Competitors in the Ironman 70.3 triathlon are midway through the competition and at 8 a.m. all are riding the 56 miles bicycle route through western Hampden County and Norther Connecticut.
The competition started at 6 a.m. this morning with all 1400 competitors leaping into the Connecticut River at the Pioneer Valley Riverfront Club, next to the North End Bridge.
The 1.2-mile swim follows the course marked by large orange buoys along the river.
The first swimmer climbed out of the river at the northern tip of River Front Park about 30 minutes after the 6 a.m. start. He made his way through the access tunnel under CSX railroad tracks to the parking facility under I-91, just behind the Hampden County Courthouse to begin the second leg of the race, a 56-mile bicycle ride through Western Mass and northern Connecticut
Traffic through downtown Springfield is problematic as several streets, including West Columbus between Union Street and Boland Way are closed to vehicular travel. Access to the MGM casino is open but through traffic stops at State Street.
The competition will cross the final finish line in Court Square after a 13.1 mile run from downtown through Forest Park and back to Court Square.
Hall of Fame Avenue is also closed or restricted from its intersection at Boland Way and the Memorial Bridge.
The lead competitor is expected to cross the finish line at about 10:30 a.m., with all the competitors coming in by noon.
