IRONMAN 70.3 Sunshine Coast

Get to the start area early to confirm your seeding and locate your entry point. Do a short, race-specific warm-up (easy swimming plus a few controlled pick-ups) so your first 2–5 minutes feel smooth rather than rushed. Once you’re in the water, start with controlled effort, find clear sight lines, and settle into a rhythm quickly—avoid sprinting the first strokes so you don’t fade mid-swim.

You’ll cover 1913 m in open water with typical conditions around 21.5°C; the official wetsuit ruling is set on race morning, so confirm it in the official IRONMAN athlete guide. With light-to-moderate air and a typical sea breeze pattern, expect small chop and occasional cross-current feel depending on your start position—stay calm, keep your breathing regular, and sight every few strokes to avoid drifting. Fueling is not typically the focus during the swim; focus on conserving energy and making a clean transition. Aim to arrive at the exit composed—enough that you can accelerate immediately when you hit your wetsuit/belt gear into T1.

Your T1 flow should be simple and practiced: exit the swim, get your helmet and shoes sorted with minimal standing around, then commit to a smooth mount and first-10-min cadence. As you roll out of T1, keep effort slightly conservative for the first several minutes while you settle your breathing and posture. You’re on a flat/fast 91.4 km course with 341 m of gain—your job is to establish steady power early and keep it even through the flatter sections before any small surges.

Bike 91.4 km on a flat/fast profile with 341 m total elevation gain—this is a course where consistent output beats dramatic spikes. With wind around 4.6 m/s from the S, expect the S component to influence apparent speed and effort: in the more exposed portions, hold your power steady rather than chasing speed, and on sheltered stretches, be ready for your speed to jump without you overcooking. Your fueling target is 90 g carbs per hour with 750 mg sodium per hour and about 650 ml fluid per hour—start hitting it early (within the first portion of the ride) and keep taking at regular intervals. Practice drinking on the move and set up your bottles/aero setup so you’re not fishing for fluid; aim to stay ahead of thirst rather than “catch up” late.

T2 is where the race either feels smooth or gets heavy—plan to transition with immediate cadence focus. After dismount, take a few seconds to re-center your breathing, then start the run with controlled effort for the first several minutes so your heart rate doesn’t spike. You’ll cover 21.6 km with only 62 m elevation gain and a flat/fast profile—your early pacing should be slightly restrained so you can hold pace when the legs settle in.

The run is 21.6 km, flat/fast with just 62 m of gain, so the temptation is to go out too hard—especially when conditions feel moderate. With air temperatures typically ranging from 13.5°C to 23.1°C and a breeze component from the S, you may feel comfortable early and then slightly warm as the day progresses; use that to guide effort, not adrenaline. Keep your fueling consistent with your bike build—use aid stations to maintain the same carbs-and-fluid rhythm you practiced (the race fueling target was 90 g carbs/hour, 750 mg sodium/hour, 650 ml/hour overall for planning). Drink regularly even if you don’t feel thirsty; moderate heat can sneak up, and dehydration reduces your ability to hold pace on a flat course. If you feel any “tightening,” reduce pace slightly rather than stopping—on a flat course, a small check early saves you later.