Volunteers give encouragement to 2022 Ironman triathletes at the Mirror Lake start line. (News photo — Andy Flynn)

LAKE PLACID — By the time the Ironman Lake Placid triathlon kicks off in the early hours of Sunday, July 21, a select group of people — experts considered the best in their trade — will have already put in a week of work on the event. Though the athletes are undeniably elite, it’s the volunteers who descend upon the village every year that are top-tier, according to Ironman Lake Placid Volunteer Director Bethany Valenze.

“Lake Placid’s volunteers tend to be called, in the Ironman circuit, the ‘gold-standard volunteers,’ and it’s just because they’ve been doing it for 10, 11, 12 years,” Valenze said. “We tell them time and time and time again, we cannot do this without our volunteers.”

This year, between 1,700 and 1,800 volunteers are signed up in total, covering about 2,500 shifts.

“They typically volunteer for multiple shifts in a variety of areas,” Valenze said. “It’s amazing.”

On Tuesday night, the first round of volunteers kicked off a week of volunteering by stuffing athlete packets. They will support Ironman events throughout the week, wrapping up around the same time the athletes do: after midnight on Monday morning.

Volunteer lifeguards help ensure the safety of 2022 Ironman triathletes during the swim portion of the race at Mirror Lake. (News photo — Andy Flynn)

On race day, volunteers are posted throughout the course.

“We cover the entire swim course, bike, run, finish line, transition. We have volunteers out on the course at aid stations. We have course marshals who monitor intersections and crosswalks. We have volunteers at the volunteer tent, volunteering to help other volunteers,” Valenze said.

“It’s truly amazing when you think about all that goes into an event like this and how we’re able to get this many volunteers to step up,” she said.

Ironman Lake Placid volunteers hail from all across the U.S. — even as far away as California. Some are international, coming from Canada. Many are family members or friends of competing athletes, while others are athletes who hope to compete in this particular Ironman triathlon in the future. The Lake Placid Baptist Church also brings in a group of volunteers, Valenze said.

“It’s a really cool network. These volunteers are so dedicated to the event,” she said. “Without volunteers, this event would not happen in Lake Placid.”

Volunteers pour water for 2023 Ironman triathletes between the first and second laps on Mirror Lake. (News photo — Andy Flynn)

Typically, Valenze will see about 50 more volunteers sign up on the day of the race. They’re usually people who originally come as spectators but, after seeing the volunteers at work, decide to lend a hand.

Around 75% of the volunteers are returning volunteers.

“They come back year after year, and they volunteer in the same area,” Valenze said. “The volunteers that come back, they just reach out directly to their captain … and they get signed up. And the captains, our captains are amazing. It is like a well-oiled machine.”

This is the 25th Ironman Lake Placid triathlon, and nine volunteer captains — some of whom started out as regular volunteers before stepping up to more responsibility — have been with the race since the beginning, according to Valenze. These 25-year volunteers are Debbie Vaughn, Jeff Herter, Cara Kennedy, Cora Clark, Jean Palmieri Donnelly, Gary Lanzoni, Mary Connell, Jan Rafferty and Kristen Sayers. There are also about 150 volunteers who have been with the race for more than 10 years. They’ll be getting plenty of thank-yous throughout the week.

“Those returning volunteers really show the impact that Ironman has on a volunteer,” she said. “We thank them so unbelievably much. … They will hear ‘thank you’ more times this week than they can probably count.”

Volunteer “peelers” help 2023 Ironman triathletes take off their wetsuits after the swim. (News photo — Andy Flynn)

Ironman Lake Placid volunteers get a T-shirt, free food and drinks throughout race day, a volunteer tent with a great view of the finish line and, on the day after the race, a volunteer-only party at the North Elba Show Grounds. They also will get a priority link to register for the following year’s race — which fills up very fast — making volunteering an excellent way for future Ironman athletes to get their foot in the door.

The Ironman Foundation also offers grants to groups who come and volunteer at the race, enticing sports teams, nonprofits and groups like scouting troops to come and lend a hand. While they usually approach the beginning of the day as a fundraising effort, Valenze said, they often end the day in the Ironman spirit.

“It’s so great to see these groups come together,” she said. “Just to see them all volunteer together as a group.”

The biggest reward, according to Valenze, is a sense of “personal gratification.”

“They volunteer just for the thrill of the event — just to be a part of these (athletes) crossing the finish line. They love being that support for the athletes,” she said. “There’s such an energy in Lake Placid on race day.”

Ironman Lake Placid will continue accepting new volunteers throughout the week — even on race day. To lend a hand, sign up at ironman.volunteerlocal.com or go to the volunteer tent during race weekend.