The Ironkids event took place Saturday morning at Cloisters Park all in anticipation of the Ironman triathlon on Sunday.
Dozens of kids showed up for the Ironkids event with their friends and families cheering them on. “I’m planning on doing it every year if I can,” said Hunter Williamson, Davis resident.
“I was happy and proud of myself,” said Shazia Cosgrove Batoor, Templeton resident.
“It was just a really nice experience to be running with different kids that you don’t know,” said Josie Madsen, Livermore resident.
Josie and her dad, Kevin, ran together in one of the Ironkids races. Kevin was a participant of the Ironman last year and will be doing the same on Sunday.
“It’s super positive. You’ve got 25-30 people who actually trying to win and like 3,000 people that are just trying to finish. Super positive vibe, great city, we love it,” said Kevin Madsen, Livermore resident.
Kevin said he’s looking forward to the new changes to the running course. “Last year it was great. The running course had a lot of loops so we got to run past my family a bunch of times, but it was a little crowded so getting a little bit more space to run will be nice,” Madsen said.
Hundreds of people began checking in Saturday morning at the check-in booth along the Embarcadero with many taking to the streets to practice running and biking for Sunday's event. For Cherise Hansson’s business along the Embarcadero, sales so far are the same as last Friday but there is another benefit to the Ironman event.
“What we really get out of Ironman is exposure and we have a lot of people who have never experienced our beautiful, little Morro Bay,” said Cherise Hansson, Under the Sea Gallery owner.
She said the new HarborWalk Inn, a hotel above Under the Sea Gallery is fully booked this weekend. “Guests that are from Holland and others from around California as well as the Midwest,” Hansson said.
Tony Carignan is hoping for a busy day at his coffee and tea shop. “These events are always exciting. So much cheering and the whole momentum of the whole city is in an uproar in the morning. It’s an exciting time,” said Tony Carignan, Daisy’s Organic Coffee & Tea owner.
For road and parking lot closure information in Morro Bay during the Ironman triathlon click here.
