IRONMAN Puerto Rico 70.3 Course Preview and Tips

March 13 - 15, 2020

All the information and details you need, including course-specific tips from

PURPLE PATCH FITNESS FOUNDER AND HEAD COACH, MATT DIXON

RACE OVERVIEW

From Purple Patch Founder and Head Coach, Matt Dixon

Participants will swim 1.2 miles (1.9 km), which will be held in the protected waters of the Condado Lagoon. Spectators and Athletes will have a great view of the Swim Course from the San Juan Beach, the Dos Hermanos Bridge and the Caribe Hilton’s San Geronimo grounds. Water temperatures are expected to be around 78° Fahrenheit (26° Celsius). The transition between the swim and bike will take place in the Sixto Escobar Stadium, adjacent to the Caribe Hilton.

PRE-RACE INFORMATION

Course Cut-Off Times

Swim

7:36 am: Last Wave Start
8:46 am: Swim Course Closed
The swim course will close 1 hour and 10 minutes after the final wave start. Each athlete will have 1 hour and 10 minutes to complete the 1.2 mile swim. Individual athletes who take longer than 1 hour and 10 minutes to complete the swim will receive a DNF. IRONMAN officials reserve the right to pull athletes off the course who exceed any established course time cut-offs. *Estimated cut-off times are subject to change

Bike

10:45 am: Must start 2nd Lap at turnaround on PR-165 (Camino del Mar)
11:15 am: Must be past far turnaround on PR-165 (Dorado)
12:45 pm: Bike Course Closes
The bike course will close 5 hours after the final scheduled Age-Group/Relay wave starts the swim (*Excludes possible wetsuit optional wave). Each athlete or relay team will have 5 hours to complete the swim, T1 and bike course regardless of when they start the swim. Any athlete or relay team that takes longer than 5 hours to complete the swim, T1 and bike course will receive a DNF. If there is a wetsuit-optional wave following the last scheduled Age-Group Waves, wetsuit athletes will have to adhere to the Age-Group wave course cut-off and course closures (in other words times will not be adjusted based on a later start time). *Estimated cut-off times are subject to change.

Run

2:15 pm: Must start 2nd Lap of run.
3:45 pm: Course closes. Runners still on the course after that time will be pulled from the course by an IRONMAN official and will not have the opportunity to unofficially finish the race.
The run course will close 8 hours after the final scheduled Age-Group/ Relay wave start (*excludes possible wetsuit-optional wave). If there is a wetsuit-optional wave following the scheduled Age-Group waves, bike and run cut-off times will not be adjusted. Each individual athlete will have 8 hours to complete the entire course. Individual athletes that take longer than 8 hours to complete the entire course will receive a DNF. *Estimated cut-off times are subject to change

Finish Line Cut-Off

3:45 pm: Course closes. Runners still on the course after that time will be pulled from the course by an IRONMAN official and will not have the opportunity to unofficially finish the race.

SCHEDULE

FRIDAY, MARCH 13, 2020

TIME

12:00 pm - 6:00 pm

12:00 pm - 6:00 pm

4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

EVENT

Athlete Check-in

IRONMAN Village

Official IRONMAN Store

Official Bike Shops

Information Booth

Athlete Race Briefing

LOCATION

Parque del Tercer Milenio

SATURDAY, MARCH 14, 2020

TIME

10:00 am - 4:00 pm

10:00 am - 5:00 pm

10:00 am - 11:00 am

12:00 pm - 5:00 pm

1:00 pm - 2:00 pm

EVENT

Athlete Check-in

IRONMAN Village

Official IRONMAN STORE

Official Bike Shops

Information Booth

Athlete Race Briefing

Mandatory Bike Check-in

Athlete Race Briefing

LOCATION

Parque del Tercer Milenio

RACE DAY: SUNDAY MARCH 15, 2020

TIME

4:30 am - 6:00 am

6:40 am

6:55 am

10:00 am - 4:00 pm

1:00 am - 4:00 pm

6:00 pm

8:00 pm

EVENT

Body Marking; Transition Open

National Anthems

First Swim Wave

Official IRONMAN Store

Information Booth / Lost & Found

Athlete Post Race Food

Bike Check-Out

Awards Ceremony

IMPR 10th Anniversary After-Party

LOCATION

Parque del Tercer Milenio

Swim Start (Next to Condado Plaza)

Parque del Tercer Milenio

Caribar Bar (lobby) at Caribe Hilton

WAVE STARTS

PRE RACE TIPS

Pre-Race Bike Tips

With the temperature swings of the heat in the middle of the day to cooler nights, it is worth removing some of your air in your tires when you rack your bike the night before the race.
Race morning pump your tires to your race pressure. This will reduce the risk of pressure-related blowouts when the bike is racked the day prior.

Pre-Race Tips from Purple Patch Pro, Sarah Piampiano

It is early season and it is a hot race, a combination that draws me to double down on being smart and pragmatic in expectations. If you do get to sneak in some heat treatment in advance (10-20 minuters in a sauna post training a few times weekly as you lead into race day), then I would recommend it.

Pre-Race Tips from Matt Dixon

Don’t forget to warm up. One of the biggest mistakes I see is the lack of a warm-up prior to the swim. At any distance, a lack of warm-up is a performance inhibitor for many athletes (pros and all the way down).

Set up transition: arrive with lots of time to spare.
Running warm-up: 10-15 minutes of very easy jogging. When return have a little fuel and hydration.
Check transition and put on the wetsuit: final preps, kiss your family, friends, dogs, and teammates.
Swim warm-up: check the course buoys one more time then go:
- 3-5 min easy swimming then:
- 30 sec moderate
- 30 sec smooth
- 20 sec strong
- 30 sec smooth
- 10 sec V strong
- 30 sec smooth
- 20 sec strong
- 30 sec smooth
- 30 sec moderate
- Can go through twice if you wish!

Ready to race.

SWIM COURSE

Length: 1.2 miles, 1 loop

Water Temperature: Approximately 78° Fahrenheit (26° Celsius)

Swim Overview

Swim to Bike Transition

The transition between the swim and bike will take place in the Sixto Escobar Stadium, adjacent to the Caribe Hilton.

SWIM TIPS

Pre-Race Tips

Morning sun can be a factor here, as can the currents and potential chop. Take the time to go down to the water's edge and visualize the course, understand where the sun will be on race morning, and look for potential sighting aids that you might utilize on race day (landscape cues, buildings, etc.).

Swim Gear Tip

I would pack two pairs of goggles for this race, different lenses to suit conditions, as well as having a backup in case your preferred pair breaks on race morning.

Swim Tips from Matt Dixon

A relatively simple swim, but as this is an early season race for most, your open water sharpness might not be there. With this in mind, retain a focus on the tips below:

Don’t go out too hard (notice that I say “hard” not too “fast”). Calm and controlled will set up your best experience and swim.
Don’t forget to sight. Every 6 strokes is about the rhythm.
Own your destiny. Look for groups and people to draft, but never forget to swim your own best line as most triathletes are not great at sighting.

Swim Tips from Sarah Piampiano

The biggest thing for me in every swim is to remain calm in the initial 200 strokes (which I count!) and to remember to breathe. I have a tendency to forget to breathe when in the racing moment, so having a strategy of focusing on breathing and counting calm strokes sets me up for success.

Your heart rate will be high. Ensure you take your time and think of being efficient over sprinting. Any seconds you gain in T1 from going hard will likely cost you later on.
Know your way and where you rack your bike!
Don’t start the race without a mental checklist of the process you must go through.

BIKE COURSE

Length: 56 miles, 2 loops

Bike Course Overview

Athletes will endure a 56-mile (90 km) bike ride. The majority of the bike course will cover the northern part of the island from San Juan heading west towards the municipality of Dorado. During this course, the athletes will enjoy beachfront views and some short but challenging hills.

Bike Elevation

Start: 24 ft
Max: 59 ft
Gain: 338 ft

Bike Course Nutrition at Aid Stations

Sports Drink: Gatorade with Sports-top, Lemon-Lime, Fruit Punch & Cool Blue
Water: Aquafina with Sports-top
Energy Gel: 26ERS, Sport Bits & Endurance Bars

BIKE TIPS

Bike Tips from Matt Dixon

For many, this will be the first race of the season. Ensure your equipment is dialed in, no tire issues, and all the gears working in line with your racing hopes!
A great course, but one which variance is mapped by a hot and tough run. We need to manage the pacing and cost here, as success in this race is dependent on your run performance.
Terrain management, fueling (especially as early season,you might have incresed fuel demands) and hydration are all key.
Please ensure you maintain great posture as much as possible. You need to get off and run here, and early season racing often leads to uncomfortable rides and run.
The variable road surfaces and terrain will mean that you must adjust expectations in holding consistent power, if you choose to ride with a power meter, and I would urge that you manage effort as much as specific powers in this race. Going out too hard in the initial 40 km will only destroy your run performance.

Bike Tips from Sarah Piampiano

Build, build, build. Early season races are always better to ramp effort into a strong and sustained effort.

I don’t aim to hit specific power, instead, I listen to my body and look to manage a good ride that yields a great run in hot conditions.

RUN COURSE

Length: 13.1 miles, 2 loops

Run Course Overview

The running course will take athletes on a 13.1 mile (21 km) run through the city of Old San Juan. Runners will make their way through the northern part of the islet with breathtaking views of the Atlantic Ocean, running past 16th century Spanish architecture on their way to reach the turn around point at the entrance of the famous Fort San Felipe del Morro. This 16th century citadel, constructed to protect the town from attack by sea, is one of the highlights of any tour of the old city, a rocky web of tunnels and barracks, towers and prisons. Probably the most famous monument from Spanish colonial times, the fortress stands out on a rocky islet, forever a reminder of a different age. Runners will return to the transition area to start the second and final loop.

Run Elevation

Start: 13 ft
Max: 131 ft
Gain: 161 ft per run-out distance
Total Gain: 644 ft (out and back twice)

Run Course Nutrition at Aid Stations

Sports Drink: Gatorade (G2), Lemon-Lime & Orange
Water: Aquafina
Cola: Pepsi
Energy Gel: 26ERS, Sport Bits & Endurance Bars • Fruit: Oranges & Bananas • Snacks: Pretzels

RUN TIPS

Run Tips from Matt Dixon

This run is a challenge so do not venture with specific paces in mind. Plenty of steeper grades and suppressive heat means that management is as much a component as toughness.

Don’t be afraid to take walk breaks early to control your inner core temperature. Being smart ealy in the race will allow better performance in the second half.
Don’t forget to fuel and hydrate! So many do so and then crumble in the back half.

Run Tips from Sarah Piampiano

Walk the steeper grades! There is little speed penalty to doing this and it helps you manage your core temperature.
Run the downhills. Opposite to the walking up and really try to carry fast leg speed going downhill. Leg speed is key!

MATT’S FINAL THOUGHTS

Focus on the process not outcome.

Triathlons can elicit monkey brain. You may start asking yourself a lot of questions during the race, and lose focus on the immediate task at hand. Controlling that attention and focus is part of the challenge and the fun.
Don't evaluate too early. Many athletes start evaluating their performances before they finish the race and leave some potential strewn across the course. Triathlons require you to remain focused on execution and process, without a thought of the outcome during the race. Save your race evaluation for the recovery tent.
Fueling: Check in with yourself throughout the race and continually assess your calories and hydration intake. It may be hot this year, so think about that when you are planning your hydration and remember calories every 10-15 minutes. If your mood starts to drop, it is likely calories.
Pacing: Managing your effort, gearing, and pacing in each part of the race.
Form: Staying supple on the bike, good tension on the chain, running tall on the run with good foot-speed. Basically, all the things we have talked about so far!

Don’t let the support, terrain and spirit of this course deceive you. It is a wonderful race, so go have fun and embrace it.

Best of luck, we will see you on the course.

Course photos: IRONMAN

PPFFebruary 28, 2020