[media-credit name=’DEREK MONTGOMERY/Herald photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]Despite some traffic difficulties, the City of Madison hosted its annual Ironman Triathalon Sept. 11 and provided a satisfactory training ground for local and nationwide competitors.

Madison citizens, University of Wisconsin students and families of the competitors lined the streets, anxious to see the athletes straining to complete the grueling task. Meanwhile, motorists, some unaware of the triathalon and others just trying to wade their way through the competition, had the near-impossible task of negotiating their way through the city.

"The street closings are causing a great deal of confusion," Capt. Cameron McLay of the Madison Police Department said. "Drivers find themselves getting stuck at a closed road and then try to feel their way around to open streets, which can sometimes make things worse for them."

According to McLay, closings occurred only on north-to-south streets like Park Street. The Madison and UW Police Department and other Dane County personnel helped to keep traffic under control, he added.

"We have over 40 city personnel out aiding in traffic and crowd control," McLay said. "Traffic control is difficult because despite the event, there is still a great deal of normal traffic."

The triathalon lasts 17 hours, from 7 a.m. to midnight — if athletes wish to have their times recorded they must finish by the midnight deadline. All street closings lasted until the final competitors finished the marathon — the last leg of the triathalon.

McLay said the long street closings presented real problems to people who were not aware of the event.

"Some people may not read the paper, watch the news or may have just forgotten about the triathalon," McLay said. "If these people had specific plans, they may have been frustrated to find the event in the city."

But the triathalon itself overshadowed the driving difficulties.

The Madison Ironman event includes a 2.4-mile swim in Lake Monona, a 112-mile bike ride in Madison, Verona, Cross Plains, Mt. Vernon, Middleton and Fitchburg, and a 26.2-mile marathon entirely inside the city of Madison.

UW senior and triathlete Ryan Plantz said he was anxious to compete in his first Ironman, especially because the event was a home game for him.

"I am so fired up to get out there and go," Plantz said before the event. "It's nice to have it right here so all my friends can come and support me."

Along with crowd support, geography also makes Madison an ideal place for a triathalon, according to Plantz.

Plantz said Lake Monona, which is rather calm, together with Madison's semi-flat terrain, makes for top conditions. Regardless of the favorable conditions, Plantz admitted the training "isn't easy."

"[Y]ou have to train for three different things, but you can train for everything in Madison," he said.

For training, Plantz swam in Lake Wingra, taking advantage of the motorboat free waters, biked down Seminole Highway and onto country roads and also used the UW Arboretum for running and biking.