IRONMAN 70.3 San Salvador

Arrive early enough to settle your nerves and confirm the start format and your assigned start/heat. Do a short, repeatable warm-up in the water (a few minutes of easy swimming plus 4–6 relaxed pick-ups) so your body is ready when the gun goes. In the first minutes, start at a controlled effort and sight early—don’t chase feet immediately; find clear water with a steady stroke rhythm. If the start is crowded, be deliberate with your line and avoid sprinting to “get position,” since you’ll need composure for the second half of the swim.

You’ll swim 1,924 m in freshwater where the temperature can vary, so treat the first 5–10 minutes as a calibration period rather than a race. Because conditions are hot on race day, manage your breathing and keep your strokes efficient—overreaching early makes the back half feel much harder. Expect wind influence on sighting and surface conditions near turns/edges; stay relaxed, sight on schedule, and make small course corrections instead of frequent big ones. Fueling on the swim should be minimal—focus on arriving to T1 feeling steady, then start taking in fluids and carbs immediately on the bike according to your plan.

Plan a quick T1 flow: exit efficiently, run to your bike with controlled effort, then mount smoothly and get stable cadence fast. During the first few minutes on the bike, focus on mechanical rhythm (smooth pedaling, steady body position) rather than power spikes—this is where hills and wind can tempt you to go too hard. Grab nutrition early, get your hydration flowing, and confirm you’re locked into a sustainable effort before the first significant climb.

Your bike is 90.3 km with 1,088 m of climbing and a hilly/climbing profile, so you’ll feel changes in workload even when the road looks “steady.” With hot conditions (air temperatures up to 31.1°C), prioritize hydration and don’t wait until you feel thirsty—take fluids consistently and begin fueling promptly after mounting. The NW wind at 4.5 m/s will create crosswind effects and speed/effort swings; on exposed sections, stay calm in your upper body, keep your line smooth, and avoid sudden steering corrections. Use the climbs to build steady effort and the descents/rolling sections to recover just enough to maintain your fueling rate—aim for the race target fueling of 90 g carbs, 1,000 mg sodium, and 800 ml fluid per hour through the bike segment as tolerated by your stomach.

In T2 (bike-to-run), expect your legs to feel heavy and “underpowered” for the first few minutes. Transition with purpose: rack/gear changes should be efficient, then step into the run and immediately shorten your stride slightly to reduce early pounding. Set your pace by effort first, not by speed—your goal is to find a sustainable cadence while your body re-learns running.

The run is 21.1 km with 137 m of rolling elevation, so it’s not a pure flat grind—expect repeated small surges and small dips that can slowly drive up effort. With hot conditions (18.7°C to 31.1°C), keep your head cool: slow down slightly at the first signs of overheating and protect your breathing. The NW wind can still matter—use any breezier stretches to settle your rhythm rather than sprinting, and keep your cadence steady through turns and undulating sections. Take in carbs, sodium, and fluids consistently using your target fueling of 90 g carbs, 1,000 mg sodium, and 800 ml fluid per hour through the run, adjusting if you feel sloshing or stomach pressure. If you’re behind, prioritize catching up earlier in the run rather than late, because heat reduces tolerance as the day progresses.