IRONMAN 70.3 Chattanooga
Chattanooga, United States · May · IRONMAN 70.3
Why people love it
- Quick downriver swim, usually wetsuit legal at about 22 °C (72 °F)
- Volunteers and aid praised across many years
- Walkable downtown with a riverfront finish at Ross's Landing
- Rolling bike past Lookout Mountain and Chickamauga
Watch out for
- Heat index near 38 °C (100 °F) has hit race day
- Steep short run climb done twice, 191 to 250 m (627 to 820 ft) total
- Lodging books out weeks ahead
- Bumpy first and last 8 km (5 mi) of the bike, with railroad tracks
Race
How racers feel about it, how well it is run, and how it treats a first timer. Counts for 27% of the overall score.
- Racer satisfactionLoved4.2
Repeat racers and first-timers praise the city and crowd; forum posters are more mixed about the hills and heat. · Medium confidence
- OrganizationFlawless4.5
Reviewers praise volunteers, briefings and aid; the 2021 swim start was chaotic and was fixed with shuttles and seeded starts. · Medium confidence
- First timer friendlyDoable3.2
Easy logistics and a helpful current, but 676 m (2,218 ft) of bike gain, run hills and heat catch newcomers. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialAverage3.0
Fast swim in some years, but one poster summed it up as challenging, not fast; the 2019 age-group winner rode 2:21:05. · Medium confidence
- Course easeTough2.5
Rolling bike, run hills and heat make it a moderately hard 70.3. · Medium confidence
Swim
Wetsuit odds, water temperature, calm, and the experience of the start. Counts for 15% of the overall score.
- Wetsuit legalAlmost always4.5
Legal in every year covered by one veteran guide, with water around 22 °C (72 °F). · Medium confidence
- Water temperatureIdeal4.6
About 22 °C (72 °F), inside the comfortable 19 to 23 °C (66 to 73 °F) band. · Medium confidence
- Calm waterMostly calm4.2
Sheltered river under bridges; current varies with dam releases, but chop is not the issue. · Medium confidence
- Swim easeEasy3.9
Straight downstream route with coloured buoys; the 2021 start was messy and early seeding is advised. · Medium confidence
- Swim experienceGreat4.0
Fast downriver swim past city bridges, praised by several reviewers. · Low confidence
Bike
Road surface, closures, scenery and wind. Counts for 19% of the overall score.
- Road surfaceMixed3.2
Potholes and railroad tracks near the start and finish, with good pavement in between. · Medium confidence
- Road closuresMostly closed3.5
Sources give no closure details; rural Georgia roads with marshals. · Low confidence
- Bike sceneryBeautiful4.0
Passes Lookout Mountain and the Chickamauga battlefield, with scenery praised by reviewers. · Medium confidence
- WindMostly calm3.9
No wind complaints for the standard course. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Bike speedAverage3.2
Rolling with one short steep climb; only the first and last 8 km (5 mi) are bumpy. · Medium confidence
- Bike flatnessRolling3.0
About 676 m (2,218 ft) of gain by one source, though others report 550 to 730 m (1,800 to 2,400 ft). · Medium confidence
- Bike simplicityMostly simple3.5
A blind turn near Chickamauga and a sharp left at the base of Andrews Lane. · Medium confidence
Run
Crowds, aid stations, conditions underfoot and scenery. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Crowd supportStrong4.0
A friendly crowd along two loops through downtown, the Riverwalk and the North Shore. · Medium confidence
- Aid stationsAbundant4.5
Several reviewers praise abundant water stops, volunteers and toilets. · Medium confidence
- Run sceneryBeautiful4.2
Riverwalk, bridges and a downtown finish at Ross's Landing. · Medium confidence
- Run conditionsModerate2.8
Exposed Riverfront Parkway is hot, and posters report heat indexes near 38 °C (100 °F) and cramping. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Run flatnessRolling3.3
About 191 to 250 m (627 to 820 ft) of gain, with a steep short hill repeated twice and a downhill finish. · Medium confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 15% of the overall score.
- Air temperatureWarm or cool3.0
Recent highs of 27 to 31 °C (81 to 88 °F) and humid, though 2019 and 2023 were mild. · Medium confidence
- Weather reliabilityVariable3.4
Mostly predictable late spring, but heat swings widely and the 2019 swim was shortened. · Medium confidence
- Venue beautyLovely4.3
River, bridges and mountains around a walkable downtown. · Medium confidence
- Spectator friendlyEasy4.2
Dense downtown loops and a riverfront finish. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeSea level4.8
About 216 m (709 ft). · High confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 11% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityBook early2.8
Forum posters say lodging fills weeks ahead; expect it to be tighter still in a Worlds year. · Low confidence
- Hotel valueNormal3.2
No price data found; racers use Airbnbs and chain hotels. · Low confidence
- WalkabilityWalkable4.2
Many hotels are a short walk to the finish; the swim start is about 1.6 km (1 mi) away by shuttle. · Medium confidence
- Travel easeOne connection3.4
Small Chattanooga airport (CHA); Nashville and Atlanta are roughly two-hour drives. · Low confidence
- LogisticsSome complexity3.0
Point-to-point swim with a shuttle, a large transition and long check-in queues. · Medium confidence
- Town and foodGood4.2
Walkable riverfront city with restaurants and an aquarium; reviewers praise the host city. · Medium confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States
- Typical month
- May
- Latest or next date
- 16 May 2027
- Organiser
- IRONMAN 70.3
- Field size
- About 3,000 athletes
- First held
- 2014
- Distances
- 1.9 km (1.2 mi) swim, 90 km (56 mi) bike, 21.1 km (13.1 mi) run
- Swim venue
- Tennessee River, downriver to Ross's Landing Park (river)
- Water temperature
- 21–23 °C (70–73 °F)
- Wetsuit
- Legal
- Swim start
- rolling
- Swim laps
- 1
- Bike climbing
- 676 m (2,220 ft)
- Bike laps
- 1
- Key climbs
- Andrews Lane (short steep climb, about mile 27-35 depending on source); Lookout Mountain approach (Worlds 2017 course only)
- Run climbing
- 250 m (820 ft)
- Run laps
- 2
- Run shade
- Riverfront Parkway is exposed and hot
- Air temperature
- 16–31 °C (61–88 °F)
- Humidity
- Humid spring/summer; heat index near 38 C (100 F) reported
- Altitude
- 216 m (710 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Chattanooga Metropolitan (CHA)
- Where to stay
- Downtown Chattanooga, North Shore, Southside
- Booking
- Lodging fills fast (forum 2022); check-in and expo at Ross's Landing next to the Aquarium; downtown garages limited. Arriving Thursday advised by one guide.
What racers and reviewers say
- RaceRaves (first-timer 2023)Raced 2023 · aggregator · Positive
A first-timer praised the city and friendly crowd, said the current made the swim about 15% faster than usual, called the bike scenic but hilly, and liked the two-loop run. Weather was ideal that year though past days ran hot.
“Chatty knows how to put on a race.”
- RaceRaves (dannytolliver)Raced 2021 · aggregator · Positive
A repeat racer (fifth time) praised volunteers, the pre-race briefing, abundant water stops and toilets, great post-race food and a rolling bike with one main climb around mile 35. Gave production and swag 5 across several years.
- RaceRaves (chrisrivers)Raced 2015 · aggregator · Positive
A first-timer liked the number of hotels, the short walk to the start, the downriver swim and mild temperatures, rating difficulty only 2 of 5.
- Slowtwitch: my first-ever race reportRaced 2019 · blog · Mixed
Third-time racer won his age group after a shortened 14:45 swim, a 2:21:05 bike with a lost bottle and a pothole that loosened his armrest, and a 1:19:16 run. It was not overly hot but commenters warn only the first and last 8 km (5 mi) are bumpy and to watch the railroad tracks.
“wasn't overly hot”
- Slowtwitch: Chattanooga 70.3 2022 threadRaced 2022 · forum · Mixed
Riders describe a rolling bike of about 1,800 ft (550 m (1,800 ft)) with one or two punchy climbs, a hillier run than expected with a steep climb twice, heat indexes near 38 C (100 F), a chaotic 2021 swim start and lodging that fills early.
“Challenging yes, fast no”
Show 3 more
- Triple Threat Life (Substack guide)Raced 2024 · blog · Positive
Veteran racer's guide: wetsuit legal every year, current depends on dam, rolling bike with one short climb at Andrews Lane, 627 ft (191 m (627 ft)) run gain, hot exposed Riverfront Parkway, shuttles to the swim start and large transition. Suggests arriving Thursday and a nearby Airbnb.
- Purple Patch Fitness course previewRaced 2019 · article · Positive
Coach preview: point-to-point Tennessee River swim in low 70s F (about 22 C), 56 mi (90 km (55.9 mi)) bike with 2,218 ft (676 m (2,220 ft)) gain and a blind turn near Chickamauga, run about 820 ft (250 m (820 ft)) gain; typical race day around 78 F (26 C).
- Slowtwitch / Trizone Worlds coverageRaced 2017 · article · Mixed
2017 World Championship preview (a different course) reported a 3.5 mi (5.6 km (3.5 mi)) climb up Lookout Mountain and about 3,442 ft (1,049 m (3,440 ft)) of gain; used only as context for why elevation figures vary.
Sources
Pages we used for facts and ratings. See how we rate.
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