Can someone explain how volunteering works for an Ironman branded race? What do people who volunteer get in exchange for their time and effort?
I’ve volunteered before but only as part of a tri club. Our club manned an aid station and within the club the volunteer chair coordinated who does what. I believe the club was given some relatively useless perks in exchange for doing that (they let us see the NBC Kona show before it aired? Maybe some left over gels, can’t recall, but don’t think there was anything actually useful).
Here is the answer to what I think you are asking.
In 2018 The Ironman Foundation made a $13,650 donation to the Lake Placid Baptist Church. That church provided thousands of volunteer hours to help with Ironman LP. (this is one example of many of these kinds of arrangements)
A poster earlier mentioned they received a small kick back for their swim team providing a volunteers.
So to answer your question: Big groups get decent kickbacks from the foundation, small groups get a nice thankyou gift, individuals are greatly appreciated.