In a Pandemic, Getting to the Triathlon Is as Hard as Finishing It

The restrictions had some side benefits, like an easier to navigate goods-and-services exposition.

“With limited athletes getting their race pack, the expo was never crowded like it usually would be,” Alisjahbana said. “I felt safe throughout the process and thought the measures put in place worked out well.”

Under normal circumstances, more than 3,000 athletes, supporters and staff members gather before the swim start. This year, that wasn’t an option.

The organizers had moved another race, a half Ironman that had been scheduled for June in another city in Estonia, to Tallinn on the same day as the full Ironman, for a total of 1,507 participants from 50 countries (including relay teams).

Several accommodations were made for my race, including staggering the swim start to reduce crowding, though there was some not socially distant bunching up in the transition area for the bicycle leg.

Then again, just being on the course was something of an achievement.

Until two weeks before the event, people traveling to Estonia were asked to quarantine for two weeks if their country had more than 16 infections per 100,000 people. In the days leading up to the race, the list of “red” countries included Britain, Germany and Sweden, all of which traditionally send athletes to the Tallinn race. (I flew to Estonia before Britain’s numbers were above 16 per 100,000.)

Article source: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/08/sports/ironman-tallinn-triathlon-pandemic.html