Chairman of the local Ironman organising committee Mike Reid said volunteers are the heart and soul of the race.

"We can have one competitor but we still need volunteers for the race," he said.

"Our volunteers come together once a year to facilitate the race and put Port Macquarie-Hastings on the map."

Since Lake Cathie Public School commenced in 2015 a group of parents and students have been helping out with Ironman.

Principal Jock Garven said the students love to get involved.

"Our students have loved the bag packing sessions, particularly the kindergarten children," Mr Garven said.

"Families undertake road closures with parents and their children going to great lengths to support the athletes as they pass through.

Mr Garven said Ironman had a lot to teach young people.

"The learning that we can expose our students to in line with goal setting, hard work and persistence, physical and emotional challenge, resilience and indeed excellence, happens when we are involved with an event like Ironman."

Flashback 2018: Ironman Port Macquarie volunteers

Dean and Debbie Cohen have been volunteering for Ironman for the last 10 years.

"I've done half Ironman myself and I know how much training is involved so I like to help the athletes," Mr Cohen said.

This year Dean will be helping with the bikes and Debbie is part of the medical team.

Mr Cohen said it was great to see people achieving their goals.

"We enjoy seeing people finish and achieve what they have been training for."

Mr Cohen said while not everybody enjoys Ironman, overall the event is positive for the town.

"Bottom line is the money it brings in the town, competitors have got to sleep, eat and drink and they bring their families, lots of families come and they come back again."