Dennis Melowski of Kohler, Wisc., has his wetsuit removed with the help of the volunteers after he swam the 2.4 miles at the start of the Ford Ironman Coeur d'Alene, June 21, 2009.

COEUR d'ALENE - There's no other way to put it: The positions with the most sex appeal are booked, filled up, plum off the market.Which ones are those?

Strippers and body painters, but more on that later.

Because Ironman still needs volunteers - even if the glamour spots are full up - and lots of them.

"We're a little behind the curve this year," said Michelle Haustein, Coeur d'Alene Ironman volunteer director. "We're not exactly sure why, to be honest with you."

The 140-mile triathlon race has 2,544 volunteers to help along the swim, bike and run course, not to mention medical tents.

But its goal is to have 3,800 to 4,200 helpers on hand June 23, so they're about 1,200 to 1,600 bodies in the hole. More here. Tom Hasslinger, Cda Press

 Have you ever volunteered or participated in the Ironman Triathalon? 

              

---

---