Ironman 70.3 Florida Official Website

The "Nitty Gritty" Details (User Opinions)

DAVID M.
Weston, FL

  (09-20-2011)

"As stated many times, the ridiculous run through muddy water stations and open fields (3 loops) combined with a ho-hum bike course make this an average race at best. The swim is nice in warm water and the facilities for non-racers are very accommodating. With so much land at Disney it's very surprising that the 70.3 mile race is confined to such a small area.

The bus situation back is a disaster as many wait 1+ hours to return to the parking lot. Both years I simply road my bike back to the car. As is becoming common with the Ironman branded events, the lack of quality control is beginning to wear on me and other athletes. It's a shame. Read more of my thoughts on the Ironman brand at http://www.brokentoenails.com/2010/12/whats-in-name-wtc-and- ironman-brand.html ."

Reviewed by a: Repeat Participant for 2010

Ben S.
San Francisco, CA

  (05-16-2011)

"Ironman 70.3 Florida is held at Disney World at the Fort Wilderness Resort. Parking is a couple of miles away at the Magic Kingdom. Shuttles run from the transition/expo to the parking lot, but they are sporadic so it might be faster to walk or ride your bike. On the early morning of race day, there was a spectacular thunderstorm which blew through shortly before the race got started. It caused a slight delay in the proceedings, so each wave got off about 20 minutes late. I was in the last of 22 waves, starting off at about 7:45 in the morning. The swim was in Bay Lake, and the water temperature was in the 80s so the race was not wetsuit legal. Being in the last wave, I found myself swimming over and around slower swimmers from earlier waves through the whole 1.2 miles. At one point, someone grabbed my ankle and tore off my timing chip, but fortunately it floated and I was able to retrieve it. This was my eleventh half ironman and was my slowest swim time ever --- 36:32--- due to a combination of no wetsuit, hot water, obstacles of slower swimmers, and my comparatively poor conditioning since taking 2010 off from the sport. The bike course was very flat, as you’d expect in Florida, but fairly windy with winds 10 to 20 mph. It was a one-loop start-to-finish course, and the wind was behind us about as much as it was in our faces. I felt okay on the bike course, finishing in 2:51:58, a bit more than 10 minutes off my PR, but generally riding conservatively. The run, by contrast, was a disaster for me. It was a three-loop course, again very flat, but I was badly overheated in the early afternoon sun. I think the heavier humidity in Florida compared to California also was a factor in how exhausted I felt. While I have been out here training in Florida for a while now, I rarely run in mid-day, and the effect of the sun was brutal. I was quickly reduced to a shuffling trot, finishing the leg in an embarrassingly slow 2:35:26, my slowest half marathon ever. My final time was 6:15:10, which feels like a universe away from my PR of 5:23:43 from Ironman 70.3 Calgary in 2009. Still, my slow time did not detract from the high quality of the race: beautiful course, well-stocked aid stations, friendly volunteers. I highly recommend this event."

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2011

douglas h.
louisville, KY

  (06-15-2009)

"This was overall a decent race. The best part of the race was the bike leg as it was very fast, although at one point about twenty of us were stopped in traffic for an unbelievable 3 minutes. the weather was predictably hot and humid. the run was about 80% on grass (mostly uneven) which was advertised no where. One thing which was quite frustrating was the logistical nightmare which is disney. It is advertised as being based at the wilderness lodge. this is true but all that is there is the hotel. the transition area and start are a mile away. the only way to get there is by bus, boat or to walk. all a hassel. one other negative note: the course is not very spectator friendly. everyone is crammed into about 400 yards around the transition area. zero on the bike leg and for 90% of the run you are on your own. i had a good race experience overall but i would choose the gulf coast 1/2 next time."

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2009

Suzy H.
San Francisco, CA

  (06-10-2009)

"Anytime you do a race in central Florida, you better be prepared to be HOT! This race is no exception. The water temp is generally warm enough to make wetsuits illegal. The bike course has a couple small hills, which are few and far between in this area. The run is FLAT FLAT FLAT, but is 3 loops which feels a little longer than is necessary (13 miles is long enough!). The good thing about loops is it concentrates the supporters, which were around in plenty because of the big race.
I would only do this race again if I was able to train in hot, humid weather as would be absolutely necessary to handle this race."

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2007

shay m.
Drexel hill, PA

  (05-26-2009)

"It is very HOT!!! The run is on a trail with no shade so it gets very Hot, the bike is pretty fast. A great race for a first timer. "

Reviewed by a: Repeat Participant for 2009

Mike J.
Naperville, IL

  (05-25-2009)

"I was surprised how poorly marked the course was on registration day and I found the help booth unhelpful, however the day of the race was a 180 degree turn. The spectators were sparse but awesome. The volunteers were amazing! You just need to know a few things about the race:
1) the swim will probably be sans wetsuit
2) the bike course is ultra fast
3) the run is mostly on dirt/grass trail with no shade
4) is it most-likely going to be a very hot event.... hydrate!!!!"

Reviewed by a: First Time Participant for 2009