Course, Road Closures Outlined As Tulsa Metro Hosts Ironman Triathlon

Athletes from all over the world are here Saturday preparing for Tulsa's first Ironman Triathlon.

More than 2,500 athletes from all 50 states and 30 different countries traveled to Tulsa this weekend, which could cause some closures to some roads across the city. 

Athletes will start off swimming 2.4 miles in Keystone Lake starting at 6:30 a.m. Sunday. From there, they will go on a 112-mile bike ride through Osage, Creek and Tulsa counties.

Once they're back at OSU-Tulsa, competitors will start a 26.2 mile run that'll take them past Gathering Place, along Riverside and then back towards downtown Tulsa where they will finish at Guthrie Green.

Ironman race director Alan Mendez said what attracted them to Tulsa was how involved the community is during major events.

"Tulsa was a beautiful city," Mendez said. "We worked with the community here. There's a lot of other large events, so we know that the support is here locally. So that's something that caught our eye.”

For those who don't want to watch the competition in person, there are several road closures to keep in mind.

The north and southbound lanes of State Highway 151 will be closed between U.S. Highway 412 and State Highway 51 from 4:30 until 11 a.m. Sunday.

U.S. Highway 412’s eastbound off-ramp At 129th East Avenue will be closed during that time, as well.

Several downtown streets will also be closed near the finish line.

Ironman participant Tyler Vance said the setup has him pumped up for Sunday. 

"That's the great thing about triathlon," Vance said. "Unless you're one of the pros, they are freaks of nature. They're unbelievable. Everybody else is just down there racing themselves and trying to better themselves." 

For more information on the race and more specific road closures, click here.