view here the "Official Holding Pen" of NA Sports - I assume these will be a hot seller like all other NA Sports endorsed items





This is a very interesting article from NA Sports - my guess is that people who finish with their kids, family, pets will not care about a 4 minute penalty and just avoid the "official NAS holding pen". My feeling is that there should be a a coned off section of the finish chute and all the people that want to finish holding hands with whomever they want they can - but a holding pen - interesting!

Notice on the Family Finish Pen
Author: staff June 11, 2008
This policy was created to enhance the event for athletes with children allow them the unique opportunity to share the finish line experience with one child. Athletes who ignore the Family Finish Pen Policy by crossing the finish line with parents, children, grandparents, and yes – even pets, create a safety issue, interfere with other athletes’ finish line photos, and create unnecessary chaos at the finish line.

Continued abuse of the Family Finish Pen Policies outlined below, will force NAS to cancel the Family Finish Pen, resulting in the disqualification of athletes crossing the finish line with any non-participant.
Please respect the Family Finish Pen policies so that NAS can continue to provide this experience.
Family Finish Pen Policies:
Only one child is allowed to participate with each athlete. The child must be between the ages of 6 and 16. No other persons may accompany the athlete in the Finish Chute. No pets, parents, grandparents or significant other is allowed to participate (non-athlete), just the one child. No children younger than six are allowed. Young children present a safety problem and are not allowed. Again, one child only between 6 and 16, no exceptions.
Children participating in the program must be registered at the Family Finish Pen located roughly 200 yards up the finish line on Sherman Ave. No exceptions. Volunteers will be available at the Family Finish Pen to explain the protocol of the program.
North America Sports reserves the right to assess a four-minute penalty to those athletes who do not follow these policies at Ford Ironman Coeur d’Alene.
Failure to follow this policy will result in the cancellation of the Family Finish Pen program altogether, at which point athletes who finish with a non-racer in any fashion will be disqualified. As a company, North America Sports would take this step with much regret.
Please respect the policy so future athletes can enjoy this special opportunity on their race day.

Thank you.
North America Sports