IRONMAN 70.3 Florida
Haines City, United States · December · IRONMAN 70.3
Why people love it
- Sold-out, well-run race at a family-friendly park with about 1,800 to 2,000 athletes
- Wetsuit-legal lake swim at 18 to 19 °C (65 to 66 °F) in mid-December
- Race-day highs of 24 to 29 °C (76 to 84 °F)
- Plentiful ice, water and volunteers
- Easy drive from Orlando airport
Watch out for
- Crowded M-shaped swim in shallow weedy water
- Steep early hills on each run lap, plus exposed heat
- Parking is tight, so arrive early
- Very little lodging or nightlife in Haines City
- Bike climbing is disputed; one local reports about 244 m (800 ft) of gain
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 satisfactionLoved3.9
Rated 4/5 on RaceRaves and called one of the better ones in 2025, but 2014 views split and the swim and run draw complaints. · Medium confidence
- OrganizationWell run4.4
Reviewers say the organisers have it down pat, with good traffic control and volunteers in 2025. · Medium confidence
- First timer friendlyFriendly3.9
A first-timer called it a great first race; heat and the early run hills are the main issues. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialFast3.9
Winners go 3:45 to 3:47, but a crowded swim, early bike congestion, hills and heat slow most athletes. · Medium confidence
- Course easeModerate3.7
Fast, but hills and heat stand out. · Medium confidence
Swim
Wetsuit odds, water temperature, calm, and the experience of the start. Counts for 15% of the overall score.
- Wetsuit legalUsually4.2
Wetsuits were legal in 2013, 2014 and 2025 at about 18 to 19 °C (65 to 66 °F); mid-December keeps it cool. · Medium confidence
- Water temperatureComfortable4.0
About 18 to 19 °C (65 to 66 °F). · Medium confidence
- Calm waterMostly calm4.3
A small lake with no current; the chop comes from swimmers turning. · Medium confidence
- Swim easeModerate2.7
M-shaped course, narrow channel, dark shallow water and heavy contact; one 2025 racer lost minutes fixing goggles. · High confidence
- Swim experienceFine2.8
Weedy dark water and crowding; a repeat racer preferred the earlier Disney site. · Medium confidence
Bike
Road surface, closures, scenery and wind. Counts for 19% of the overall score.
- Road surfaceGood4.2
Good pavement with marked hazards in 2025. · Medium confidence
- Road closuresMostly closed3.8
The city closes main streets, and a 2025 racer found traffic well controlled. · Low confidence
- Bike sceneryPleasant3.0
Orange groves, lakes and golf courses. · Medium confidence
- WindSome wind3.2
Headwinds at times on open roads. · Low confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Bike speedFast3.9
One loop with rollers; the 2021 winner rode 1:59:47. · Medium confidence
- Bike flatnessMostly flat3.9
A local estimates 244 m (800 ft) of gain over 90 km (56 mi), but reports range from flat to not flat. · Low confidence
- Bike simplicityMostly simple3.6
Curvy and congested early in the ride. · Medium confidence
Run
Crowds, aid stations, conditions underfoot and scenery. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Crowd supportDecent3.4
A small-town park with spectators and residents handing out music and water. · Medium confidence
- Aid stationsGood4.4
Plentiful water and ice in 2025. · Medium confidence
- Run sceneryPleasant2.8
Two loops around the lake and park, which racers called boring. · Medium confidence
- Run conditionsModerate3.0
Exposed, hot lap course with early hills and a crowded narrow section in 2014. · High confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Run flatnessRolling3.2
Steep early hills on each lap, otherwise gentle. · High confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 15% of the overall score.
- Air temperaturePleasant4.1
December highs of 24 to 29 °C (76 to 84 °F), lows of 10 to 17 °C (50 to 63 °F). · Medium confidence
- Weather reliabilityReliable3.8
December is the dry season, unlike earlier May dates that saw heat indexes above 38 °C (100 °F). · Low confidence
- Venue beautyPleasant3.3
Lake Eva Park is pleasant but plain. · Medium confidence
- Spectator friendlyEasy4.2
A family-friendly park with run loops around the lake. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeSea level4.9
About 40 m (130 ft) above sea level. · Medium confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 11% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityGood3.6
Little in Haines City, but Orlando-area hotels about 55 km (35 mi) away are plentiful. · Low confidence
- Hotel valueGood3.5
A 2025 racer stayed 24 km (15 mi) away; no price data. · Low confidence
- WalkabilitySome driving2.5
Little lodging nearby, so most drive in early. · Medium confidence
- Travel easeEasy4.0
Orlando International is the nearest major airport. · Medium confidence
- LogisticsSimple3.6
A single park venue, but parking is tight and arrival must be early. · Medium confidence
- Town and foodFine2.5
A past racer noted there was nothing to do in Haines City. · Medium confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Haines City, Florida, United States
- Typical month
- December
- Latest or next date
- 13 December 2026
- Organiser
- IRONMAN 70.3
- Field size
- About 2,000 athletes
- First held
- 2005
- Distances
- 1.9 km (1.2 mi) swim, 90 km (56 mi) bike, 21.1 km (13.1 mi) run
- Swim venue
- Lake Eva at Lake Eva Park (lake)
- Water temperature
- 18–19 °C (64–66 °F)
- Wetsuit
- Legal
- Swim start
- rolling
- Swim laps
- 1
- Bike climbing
- 244 m (800 ft)
- Bike laps
- 1
- Key climbs
- Decent mid-course climb; Rollers in the last 16 km (10 mi)
- Run laps
- 2
- Run shade
- Mostly exposed first lap; back half shaded (2013 report)
- Air temperature
- 12–26 °C (54–79 °F)
- Humidity
- Humid; December warmer than hoped in 2025
- Altitude
- 40 m (130 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Orlando International (MCO)
- Where to stay
- Davenport / Champions Gate, Orlando area
- Booking
- Little in Haines City itself; a 2025 racer stayed about 24 km (15 mi) away and drove in at 5:45 a.m.
What racers and reviewers say
- RaceRaves (Reebs, first-timer 2023)Raced 2023 · aggregator · Positive
Raced twice, cutting 26 minutes in year two. Praised organisation and the family-friendly park; swim was smooth but full of turns, bike had rollers and a decent mid-course climb, run was exposed and hot. Calls it a great first-timers race.
“Overall a great first timers race”
- Slowtwitch forum (VegasJen, Dec 2025)Raced 2025 · forum · Positive
Back-of-pack report: 65 °F (18 °C (64 °F)) water, wetsuit, but a crowded weedy M-shaped swim cost minutes; bike on good pavement with every central-Florida hill; humid run with a breeze on lap two. Praised volunteers, ice and traffic control; stayed 15 miles (24 km (14.9 mi)) away. Verdict: well run, one of the better ones.
“one of the better ones I've done”
- Slowtwitch forum (2013-14 thread: pacco, guy2600)Raced 2014 · forum · Mixed
Racers praise the venue and support but say the M-shaped swim in black water means extra sighting, the bike is easy with some rollers and wind, and the run has three early climbs per loop made harder by heat.
- Slowtwitch forum (2014: Timbikerun, lutzman)Raced 2014 · forum · Mixed
One racer found the three crowded run loops and narrow stretch the worst part and suggested picking another race; another said the northern-climate heat hit hard but the event was well organised. Both flagged early parking.
- Slowtwitch forum (TheForge, local)Raced 2014 · forum · Mixed
Longtime Haines City resident says the bike is not flat, with about 800 ft (244 m (801 ft)) of climbing, far more than most Florida courses; the run has a steep hill at the start of each lap; May had 100 F (38 C) plus heat index and DNFs.
Show 3 more
- Slowtwitch pro report (2021)Raced 2021 · article · Positive
2021 pro recap with winners Bart Aernouts (3:47:42, bike 1:59:47) and Emma Pallant (4:18:48); shows fast but not record-pace times.
- Slowtwitch pro report (2013)Raced 2013 · article · Positive
Terenzo Bozzone won in 3:45:51 with a 2:04:04 bike and 1:14:40 run; Mary Beth Ellis won in 4:14:03.
- Mid Florida Newspapers (20th edition)Raced 2024 · article · Positive
Community report on the 20th edition: sold-out field of about 1,800 amateurs at Lake Eva Park and a race director saying the event stays as long as the city is happy. Based on a search snippet, article body not read.
Sources
Pages we used for facts and ratings. See how we rate.
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