IRONMAN 70.3 Puerto Rico
San Juan, Puerto Rico · March · IRONMAN 70.3
Why people love it
- Warm, clear lagoon swim praised as one of the best venues
- Run through Old San Juan past El Morro
- Street-party crowd support
- Closed bike roads and an airport about 15 km (9 mi) away
Watch out for
- Heat near 30 °C (86 °F) with little shade on the run
- Steep Old San Juan hill run two or three times, plus cobbles
- Crosswinds, potholes and an unmarked bridge lip on the bike
- Swell and current in the last 200 to 300 m (650 to 1,000 ft) of the swim
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 satisfactionLoved4.1
Slowtwitch racers called it a favourite and a street-party run, though one report describes a heat-wrecked day. · Medium confidence
- OrganizationWell run4.0
Aid and volunteers are praised. Minor issues include a bridge lip and congested turnarounds. · Medium confidence
- First timer friendlyDoable3.2
A calm lagoon and flat bike, but heat and a steep run hill are tough for beginners. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialAverage3.2
Flat bike, but a hot, hilly run. O'Donnell won in 3:50:51 and a 55 to 59 age-grouper ran 5:23:59. · Medium confidence
- Course easeTough2.8
Heat and run hills are the main challenges, with 103 m (338 ft) of bike gain. · Medium confidence
Swim
Wetsuit odds, water temperature, calm, and the experience of the start. Counts for 15% of the overall score.
- Wetsuit legalRarely1.1
Water of 26 to 27 °C (79 to 81 °F) is above the 24.5 °C (76 °F) limit. Swimskins are used. · High confidence
- Water temperatureAcceptable2.5
Warm water at 26 to 27 °C (79 to 81 °F), just past the comfortable range. · High confidence
- Calm waterMostly calm3.8
Protected lagoon, with swell and current in the last 200 to 300 m (650 to 1,000 ft). · Medium confidence
- Swim easeEasy3.7
Easy lagoon sighting, but a long run to T1 and bridge swell at the end. · Medium confidence
- Swim experienceGreat4.3
Called one of the best swim venues, with warm, clear water. · Medium confidence
Bike
Road surface, closures, scenery and wind. Counts for 19% of the overall score.
- Road surfaceMixed3.0
Smoother than expected for one racer, but potholes and an unmarked bridge lip were reported. · Medium confidence
- Road closuresMostly closed4.2
Roads were closed to cars according to a 2023 racer. · Medium confidence
- Bike sceneryBeautiful4.0
Coastline, then the edge of the rainforest. · Medium confidence
- WindSome wind3.2
Significant crosswinds along the coast. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Bike speedFast4.0
Flat coastal course. One 55 to 59 athlete rode 2:32, with crosswinds. · Medium confidence
- Bike flatnessPancake flat4.5
103 m (338 ft) of gain over 90 km (56 mi), with some freeway overpasses. · Medium confidence
- Bike simplicitySome technical parts3.2
Congested turnarounds, and crashes in the wet 2013 race. · Medium confidence
Run
Crowds, aid stations, conditions underfoot and scenery. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Crowd supportElectric4.6
Described as crazy, like running through a street party. · Medium confidence
- Aid stationsGood3.9
Well-stocked aid and many volunteers, though one 2 km (1.2 mi) unshaded stretch had no aid. · Medium confidence
- Run scenerySpectacular4.6
Old San Juan, El Morro fortress and Atlantic views. · Medium confidence
- Run conditionsHard2.0
Heat near 30 °C (86 °F), little shade and a false-flat climb. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Run flatnessRolling2.8
196 m (644 ft) of gain, a steep Old San Juan hill run two or three times, and cobbles. · Medium confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 15% of the overall score.
- Air temperatureHarsh2.2
27 to 30 °C (81 to 86 °F) with tropical humidity. · Medium confidence
- Weather reliabilityVariable3.4
Localised downpours are possible, and the 2013 race was wet. · Low confidence
- Venue beautyStunning4.6
Old San Juan, the lagoon and the fort. · Medium confidence
- Spectator friendlyEasy4.2
A two-loop run through Old San Juan. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeSea level5.0
Sea level. · High confidence
Stay and travel
Hotels, walkability, getting there, and the town around the race. Counts for 11% of the overall score.
- Hotel availabilityGood4.0
Large resort district. No race-week data found. · Low confidence
- Hotel valueNormal3.0
Tourist-district pricing. No price data found. · Low confidence
- WalkabilityWalkable3.5
The Caribe Hilton adjoins T1. Other hotels are 17 to 27 minutes' walk away. · Medium confidence
- Travel easeEasy4.2
The airport is about 15 km (9 mi) away, with direct US flights, and taxi vans take bike cases. · High confidence
- LogisticsSimple3.5
Stadium T1 beside the hotel. T2 details were not found. · Low confidence
- Town and foodGreat4.6
Old San Juan and Condado restaurants in a UNESCO heritage setting. · Medium confidence
Key facts
- Location
- San Juan, Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico
- Typical month
- March
- Latest or next date
- 14 March 2027
- Organiser
- IRONMAN 70.3
- Field size
- About 900 athletes
- First held
- 2010
- Distances
- 1.9 km (1.2 mi) swim, 90 km (56 mi) bike, 21.1 km (13.1 mi) run
- Cutoffs
- Swim 1:10 (swim course closes 70 min after last wave, 2020 data), Bike 5 hours from swim start, Finish 8 hours run limit from swim start (2020 data)
- Swim venue
- Condado Lagoon, finishing near the bridge to Sixto Escobar Stadium (lagoon)
- Water temperature
- 26–27 °C (79–81 °F)
- Wetsuit
- Banned
- Swim start
- wave
- Swim laps
- 1
- Bike climbing
- 103 m (340 ft)
- Bike laps
- 2
- Key climbs
- Freeway overpasses near town
- Run climbing
- 196 m (645 ft)
- Run laps
- 2
- Run shade
- Little; a 2 km (1.2 mi) unshaded section without aid reported
- Air temperature
- 24–30 °C (75–86 °F)
- Humidity
- high tropical
- Altitude
- 5 m (16 ft)
- Nearest airport
- Luis Muñoz Marín (SJU), 15 km (9 mi) away
- Where to stay
- Caribe Hilton / Puerta de Tierra, Condado, Miramar
- Booking
- Caribe Hilton sits beside T1; other hotels are 17-27 min walks.
What racers and reviewers say
- A Trail Runner/Triathlete's Blog (Substack)Raced 2024 · blog · Mixed
First-person report: warm clear swim in 40:13, flat 2:32 bike, then a heat-wrecked run through Old San Juan; about 87 F (30 C) with little shade and a 2 km (1.2 mi) unshaded wall.
“If you're going to blow up, best to do it at the beach.”
- Purple Patch FitnessRaced 2020 · article · Mixed
Course preview: 26 C (78 F) lagoon swim, 90 km (56 mi) bike with 338 ft (103 m (338 ft)) gain, and run with 644 ft (196 m (643 ft)) gain through Old San Juan.
- Alan Couzens (Justin Daerr report)Raced 2016 · blog · Positive
Pro report praising the swim, noting a flat out-and-back bike with congested turnarounds and an Old San Juan run with a steep climb and cobbled descent.
- Slowtwitch forumRaced 2023 · forum · Positive
Racers called it a favourite, noted closed roads, a hilly hot run, run changes after surf deposited sand, and crazy crowd support.
- TRS TriathlonRaced 2016 · article · Mixed
2016 coverage: swimskin swim, flat coast bike with crosswinds, and a hot run with a false flat; O'Donnell won in 3:50:51.
Show 2 more
- Love and RoadRaced 2024 · blog · Positive
Hotel guide listing five hotels with walks of 17-27 minutes to the start and noting air and water both near 27 C (80 F).
- Active.comRaced 2024 · aggregator · Positive
Event listing: protected Condado Lagoon swim and two-loop run through the northern part of the island.
Sources
Pages we used for facts and ratings. See how we rate.
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