The step up from 70.3 to IRONMAN is intimidating. When most people cross the finish line of their first 70.3 triathlon, their first thought is “There’s no way I could do double that”.
As an old coach of mine told me “What got you here won’t get you there”. Most people can struggle around a 70.3 as long as they don’t mind walking most of the run. Taking on an IRONMAN is a different matter entirely though.
If you swim breaststroke, you may struggle to make it round the swim course inside the cutoff. Spending 6+ hours on the bike is not only a test of your legs and lungs, but also of your sit bones, upper back and ability to stay focused.
And after all this, we have to run a marathon. The scale of this challenge boggles the mind of non-triathletes, and even a lot of 70.3 finishers. Many will be unsure whether they could ever make the step up. Especially if the preparation for their 70.3 was haphazard and they dragged themselves across the line. This approach just won’t stick over the full distance.
The fact of the matter is that every year around 140,000 people cross the finish line of a 70.3 event, but only 50,000 complete a full IRONMAN. That means that roughly speaking, for every three 70.3 finishers, only one successfully steps up from 70.3 to IRONMAN.
If you want to cross that line and earn the title of IRONMAN, you need to change your approach. You need to refine your training, your nutrition and your bike setup. You’ll need to learn how to use the special needs bags, learn what intensity to race at, and the mindset required to keep going when your body is shutting down on you 25KM into the marathon.
You can learn all of this and more in my step up from 70.3 to IRONMAN webinar. This webinar is free and on demand. Watch for free here.
