Conquering Ironman 70.3: Guide to Sub-5 Hour Finish

Dive into a week of training that’ll get you primed for that Ironman 70.3 with a sub-5 hour finish.

Day 1: Swim Smoothly

Start the week with a refreshing morning swim. Focus on technique, not just speed. Mix in some drills to improve your form. Aim for 1500m-2000m, alternating between easy and moderate efforts.

Continue with an evening weightlifting session. Follow the 3–5 rule. 3–5 muscle groups for 3–5 sets each, 3–5 heavy reps and rest 3–5 minutes between sets. This will help you build up strength and hypertrophy.

Day 2: Pedal Power

A 2-hour ride at a steady pace helps build endurance. Add some intervals for a challenge. Pro tip: work on maintaining a consistent cadence and find your happy place on the bike. Work around your FTP. For me this would be a typical interval training with a 3.5 w/kg threshold.

Day 3: Midweek Run & Strength

Lace up those running shoes for a 10–12km run. Mix in some tempo intervals to improve your pacing. In the afternoon, hit the gym for a full-body strength session. It’ll boost your overall performance and prevent injuries. Always stretch prior and after every run to improve training quality. Find time to book a discharge massage. Its important to set up your recovery day prior to a massage since you will probably feel leg tiredness.

This is how a typical interval run would look like for me:

Day 4: Active Recovery

Today’s all about giving your body some care. Go for a light swim or a short, easy bike ride. Focus on recovery nutrition — hydrate well and include protein and carbs in your meals.

Day 5: Long Ride

Time to conquer the bike again! This time, go for a 3–4 hour ride at a moderate pace. Include a few hill climbs to build strength. Don’t forget your nutrition — pack some energy gels and hydrate consistently.

Day 6: Brick Workout

Get ready for a brick workout: bike and run back-to-back. Start with a 2-hour bike ride, followed by a 20-minute run. This simulates race conditions and trains your body to transition smoothly.

Ex.

Day 7: Race Pace Run & Recovery

Wrap up the week with a focused run. Aim for a 15–18km run at your target race pace. Visualize yourself on race day — this builds mental toughness. Post-run, indulge in a recovery shake, stretch, and foam roll.

Nutrition, Sleep & Recovery: The Secret Sauce

• Nutrition: Fuel up with a balanced mix of carbs, protein, and healthy fats. Hydrate well throughout the day. Don’t forget race-day nutrition practice during your long workouts.
• Sleep: Aim for 7–9 hours of quality sleep each night. It’s when your body repairs and grows stronger.
• Recovery: Post-workout, opt for a protein-rich snack to aid muscle repair. Incorporate rest days and easy sessions to avoid burnout.

Sub-5 Hour Finish: Making it Happen

• Pacing: Stick to your race pace. Don’t start too fast — remember, it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
• Transitions: Practice transitions during your brick workouts. Smooth transitions save precious time on race day.
• Mental Game: Stay positive and focused. Break the race into manageable chunks to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
• Race Plan: Have a clear race plan, from your nutrition strategy to pacing for each leg.

To achieve a sub-5-hour finish in an Ironman 70.3 race, here are the approximate paces you would need to maintain for each discipline:

1. Swim (1.2 miles / 1.9 km): Aim for a swim pace of around 1:35–1:40 per 100 yards or 100 meters. This would translate to a swim time of approximately 30–35 minutes.
2. Bike (56 miles / 90 km): Maintain an average speed of about 22–23 mph (35–37 km/h) to complete the bike leg in around 2 hours and 30 minutes.
3. Run (13.1 miles / 21.1 km): Run at a pace of roughly 7:45–8:00 per mile (4:49–4:58 per km) to finish the run in approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes.
4. Remember that these paces are just estimates, and your individual performance can vary based on factors like terrain, weather, fitness level, and race-day conditions. It’s important to train consistently and practice pacing during your training sessions to ensure you’re prepared for race day.

An action-packed week leading up to that sub-5 hour Ironman 70.3 finish. Remember, consistency is key, and listen to your body throughout the journey. You’ve got this, embrace the challenge and enjoy the ride to the finish line! 🏁