IRONMAN Maryland (Cambridge)
Cambridge, USA · September · IRONMAN
Why people love it
- Very flat, fast course with about 152 m (500 ft) of bike gain
- Strong small-town community and volunteer support
- Blackwater refuge marsh scenery on the bike
- Well rated by first-timers
- Water 21-23 °C (70-73 °F), with wetsuits usually legal
Watch out for
- Wind builds through the day; tailwind out, headwind home
- Jellyfish and nettles in some years (2021, 2022, 2025)
- Hurricane-season weather: swims shortened in 2015 and 2023, 2017 cancellation
- Finish about 1.6 km (1 mi) from transition; five-bag system
- No lodging reviews found; limited rooms in a small town about 137 km (85 mi) from BWI
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
RaceRaves gives 4.7 (3 ratings) and Racecheck 4.8, and first-timers praise the volunteers. A 2015 reporter swore off it after cold, wind and a postponement. · Medium confidence
- OrganizationWell run4.3
Described as amazingly well run in 2022. Negatives: the 2017 cancellation, shortened swims, a confusing five-bag system and a finish 1.6 km (1 mi) away. · Medium confidence
- First timer friendlyFriendly4.3
Multiple reviewers recommend it as a first full. It is flat and well supported, though wind, jellyfish and hurricane-season weather can bite. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- PR potentialFast4.1
Only 152 m (500 ft) of bike gain and a flat run, but wind builds through the day. The 2025 men's winner went 8:26. · Medium confidence
- Course easeModerate4.0
A flat course. The difficulty comes from wind, jellyfish, and humidity or cold. · Medium confidence
Swim
Wetsuit odds, water temperature, calm, and the experience of the start. Counts for 15% of the overall score.
- Wetsuit legalUsually4.3
Water is typically 21-23 °C (70-73 °F), under the 24.5 °C (76.1 °F) limit but borderline in warm Septembers. · Medium confidence
- Water temperatureIdeal4.8
Typically 21-23 °C (70-73 °F), in the comfortable range. It was 17 °C (63 °F) in 2015. · Medium confidence
- Calm waterChoppy2.4
Nicknamed the chop tank. Wind and tide shortened swims in 2015 (about 3,000 m (9,840 ft) / 1.9 mi) and 2023 (918 m (3,010 ft) / 1,004 yd). · High confidence
- Swim easeModerate3.1
Chop, sighting and jellyfish are challenges, offset by a mild tidal current and a simple two-lap layout. · Medium confidence
- Swim experienceFine2.7
A brackish tidal river with chop and jellyfish or nettles in 2021, 2022 and 2025. Stings were annoying, not painful, and the rolling start helps. · Medium confidence
Bike
Road surface, closures, scenery and wind. Counts for 19% of the overall score.
- Road surfaceGood3.8
A 2017 racer called the roads smooth and Sonic Endurance called them good, with a rumble strip on the back side. · Medium confidence
- Road closuresPartly closed3.2
Sources conflict: RaceRaves says roads are not closed to traffic, while Racecheck gives safety a 5. · Low confidence
- Bike sceneryBeautiful3.6
Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge marsh and open farmland. Scenic but flat and unshaded. · Medium confidence
- WindWindy2.2
Wind is the headline challenge: 24 km (14.9 mi)/h (15 mph) all day in 2015, usually tailwind out and headwind back, with little shade. · High confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Bike speedFast4.2
Racecheck calls it super flat and fast. Wind (tailwind out, headwind back) is the main slowdown. · Medium confidence
- Bike flatnessPancake flat4.9
About 152 m (500 ft) of gain, well under 600 m (2,000 ft). · High confidence
- Bike simplicityStraight and simple4.7
A non-technical two-loop course. · Medium confidence
Run
Crowds, aid stations, conditions underfoot and scenery. Counts for 13% of the overall score.
- Crowd supportStrong4.1
Thousands of spectators turned out in 2025, with handwritten notes from school children. The back sections of the run are quieter. · Medium confidence
- Aid stationsGood4.4
Many aid stations and praised volunteers. · Medium confidence
- Run sceneryBeautiful3.5
Waterfront, historic downtown and lighthouse views. · Medium confidence
- Run conditionsModerate3.3
Flat but exposed, with paver and gravel sections and possible ankle-deep flooding. Heat or cold depends on the year. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Run flatnessFlat4.9
A flat three-loop out-and-back run. · Medium confidence
Conditions
Air temperature, how predictable the weather is, setting, and spectating. Counts for 15% of the overall score.
- Air temperaturePleasant3.9
Mid-September air runs 15-27 °C (59-81 °F), from 4 °C (40 °F) starts to hot, humid days. · Medium confidence
- Weather reliabilityVariable2.6
Hurricane-season exposure: a 2015 postponement, a cancelled 2017 attempt, a shortened 2023 swim and a soggy 2025. · Medium confidence
- Venue beautyLovely3.6
Chesapeake marsh and a pretty small town. RaceRaves reviewers rated scenery 4. · Medium confidence
- Spectator friendlyEasy3.9
Three run laps pass the finish area about six times in a compact downtown. · Medium confidence
Course traits, not part of the score
- Low altitudeSea level5.0
Chesapeake coastal plain, near 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 availabilitySells out early2.4
A small town hosting 1,000+ athletes. We found no lodging reviews. · Low confidence
- Hotel valueNormal2.9
We found no price data. Scarcity likely lifts rates. · Low confidence
- WalkabilitySome driving3.0
The town is walkable, but the finish is about 1.6 km (1 mi) from transition. · Low confidence
- Travel easeOne connection2.9
BWI is the nearest major airport, roughly 137 km (85 mi) away by car. · Low confidence
- LogisticsSome complexity2.8
The five-bag system confused athletes in 2015, and transition and finish are separate, with shuttles. · Medium confidence
- Town and foodGood3.6
Reviewers describe a lovely, welcoming small town. · Low confidence
Key facts
- Location
- Cambridge, Maryland, USA
- Typical month
- September
- Latest or next date
- 19 September 2026
- Organiser
- IRONMAN
- Field size
- About 1,250 athletes
- First held
- 2014
- Distances
- 3.8 km (2.4 mi) swim, 180 km (112 mi) bike, 42.2 km (26.2 mi) run
- Swim venue
- Choptank River, from Gerry Boyle Park at Great Marsh (river)
- Water temperature
- 21–23 °C (70–73 °F)
- Wetsuit
- Legal (borderline in warm falls)
- Swim start
- rolling
- Swim laps
- 2
- Bike climbing
- 152 m (500 ft)
- Bike laps
- 2
- Run laps
- 3
- Run shade
- Limited
- Air temperature
- 15–27 °C (59–81 °F)
- Humidity
- Can be humid; hot in some years
- Nearest airport
- BWI (Baltimore/Washington)
- Where to stay
- Cambridge waterfront, Easton (volunteers/spectators reported staying there)
- Booking
- No lodging-specific reviews found; small town so rooms near the venue likely limited.
What racers and reviewers say
- RaceRaves (first-timer 2022)Raced 2022 · aggregator · Positive
Calls it an amazingly well-run event. Jellyfish stings are an annoyance rather than painful, the bike is scenic and very flat, the run is flat with strong support, and volunteers/community are excellent.
- RaceRaves (first-timer 2021)Raced 2021 · aggregator · Positive
Brackish water swim, flat bike with a lot of spinning, and a run through local neighborhoods that was enjoyable. Recommends it as a first full.
- RaceRaves (repeat 2017)Raced 2017 · aggregator · Mixed
Stung by jellyfish; very windy bike on smooth roads; quiet back section on the run. A first attempt was cancelled, the day was hot and humid, but the town and people were welcoming.
- Racecheck (Rob A.)Raced 2017 · aggregator · Positive
Rated 4.8. Super flat and fast bike where quick times are possible; praised community involvement, including handwritten notes from school children for each racer.
- Hey Life TrainingRaced 2015 · blog · Mixed
Postponed by Hurricane Joaquin, the 2015 race started near 4 °C (40 °F) with 17 °C (63 °F) water and a swim cut to about 3.0 km (1.9 mi). Steady 24 km (14.9 mi)/h (15 mph) wind on the bike, three run loops with friendly supporters and a downhill finish; five-bag system was confusing. Finished 13:28 and swore she would not repeat it.
“I will never do that again”
Show 6 more
- Sonic Endurance course previewRaced 2024 · article · Mixed
Coach preview: two-loop 'chop tank' swim, jellyfish some years, a flat aero-friendly bike with tailwind out and headwind back, little shade, a three-loop run with pavers, a gravel path and possible ankle-deep flooding, and lots of aid stations. Finish is about 1.6 km (1 mi) from transition.
“I found the anticipation of getting stung far worse than the actual sting.”
- Star DemocratRaced 2024 · article · Positive
Local coverage of the 2024 race: cool weather, community volunteers and spectators out in force. Runner-up called the course beautiful and the winner (about 24 prior IRONMANs) called it his favorite.
- Star Democrat / NewsBreak (11th edition)Raced 2025 · article · Mixed
2025 race was held on a soggy Saturday with about 1,250 athletes; thousands of spectators with signs and cowbells. The winner was wrapped by a jellyfish during the swim and the runner-up dealt with nettles.
- Endurance Sportswire (2023 race)Raced 2023 · article · Mixed
Over 1,000 athletes started; the swim was shortened to 918 m (1,004 yd) because of wind and tide in the Choptank. Race doubled as a pro race with a $100,000 purse and a World Championship qualifier.
- Liberty University Club SportsRaced 2026 · article · Positive
Student athlete's first IRONMAN in Cambridge finished in 11:12. Reported from a search summary: windy, headwind for roughly half the ride, but flat and fast. Page itself only showed a headline when fetched.
- Talbot Spy (2025 race)Raced 2025 · article · Mixed
Local report on a drizzly 2025 race with 1,273 starters: some athletes collapsed with cramps at the finish while others finished easily; race director called it a success despite weather. Reported from search summary.
Sources
Pages we used for facts and ratings. See how we rate.
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