Hey everyone!

I’m 31 years old and recently decided to pursue a goal I’ve been thinking about for a while: completing a full-distance Ironman.
I’ve officially signed up for my first race, the IRONMAN 70.3 in Cambridge, Maryland, in June 2027! I’m excited about the challenge, but also fully aware that I’ve got a lot to learn between now and then.
I wanted to introduce myself, give a little background on my experience, and hopefully get some advice from those of you who’ve been through this before.
A little about my background:
Cycling: This is definitely my strongest discipline. I’ve logged a few thousand miles over the last few years, including two 100-mile century rides and a metric century. I’m comfortable on the bike and have a decent endurance foundation.
Running: I started taking running seriously a few months ago and am currently training for my first half marathon this November. I’ve been steadily increasing my mileage and have really enjoyed seeing the improvements in my endurance.
Swimming: This is where things get interesting. I can swim recreationally, but I’ve never had formal instruction beyond childhood lessons. I don’t know proper freestyle technique or how to breathe efficiently with my face in the water. I’m currently working on finding a swim instructor to help me build a solid foundation.
Life outside training: I work full-time and have two young daughters, so finding the right balance between training, work, and family is going to be important.
My plan:
The immediate goal is to cross the finish line at Cambridge in June 2027. Beyond that, I’d eventually like to complete a full 140.6 Ironman, but I’m not putting a deadline on that just yet.

A few questions for the community:
Swimming: For those who started with little to no formal swimming experience, how long did it take before you felt comfortable swimming longer distances? Any advice for someone essentially learning freestyle from scratch?
Training plans: Would you recommend hiring a coach for a first 70.3, or is following a structured training plan sufficient? Any specific programs you’d recommend?
Race preparation: What are some things beginners tend to overlook when preparing for their first 70.3? Nutrition, transitions, pacing, open-water swimming, etc.?
Equipment: What gear would you consider essential for a first 70.3, and what purchases can realistically wait? I’d rather invest in things that genuinely make a difference.
Balancing everything: For those with full-time jobs and young families, how did you make the training commitment manageable without sacrificing too much family time?
Lessons learned: If you could go back and give yourself one piece of advice before your first 70.3, what would it be?
I’d also love to hear from anyone who’s raced Cambridge specifically. Any course-specific tips or things to prepare for would be appreciated!
I’m not necessarily concerned with finishing times for this first race. My priority is showing up properly prepared, having a good experience, and hopefully developing a lifelong passion for the sport.
Thanks in advance! Looking forward to learning from everyone here.

Hi,

My friend has kindly given me a nova S trainer, but I need a new charger/adapter and cassette.

Does anyone know a stockist in the UK where I can get these from? I’ve used ChatGPT but no help.

Thank you

. Is this bike too “agressive “ for my very first bike? I plan on riding it casually for now, familiarize myself, start tri sports, and eventually train for “one” ironman. Why or why not is this a bad purchase? Bike is brand new and was only used for a pictorial. Ebay seller has a reputable rating and review. Thanks

Hi! I’ve been trying to choose my first full distance Ironman. I’ve done 2 70.3s and am excited to train for a full. The terrain I normally train at isn’t super hilly and therefore I lean towards flatter courses. My main goal is to finish and reach this lifetime accomplishment so flatter options are more appealing to me in general or anything beginner-friendly. My top options have been IM California, IM Jacksonville, and IM Maryland.
- With IM California, the weather and course seems great; how bad is the wind? I would love to race sooner than next fall, but IM California has always been a top choice for me
- With IM Jacksonville, I’m a little nervous about the humidity. I’m used to heat and did a half Ironman in about 95 degrees this summer, but I am not located somewhere super humid and Idk if I will be unprepared for that day of and want to set myself up for success with my first full Ironman.
- With IM Maryland, the course and weather seem great; my main concern would just be the jellyfish.
If anyone has done any or some or all of these, I would greatly appreciate any suggestions on which is easiest or more approachable or ideal for a first Ironman. Thanks!!

Hi everyone

I currently have a Merida Timewarp TT bike and I'm looking into upgrading my cockpit.

At the moment I am running the Vision Metron TFE but I am NOT happy with them (they really feel uncomfortable and I don't think the sizing on their site was correct, also read this in other reviews but after purchase)

- https://shop.visiontechusa.com/en/aerobars/triathlon-time-trial/metron-tfe-pro

I was wondering if there's such a big difference between a closed and open cockpit? I was looking at FastTT or AeroGain for a closed cockpit but when you also factor in the adapter, accessories and the cockpit itself it gets really expensive.

I wonder if anybody could give me some recommendations on their build and an honest review.

I'm open to both a closed or open cockpit, prefer to keep the price decent but I'm afraid I'm going to buy something like those metron tfe things again and it's a lot of money wasted.

If possible, there is also an option for a drinking system at the cockpit.

Thank you in advance for the opinions 😄

Looking for rocker plate recommendations available in USA. Also is it worth getting forward/back motion in addition to side to side rocking?
Thanks in advance!

I am getting a new bike and building it up. How is the Orbea ordu omx? I am getting the frame and doing sram force AXS and swissside 680 front and disc rear. I only know the bike is on the more unstable side

I have a headache trying to find a suit that could fit me. Any curvy women in here ?? I’m also tall. 5’10. 220

Has anyone worn a men’s? I’m running out of time to find a wetsuit.

I am attempting to buy used because I am postpartum. Doing a sprint while training for a half IM for next year. I’m losing weight so I don’t want to buy a brand new one and have to buy another one six months from now. 🥴. Help.

I have been looking into it but i can’t really find a clear answer. What is the actual difference between a surfer, diving, and triathlon swimsuit? Is there an actual difference? All i have found is, the mobility aspect of it. Also what would be a good recommendation, i live in California so the water is usually the same temperature year round. If buying a second hand one what are the things to look at? Also do all brand on wetsuit make triathlon swimsuit?

Can someone ELI5 the T100 series (for age groupers) and Challenge family?

I am trying to plan my 2027 season. I was hoping to get into some Ironman events, but despite having signed up for notifications, I never got any and the events I wanted sold out within a few minutes of opening. I'm also looking at the T100 series. However, their website is horrible and has almost no information on the various events. The only clickable button ("Get Priority Access") takes you to a centralized page to sign up for the newsletter.

But doing google searches for the races I'd like to sign up for, they come up under the Challenge family of races. A quick search says T100 and Challenge are now combined under the same Triathlon World Tour brand. So...are these two merging into one series? The Challenge distances are different than the T100, so are they going to be modifying the routes or running two different races on the same day? Most importantly, does one sign up for these races on the T100 website or the Challenge website?

Hi everybody!

I’m doing my first Ironman 70.3 in Victoria in May 2027 and the hotel planning is driving me nuts.

The race is on Sunday and athlete check-in, expo and gear drop-off are on Friday and Saturday. I live in Vancouver, so I still plan on staying in a hotel for the weekend. However, since I am only a 1.5-hour ferry ride away, I’m not sure how early I should arrive.

My original plan was to come over on Friday, catch my breath and check in / rack my bike on Saturday. Given the overall pre-race stress, would you guys recommend arriving on Thursday instead for peace of mind, or is Friday early enough?

I'm really struggling with accommodations. The two main hotels right near the Elk Lake swim start are showing no availability when trying to book a Thursday–Monday block. There are other hotel options, but it would require an Uber to the start line on race morning.

For those who have done this race, what are your experiences with Ubering to the start line on race morning? Is it reliable and easy to catch one that early, or does traffic make it a nightmare? Is Ubering totally fine and low-stress?

I'd love to hear how other off-island athletes logistically handle the commute, accommodation and race morning transit for Victoria! Thank you!

Hello, I’m due to do my first triathlon next year and I know from experience (swimming costumes, playsuits, etc) that I have a long torso which means I don’t fit into the typical sizing for ladies. Any recommendations on brands I should be looking at? Also, I’ve been looking at two piece tri suits as an alternative. Any thoughts on two piece vs one?

Thanks! UK Size 8 - 10 depending on brand.

Just finished my first 70.3 and have about 15 weeks till the next structured training block starts

I want to focus on improving my bike in the offseason and im not sure how to go about it:
1. Pick a low volume maintenance plan and manually add more bike workouts?
2. Pick a cycling specific plan like sweet spot base and manually add swim/run volume?
3. Something else

Currently using TP and coros but will be getting a garmin and maybe the integrated coach can help idk?

Thanks a lot

I’m hoping to sign up and train for an Olympic in the spring or early next year in Cincinnati. Has anyone done any races in Cincinnati in the spring that they really liked?

Last year my brother, dad and I ran the Hartford Half Marathon together and my brother, a big tri guy, said he was going to try a half Ironman in a year or so. Despite having no bike or triathlon experience I said I’d try to do it with him. My dad also signed up so it was a lot of fun planning to do it together. We settled on Edisto (not an Ironman branded event) and I really started training in April of 2026.

Training:

I followed the Ironfit Secrets “Just Finish” training plan with some slight modifications and averaged 8 hours a week training with a peak of around 11 hours. I am a bigger girl (5’8 and 180) but felt pretty healthy all through training. I averaged around 10:30s on my training runs and biked most of my rides around 15.8 MPH. During the process the bike was my nemesis. I never really felt comfortable on it or enjoyed it. I swam a few times but knew the swim would be slightly current-assisted and didn’t really feel like driving a hour round trip to the pool twice a week. I swam in highschool and college so felt weirdly confident about it and didn’t sweat it too much. In late September I developed plantar fasciitis and so my last 2-3 weeks of training were done on the bike and elliptical. I flew down the Thursday before the race and tried to focus on staying hydrated, resting, and eating carbs.

The Day Before:

I shared a AirBnB with my family which was the right choice for hanging out with my family but possibly the wrong choice for an optimal pre-race environment. I didn’t sleep very well Thursday or Friday night and the busy atmosphere in the house made naps difficult. We walked on the beach, ate spaghetti, and played with the kids. The night before I was very nervous and woke up every 30-45 minutes but there was nothing to be done about it!

The Race:

We all woke up at 5 am and had some coffee and bagels before my mom drove us to the transition area so we could set up our stuff. The race is relatively small (300 participants) so the transition and finish areas were super easy to navigate. Parking surprisingly wasn’t an issue! The swim was point to point so after we dropped our stuff my
Mom drove us to the swim start.

The water was a little chilly- 65 according to the announcer- but I didn’t bring a wetsuit so was devoted to the trisuit lifestyle. At the pre-race meeting the announcer mentioned we wouldn’t get as much of a boost from the current as years prior but it didn’t worry me. The water WAS a bit cold but within a few seconds it felt fine and I ended up swimming 33:22. I was only about a minute slower than my brother who swims several times a week so I was pleased that my gamble not to train swimming much paid off, lol. My transition time was nice and quick as well- 1:55 during which I took a gel, donned my shoes and helmet, and took off on the bike.

Edisto was an almost completely flat course which was so nice compared to my area of CT which was quite hilly. I opted to use a spare road bike of my brother’s instead of flying my bike down. I think the seat position must have been slightly different from my bike, however, because by mile 25 the sides of my butt were killing me. I spent most of the ride trying to adjust myself to a comfortable position on the bike and was yearning to get it over with so I could start running. I used Precision Fuel gels and took one every thirty minutes. In addition I had two 24 oz bottles of Gatorade and sipped them throughout the course. Ultimately I think I did pretty well on the fueling front. Despite the pain I averaged 16.4 MPH (good for me!) and finished the bike in 3:24:24. All I could think as I got off the bike was that I could not imagine this being the halfway point like it would be in a full Ironman, lol! I have a whole new level of respect for athletes who can complete that distance! The only other thing to say about the bike was that it was quite windy in portions which made it feel like you weren’t moving at all. Everyone was super friendly- I was passed MANY times and everyone encouraged me or told me “great job!”

My second transition took me 2:24 and then I was back at it running. The run course was clearly marked and very flat which was super nice. My only gripe with it was that most of it was unshaded and I got a nice sunburn. The temperature around this time was 78 degrees which was a little brutal (can you tell I’m spoiled by the northeast?). I walked through every aid station and drank a cup of water (every 1.5 mile or so) plus took gels at miles 3, 6, 9, and 11). The first eight miles felt fine and fairly comfortable but the last five were brutal. Only the vision of my dad threatening to overtake me at sixty years old kept me from walking. Ultimately I averaged 10:54 min/miles and finished the run in 2:22:47. I teetered over the finish line and then wobbled my way to a can of Coke. A very friendly fellow participant offered me a beer and my family ushered me to some nearby benches to sit down. Overall, I finished in 6:24 which was just under my goal time of 6:30.

I am super pleased I was able to successfully complete the race. My brother finished in around 5:30 and my dad in around 7. The craziest part was that I could hardly move after the race but my dad opted to ride his bike back from the race to our AirBnB…AFTER completing the Half Ironman! Absolute maniac. I think, however, that I am one and done. I think Edisto was the perfect choice for a newbie. The current-assisted swim and flat course took a lot of stress out of the training and made for a smooth race day. The organizers were very friendly and did everything they could to set everyone up for success. My fellow competitors were extremely kind and supportive.

Thank you, as well, to this subreddit which I read obsessively. If you are training for a half Ironman (or, well, any race) then you are in good hands here!

Hello everyone,

I’m currently based in a country where there isn’t much access to TT bikes or a well-developed secondary market for bicycles. For reference, I’m 176.1 cm tall with an 80.3 cm inseam.

I’ve been offered a Canyon Speedmax from around 2019/2020 in a size M, but I’m unsure whether it would be a good fit for me or if I should be looking for a size S instead. Canyon’s PPS system recommends a size M for this year’s frame; however, i cant find a sizing guide for the 19/20 frame.

I’d really appreciate any advice from anyone familiar with the Speedmax’s sizing and fit, particularly given my measurements.

Thanks in advance! 🙏🏽😊

Hey everyone! So a quick background about me - I spent 10 years in the Marines and was medically discharged. I’ve been out for 5 years now and after kids and a few surgeries I’ve let myself go quite a bit (to my standards at least) I have decided that I’m giving myself one year to prepare and participate in a half Ironman with my first 5k being in a few weeks to serve as a benchmark. Am I in over my head? I’ve accomplished some amazing things in my life but this one seems to be the most daunting.

I'm shopping for a new bike and found this one but I've seen a few reviews saying it is expensive at 2300 euro. The thing is where I'm from we barely see anything of these sort for this price point. Can anyone advise? Thank you!

It has some features which by themselves usually cost 300$ as far as I know.

I'm an amateur triathlete exploring an idea, and I’d like to hear from people who travel for cycling holidays, training camps or races.

When you rent a road, gravel or mountain bike, how do you get it set up to feel comfortable and familiar? Do you send measurements beforehand, bring a bike-fit report, adjust things at pickup, or just ride whatever the shop provides?

The idea I’m exploring is a free “bike fit passport.” You’d create it using guided photos of your current bike, a few details about its components, and the manufacturer’s geometry information to help work out your existing setup. If you already have a professional bike-fit report, that could also provide the starting measurements.

You could then share the passport when booking a rental. It would translate your usual riding position into setup instructions for the specific bike you’re renting—even a different brand, model or frame size—so the shop knows what to adjust before you arrive and where the rental bike’s limits might prevent a close match.

A few things I’d love to understand:

• Thinking about your last rental: how did you handle the setup, and how did it feel on longer rides?
• Has uncertainty about fit ever made you bring your own bike instead—or skip renting altogether?
• What do you already use to record and share your setup, if anything?
• Would you use something like this for a future trip? What would you need to trust it?

Please mention what kind of riding you do and roughly how often you rent. Experiences where everything worked perfectly are useful too!