# IRONMAN 70.3 Acapulco — IRONMAN 70.3 race guide

> Course, typical race-day conditions and fueling for IRONMAN 70.3 Acapulco, from metrica.fit. HTML version: https://www.metrica.fit/races/im703-acapulco

- **Last raced:** Sunday 1 November 2026
- **Location:** North America · 16.8494, -99.9089
- **Distance:** IRONMAN 70.3

## Key facts

- IRONMAN 70.3 Acapulco was last raced on Sunday 1 November 2026.
- It is an IRONMAN 70.3: 1.9 km sea swim, 91.4 km bike, 21.2 km run.
- Typically not wetsuit-legal: typical race-week water is 30.1 °C, above the 24.5 °C (76.1 °F) age-group limit. The official ruling is made on race morning.
- The 91.4 km bike climbs about 376 m in total (flat for a 70.3 bike).
- The 21.2 km run climbs about 26 m (flat).
- Typical race-day air temperature is 24.3–30.3 °C with a 3.5 m/s (13 km/h) wind from the W (10-year climatology, not a forecast).
- For a typical ~5.5 h finish in very hot conditions, plan about 80 g of carbohydrate, 1,250 mg of sodium and 975 ml of fluid per hour.
- At the 2025 edition, 346 athletes finished; the median finish time was 6:28:56 (men 6:27, women 6:44), and the middle half of the field finished between 5:51 and 7:07.
- Free 16-week training plan for this race (about 10 hours a week): https://www.metrica.fit/races/im703-acapulco/training-plan

## Course

| Leg | Distance | Elevation gain | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Swim (sea) | 1.9 km |  | course data |
| Bike | 91.4 km | 376 m (flat) | course data |
| Run | 21.2 km | 26 m (flat) | course data |

## Race-day notes

A flat, fast 70.3 at Acapulco—smooth transitions and steady fueling in hot conditions are what keep you fast from start to finish.

**Swim.** You’ll cover 1,900m in open sea conditions, with water around 30.1°C and typically non-wetsuit—so your strategy is about efficiency and comfort, not “saving energy with cold-water control.” The W wind at about 3.5 m/s can create chop and uneven sighting; use stronger, planned head lifts to sight often rather than guessing. Keep your strokes smooth and repeatable—if you feel yourself sprinting in the middle of the pack, slow slightly and ride the tempo back to sustainable. For fueling, you typically won’t take solid carbs in the swim; go into T1 already thinking about your first post-swim drink and carbs. Swim outcome takeaway: finish feeling like you could keep going—don’t chase position at the expense of a controlled tempo into T1.

**Bike.** You’ll ride 91.4km on a flat/fast course with about 376m of total elevation gain, which makes pacing predictable—your job is to hold steady power (or steady perceived effort) without letting the flat sections tempt you to overshoot. With hot air temperatures (24.3–30.3°C) and a W wind around 3.5 m/s, you’ll likely feel a mix of headwind/crosswind on some stretches and easier pushing on others—stay consistent and avoid surging when you get a tailwind. Fueling is your performance lever: target about 90g carbs per hour, roughly 1000mg sodium per hour, and about 800ml fluid per hour, and break that into frequent, small intakes. Use the wind to your advantage by keeping aero position when conditions allow, but prioritize stable bike handling—especially if gusts show up as you pass open areas or cross streets/bridges. Bike outcome takeaway: on a flat/fast course in heat, consistency wins—hold steady effort and hit the hourly carbs/sodium/fluid targets.

**Run.** You’ll run 21.2km on a flat/fast profile with only about 26m elevation gain, so pacing should feel straightforward—what will make it hard is the heat (24.3–30.3°C). The W wind can help intermittently, but with overall hot conditions you’ll still want to keep your effort controlled and your breathing calm early. Keep fueling and electrolytes coming as planned: aim for about 90g carbs per hour, ~1000mg sodium per hour, and fluid intake that supports your target hydration (about 800ml per hour). Take in carbs frequently, and use water strategically—small sips and regular pours when available—to cool down without upsetting your stomach. If you feel yourself fading, don’t slash pace abruptly; instead, tighten your cadence a touch and increase fluid/aid intake slightly to stabilize. Run outcome takeaway: flat course doesn’t mean easy—manage heat with disciplined pacing and consistent carbs/sodium/fluid from early on.

**Weather.** Treat the conditions as hot and potentially choppy: aim for steady pacing and execute your hourly fueling/fluid targets rather than chasing fluctuations.

## Results by year

- 2025: https://www.metrica.fit/ironmanwc/2025-ironman-703-acapulco (50 World Championship slots)
- 2024: https://www.metrica.fit/ironmanwc/2024-ironman-703-acapulco (50 World Championship slots)

## Links

- Race guide (HTML): https://www.metrica.fit/races/im703-acapulco
- Fuel plan for this race: https://www.metrica.fit/fuel?preset=im703&sport=tri&hours=5.5&intensity=race&race=im703-acapulco&racename=IRONMAN+70.3+Acapulco&carbs=80&sodium=1250&fluid=975&temp=30
- JSON: https://www.metrica.fit/api/public/races/im703-acapulco
- Official race page: https://www.ironman.com/races/im703-acapulco

Source: metrica.fit. Weather is a 10-year climatology (typical, not a forecast); course distances and climbing come from derived, approximate course tracks. Wetsuit rulings and cutoffs are set by the organiser — confirm in the official athlete guide. Not affiliated with the IRONMAN Group.