Ironman 70.3 is a challenging race for both amateurs and expert triathletes. With a 1.9 km swim, 90 km bike ride, and a 21.1 km run, this Ironman distance tests your body, patience, and grit you’ve built over the years of triathlon training. For me, this was my fifth year in triathlon, and each race is a chance to push a little further.
This is a brief recap of my recent half Ironman race. It covers the challenges of the swim leg, the push on the bike, and what it felt like to run half a marathon at the end.
Hopefully, you’ll find this insightful and discover some helpful tips to get ready for your next race. And if you are looking for a comprehensive training plan, check out this half Ironman training schedule that is a great starting point.
Approaching the Race Day
To be honest, I didn’t come into this race with big ambitions. It was my third start in one month.
Just a month earlier, I had completed a full Ironman, and my body was still recovering. Here is a story about my first full Ironman triathlon race. Feel free to check it out.
Also, only two weeks ago, I participated in another IM 70.3 in +35 heat. This year, I have already participated in early-season races. Training for an Ironman while working full-time is hard, but somehow in 2025, I’ve completed two Olympic triathlons, one sprint distance, two half Ironmans, two run races, and a full Ironman. Pretty active season, both its first and the second half!
So, on race morning, I even questioned myself why I was there. It felt like another challenge on my stomach and energy.
But the setting of the Svitiaz Iron Wave was beautiful. Clear waters, a forested bike course, and a scenic run through the trees. The weather was also perfect: almost no wind, cool 18°C air, great for the run. The water temperature was a little bit cool, but, in general, everything was great. It was a good day for a personal best. However, the race did not start as well as I expected.
A Swim That Tested My Mind
The swim turned out to be longer than usual: 2,000 meters instead of the common 1,800. The challenges started right away.
The sun’s reflection off the water was blinding and created a white spot that left me completely disoriented. For more experienced and professional swimmers, it may have been a minor distraction, but for me, it triggered panic.
I stopped. Gasping. I couldn’t see the next turning buoy, the shore, or anything but blinding light. Where was I supposed to go? A full-blown panic attack set in. I’d tread water, sight frantically, swim a few desperate strokes, and stop again. My race, barely begun, felt utterly ruined.
On my second lap, a crushing realization: the blue-capped wave behind me. These were the 1500-meter swimmers. And they were already upon me. I was 10 minutes down. I clawed my way to the exit, one of the very last out of the water, and my dreams of a good day were fading away.
The Bike: Unleashing the Frustration
They say don’t take out your swim frustrations on the bike. But sometimes you should.
I finally mounted my Canyon Speedmax CFR, a perfect bike for triathlon, if you ask me, and a switch flipped. The data proves it: 240 watts is a pretty decent number for someone of my weight, 73 kg. It was the most powerful ride of my entire season. The average pace was 40.5 km/h.
Later, I learned that I came off the bike 4th in my age group and 7th overall. The total deficit was 7 minutes from 1st place in my age group and 8-9 minutes from 3rd place overall. But despite the numbers, the bike leg left me feeling much better and energized than after the swim.
About Transitions
Transitions are the fourth discipline in triathlon. And my triathlon transitions have never been my strength. Maybe other fellow triathletes feel the same.
After the swim, I’m always unsteady, with heavy breathing that makes it nearly impossible to run smoothly into the transition area. I’m slow at peeling off the wetsuit, and it costs me time.
T2 is a little better since it feels more natural, but I still lose seconds there, too. I don’t do flying dismounts off the bike to put on my running shoes right away. This might save 15–20 seconds, but the risk of crashing just isn’t worth it for me.
Catching Up on the Run
As I hit the run course, my legs responded. The panic was gone, replaced by a calm, determined rhythm. 3:50 min/km pace for a half-marathon was my fastest run in a triathlon, ever.
Slowly but surely, I overtook other athletes. I knew I had lost 6-7 minutes in the water, so I needed to speed up to catch up with the top athletes.
At the 15km mark, I saw him: the leader in my age group. The gap closed. With steady, relentless strides, I overtook him on the final lap. The lead was mine.
With about 3km to go, I saw another figure ahead — a known contender, a current master of sports in triathlon. This was the “absolute” category, the best of the best. And I have managed to pass him.
Reflections from the Finish Line
I crossed the line. Third. In the absolute overall standings.
My official time was 4:15:13. Not a personal best on paper, my summer race clocked 4:13:41. But this swim course was longer and the conditions were tougher. On another day, with a clear and accurate swim, it might have been a PB.
That’s the nature of triathlon. It is never perfect. Distances shift, weather changes, and unexpected challenges pile up. I think what matters here is how you adapt.
You can’t control the day, but you can control your response to it. This race reminded me that progress isn’t always about reaching the PB. Sometimes, it’s about finding strength in the hardest moments, when you push yourself through setbacks.
Final Thoughts
This Ironman 70.3 race was an unpredictable journey. As any other triathlon race, actually.
There was the panic of the first half of the swim. Then I pulled myself together and did a powerful high-intensity cycle course. Then, I pushed through the run, one of the best I have. And every moment taught me something new.
This race was another reminder of how far I’ve come since my very first half Ironman. It showed me that progress is about overcoming challenges and finding strength in unexpected places.
If you are looking for a training plan to get ready for the race day, check out our triathlon training plan generator. This tool will help you create a training schedule that is tailored to your current fitness, training goals, strengths and weaknesses, and many other aspects. It’s completely free to use.
