Episode 141: Ironman and 70.3 Pre-Race Q&A
In this week's episode, we answer many of the most common questions we get during Ironman and 70.3 pre-race calls. We cover everything from race week mindset, travel, and sleep to race morning logistics, transitions, fueling, hydration, pacing, heat management, and what to do when things don't go according to plan. Along the way, we share practical strategies for staying calm, making smart decisions throughout the day, and setting yourself up for your best possible race. Whether you're tackling your first long-course triathlon or chasing a PR, we hope this episode helps you head to the start line feeling prepared and confident. Check it out!
Insights
Katie:
Quick one on an athlete who had a rough stretch of unexpected work travel and life stress in the 10 days leading up to 70.3 race day. We had a pre race call on the Friday before a Sunday and she asked if there was anything she could do to reset the sleep deficit, workout inconsistency, time on feet, and suboptimal fueling/hydration that had accumulated over the week in just 2 days.
My take:
Hay was in the barn prior to this week and it’s still there! Race week workouts are no stress
Not much we can do to undo the sleep deficit and time on feet, but adrenaline and race day magic vibes are one hell of a drug!
Fueling and hydration can be corrected pretty quickly as long as we’re not talking about mega long term underfueling like REDs, so just focus on getting tons of simple carbs and good hydration in the final day or two before race day.
More importantly, your mindset about it is essential. If you tell yourself you will perform badly as a result of all these factors you probably will. If you challenge or reframe those thoughts (or even just try to focus on something else) they won’t impact you nearly as much. A mantra like “I’m rested, I’m ready” can go a LONG way
reminds me of a recent viral video on Erling Haaland’s mindset: if you tell yourself you’re gonna be tired, you’re gonna be tired. If you tell yourself I’m not that tired, it’s okay — you’re not gonna be tired”
And a sidebar: new study shows sleep trackers
Jim/both:
Half Ironman & Ironman Pre-Race Q&A: Everything You Need to Know
Intro
With many Half Ironmans and Ironmans still left on the calendar, we pulled together a number of pre-race Q&As with the athletes toeing the line this year. This covers what actually came up — the real questions people had about T1, fueling, pacing the bike, and getting through that half and marathon. If you're racing any long distance race this summer, this one's for you.
Race Morning & Transitions
Q: What time should I wake up on race morning? For a 6:30am swim start, plan on waking up around 4:00–4:30am. Get there early — securing your spot in the corral matters more than a few extra minutes of sleep.
Be aware of the traffic and parking situation at the race site or the parking lots away from the site. Do you need to take a shuttle to the site? How far is the walk to transition?
Q: What do I need to do race morning at my bike? If you have dropped your bike the day before, you can keep it simple: load your water bottles, fill your bento box, and mount your bike computer. That's it. Don't re-pump your tires — more on that below.
Q: Should I pump my tires race morning? No. Pump the night before and leave it. You'll lose maybe 1–2 PSI overnight, which is negligible — and honestly, slightly lower pressure is faster anyway. One less thing to worry about race morning.
If you have a slow (or fast) leak on your tires, address that a week or two before race day. Make that part of your race week to do list.
Q: How should I pack my transition bags? For Ironmans, everything goes in labeled bags — helmet, shoes, snacks, sunglasses, all of it. Nothing loose in transition i.e., clean transition. The racks are for bikes only.
Race bags can feel confusing at first but lay them all out at your house/hotel/AirBnB and you’ll see the logic and start filling them up.
Q: Any tips for getting the wetsuit off fast? Use the wetsuit peelers at the swim exit. Get it down to your waist yourself, then let them strip the rest. Don't fight it solo.
Every year I watch people run by the peelers at Ironman Lake Placid and struggle getting off their suit on the way to transition. Usually this involves a lot of struggle and sand!
Q: How much time should I spend in transition? As little as possible. Get in, get your stuff, get out — don't camp in the Ironman tent. You don’t need to rush but you don’t want to dally. A 30-minute transition is a real and common mistake. Every extra minute in there is a minute not moving forward toward your goal.
Especially in an Ironman, don’t run from the swim to transition. Use that time to get composed and HR down. It’s a long day. Don’t add any additional stress.
Q: Do I need lights or reflective gear for the run? Not usually. Most run courses are closed to traffic — both lanes are yours. One less item on the packing list.
Nutrition & Hydration
Q: How much should I eat in T1? For Ironman, as much as you can stomach. Target 500–750+ calories right after the swim. This is the one spot in the race where you genuinely cannot overeat — your body needs the fuel on board before the bike gets hard. For Half Ironman, 250 - 500 calories of an easy snack. You want to preload your day with more calories as it often gets more difficult to consume the appropriate amount of fuel later in the day.
Q: What's the fueling cadence on the bike? Set a 15-minute alarm the moment you start. Drink every 15 minutes, eat every 30 — starting immediately, not "once things settle down." Waiting is the mistake. Again, early calories are valuable calories.
Q: What carb intake should I be targeting? 90-120 grams an hour is achievable and is what we're building toward. SiS Beta Fuel gets you there, and Precision Hydration 90s go down easily even when you're working hard.
Use Race Sims and long workout days to train your gut and push your carb limit.
Q: Any gel recommendations for hot conditions? Precision Hydration gels hold up noticeably better in the heat. SiS Beta Fuel can get unpleasant once it warms up in your pocket — worth testing both before race day if you haven't.
Q: How much fluid should I be drinking per hour in the heat? Around 750ml / 1 to 1.5 bottles an hour. And if you start to feel off, don't wait — stop and drink a lot. You need more than you think.
Q: Does pouring water on my head actually help with cooling? Mostly placebo. Internal hydration — actually drinking — is the real cooling strategy. It feels good, but it's not doing the heavy lifting.
But it does signal to your brain that you are actively managing the heat and that signal is important to feeling safe.
Q: What about salt? Stay on top of sodium the entire day. Over-salting in a triathlon is rare — this isn't the thing to be conservative about. Aim for 1000 mg sodium per hour as baseline.
Q: Is Coke actually a good race fuel? A: Yes — Coke is a solid endurance fuel option to use on course.
Q: How should I carb-load the day before? A: Don't overthink strict carb-loading — treat yourself to carbs like muffins and croissants instead.
See New Research Finds How to Execute the Perfect Carb Loadhttps://www.outsideonline.com/health/nutrition/how-to-carb-load-before-a-race/?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
Two-day carb-loading protocol with three different amounts of carbohydrate: 6, 8, and 10 g/kg, compared to a baseline diet of 4 g/kg. Found 10/g/kg was the best option. My personal opinion is that it is quite high but direction is correct: treat yo self in the days leading into the races. I like to add treats like muffins to breakfast, cookies after lunch and cake after dinner.
Swim Questions
Q: Should I use earplugs during the swim? A: Yes — silicone earplugs are recommended for open water swimming, especially useful if you're dealing with an ear infection or are prone to one. Or it's cold water.
Q: When does the wetsuit start / is a wetsuit a good idea in warm weather? A: Wetsuits add speed and comfort, but with temps in the mid-80s and potential humidity, overheating is a real concern — weigh the speed benefit against how your body handles heat.
For age-group Ironman athletes, wetsuits are legal and permitted in water temperatures up to and including 76.1°F (24.5°C).
Below 60.8°F (16.0°C): Wetsuits are mandatory.
60.8°F to 76.1°F (16.0°C – 24.5°C): Wetsuits are permitted and legal. You are fully eligible for age-group awards, podiums, and championship slots.
76.2°F to 83.8°F (24.55°C – 28.77°C): Wetsuits are optional. You may wear one, but you will forfeit your eligibility for awards or World Championship qualification, and you must start at the very back of the swim wave.
Above 83.8°F (28.8°C): Wetsuits are strictly prohibited due to the danger of overheating.
Bike Strategy
Q: Should I stop at the first aid station? Skip it unless you genuinely need something. After that, stop as freely as you want — water, ice, stretching, bathroom, whatever keeps you moving well later.
Q: Any tips for climbing? Stand briefly on the climbs — count to 20 — just to stretch out and relieve pressure. This isn't a power move or a way to make time; it's maintenance.
Q: What's the etiquette on a long descent? If you're slower, stay right. Passing is entirely on the overtaking rider's responsibility — don't drift into their line.
Q: Where does an aero position actually matter? Focus on aero over 12-14 mph. When you are climbing or the course is slow, sit up — aero isn't worth fighting for on every mile. And over 30mph stop pedaling; give yourself a mini-break.
Q: How should I frame the bike mentally? For IM, load your computer as a single 56-mile lap instead of splitting it into sections. Less mental math, less temptation to race splits that don't matter yet.
Q: What if I get a flat or have a mechanical issue during the race? A: Don't stress — fellow cyclists are typically very helpful with flat tires, and support vehicles are on course, even if you don't see them often.
The Run
Q: How should I break up the marathon mentally? Split it into five 5-mile segments instead of thinking in halves. Five small wins beats two long grinds — the psychological math works in your favor.
Q: Where does the sunscreen station come in? Apply before the bike start, then there's a station at the T2 exit for a reapplication. Worth tossing a travel-size bottle in your special needs bag too.
Q: I'm nervous about the run — is that normal?
A: Very normal — several athletes shared the same concern. The framing that helped: focus on feeling prepared rather than chasing a perfect performance, and don't let one leg of the race dominate your headspace before it's even started.
Mindset
Q: What's the core mental approach for the day? Patience. Treat the bike like a long day out, not a race effort — the race gets decided on the run, and you can't bank time on the bike that the run won't make you pay for.
Q: What's mile 80 - 100 mile like? Universally the hardest stretch any IM bike course. Expect a low point there — it's normal, not a sign anything's wrong. Survival mode for a few miles is part of the plan, not a deviation from it.
Q: Any advice for when it gets really hard? Come back to gratitude. You signed up for this specifically to dig deep — when it gets ugly, that's the day doing exactly what you asked it to do.
Check out our mental prep worksheet here!
Grab Bag: Gear Preferences
A few things came up that are genuinely personal preference — no universal right answer:
Cycling gloves: Some athletes are skipping them after a recent bike fit shortened reach by 8cm and changed hand pressure. Worth reassessing if you've had a fit change.
Socks on the bike: Short, ankle, or none — all fine. Most people switch into dedicated run socks at T2 regardless.
Challenge or Resource of the week
Katie: On the power of beliefs and mindsets - Dr. Alia Crum on the Mel Robbins podcast
Jim: Creating Coherence from Sports Science - M Sola Arjona
Gear pick of the week
Katie: Gait analysis as a gift idea! Check out the Run Rx in Somerville
Jim: New Wave swim buoy