The Best IRONMAN Course For YOU!

In this episode of Tribe Triathlon, Coach John Mayfield reviews each of the North American IRONMAN courses and grades each on logistics, PR potential, first-timer friendly, as well as the swim, bike, and run courses.  This episode will cover the highs and lows of each venue and help you decide which IRONMAN course is right for you, whether you're chasing a PR, a first timer, or just looking for your next finish line!
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Welcome to TRIbe Triathlon. Where long course triathletes come to train smarter, race stronger, and live better. Hosted by John Mayfield, a passionate coach with more than a decade of experience racing and guiding athletes from first-timers to professionals and everyone in between, TRIbe Triathlon is your weekly resource for practical wisdom, grounded strategies, and honest conversations about the sport we love. We dive deep into the science and art of triathlon—from training and recovery to nutrition, mindset, and gear—while keeping sight of what matters most: staying physically and mentally healthy, balancing family and faith, and thriving beyond the finish line. Whether you're chasing a PR or your first IRONMAN finish, join the TRIbe and elevate your long course journey—one episode at a time.
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Catch full video episodes on YouTube, and follow us on social media for clips, bonus content, and updates throughout the week.
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Produced by: Bella Mayfield

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:01

Are you a long course triathlete juggling career, family, and social life, but still chasing performance? Still showing up early, grinding out sessions, and chasing PRs? Then this is your podcast. I'm John Mayfield, Trahlon coach and athlete, and I've coached hundreds of athletes just like you.

SPEAKER_00 0:19

Busy professionals with big goals and limited time and no interest in wasting either. Welcome to Tribe Trafflon, your go-to show for everything you need to train smarter, race faster, and fall even more in love with the sport of Trathlon. Whether you're self-coached and looking for trusted information, or you've got a coach and just looking for an edge, this show is for you. Every Tuesday, I'll bring you clear, actable items to help you train more efficiently and race better. To get more out of every training block, every recovery session, and every race. From swimming, cycling, and running to recovery hacks, mental prep to race day execution, you'll leave every episode with something you can use immediately in your next training session or race. There are a lot of Trawn podcasts out there, but this one is built on real coaching experience, real results, and a real passion for helping athletes like you reach your potential. So if you're ready to train smarter, read faster, and love the process, hit subscribe and I'll see you every Tuesday.

SPEAKER_01 1:23

Hey guys, we have got a good one today. It's gonna be a fun one. So sometimes uh get a little nerdy, kind of into the weeds, a little technical on certain things like technique and science of hydration and all those kinds of things. Today is not gonna be one of those days. So uh, as we are here early in the year 2026, uh we focus a lot on Iron Man distance racing. So I wanted to uh just give a high-level overview of the US North American um Ironman courses so that you can uh decide which events that you want to do either this year or next, or if you're already registered for one of these events, maybe it'll give you just a little bit of information. Now, these are very high-level um views of the courses, whereas uh I have several in-depth, really into the weeds videos on the Tribe YouTube channel. So if you are registered for one of these, go and check out the uh YouTube channel. There's a lot of videos on there, again, that are really going to be more specific and really get into the actual course, um, tips specific to those courses. So uh check those out. But again, today, just a kind of high level. And I will say too, these are very anecdotal, these are uh subjective, these are my assessments of some of the things on the course, and uh I would love to know if you uh agree with these or not. So I have been to every U.S. Iron Man uh event, and uh so I have a little bit of experience. I haven't raced them all, but I have been to all of them with the exception of Jacksonville. I've been to Jacksonville before, but obviously none of us have been to the race itself. But I am looking forward to changing that coming up. So diving in today, what is your favorite Iron Man? I will say if I had to choose a North American race, uh it would probably be Iron Man of Florida. I've done it four times myself. Uh it is my PR. Uh I love the city, I love the vibe that is there during race week. The swim is absolutely amazing. Uh, in fact, the picture here um is is from Panama City Beach out there. Uh amazing venue and uh just a great overall race. So it was my first Iron Man back in 2011. So it uh holds some special memories for me. I've raced with uh a great group of friends, uh kind of each time. I've done it four times, kind of with a different group of friends every time. So that's been really special. So uh part of it is the race, the course, my PR, uh, my first Iron Man, but uh a lot of it is also the people that uh I was privileged enough to share that experience with. In fact, uh my very first Iron Man, I was stride for stride with one of my uh one of my lifelong uh good friends, Kyle. He and I crossed the finish line together. So uh that was not planned, but it just worked out that way. Um so that was super cool. So let me know what is your favorite Iron Man? And then part two, do you agree with today's assessment? So um I really look forward to hearing those that disagree. And uh so bring bring your bring your facts, back it up, and I'll try to do the same here. But um again, today's gonna be a fun one as we go over the 2026 North American Iron Man events. So we get things kicked off. Uh first event of the year back in my hometown with Iron Man, Texas. It is the North American Championship and has been for a number of years. Um as I mentioned, I have been to all of these uh all of these venues. In fact, I have been to every Iron Man, Texas. I've been to every Iron Man in Texas. So I've been to all the Iron Man, Texas, and then uh I believe there were two uh Iron Man Wacos that I was there uh for those as well. Um so this dates back to 2011 when it debuted, and again, I have been there every year. Um definitely uh one up or more than one-up in me. There are still a few uh people who have um they call them streakers. They have done every one uh of these events. Uh I know Nancy Goodnight is one of those. Uh, I believe she is the only female left. I think there's only two or three men uh left. So uh good luck to all those people uh continuing their streak coming up here on April 18th. So again, first event of the year. Uh logistics, I give Iron Man, Texas a 10. Uh it is just north of Houston. So there's an airport readily uh available with uh easy transportation. In fact, uh you fly into Bush Airport, you basically take the uh bike course up to the woodlands where you will find uh tons of hotels, restaurants, um hotels of all different price points. So uh if you want to spend a whole lot, uh you can stay in a really nice hotel that is right by the finish line. Um, but fortunately uh you can spend a whole lot less and be still very, very close to the venue. It is a um it's not a split transition, but it is a a split between the transition and the finish line. Uh the finish line is near the Iron Man Village. So there are some two different places that you have to go during race week, but they're very close uh together. So give logistics a 10. It's an easy one uh to get around. Weather, I'm gonna give a four. Um so April in Texas is a crapshoot. We have no idea what it's gonna be. Usually it's starting to get hot and humid. So um even those of us that that train in Texas, um, we're we we did all our training through cold months as well. Uh, but then all of a sudden when race week shows up for Iron Man, Texas, it's like hot for the first time. So um not a whole lot of opportunity for heat acclimation. And uh being that it is in the greater Houston area, you can count on it being humid. Um Ironman, Texas is notorious for being the only race that has ever been paused for weather. So uh several years back, I believe it was 2016, um, basically this front moved through. Uh, it went from being a pretty warm day uh to this front coming through, and um just in a matter of minutes went from sunny to an absolute deluge of pouring rain, and then it started to hail, and then it started to flood uh all within a few minutes. Um, in the name of safety, they actually paused uh the race, which is really hard when you have people spread out over an eight-mile uh run course, but um they they did do that, and then once the storm passed relatively quickly, um, they did actually resume uh their race. So it's Texas, it's April. We have no idea what the weather's gonna be, but um in recollection, like I said, been to all of them. I don't ever recall like a beautiful Bluebird day that was just uh great. So I gave the weather a four. Beginner-friendly, I give it an eight. Um, kind of a combination of the course itself, the logistics, those kinds of things. So if this is your first Iron Man, uh you're you're gonna be good there. PR potential, I give it a six. Um, it is not necessarily known uh as a real fast course. Um it's it can be fast. Uh the pros obviously do it uh very quickly, and there are those that uh race quickly on the course, but it is not one of the faster ones. So um maybe not if you're if you're seeking a PR. Uh there are some better courses that uh definitely are are faster and easier to set you up for a PR. Now, if you are trying to get a Kona slot, uh this actually is a uh a great event to try that at. Uh because it is the North American Championship, it includes 75 Kona slots, which is uh the most of all these events in the U.S. that we're gonna be discussing. So uh a little bit better odds of uh getting a Kona slot there. As we discussed a couple weeks ago, uh when we were discussing the the fastest and slowest of 2025, uh Iron Man Texas overall was the fourth slowest of 2025. So that kind of plays into that PR potential and all that. Um but uh I do think there are some factors that uh kind of play into that. All in all, it's still a great race. So the swim, I give it a two. Uh the water temperature is always borderline. It is right around uh that wetsuit legal cutoff, 76 degrees. Um there are years where it's wetsuit legal. Uh this past year, it was wetsuit legal well below uh the cutoff. It was like 70, 72 going into uh the race day. Like I think Friday's temperature was something like 70, 72, 73. There was actually rain the night before, and then somehow all of a sudden on race day, it was up over 76.1. Um so kind of a curveball there. And and again, it's it's kind of a crapshoot as to whether it's gonna be wetsuit legal or wetsuit optional. Visibility, there is none. Uh so this venue is uh it's it's largely man-made or at least um kind of man um adjusted, you could say. Uh a lot of engineering uh went into this, so uh it's a mud bottom uh body of water as as a lot are uh in this area of Texas. So the water is going to be uh murky, so there is no visibility. It is fresh water, and I certainly put that in into quotes. Um basically it's not salt water, and that's probably the only thing fresh about it. Um there are rumors of of bad stuff being in the water. So uh I always say to quote Dave Matthews, don't drink the water. Um, that's always one of the tips I give for this event. Uh in fact, when I've done this event, I've even uh taken some activated charcoal prior to the swim just in case any of that bad stuff ends up in my stomach. But um years ago, there was actually an instance where it's kind of funny, they tested the water in the canal, and it tested for something. I'm not exactly sure if it was bacteria or or what, but basically they said that the canal was not safe to swim in. But the lake that you swim in first, that was okay. So they adjusted the transitions and they had the swim just in the lake and did not go into the canal. It's all the same body of water, so I'm not exactly sure how they pulled that off, but um good for them, and and hopefully no one got too sick from that. But I will say it's it's some pretty funky water. Uh, now that we no longer have Iron Man Arizona, I will say hands down, this is the worst water uh on the on the Iron Man circuit. Uh, as mentioned, it is a lake to canal, so it's it's kind of cool in that, and that you start out, uh, you do an out and back um in a lake, and then you turn into uh the canal here. And um it's it's it's a catch-22. I will say it's kind of cool. Uh as you can see here, uh lots of spectator support as you're turning debris that you can see people. Um maybe your your uh support crew can find you and kind of pace you along. That's great. But it does get very crowded. Um, as mentioned before, there's also a whole lot of construction around here. This is obviously a very man-made uh body of water with all that construction. There's all sorts of stuff that has ended up down in the canal. Um, so they'll tell you don't stand up because there's construction, rebar, concrete, who knows what else down there at the bottom. So again, uh not it's kind of cool in theory, but if you're there, uh not the best. And it did uh rank as the third slowest swim in 2025. So again, it was not wetsuit legal, so that that would have slowed it down a little bit. Um I swam it, and it actually was my slowest Iron Man swim ever. So I I can concur with that. And it gives me a little bit of uh uh of peace knowing that it actually was slow for everybody else. Bike score, I give a five. Um, it is completely flat, other than uh there are some overpasses that uh you'll go through. So that's the only elevation gain that you're gonna get. So you're going over these uh overpasses several times. It is 80 miles on a toll road. So basically uh your first 20 miles is going from downtown woodlands and you're getting out to what is known uh as the Hardy toll road. Uh it is a north-south uh toll road. So once you're there, um it's 20 miles dead south. You turn around, come back up, and then you do that again. So it's it's basically four 20 mile segments um due south and then due north. So um kind of the catch-22 of that is um it's it's known to be windy, but generally it's out of the south because that's where the coast is. Um so it's usually a headwind uh as you head south, but as as we as we know about that reciprocation, um, a headwind becomes a tailwind. So and it is kind of nice because that closing section is actually a tailwind, and then it's a short uh 12 miles back up uh to transition. Our run, I give it 10. And I will say this is definitely uh the highlight of Iron Man, Texas. I will say the pre-race uh is fantastic in Iron Man, Texas, and then the run is really what makes it uh attractive. It is pancake flat. Uh, there is not a single bit uh of elevation out here. Absolutely great crowd support. And I will say uh of all the Iron Man venues, um, Iron Man Texas probably has arguably um the best crowd support out on the run. It is three loops, which I like. Uh so they're around eight miles each. For me, it makes it more manageable. I can uh better manage my nutrition, my pacing, all that kind of stuff. Um on that first loop, you learn uh where those eight stations are, you learn the sections you like, you don't like. So on those next two, you know what to be uh prepared for. And then uh something else that's kind of cool is towards the end of that first loop, you'll see a sign that says first loop, second loop, and then third loop to the finish. So it's it's kind of cool to say uh in a little bit, I'm not gonna be going straight here. I'm gonna be making that turn towards the finish. And then when you make that turn towards the finish, it's amazing. So a couple highlights on the run course are Hippie Hollow. Uh, that is a group that I believe has been out there from the very beginning. They're right there on the canal. Uh they bang on trash cans and they keep people going. It is a party until the last person uh comes through. First runner to the last. They're out there uh supporting. So props to those guys. And I will say the canal goes from being a uh a low light of the of the swim to a highlight of the run. Because again, this is where the hotels, the restaurants, all that are. So the vast majority of the crowd support is there along uh the canal. So it's a really cool stretch of the course. All that said, it was the second slowest run in 2025. Um, so uh there's that. All right, moving on to race number two, Iron Man Jacksonville, May 16th. Now, as I said, I have not been to this race, obviously, but uh I'm vaguely familiar with Jacksonville. Um so these are just some some kind of estimates, uh maybe educated guesses on these. So uh logistics, I give it a nine. Uh that is because, again, kind of like Iron Man, Texas, it is in a established area. So there's gonna be uh easy access to the airports, rental cars, hotels, restaurants, all that kind of stuff is going to be readily available uh to it. So logistics should be pretty good. Uh weather, I'm gonna give it a four, uh, kind of for those same reasons as Iron Man, Texas. It's about a month later. So once we get into mid-May in Florida, it's hot. It's humid. It's Florida, it's hot and humid pretty much all year. Um, so especially folks coming from north haven't had that much time to acclimate to the heat and uh with storms and all that, who knows what the weather is going to be mid-May in Jacksonville. Uh beginner friendly, give it an eight. Uh, again, just for the logistics, the course, all those kinds of things. I think it will be uh uh both beginner-friendly and a PR potential, just based on the course itself. So I gave it an eight for the PR potential. It has 40 Kona slots available, and as mentioned, this is the inaugural event. The swim, uh, I'm giving it an eight. Uh the water temperature is expected to be in the mid-60s, so it will be wet suit legal. It is brackish water, so um it is uh kind of inland from the coast, so it's not completely salt water. Um, but uh I do believe it will be somewhat salty, so brackish. It is a point-to-point, and it is with the current and with the tide. Um, so this is gonna be a fast one. I think this uh potentially could even rival uh Chattanooga and California for the fastest uh swim. So we'll see how that shakes out next year. Bike give it a five simply because it is going to be pancake flat. It is two loops, and uh because it is uh so close to the coast, I would expect a decent amount of wind. Gave it a five just because there's probably not a whole lot to it, just looking at the at the maps. Um it's one of those where you can probably have a pretty fast split, um, but you're probably gonna get a little bored out there as well. Um not the case, hopefully on the run. Give the run a nine. Uh, it does have some rolling heels, so kind of breaking it up, uh keeping it interesting, having to vary your pace, your intensity a little bit. It is three loops, which again, as I mentioned before, I like that uh from the standpoint of seeing your family, your friends, your support, knowing all about the course, learning those things on the first loop. Um and it claims to go through five unique boroughs. So uh Jacksonville isn't New York City, but um, and I'm not even familiar with what these boroughs are, but I'm assuming it's something like that. Uh, I know in New York you have very distinct neighborhoods between those boroughs. Um, so I'm hoping and assuming that that's going to be comparable for Jacksonville, where uh as you go around um this course, you'll get to see different things, and that really helps pass the time, pass the miles, keep you engaged and interested. All right, so we go from racing in Jacksonville in May, big break all the way to July 19th, uh, where we go on to Iron Man Lake Placid. Logistics here, I give it a two. Um, the reason for that is um this city, I don't know how Lake Placid has hosted two Winter Olympics. Um there's there's not much there. It's in the middle of nowhere. Now, granted, it is gorgeous. Um, it is a beautiful um part of the country, but um, regardless of where you are, uh chances are you're you're you're gonna be traveling quite a bit. Um there's not an airport uh particularly close. You're driving a couple hours um most likely from uh the nearest airport. Um hotels, uh race week. I I've been told this is actually their biggest event of the year, so you're gonna pay for it. Um most of the hotels are um, I would say like two-star hotels, but you're gonna be paying like four-star prices for them. Some of them have uh minimums of like a three or four night minimum, and they're charging four to five hundred uh a night when uh literally earlier in the week they're charging like$125 or something like that. So um they're not super nice hotels. They're not bad, um, but they're not some of them are older, um, but they're you're definitely gonna pay for them. And then there's not even like a great like plan B because Lake Placid is so isolated, it's not like you can just go five miles over to the next town and and get a cheap hotel. There's really not much. Um, same thing with like your uh rentals, your Airbnb verbos, not a ton of those. And um they know this too. In fact, uh I was looking this past year, there was literally a a lean to that was basically just logs uh over a concrete base. Um it had a shower uh that was basically a hose uh out on the side. And um, man, I want to say they were charging like 200 a night uh for that. So uh just kind of laughed at that one. But um if you are racing Lake Placid, make your hotel reservations as as soon as possible because the good ones obviously do go um quick. Weather, I'm gonna give it a five. Um, kind of a catch 22 here. Uh this past year, uh, it was absolutely beautiful. It was gorgeous. Um, again, at the time I was living in Texas, so I was I was very pleased to uh get out of Texas in July, and it was gorgeous uh all week. We were there doing sweat testing with Sweat Lab, and uh those were great days out there at the venue. Uh unfortunately, uh it changed on race day. Um so race day turned into uh pretty much a rain event, especially for the bike course. And this bike course is not one you really want to be taking on in the rain. Um that has happened a couple times. Um fact, once there was uh a storm that rolled in during the swim, and they were actually pulling people out of the lake and having them walk back uh around the lake to transition uh to continue on uh the race that way. But um the day or two after the race, uh, this kind of blew my mind as a Texan. Um we woke up and it was like 40 degrees. So uh I hadn't experienced 40 degrees since like February. So I'm not used to that in mid-July. So weather is kind of a bit of a unknown. It can be hot, it can be cold, it can be rainy. You never really know. Beginner friendly, I give it a four. Just because of the combination of the logistics as well as the course. Maybe not the best if you're if you're taking on your first Iron Man. Don't want to discourage you from doing it if it is, but I will say it's it's going to be a little bit more difficult for those first timers. PR potential, I give it a two. This is not a particularly fast course. It is challenging, but is it is not unfairly difficult. But it's not super fast. So if you're looking for a PR course, maybe select something else. If you're looking for a beautiful course that is going to be a challenge, it's going to be a ton of fun. Um this is definitely the one for you. 55 Kona slots available for Lake Placid. Swim, I give it a 10. Uh this swim is uh fantastic. As you can see, uh it is a beautiful lake right there. Uh it is actually not Lake Placid. Uh Lake Placid is actually kind of the next lake over. This is called Mirror Lake. Um, and that just speaks to the water uh clarity, quality, all that. So kind of the opposite of Iron Man, Texas. Um water temperature uh is borderline. It's one of those that goes back and forth, and you never really know what that water temperature is going to be until race morning. Sometimes um it's above, sometimes it's below. So uh if if you're dead set on a wetsuit swim, take that into consideration. Uh visibility, very high. Uh crystal clear water, uh again, really nice. It's fresh water. It's two loops out and back. Uh, and something that is really unique to um the swim here in Lake Placid is the fact that there is actually a yellow cable that uh the buoys are attached to. So um you don't even necessarily need to sight. Um so you can either just follow that cable underwater or follow the people that are following the cable because obviously the cable line does get a bit congested, but you can just be a little bit over to the side, make sure they're following that cable nice and straight. Um so yeah, this is definitely going to be a fast swim simply because uh you are not going to have to worry about swimming off course as much. Um, and and it's gonna be um you're not gonna have those extra yards from uh that bike. I give a seven. Um it's it's definitely a beauty and a beast. So uh it is hilly. Um it is downhill, out, uphill, back, uh, two loops. So you're gonna do this twice. Uh, and I will say this is the prettiest bike course on the Iron Man circuit. The picture here um is not necessarily a unique section of the course. Pretty much the whole course looks like this. Um so if you are in for uh an entertaining course with in the in the natural beauty, Iron Man pla uh Iron Man Lake Placid is uh second to none. Um that said, it was the fifth slowest bike in 2025. As mentioned, this past year it was rainy. Um, so I think that uh contributed to it. But as mentioned, it it is not a particularly fast course. Um there is a very large descent. Um I believe it's about 10 to 15 miles in. Uh, it's along Keen Road, so it's known as the Keen descent. You are losing um a very large amount of elevation over a relatively short um period. And I will say that was probably the most dicey section um during that rain because you're you're gonna be going quite fast uh downhill. Um as you're coming back up, there's a section called the three bears. It's three climbs. Um they're they're not horrible. Um I think the fact that they're called the three bears and they have a name and all that probably is a little bit more intimidating than they should be. Um, but um that being said, if you are going to take on Iron Man Lake Plastic, make sure that you have a decent amount of bike handling skills, especially to handle that descent, because you are going to be getting uh into some fast speeds as you head down um that descent. The run I give a six. Uh it's it is a hilly run. Um it's it's kind of a rollers, and there are some climbs in there, um, but it is a great crowd support race. Uh it is three loops as well. Uh so far we're three for three on the three-loop courses. Uh, and kind of opposite of the bike course, it is downhill out. Um no, it's the same, same as the bike course, downhill out, and uphill back. Uh super cool uh finish line, as we saw in that uh first picture uh transition is inside of the uh Olympic uh speed skating rink, and the finish line is actually on uh the Olympic speed skating rink. Uh so not only are you taking on Iron Man, you're experiencing a bit of Olympic history. And kind of fun fact, uh the building right next door uh was where the uh miracle happens, where uh the U.S. hockey team won gold uh when they were not expected to. So uh just a neat venue, neat town with a lot of stuff uh going on there. So great race in Lake Placid. Next, we go north of the border uh to Ironman, Ottawa. So uh 2025 was the first time to have uh the event there. It is gonna be held on August 2nd. Logistics, I give it a six. Um one for those of us in the U.S., it is international travel. Um, I will say I actually drove uh across the border and and it really wasn't uh that much of a it was not a big deal at all. In fact, I had my dog with me. Um, but uh we we got across the border with with very little uh interaction with um the border, so uh not a big deal. Uh and then um it is uh again in a very urban area. Ottawa is the capital. Um so lots of resources there, lots of hotels and all that, but you are dealing with uh a different currency, so so there's some logistical issues there. Um so that's why I gave it a six on the logistical side. Weather uh gave a seven, so uh pretty far north, so not as hot as uh down in the U.S. uh in early August, but um it still gets warm. Um but it is a little bit cooler uh than than say the the south or anything this time of year. Uh beginner friendly also gave it a seven um just for some of those same reasons with the logistics. Um the um Ironman Village is in a different location uh than the transition area, so there are a couple different spots to go. PR potential also gave it a seven. Um it is a I would say a pretty fast course, but not necessarily the fastest. Uh and there are 40 Kona slots available at Ironman Ottawa. Swim course, I give it an eight. Uh water temperature is in the low 70s, so probably going to be uh wetsuit legal. Visibility is is good. It is fresh water. Um, and this is one of those, there's a couple uh venues that are kind of like this. It is technically in a river, um, but it's actually a very large, wide section of the river. So it feels kind of more uh like I would say like a like a bay. Um so it's not a river uh like Chattanooga or California. Um it's it's definitely a much wider, larger area, and it is a one-loop swim. Bike, I give a seven. Uh it is a rolling course, so uh definitely going to keep you uh interested. You'll be uh in air position, you'll be up, you'll be down kind of bit. Um it is mostly along that same river that the swim venue is on, so you're staying largely in that uh urban area around the Capitol. It is two and three-quarter loops. Um so as you can imagine, you basically you go out, you come back, you come back, and then the other one you only come back about three-quarters of the way. Um, so if that's a good thing for you, again, I like those loops, but um if you feel like you're going in circles, it may not be like a great thing about this is this course is completely close to traffic, so you're not gonna have to worry about that. Run, I give an eight. Uh, it is flat-ish. Um, so I wouldn't necessarily call this a rolling or hilly course, but there are some some ups and downs to it. It is completely urban. You're right there in the middle of downtown Ottawa, which is super cool because Ottawa is the capital. Um, you run right by the Capitol building and uh some of the courts and all these different government buildings. So uh I would say it's kind of almost the equivalent of of running on the uh the the National Mall in DC. So um a little bit different, or actually a lot different uh architecture. It's it's really cool. Uh kind of almost has like an old Europe uh feel to it, so so really neat. We have our first two-loop course. Um so uh all those others were three loops. This one is two. Uh and it also ranked as the fifth slowest run of 2025. I think that probably has to do with some of the um it being a new event, a lot of new athletes, a lot of first timers. Um, so I think that contributed to it. I don't think it's necessarily a slow run course. I think just the um participants were a little bit on the slower side. Moving on to Ironman, Wisconsin. So this one is September 13th. Uh logistics, I give it an eight. So you have all those uh things nearby. Uh it's drivable. Um, there's an airport that is easy in um access to uh hotels, restaurants, all that kind of stuff. Now, one thing I will say is a lot of the hotels are further out. They're about a 20-minute drive away, so not quite as convenient. Uh there are some right there around the Capitol, but most of the hotels are a little bit further out, but not a big deal. Weather, I give it a nine. Um, so still way up north into September. Uh you're getting into some really nice cool weather, uh, dry weather. Um obviously we can't necessarily predict the rain, um, but this this year uh I was up there again sweat testing, and I will say uh we were cold in the days leading into the into the race. Uh we were in a shaded area and the wind did kind of funnel through there. Um but the temperatures were, I want to say they were in the low 60s, uh, something like that in the afternoon. Um and it stayed like that uh throughout the throughout the week. So uh if you're trying to avoid the heat looking for a little cooler race, uh this is a great option. Beginner-friendly, I give it a six. Uh, and that is primarily because of the course. It is a little bit more uh challenging of a course, and for those same reasons, I give it a six on the PR potential. So for most people, um, this is not going to be uh a PR, but again, it is a really fun course. It is a uh challenging course, so definitely don't want to um keep you from uh participating in this. Uh kind of a unique, neat thing about uh Iron Man in Wisconsin is the day before is the 70.3. So kind of unique uh in that that uh you have the 70.3 on Saturday, full on Sunday. Uh that is currently the only uh event in the U.S. that has the the half and full on the on the same weekend. So some logistical challenges there, um but they've been doing it for a long time and they do a great job of handling all that. Now, um Wisconsin is actually um going to be qualifying for for next year's Kona, uh, but last year they had 40 slots for uh the the 2026 Iron Man World Championship. So just an assumption that uh there will be a similar amount of slots this fear. Swim I give an eight. Uh it is a great swim. Water temperatures are in the low 70s, so pretty predictably to be wetsuit legal. Um and not not a whole lot of issue there. Visibility is good. It's a it's a large lake, uh, it is fresh water, uh, and it is too loop. So uh lots of good options there on the swim. Bike, I give a seven. Uh it is uh it is rolling uh too too hilly, I will say. Um it is certainly not a flat course, but but it's not, I will say it's often um maybe over uh overestimated on how much elevation there is. I think uh the overall elevation can be a bit deceiving. Um it is a rolling course. There are some climbs, but um it is it is not an overly difficult um course. It is what I refer to as a two-loop lollipop. So effectively what that means is you're going to leave transition, ride out to a section on the course, you'll do two loops there uh and then ride back. So um two-loop lollipop. And something that's really cool uh and quite unique about this course is you have your helix start and finish. So um, as that first picture showed, your transition is actually up on the roof of the uh convention center where uh the village and registration and all that is. Um so there's actually a spiral helix like you you would drive on in a parking garage. Um so as you are leaving T1, you are descending down. You're actually it is um after the mountain line. So you actually are riding down uh that spiral helix. And then uh same thing as you're coming into T2, uh, you will ride back up. So uh a little bit of a challenge there. Make sure you save a little bit of your legs, uh, literally for that last, I don't know, eighth of a mile or whatever it is from the base up, back up to the roof of that uh of the parking garage. And then uh your run uh starts the same way, back down um the helix. So it gives you a nice little start uh as you head out onto the run course, which I give a seven. Uh kind of similar, it is flat-ish uh with some rollers. So it's it's definitely not flat the entire way, um, but the entire time isn't isn't constant up and down. But uh it's a good um a good fair course so far as that goes. Uh I would say it's quite entertaining in that uh you get to see a whole bunch of different things and experience a couple. You're gonna start there in the Capitol area, you go through downtown and then out to the uh Wisconsin Stadium, which is uh I would say a highlight. You actually run through uh the stadium and then back around um to the lakeshore. So uh lots of different things to see uh as you're as you're in. It's an out and back, so you're gonna actually see those things four times because it is a two-loop um course, and then you'll finish up on the very iconic uh capital finish. So it's it's right there uh in the shadow of the state capitol, uh, so it's a really neat uh finish line. Next we have Ironman Maryland on September 19th. Uh logistics, I give this one a one. Uh it is a great race, but uh it is logistically challenging uh to take on. Uh the nearest airports are um DC or Baltimore, uh, which leaves about a two-hour drive uh from both of those airports uh to Cambridge where the race um is is held. Um once you get there, um kind of like Lake Placid, maybe even worse than Lake Placid, there are not a whole lot of hotels. Um one of the hotels is a super high-end Hyatt that is uh 500 plus per night. Um, but the other hotels in the area, those limited services, they've caught on as well. Um they they sell out very quickly and they do raise their prices for for a race week. Um one thing that that is also um kind of odd about Iron Man Maryland and unique, and not necessarily in a good way, some of the locals are are very, very welcoming. Um they love the race, they turn out support it. You'll see signs in the yard, that sort of thing. Um but something I haven't seen anywhere else is like some of the restaurants will will actually have signs posted and say Iron Man athletes not welcome. Um so uh those businesses don't want your money. So I would say go find uh some of the ones that do. Obviously, they got some great uh seafood, crab, all that. Um participants, finishers of Iron Man Maryland are known as crabbies uh because of the um prevalence of the uh crab fishing in the area. So uh make sure that uh your pre- or post-meal uh include some crab cakes or something like that. Uh camping is available, so that is one way you can uh kind of circumvent the lack of hotel availability. Um the YMCA is probably the largest opportunity uh for camping. Uh they have a large field uh that uh is available for both uh tent camping, and if you have like uh RV, motorhome, that kind of thing, you can use that as well. And then you have full access to the YMCA. So your bathrooms, showers, uh, all that are included. And then you also have access to the pool, the treadmill, all that kind of stuff. So it's kind of an all-in-one. And uh the Y is very conveniently located. It's um it's just a couple blocks, maybe four or five blocks uh from the uh park where transition, swim start, all that is, and then uh same proximity to the finish line and um the the village. One thing that's a little different than Lake Placid is uh there are a couple towns. Um they're not right next door, but I would say probably 20 minutes uh away. Um there's a town to the north called Easton that has several hotels. That's actually where I've stayed uh in the past. So they have some availability and they're not quite as expensive. Um there's another town to the south that uh name escapes me, but um kind of similar proximity. So if you uh don't get a room, don't want to pay those prices actually for Cambridge, there are some options uh that are relatively nearby. Weather, I'll give a six. Uh it's kind of one of those, a little bit unpredictable. It's now mid-September uh in Maryland, so it's it's kind of when the cool weather is starting to come in. So if you're lucky, uh you make it a cool day. Uh when I did the race, unfortunately, I did not. It uh turned out to be quite hot when it was actually predicted to be cool. Um and then there are uh some some weather issues. So uh one year this race was actually rescheduled uh because a hurricane, late season hurricane, uh actually came through. Um and then this this uh venue is at a very, very, very low elevation. In fact, um a lot of these streets that are the the run course and the bike course are actually at or below sea level, and you're basically right there on the water. So um they actually can can flood uh during high tide, and they have these things called super tides uh that uh happen just kind of spontaneously, and sometimes that happens on race day, and that can be certainly a challenge uh to deal with. Beginner-friendly, nine. Uh other than those logistical issues, this is a a great race uh for for first timers. Um the course itself is great. Um, and then for those same reasons, PR potential is a nine. This was my PR uh for a while. Uh great fast course, fast swim, fast bike, uh, fast run all across the board. And uh in 2025, it offered 55 Kona slots. So assuming that that will be comparable as we head to the 2026 race. The swim I give an eight. Uh the water temperature is borderline. Um, it is generally kind of that same area, mid-70s, so you're never really quite sure uh whether it's going to be wetsuit legal or wetsuit optional, depending on which side of 76.1 um the temperature falls. Visibility is pretty poor. So um this is a a river uh and it's kind of like um it's kind of like the one in Ottawa where it looks a whole lot more like a bay than a river. It's called the Chop Tank River. Um, but again, if you were to look at it, you would think it was a bay or something like that. It is not the river that uh I tend to think of kind of more like Chattanooga, California. Um it is a large, shallow uh body of water, mud bottom. So generally that that affects the um visibility, so not great. Uh it is brackish water, so uh it is a river, so there is some fresh water, but it also does feed out uh to the salt water. It is two loops, uh, and it is notorious for jellyfish. Um this was really intimidating to me uh as as I headed into this race. Growing up on the Texas Gulf Coast, we had some we had some bad jellyfish. They they were they were bad dudes. They will mess you up, they will hurt, uh, really bad stings. Uh, some people will have reactions to them, anaphylactic shock type things. So when uh I heard there was gonna be a whole lot of jellyfish in the water, um, I was certainly intimidated. I didn't want to do the practice swim. I was nervous uh about getting in the water. Uh sure enough, I got on the water uh during the race, and uh there's there's kind of a little um almost like a staging area that uh the race starts in, and you get out more into uh the actual area of of where the most of the swim is. And it's like the jellyfish were waiting on us. Um and yeah, they pretty much were there constantly throughout the race, but um I got stung pretty early on um and I realized, hey, this isn't so bad. Uh people leading into the race had uh told me it was kind of like a razor burn, sunburn, wind burn, kind of like that. And I would say that's a good description. So um more of an annoyance as opposed to like a great deal of pain. Um you forget about it relatively quickly, and um, depending on the water temperature, uh, is going to depend on how um prevalent the jellyfish are going to be. So um I don't remember whether it's warm water, cold water that they follow. Um, so depending on where that water is um on race day, that is also going to be uh contingent upon how many, how, how many. Jellyfish there are. There'll be some regardless, but some years that are really, really thick and some much more sparse. So in fact, the year that I did it, the temperature was, I want to say it was around 77. So it should have been wetsuit optional with all those implications of Kona slots and awards, all that. So over 76.1. But Iron Man actually deferred to the USA triathlon temperature, which I believe is 78. And so they actually made it wetsuit legal so that we would have more coverage and not be as exposed to the jellyfish. But that said, again, if I were to do this race, I would not be worried about the jellyfish. More of an annoyance than than anything. Bike, I give a 10. I really enjoyed this course. It is Pancake Flat. Literally, there's like one little bridge that is like two feet raised, and that's probably the biggest uh source of elevation that you're you're going to get. Now it is uh coastal, so obviously we can expect wind. Uh it is also a two-loop lollipop. So uh basically you'll ride from uh from transition out to the majority of the course where you'll do two loops and then head back into um transition. Really neat uh in that it it again starts kind of in a neighborhood. You get out here, and a a lot of this course is actually in a nature preserve. Um, so some really pretty coastal scenery. Um, so it's it's engaging. I like again the two loops so you can uh know where those aid stations are. But uh even some of these roads, um, if they may have standing water uh depending on how those tides are, um, but even if not, you'll kind of see where um those tides creep in, and you can kind of see the watermarks on the road uh from uh them being um underwater for regular amounts of time. Run, I give it a nine. Uh it is also flat. There's a couple little spots that uh uh you'll you'll find yourself going a little bit uphill, but those are just kind of more fun than anything. Um I really enjoy the layout of this course. It is three and a half loops, and uh fortunately that half loop that you'll do four times is what I would consider uh the most fun. So you'll start in the park that's kind of centrally located uh from the park. You'll actually head to their their little downtown uh section. There's a uh it's an out and back along one of the streets through downtown. Lots of or several uh restaurants along the way, and uh kind of the the party is at a local brewery that is right at the U-turn of that. Uh there's generally a um announcer there, a DJ, and uh kind of a neat, unique thing. Instead of having cones set up to do the U-turn around, uh the brewery actually provides some uh kegs uh that they stack up. Uh so you'll actually U-turn around the kegs there. You'll head back to the park and then out uh through the neighborhood. Neighborhood is really a neat section as well. Um there are lots of residents that turn out. Uh if it's a hot day, you'll probably get some hoses, spraying water, that sort of thing. Um so again, I think it's a lot of personality uh in this course, um, neat architecture. It's uh it's an older area, part of the underground railroad went through this area. Um so a lot of history uh in the town and uh a lot of personality. So you get to experience that uh three and a half times. But uh again, you'll actually hit that downtown section fourth, and that's your last stretch. So it's relatively close to the finish. So as you start that uh fourth loop, you'll head head downtown, uh, enjoy all the folks that have been hanging out at the brewery all day, run around those uh kegs, head to the finish line, and have a great finish. Now, uh, as mentioned before, those tides can uh flood the streets. So sometimes they have those super tides that uh will actually uh put uh parts of the run course uh as much as a foot underwater. Um now, those generally come and go relatively quickly, uh, but sometimes there are sections of the course that just high tide uh will actually flood those. So um again, whether it's high tide and the street is underwater, or if it's low tide, you'll still see um where those watermarks are. So in the days before, you can kind of see where those are. They don't really, uh the normal tides don't really affect um your ability to run, but obviously they're having one of those super tides where the street is six to twelve inches underwater, that's gonna affect your ability uh through there. Next up, definitely a crowd favorite, Iron Man Chattanooga. It is on September 27th. Uh logistics, I give it a seven. Um, there is primarily because there's not a major airport nearby. So if you are traveling in, uh, you're gonna fly either to Nashville or to Atlanta. Uh, it's about a two-hour drive from either of those. So uh I hate the Atlanta airport and I love Nashville. It's now my home. Um so I would recommend flying in to Nashville and uh heading down uh to Chattanooga from there. Um lots of hotel options, so that's not an issue. Um there are several literally across the street from um the Iron Man Village, transition, finish, all that. Um lots of restaurants as as well. Um so as far as that goes, great venue uh for that. Weather, I give a six. Uh like some of these others, it's it's kind of unpredictable. Um there have been years where um there's been rain uh all day. Uh and and it seems like if it's not raining, it's it's hot. Uh so especially once you get out uh later in the day. Beginner-friendly, I give it a six, kind of for those same reasons. It's a combination of the weather and the course itself. Uh, and and that also leads to a PR potential of six. Not a slow course, but definitely not a fast course either. Uh in 2025, there were 55 Kona slots available. Swim, I give it a nine. Uh so water temperature is also borderline. Some years it's wetsuit legal, some years not. Visibility is fair, so this is a little bit cleaner river than say uh your um Maryland or um Ottawa. Uh it is freshwater, uh, so that is nice. It is a point-to-point, and again, uh in in 2025, this was the fastest swim on the Iron Man circuit, and that's worldwide. Uh so I think the average time was something like 61 minutes. So uh that is a big head start uh for a lot of people. So hop in, uh ride the current. I I forget what the number is, but uh there was a there are all these kind of like urban legends of throwing in either a bag of chips or throwing in just a wetsuit, and it floats in like an hour 15, something like that. Um now I will say this is very contingent upon um how much water that they are letting out of the dam. So uh just north of the start uh of the swim, there is a dam, and uh they they regulate the flow of water through there. Um so sometimes it is very, very fast. Uh, other times it's not as fast. So, worst case scenario, um there's not going to be much of a current. There'll obviously be some, which will obviously help, but um, it just kind of depends on on the rain and all that, how much water uh they are letting through that dam. Um it is also subject to cancellation. There have been some years where the swim has been canceled. If they are getting a lot of rain and uh there's actually too much, um too much of a current that it makes it dangerous. Um, this swim has been canceled. Um I want to say it was maybe 2024 that both the 70.3 and uh the full were both canceled, but uh it does have a pretty good record of of the swim going on. Um, but unfortunately, sometimes it does get canceled. Bike, I give a six. Um last year, actually 2024 was the first time uh they switched the bike course. It was kind of a late switch in 2024. Instead of going south down into Georgia, where the course had historically gone and where the 70.3 still goes, actually goes up to the north and spends a considerable amount of time on a on a highway. So pros and cons of that. It is deceptively hilly, and and that was a lot of the feedback that the athletes had uh coming back from it. It's like, man, I did not expect that much. And uh, in fact, there was a small change to the course this year that added on a little section at the end of the of the loop, and it was like one of the steepest climbs on the whole course. So uh thanks for that, Iron Man. Uh, it is a three-loop lollipop. So you'll ride out to that highway section, do three loops on it. So again, that hard section at the end, you're gonna have to do that three times. Uh it is is known for being windy, uh, so especially being a little more exposed out there on the highway. Run, I give a seven. Um, it is known as a pretty hilly course, but uh there's a lot of flats in it as well. So it's it's relatively flat with some hilly sections, and there are even some punchy climbs throughout. It crosses over uh the river twice on each loop. It is a two-loop course. Uh so for better or for worse, uh kind of the fun parts are crossing over the river. Uh great uh support on on the bridge, uh, as you can see, and that's where a lot of the uh a lot of the support hang out throughout the day. So it's it's a great spot for there to kind of get a boost of energy. Um the more difficult section of the of the run course is on the far side of the river, and this is late in the loop. So your last couple miles before starting that second loop or last couple miles before headed to the finish line or on the far side, opposite of where uh transition and finish line is, um, that is where you're gonna see the the most elevation change. So the more difficult section of the course is over there on the uh far side. And again, known for being hot and humid. This past year I would say it was actually pretty nice. Um, but I've been there several times where uh yeah, it especially out there on the run course, it's getting hot, it's getting humid. So you're gonna want to make sure that once again you're nailing all of those four horsemen, controlling your core temperature, staying hydrated, staying up on your electrolytes, all those things. All right, Iron Man World Championship in Kona, October 10th. Um, and this one may be a bit uh controversial. So I may get some some hate here, but I'm gonna back it up. Logistics, I give it a three. Uh one, unless you live uh in Hawaii, it's going to be a long flight uh from anywhere, uh especially continental U.S. or anywhere else around the world. It's a long flight uh to Hawaii, so not necessarily conducive to going and racing a big race. Um the the city of Kona is it's it's not a tiny village, but it's not real big. Um there are uh things like like Walmart, there's a Target. Um other than that, the the grocery stores are pretty small. Uh again, there's there's other than pineapples and coffee, there's not much made there, so everything has to be imported. So it's insured error supply, and you're gonna pay for it uh as well. Obviously, a lot more expense and getting those items to those shelves, so you're gonna pay for it. Um weather, I give it a two. Uh, it is really hot, it is really uh humid, it is really sunny. It is going to be uh tough conditions uh in addition to um the wind that is notorious for the bike course. Beginner friendly, also give it a two for those same reasons. Now, not many beginners are racing in Kona, uh, but it is possible that uh it could be maybe your second. Maybe you went out and qualified uh for Kona on your first race. Or uh I actually uh several years back um I coached two of the celebrity uh uh athletes that it actually was their first uh Iron Man. So um PR potential also gave it a two uh for those same reasons. Now the swim, I give it a 10. Uh this is actually the um only section of the course I've I've done any significant amount on. I've not actually done this race myself, but I have been there, and the swim is amazing. Uh water temperature is in the low 80s, so it is always um not wetsuit legal. Uh the visibility is perfect. It is like swimming in a swimming pool. It is salt water, um, and so the buoyancy you lose from not being wetsuit legal, you get a little bit of that back. Um it is one out in back loop, so it's a it's a big loop out there. And uh despite being not wetsuit legal, it was the fourth fastest swim in 2025. So right up there with uh these wetsuit legal swims that have currents and tides assisting. Now, this obviously has to do with the uh the people that are are participating. So uh vast majority of people have have qualified, so they're right up there at the top of the performances in the swim, bike, and run. So it makes sense that they would have one of the faster swims out of all the events. The bike I give a four. Um, man, if this bike course were not part of the world championship, uh it it would be awful. Um it is rolling hills with some punchy climbs, um, traditionally very windy and totally exposed to the sun. It is one out and back loop. So basically you're seeing the same thing out and back. And um, you've probably heard the term lava fields uh in the coverage. That's exactly what this bike course is. It is a field of lava with a road cut through it. Uh, there is nothing uh out there in this lava other than some weeds that are like six inches tall. So there is absolutely nothing to break up the wind. There is absolutely nothing to provide shade or cover from the sun. There's nothing um other other than uh basically the lava, which is just going to reflect uh that heat. And and you're not even necessarily close enough to the coast where you can see the beautiful water that you were swimming in before. So um again, if this weren't the world championship, if it didn't have the allure, this would be a horrible bike course. So uh that's why I gave it a four. Um, but uh take it, take it or leave it. The run I also gave a four. Uh the run is constant rolling hills. Uh, so it is a challenge so far as that goes. Uh, there is an out and back section along the shore. So that that is the nicer section. Uh a lot of the time there you can see some some beautiful uh vistas of the of the water, of beaches, uh, and that's where a lot of your support is as well. So there's a lot of condos and some hotels along that stretch. Um so great support there. There is some shade uh from the buildings and from the trees that are there along the shore. Um, but that's uh I believe you're uh there for about 12 miles. I think it's about six miles out and back. And then from there you head up Polani Hill, uh, which is a very steep climb. Uh and then you're back on the Queen K Highway. So now you're back into uh kind of not a whole lot. It's a a road that uh is is constantly undulating and uh not a whole lot to look at, and again, not much to uh break up the uh the wind, the heat, the humidity. Uh you head down to the energy lab, which is a um notorious section of the course where um there are it's it's basically a um solar farm. Uh so that tells you what what you're experiencing there. A lot of sun uh in that area, so much so that they they put solar panels there uh to harvest it. So um a tough section. Hot, humid, and sunny, and then even after dark, uh it stays hot, stays sunny. Not so much uh stays hot and humid, not so much sunny, uh obviously after after sunset. Now that said, the last mile in the finish line, it gets a 10. Uh if I were to go higher than 10, obviously it would score higher than 10, but that always kind of annoys me when people exceed their own scale. Um so it it is a no-brainer for the 10. You you finish that section on the Queen K. The last uh section of the Queen K starts to go downhill, and then you're back down Palani. So uh some of these more popular things you've probably heard of. So now uh what was that steep climb out and as a steep descent back? You make a left, then a right, and then one more right onto Elihi, which that is really where uh the magic starts. So once you make that right turn onto Elihe, at that point you're about a half mile or so from the finish line, and uh that's that's really where where it becomes magical. And and that that finish line obviously um is second to none. On to Iron Man California, October 18th. Logistics, I give this one a 10. Sacramento Airport is right there, uh, easily accessible. Um, lots of hotels right in the area. This is one of those urban um races where where transition swim start is all kind of right downtown. So lots of hotels in the area. This is the capital of California, so uh plenty plenty of places to stay. Uh, weather, I give an eight with an asterisk. So um as we get into mid-October, uh Northern California, generally it's it's pretty cool. So so not necessarily one of the hot races. Um, really nice weather for this race, except for the very first year when it was canceled on race morning because there was a bomb cyclone coming in. So um outside of bomb cyclones, I will say uh the weather generally is quite nice. Beginner friendly, I give it a 10. Uh, there are a lot of beginners out there, it's a great race for first timers. Uh PR potential, also 10 for those same reasons. And in 2025, there were 55 Kona slots available. Swim, I give it 10. Uh water temperature is in the mid-60s, so it's going to be wetsuit legal. Visibility is fair. Um, so so not crystal clear, but not bad. It is fresh water, and it starts off in the American River, which is fast, and then it feeds into the Sacramento, which is faster. So uh you start in a fast river and then and then you merge into an even faster river. So uh for that reason, it was the second fastest swim in 2025. Um, like I said, I think Chattanooga was like 61 minutes, and this one was just behind it at like 62 minutes. So whereas your your average um Ironman swim is probably more like an hour 30, hour 40, something like that, significantly faster in these two events. Bike I also give a 10. Uh it is totally flat. Uh it can get windy. In fact, there have been some years where the wind was was quite high. Uh it is a two-loop out and back. Uh, it is north-south. So that same rule of reciprocation applies here. So if you are headed out and you're into a headwind, the good news is when you turn around, it's going to be a tailwind uh or or vice versa. Um it goes through some neat farmlands, some uh some vineyards, and there are sections of the course that do have some shade. Uh so a nice uh course. Run I also give a 10. Uh, it is completely flat. It runs through several different areas, uh, which is which is kind of neat. Again, it's in the urban area of the Capitol. It is a two-loop course and has an amazing uh iconic capital finish, kind of like uh Wisconsin. And I will say this is probably the coolest uh post-race that I've been part of. There uh the athlete food uh comes in food trucks. Um, so you're not just getting you know cold pizza or whatever. It's actually some really cool stuff they have uh and a great energy vibe down there afterwards. Um unfortunately it was the fourth slowest run. So we went from the fastest swim uh to the to the slowest run. Um, but take your pick there on which you'll have. And finally, we head to to my favorite Iron Man, Florida. It is on November 7th. Logistics, I give this one a 10. Uh there is an airport that is maybe 15 minutes away from uh the race, super easy to get in and out of, and and kind of like some of the others, as you are going from the airport to uh Panama City Beach, you'll actually get to see a section of the bike course. Weather, I give an 8. Um it is a beautiful time of year. Uh, part of the reason I love it so much. Um, it is generally uh pretty cool. There have been years where it is is downright cold. Uh a couple times it's it's been like in the 40s, maybe even 30s on race morning. But what I always say is like a cold morning sets up a nice afternoon. So uh if it's warm in the morning, that means it's gonna be hot in the afternoon. So oftentimes those those cool to cold starts set up really nice bikes and fantastic uh conditions for the run. So that's generally uh what what you get. Uh beginner-friendly, I give this one a 10. It was my first, and uh there are lots of others that have uh done their first there at Iron Man Florida, just for all those reasons. Logistics, uh PR potential, 10. Uh it's a generally a flat swim, flat bike, flat run, good weather. Uh so all those things add up to a lot of PR potential. And last year it also had 55 Kona slots. Swim, I give a nine, and and I really wish I could give it a 10. Uh, it is a fantastic swim, uh, unless it's not. Uh water temperature does vary, but generally it's in the mid to upper 60s. There have been years uh where it has gone up into the mid-70s and actually not been wetsuit legal. Um, so it can be one of those, I wouldn't usually say race day decisions, but you'll you'll know generally a couple days out whether is it in the 60s or is it uh in the 70s. So you're dealing here with the Gulf of Mexico, so it's not like some of these rivers or lakes where uh you'll get fluctuations of several degrees in a day or two. Um the water temperature here is is going to be much slower um to to change. Visibility is crystal clear. Uh it is absolutely gorgeous water. Uh, this is called the Emerald Coast because the water is is so gorgeous, so that's that's definitely a part of the allure uh for me. Obviously, it's salt water, uh, so you kind of get that double uh pro of. Saltwater and the wetsuit if it's wetsuit legal. It is a two-loop course with a beach break, which I kind of like. So you go out, you do your 1.2 mile swim, and then you have a little bit of a break as you come onto the beach, run under the pier, and head back out into the water. Now I would have given this a 10 on a normal year, good year. I would give it a 10. However, in I believe it was 2021, I did this race, and uh it was my worst swim ever. Uh there was actually an outgoing current that uh we weren't even aware of when we started the race. It wasn't until we uh made that first right-hand turn and then just stopped moving. Um so that was very difficult uh to overcome. And uh physically, mentally, it was hard, and uh it was really hard to go out on that second loop and know that I was gonna have to do all that over. Um so other than that, uh I will give it uh I wish I could give it a 10, but because of that, uh I'll give it a nine. Bike is also a 10. Uh I'll I'll say for most people, you're gonna consider it flat. Now uh the first time I went out there, I was a little bit surprised uh because where I was training is literally Pancake Flat. I could go right a hundred miles and get 200 feet of elevation. Um so there are a couple sections that uh are a little bit undulating, maybe some false flats, um, but as a rule, pretty flat. Um biggest obstacle here is is the wind. Obviously, we're on the coast, so uh we can expect wind generally out of the south, but sometimes this time of year it blows out of the north. Uh so that northern wind is a little bit advantageous in that it keeps the the water calm, keeps the the waves relatively flat. And then there is a really long stretch from the furthest nerd north point back. Um I want to say that is maybe mile like I want to say it's maybe 80 to 100, so really late in the in the ride. If you can get 20 miles of of tailwind from 80 to 100, that is a fantastic win uh for you. Uh it is one long loop. Uh so that's that's something I struggle with a little bit. I I like those loops. I can tell I'm making progress, um, but still is a fantastic uh bike course. The run I give a six. I will say uh the biggest weakness of Iron Man Florida is is the run. Um now, the original course that I did uh the first two times, I loved it. It was fantastic. Um this one, not not, I don't love it as much. It is completely flat um and it is all along the beach, but you're not necessarily always seeing uh the beach, so it's not necessarily as scenic. It is two loops. Basically, you run out six and a half miles, you turn around and do that uh all over again. So it's four sections of the same. Uh and the course does get quite crowded, and and that's probably my my biggest complaint is um basically you have the shoulder to run, and if it were one way, that that'd be fine, but it's actually two-way traffic. And uh especially later in the evening where where most people are out there on the run course, whether they're on their first loop or second loop, it gets really crowded out there. So it's it's basically impossible to even run side by side um with just two people. Um so it does get a bit crowded. And so, you know, especially on that second loop, if you're a mile 24, 25, and you're having to run around people, you know, that that sucks. Uh it's all you want to do is run run as little as you can, as straight as you can, and head to that finish line. Um, but once you get there, you have the iconic Pier Park finish. Uh, it's a a great uh finish line. And uh like them all, they are are always um spectacular and worth celebrating. So those are our 2026 North American Iron Man courses. And again, if you are taking on one of these races, racing Iron Man or a 70.3, uh I work uh exclusively with long course athletes. That is my um that is my specialty. It's where my experience is, my education all really revolves around long course racing. And I've done all I can to make it as affordable for as many people as possible. So my my full service is uh$149, and you get a whole lot of stuff for that. This um this level of service I used to charge$350 a month for, uh, and and I didn't scale back anything, but I realized that uh a lot of people can't afford that. So I want to make it as affordable as possible for as many people as possible. So now I'm offering that same uh level of service with everything included for just$149 a month. If you're not interested in that one-on-one coaching, but you're still looking for an individualized, customized plan and a great community to engage with and support, we have that option of the community at uh just$39 per month as well. So uh check out uh tribe training.net for more information on that, or feel free to reach out. So that's what we got for today. Uh, hope you got some good information on uh Iron Man Racing and uh look forward to seeing you again soon.

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Are you a long course triathlete juggling career, family, and social life, but still chasing performance?

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Still showing up early, grinding out sessions, and chasing PRs? Then this is your podcast. I'm John Mayfield, trathlon coach and athlete, and I've coached hundreds of athletes just like you.

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Busy professionals with big goals and limited time and no interest in wasting either. Welcome to Tribe Trahlon, your go-to show for everything you need to train smarter, race faster, and fall even more in love with the sport of Trathlon. Whether you're self-coached and looking for trusted information, or you've got a coach and just looking for an edge, this show is for you. Every Tuesday, I'll bring you clear, actable items to help you train more efficiently and race better. To get more out of every training block, every recovery session, and every race. From swimming, cycling, and running to recovery hacks, mental prep to race day execution, you'll leave every episode with something you can use immediately in your next training session or race. There are a lot of Traffon podcasts out there, but this one is built on real coaching experience, real results, and a real passion for helping athletes like you reach your potential. So if you're ready to train smarter, read faster, and love the process, hit subscribe and I'll see you every Tuesday.