ll then head back into Madison and park ourselves in one of the many ramps near State St. somewhere around the 107 State restaurant in the 100 block of State St.

Click here for google map to run viewing location

We’ll be able to see the athletes several times on the run from this spot since it’s also a two-loop run course. Most will eat dinner somewhere on that first block of State St.

At some point, after our athletes have headed back out for their second loop on the run course, we’ll head down to the finish line area and spend the rest of the night re-connecting with our athletes behind the finish line area where they exit with their medals. We basically hang out, celebrate, take pictures and have fun with the ET Family until our final athlete finishes. It’s an emotional end to an epic day. There is no place on earth like Athlete Exit on an Ironman day! 🙂

Click here to download and/or print a copy of this Spectator’s Guide