IRONMAN 70.3 Oregon

Keep your warm-up focused on getting quickly comfortable in cold-to-warm freshwater—10–15 minutes of progressive easy swimming and a few short accelerations for muscle activation. At the start, seed based on your swim pace and be honest about your first-200m comfort; you want clean water early so you’re not fighting every breath. In the first few minutes, settle into a sustainable rhythm (don’t chase the pack) and do a smooth, repeatable sighting pattern so your line stays true.

This is a 2221 m freshwater swim where temperatures vary, so expect your first minutes to feel colder than the middle of the course. With a long, steady effort, prioritize efficient strokes over power—keep your breathing calm and avoid over-sprinting in the first buoy. Drafting is limited by the nature of mass starts, so treat it as a controlled endurance swim: lock onto your line, then build slightly if you feel strong after the initial churn. Fuel isn’t the focus here, but you should be drinking in your bike-run plan—finish the swim composed so you can transition quickly into steady cycling. If the water is choppy, keep your head position stable and shorten your stroke length just enough to maintain speed without wasting energy.

Plan a fast, organized T1: rack → shoes on → helmet on → sunglasses in place → grab bottles/food and confirm you can access them immediately. On the first minutes of the bike, spin smoothly to bring your legs online—avoid big surges while traffic settles and you confirm your target power/effort. Mentally, use the start as a setup: get your cadence comfortable, stabilize your hydration, and take a moment to check that you’re in a smooth gear for the mostly flat/fast profile.

Ride the 90.1 km bike with ~249 m of elevation gain on a flat/fast profile where pacing mistakes show up quickly. With NW wind around 4.9 m/s, expect it to influence stability and speed—keep your upper body relaxed, and don’t chase every fluctuation; ride your own consistent effort. Fuel and drink to target: aim for 90 g carbs and 1000 mg sodium per hour, plus about 800 ml fluid per hour, starting early so you’re not catching up later. Take in carbs regularly (small, repeatable intakes) and ensure sodium matches your sweat/conditions—hot weather will raise your sweat rate even if the course is not hilly. If you feel yourself overheating, slightly increase fluid priority without letting you drop power; the bike is your best time to get ahead of hydration.

In T2, make the transition purposeful: get off the bike, rack/gear in order, then take 30–60 seconds to settle your breathing before you push the first steps. As you start the run, expect your legs to feel a bit heavy—your job is to find controlled cadence immediately rather than trying to “feel good” first. Adjust socks/gear quickly and start with an easy-to-steady effort, then build only if fueling and hydration are on track.

This is a flat/fast 21.2 km run with only ~31 m of elevation gain, so pacing discipline matters more than climbing management. In hot conditions, manage heat aggressively early: start slightly conservative, then progressively tighten your effort as long as hydration is staying ahead of thirst. Continue your race fueling strategy you set for the bike—don’t wait until you’re behind; regular intake helps protect gut function and maintain speed. With the NW wind, exposed portions can feel cooler but also more drying—use that to your advantage for comfort, but keep drinking consistently. If the heat ramps up, prioritize fluids and electrolytes over chasing a perfect pace; the goal is to keep your run strong through the middle miles and avoid a late slowdown.