IRONMAN 70.3 Jonkoping

Get there early enough to settle your nerves and warm up without overheating—use a short, easy swim and a few dynamic shoulder/hip activations on deck. Seed yourself based on your swim pace so you aren’t forced to sprint in the first minutes; aim for calm, efficient position and clean sight lines. From the gun, focus on controlled tempo for the first stretch, keep your breathing regular, and avoid repeated starts/stops behind slower swimmers.

You’ll swim 1,900 m in freshwater where the temperature can vary, so treat the first 200–300 m as an adjustment phase rather than a pace test. With variable temperature in mind, keep strokes smooth and avoid “over-churning” early—save power for when your rhythm locks in. Expect a mix of drafting and passing opportunities in open water; when you find clean lanes, hold steady and don’t surge every time someone drops away. Fueling during the swim is typically minimal—focus on hydration/electrolytes before and after the swim rather than trying to take gels in-water.

Plan a simple T1: exit the swim, move safely through the wetsuit/gear handling area as applicable (confirm rules in the official athlete guide), dry off only as much as needed for grip, then shoes/kit on efficiently. As you mount, settle immediately into a steady effort—your goal is to leave T1 with good cadence and a smooth breathing pattern rather than a hard push. If the course is rolling, be mentally ready to keep power stable over hills and avoid chasing every short rise.

Ride 89.9 km on a rolling profile with 541 m of elevation gain, so expect repeated small-to-moderate climbs and descents that can tempt you to “power through” early. The wind is about 5.4 m/s from the SW, which can create uneven effort—on segments where the wind hits you, keep your power steady and stay aerodynamic; when you get any relief, avoid automatically mashing harder. Stick to the fueling plan: aim for 90 g carbs, 600 mg sodium, and about 500 ml fluid per hour to stay on top of both energy and hydration. During the rolling sections, take fluids and carbs at regular intervals (every lap/aid timing you’ve practiced), and prioritize consistency over dramatic surges; maintain smooth cadence on climbs and use controlled braking on any descents so you stay safe and stable.

In T2 (bike-to-run), the key is to transition from cycling mechanics to upright running mechanics without jamming your stride. Expect your legs to feel heavy at first—start conservative for the opening stretch, focus on quick, light foot turnover, and let the stiffness fade over the first kilometer or two. Because the run is rolling (21.1 km, 91 m gain), plan to match effort to the terrain: slightly shorter stride on downhills to prevent overstriding and calf fatigue, and keep posture tall on uphills.

Run 21.1 km on a rolling course with 91 m of elevation gain, so you’ll feel repeated changes in loading—especially through calves and quads if you run the hills too fast. With moderate heat and a cool-to-mild air range, you’ll likely be able to maintain a steady effort longer than in hot races, but don’t mistake that for permission to start too hard. Fueling on the run should continue consistently with your race plan (carbs and sodium targets you practiced), pairing carbs with fluids so you don’t “dry out” later. As you approach mid-to-late distance, keep cadence from drifting down on climbs, and use hydration/aid timing to stay smooth rather than chasing speed in the tough spots.