How Much Does it Cost to Train for an IRONMAN 70.3? - Coach Tip Tuesday

‍How Much Does it Cost to Train for an IRONMAN 70.3?

How much does it cost to train for an IRONMAN 70.3?  

An IRONMAN 70.3 is a Half Distance Triathlon and is sometimes colloquially referred to as a “Half IRONMAN”).  It is 70.3 miles long and consists of a 1.2-mile swim, a 56-mile bike ride, and a 13.1-mile run. While all IRONMAN 70.3 races are Half Distance Triathlons, not all Half Distance Triathlons are IRONMAN 70.3s.  An IRONMAN 70.3 is a brand-name for this distance of triathlon put on by a company called The IRONMAN Group.  The IRONMAN Group owns the largest number of Half Distance Triathlons in the world, which is why so many people colloquially refer to this distance as “IRONMAN 70.3”, whether the race is actually a name-brand IRONMAN 70.3 or not.

Triathlon is not an inexpensive sport, and most endurance athletes are aware of that.  However, I’ve seen so many athletes be shocked by the true cost of training for an IRONMAN 70.3.  Here’s a hard truth: While I do truly believe that anyone can complete an IRONMAN 70.3 and that anyone can become an IRONMAN, the reality is that some athletes might find that the cost associated with training for and racing an IRONMAN 70.3 is too steep.

There are several factors that impact how much each athlete actually spends as they train for and race an IRONMAN 70.3.  That being said, there are some base costs that all athletes can reasonably expect to incur if they set this goal.  For the purposes of the calculations in this article, I am using 26 weeks (six months) as the timeline to prepare for an IRONMAN 70.3.  To be honest, this is a quick timeline and it usually takes longer than six months to fully prepare to do well at an IRONMAN 70.3.

This week’s Coach Tip Tuesday is the fourth and final article in a series of articles that are an effort to provide athletes with an accurate range of what they can expect to spend if they train for one of the four most common long course endurance events: a marathon, a half marathon, an IRONMAN, or an IRONMAN 70.3.  This week, we’re focusing on IRONMAN 70.3.

All prices referenced in this article are current as of the time of this writing (August 2024).‍

The Swim

I’ve seen over the years that the swim leg of a triathlon comes with the highest “hassle factor”.  First of all, getting access to a place to train for the swim can be challenging.  Additionally, a lot of triathletes are adult-onset swimmers, meaning that they never learned how to swim proficiently (beyond being able to save their own life) until they were grown.

Pool Access

No matter where you live, pool access is pretty limited.  This is especially true for athletes who live in remote or rural areas.  Even places that have pools can be tricky because pool space is so coveted; swim teams, swim lessons, recreational swimmers, and athletes all are competing for the same space and need to divide the time on when they’re using it.

Since training for the swim involves at least a pool or a body of open water, this makes it very different from the bike and the run (which can be trained for from an athlete’s home (indoors or outdoors) in most circumstances).  Athletes need to commit to traveling to a different place to conduct their swim training and access to these facilities almost always costs money.

The costs for pool access vary widely.  Access is usually given one of two ways: through a membership or via charging an athlete a fee for each use of the pool.  Most athletes I’ve coached over the years have had monthly memberships at gyms or facilities that have pools.  The current average monthly cost for pool access is around $50.

Swim Gear

There are a few pieces of gear that are either required or really useful for swim training: a bathing suit, a swim cap, goggles, a wetsuit, and a swim safety buoy.  Technically, a bathing suit is the only piece of gear that is required, but the other things really help and make training for an IRONMAN 70.3 easier and more comfortable.

Bathing Suit

When it comes to swim training, any bathing suit that you’re comfortable in will suffice.  That being said, I have found that bathing suits made for training and competition (such as those made by the companies Speedo and TYR) hold up better in the harsh chemicals of a pool and withstand the rigors of training better than bathing suits designed for recreational use (such as those found at Wal-Mart or Target).  The average price of a bathing suit is $60, and usually one bathing suit will last an entire IRONMAN 70.3 training cycle.

Swim Cap

A swim cap is worn over the top of the head and is a great piece of gear for athletes who don’t have shaved heads or very short hair.  The cap will protect the hair from the harsh chemicals in a pool and will also help reduce the amount of tangling the hair gets while swimming.  In open water swimming environments, a brightly-colored swim cap helps make an athlete more visible to others who are in the water (boaters, other swimmers, etc.).  The average price for a swim cap is $15.

Goggles

Goggles really make swimming more enjoyable and more comfortable since they allow the eyes to remain open while swimming.  Like bathing suits, there are goggles designed for recreation and there are goggles designed for training and competition.  I’ve found that the goggles that are designed for training and competition are better for athletes training for an IRONMAN 70.3 because they fit better, seal better, and overall last longer.  The average price for a pair of goggles is $25.

Wetsuit

I do not think it’s necessary for athletes to always wear a wetsuit in a triathlon.  That being said, the warmth and buoyancy properties of a wetsuit often do make the 1.2-mile swim of an IRONMAN 70.3 race go smoother and feel better for athletes.  Prices of wetsuits designed for triathlon training and racing range from $300-$1,000, but the average price of a wetsuit is $400.

Swim Safety Buoy

A swim safety buoy is a must-have item for any athlete who trains in the open water.  Swim safety buoys help make swimmers more visible to others (boaters, swimmers, etc.) in the water.  Additionally, they can be used as a flotation device mid-swim, which can be comforting if an athlete experiences anxiety in open water.  These buoys often have a pouch that athletes can store things (an extra pair of goggles).  The average cost of a swim safety buoy is $40.

Bathing Suit: $60

Swim Cap: $15

Goggles: $25

Wetsuit: $400

Swim Safety Buoy: $40

The Bike

The big leg of a triathlon is the most expensive leg of a triathlon to train for.  This is true for many reasons, but most notably because the initial purchase of the bicycle itself is so expensive.

Bicycle

The most expensive item that triathletes purchase is usually their bicycle.  While it’s true that any style of bicycle technically will suffice to do a triathlon, the truth is that having a road bike or a triathlon bike is going to be much better than another style of bike (such as a hybrid or mountain bike).

I have a somewhat controversial and unpopular opinion: I don’t think that triathlon bikes or aero bars are necessary to do a triathlon.  Many athletes strongly disagree with me on this, but I stand by what I believe: That a road bike can be just as good in a triathlon as a triathlon bike, especially if the athlete’s handling skills are solid.

I do think that having a road bike is a tremendous benefit when training for an IRONMAN 70.3.    This is especially true since IRONMAN 70.3 races have very strict time limits; a heavy mountain bike or hybrid bike is going to increase the risk that an athlete won’t make the bike course time cutoff.

Pricing for road bikes varies widely based on the materials they’re made out of, what their components are, and more.  A new bike can cost as little as $1,000 and as much as $15,000.  The average price most IRONMAN 70.3 athletes spend on a bike is about $3,000, so that’s the number I’ll use for the purposes of our calculations here.

Bicycle Accessories

There are a number of bicycle accessories that are necessary to train for an IRONMAN 70.3.  

Helmet

Most importantly, a helmet is required in all triathlon races.  A helmet should also be worn every single time you get on a bicycle outdoors or off of an indoor cycling trainer.

All helmets sold in the United States have the same protection factor (meaning that a more expensive helmet is not a safer helmet).  A $60 helmet will protect your head the same as a $300 helmet will.  Any variance in price is due to the materials the helmet is usually based on what the helmet is constructed out of, how well it is ventilated, and how aerodynamic it is.  Prices range from $60-$300, but the average price of a helmet is about $100.

Bike Pump

A bike pump (preferably a floor pump, which can inflate to higher tire pressures than a hand pump can) is a must in order to make sure that your tires are at a proper pressure to ride with.  Road/triathlon tires will lose their pressure within a day or two, so it’s really good to get into the habit of checking the tire pressure of your tires before each ride you go on.  The average price of a bike pump is $40.

Flat Repair Supplies

If you ride outside, you will get a flat tire.  (Will, not might.)  It may be a long time before you experience this, but one day, you will absolutely get a flat tire.  And when you do, you need to be able to change it where it happens so you can get back on the road to riding.  Spare inner tubes, CO2 cartridges, and a hand pump are good supplies to carry with you while you’re riding for when this happens.  The total cost of these supplies is about $60.

Bicycle Maintenance

Your bicycle will absolutely require maintenance over the course of an IRONMAN 70.3 training cycle.  If you get lucky, you’ll only need a basic tune-up.  However, due to the amount of miles that are covered in an average IRONMAN 70.3 training cycle (usually around 1,000 miles), it’s very probable that you’ll need more than a basic tune-up.  If parts wear out and need replacing, you’ll want to be sure you have the funds on hand to cover those expenses.  You should budget at least $300 per year for repairs and maintenance to your bicycle.  

Bike Fit

A Bike Fit is appropriate for anyone who rides a bicycle, but it’s very necessary for athletes who are training for an IRONMAN 70.3 due to how much time they spend on the bike.  The purpose of a Bike Fit is to make a person as comfortable and efficient as possible on a bicycle.  A Bike Fitter takes body measurements of an athlete, observes the athlete riding the bike, and makes adjustments to the bike to help make the rider as comfortable as possible.  All athletes who train for triathlons or cycling events should get a Bike Fit at least one per year, and the average price of a Bike Fit is $200.

Helmet: $100

Bike Pump: $40

Flat Repair Supplies: $60

Bicycle Maintenance: $300

Bike Fit: $200

Cycling Shoes

Yes, there are cycling-specific shoes.  A lot of athletes, especially athletes who are newer to the sport, don’t realize this.  I myself was one of these athletes.  I saw cycling shoes for the first time when I first started training for triathlons, and I thought they looked so weird and funky that I vowed never to wear them.  To put it mildly: Boy, was I wrong about that!

It is completely possible to ride a bicycle with flat pedals and regular shoes or sneakers.  However, I’ve absolutely seen that riding with cycling-specific shoes is immensely helpful for athletes who are doing long-course events like IRONMAN 70.3.  Most athletes pick shoes based on their price, and they end up spending too little on cycling shoes because they don’t understand what makes a cycling shoe different from other shoes and how important they are to the riding experience.  There are several important features that athletes should consider when buying cycling shoes.

Shoes represent one of the three contact points an athlete has with the bicycle itself.  (The three points of contact are feet, hands/arms, and butt.)  The interface between your foot and the pedal of the bicycle determines how powerfully - and therefore how fast - you can move that bicycle.  This means that shoes are vitally important for getting you to transfer as much power/energy as possible from your legs into the bicycle itself to propel it forward.

Cycling shoes are stiffer than normal shoes or sneakers.  Stiffer is better in cycling because we want to reduce how much the foot is bending/flexing around the pedal; less flexion in the foot means that there is a better power transfer.  Additionally, too much flexing (which is what happens when you wear sneakers or running shoes to ride a bike) can cause the foot’s muscles to become fatigued and can cause numbness and/or cramping.  The longer the ride, the more likely this fatigue and numbness is to occur.  The stiffness index of a shoe does impact its price; the stiffer the shoe is, the more expensive it will be.

Cycling shoes can range in price from $120-$450, but the average price is around $300.  While a lot of athletes have sticker shock when they see this price (especially when they compare this price to the price of a pair of running shoes), it’s important to bear in mind that cycling shoes last far longer than other types of footwear.  If cycling shoes are well-cared for, they’ll last at least 8,000-10,000 miles.  As such, it’s worth spending the money on a good pair of cycling shoes that fits and functions well; the return on investment per mile or for the time you’ll be using them is actually excellent when you actually calculate the math.

Alongside cycling shoes, I recommend that athletes training for IRONMAN 70.3 ride with clipless pedals.  There are various styles (Look KEO, SPD, SPD-SL, and Speedplay are the most common).  There are many reasons why clipless pedals are a great choice for IRONMAN 70.3 athletes, but one of the main reasons is that they help keep the foot locked into the optimal position for pedaling with the metatarsal heads of the foot bisecting the pedal spindle.  (Contrary to popular opinion, the ability to pull up on the pedals is not a reason why clipless pedals are advantageous.)  Clipless pedals range widely in pricing, starting around $70 for basic pedals and going all the way up to $1,200 for clipless pedals that have an integrated power meter.  That being said, the average amount of money most athletes spend on clipless pedals is around $100.

Cycling Clothing

You can ride a bike wearing any type of clothing, but you will be much, much more comfortable if you wear clothing that is designed specifically for cycling.  Cycling-specific clothing is made using technical, moisture-wicking fabrics that are designed to reduce friction, keep you cool, and be functional throughout your ride.  Cycling jerseys (and even some cycling shorts!) have pockets that can be used to store tools, fuel, and more.  Cycling shorts have a chamois, which is a padded insert that is sewn into the shorts themselves.  A chamois diverts seams away from the areas of the body/clothing that will be in contact with the saddle and it also provides a cushion barrier between the bones and soft tissues that are making contact with the saddle.  All of this increases the rider’s comfort.

Depending on where you live and the season that you’re riding in, you may find that additional clothing items such as gloves, long-sleeved jerseys, cycling jackets, and full-length cycling tights might be beneficial to you.  The average price of common cycling clothing items is as follows:

Cycling Jersey: $110

Cycling Shorts: $90

Cycling Socks: $17

Sports Bra: $65

Cycling Gloves: $35

Cycling Jacket: $150

Sunglasses (Non-Prescription): $30

Indoor Cycling Trainer

Since IRONMAN 70.3 races take place outdoors, I always recommend that athletes train with the specificity that they will encounter on race day (which in this case means training outside).  That being said, there are circumstances that may make it so training outside isn’t possible.  Thus, no matter where you live, if you’re training for an IRONMAN 70.3, you will likely benefit from having an indoor cycling trainer.  An indoor cycling trainer allows you to ride your own bike indoors, which can be advantageous in seasons when the weather doesn’t allow outside riding.  It can also be a benefit to athletes who need to do their workouts at times of day when it’s dark and it’s not safe to be outside.

A lot of athletes make the mistake of thinking that any indoor stationary bike or spin bike (especially the Peloton bike) is sufficient when athletes need to train indoors for cycling.  This is not true; indoor stationary bikes, spin bikes, and Peloton bikes are not the same bike that you will be riding in your IRONMAN 70.3, so they lack that specificity.  It’s vitally important to train the position you’ll be riding in the race.  This isn’t popular advice, but it’s honest advice.  Athletes who have disregarded my recommendations about this have struggled mightily when it comes to improving their cycling.

Indoor cycling trainers can be “dumb” (meaning that they do not have any connected, electronic features) and there are versions of indoor cycling trainers called “smart trainers” that do have connectivity to allow athletes to simulate the feeling of riding real courses while indoors.  Indoor cycling trainers can also be “wheel-on” (meaning that you connect your entire bike to the trainer) or “direct drive” (meaning that you take off your back wheel and use a cassette on the trainer itself rather than your own wheel).

The style and features of indoor cycling trainers determines their pricing; indoor cycling trainers range in price from $300-$1,200.  The average amount spent on an indoor cycling trainer is around $500.

The Run

There are a few costs specifically associated with training for the run leg of a triathlon.  The two most notable are running shoes and running clothing.

Running Shoes

When it comes to training for the run portion of a triathlon, running shoes are the most important piece of gear that athletes will need.  Most athletes will cover 200-400 miles in their training runs as they train for an IRONMAN 70.3, which means that they will need at least one pair of running shoes in training, and possibly more.  Failing to replace running shoes on time is one of the most common reasons that runners and triathletes sustain training-related injuries.

On average, running shoes last for about 350-500 miles.  How long they last is a matter of physics; the shoes are absorbing 5-7 times the body weight of the athlete, so the heavier an athlete is, the faster their shoes will break down and the more frequently they will need to be replaced.  The average pair of running shoes costs $150, but prices of running shoes can range from $120-$300 depending on the shoe’s features.

Perhaps because they do have a relatively short lifespan, I’ve seen athletes try and “get the most miles” out of their running shoes time and time again over the years.  However, when you compare the cost of a pair of running shoes to the cost (financial, temporal, and emotional) of an injury, the cost of running shoes is honestly relatively insignificant.  I encourage all athletes to track the mileage on their shoes using a platform such as Final Surge, Strava, or Garmin Connect and to replace them on time when their life expectancy is up.

Running Clothing

What you wear while you’re running has a big impact on how comfortable you are, which in turn impacts how much you enjoy the experience of running.  It’s true that you can technically run in any clothing, but running in garments that are specifically designed to be run in is a good practice.  Running-specific garments are moisture-wicking, technical, and designed specifically for the specific act of running.  Common running clothing items include: tops, bottoms, socks, sports bras, and head gear.  Depending on the season, you may also benefit from items such as gloves, jackets, or sunglasses.  The average price of common running clothing items is as follows:

Running Shirt: $60

Running Bottoms: $90

Running Socks: $17

Sports Bra: $65

Running Visor: $30

Gloves: $20

Running Jacket: $100

Sunglasses (Non-Prescription): $30

Everything Else

Race Entry

Most races charge entry fees, and all IRONMAN 70.3 races charge entry fees.  I’ve discussed in the past how race entry fees reflect the costs that are incurred by the race organizers.  Race organizers need to pass along these costs to the customer (the athlete) in order to make these events sustainable and profitable.  The profits they make from the races allow them to continue offering additional races and improving the quality of the races they already put on.

Triathlons are very expensive to organize and put on.  The nature of having three disciplines all in one event adds layers of complexity, which adds to the cost of operating the race.  In particular, water support and safety is expensive, as is the insurance to cover events like this. IRONMAN 70.3 races are even more expensive to put on due to their scale, organization, and the level of support that they provide to athletes on course.  The current average price of an IRONMAN 70.3 entry is $425.

Race Travel

In many cases, travel is required to participate in an IRONMAN 70.3 event.  There are more IRONMAN 70.3 events than IRONMAN events worldwide (143 IRONMAN 70.3s as of August 2024 versus just 42 IRONMAN races).  (And there are more non-IRONMAN branded Half Distance Triathlons than this.)  However, this is still a relatively low number; by comparison, there are more than 800 marathons and thousands of half marathons held worldwide each year.  As a result, the chances of having an IRONMAN 70.3 race that is in your own backyard that you don’t need to travel to is unlikely.

Obviously travel costs can vary widely depending on many factors, including the destination, the accommodations, method of travel, etc.  Over the years, the athletes I’ve coached have spent an average of $2,000 on travel related to their IRONMAN 70.3 race, so that’s the number I’ll use for the purposes of this calculation.

Tri Kit

A Triathlon Kit (more commonly referred to as a Tri Kit or a Tri Suit) is a special type of apparel specifically designed to be worn for all three legs of a triathlon.  It is constructed of fabrics that dry quickly, has a chamois to make riding a bicycle more comfortable, and has pockets that can be used to store fuel or other things.  A Tri Kit makes it possible for an athlete to swim, bike, and run without having to change clothing in between each discipline of the triathlon.

Pricing on Tri Kits varies widely based on several factors, but it is a really worthwhile investment; it actually does make the process of transitioning from one leg to the next in a triathlon much easier.  The average price for one Tri Kit is $230.

GPS Device

A GPS device designed specifically for training for triathlons is a very worthwhile investment for athletes who are training for an IRONMAN 70.3.  This device allows athletes to track their workouts, follow structured workouts, measure progress over time, follow turn-by-turn directions on courses during workouts, and more.  While it’s technically not necessary to have a GPS device to train for an IRONMAN 70.3, I have observed that having one really enhances an athlete’s experience in training since the device can take over a lot of thinking, calculating, and measuring that an athlete would otherwise have to do without one.

There are cycling-specific computers that some athletes train with (including me), but for athletes who are getting into the sport, I recommend a device that can track multiple sports, such as a Garmin Forerunner device.  Other devices such as a cycling computer can be acquired later on if the athlete decides they want to have them, but having a single device that can track all three disciplines (including a triathlon itself on race day) is the way to go if you’re new or if funds are limited.  The average price of a GPS device that can be used to train for all three disciplines of triathlon is $600.

Hydration

One of the most underappreciated and neglected aspects of triathlon training is hydration, despite the fact that managing hydration is one of the three most important things that endurance athletes can do to help their training and performance.  There have been extensive, longitudinal studies that show that 50% of people in the world are not sufficiently hydrated.

Yes, water is free (if you get it from a municipal water supply), but there are costs associated with hydration vessels that enable you to carry water with you while you’re training and with hydrating beverages (aka sports drinks).

On the bike, bike bottles are the most common way to hydrate.  When it comes to the run, handhelds, waist belts, and running vests are the three most common types of running vessels that are used.  The prices of these items vary depending on a few factors; their capacity and how they are constructed are the main things that drive pricing.  Bike bottles are usually around $20 and prices range from $30-$200 for a running-specific hydration vessel; handhelds tend to be the cheapest and running vests are the most expensive.  While this price range might seem  broad and expensive, hydration vessels designed for running are absolutely worth the investment.  Dehydration impacts performance severely and carrying regular bottles in your hands while you are running gets old very quickly.  

My anecdotal experience over the years as a coach backs up the studies that show that 50% of people are insufficiently hydrated.  I’ve seen that most athletes will default to carrying nothing with them as far as hydration goes during workouts.  If we’re lucky, they might carry a little bit of hydration with them, but I’ve seen time and time again that people severely underestimate and underappreciate how much hydration they actually need in a given day, let alone during a workout.  Hydrating with plain water would absolutely be better than not hydrating at all, but plain water on its own doesn’t replace the electrolytes that are lost during exercise, and thus it’s not truly a hydrating in-workout beverage for athletes.  

I recommend consuming something that does actually hydrate the body during exercise (aka a sports drink such as Skratch Hydration).  Sports drinks are formulated to replace the electrolytes lost during exercise, to balance the osmolality in the body’s gastrointestinal system for good nutrient absorption during exercise, and to help the body perform better in training and recover after a training session.  All of this means the body adapts to and recovers from training better when it is sufficiently hydrated, which leads to enhanced performance over time.  Simply put: If you neglect hydration during your training and on race day, you will never reach your full potential in an IRONMAN 70.3.

You should by hydrating every single workout.  (Yes, I mean it.  Every single workout, even the short ones.)  You need to train your gastrointestinal system the way you train your muscular system, your cardiovascular system, and your respiratory system in training: Frequently and consistently.  Depending on your sweat rate, if you are properly hydrating all of your workouts, you will use an average of 7 servings of sports drink per week as you train for an IRONMAN 70.3, which means you can expect to go through at least 182 servings of sports drink in a 26-week training cycle.  The cost for this number of servings is approximately $160.

Workout Fueling

In addition to consuming hydration, athletes who are training for an IRONMAN 70.3 need to be consuming fuel at regular intervals during workouts that last longer than 90 minutes.  It’s important to note that workout fueling is separate and distinct from an athlete’s daily nutrition; daily nutrition needs/requirements will increase.  As an athlete’s training volume rises, their need for nutritious food also rises, which means that they will consume more food, which in turn increases the costs associated with daily nutrition.  That being said, this cost is very hard to actually quantify.

Workout fuel, however, can be quantified a bit easier.  When it comes to workout fuel, athletes have so many options to choose from; right now, athletes have more options than ever before.  Items such as bars, gels, waffles, and chews are specifically made to be easy to consume while riding and running.  

An athlete’s pacing and the duration of their workouts in training will significantly impact how much workout fuel costs.  In addition, which type of fuel the athlete chooses will also impact the total cost of workout fuel in training. That being said, based on the average IRONMAN 70.3 finish time (which is about 6 hours) and on an average price per serving, the average cost of workout fuel for 26 weeks of IRONMAN 70.3 training is $220.

Coaching & Training Plans

A lot of athletes who train for an IRONMAN 70.3 follow a Training Plan or hire a coach.  Both of these options have costs associated with them, and these costs vary widely.

IRONMAN 70.3 Training Plans

There are a wide variety of different IRONMAN 70.3 Training Plans available for athletes to purchase that are pre-written and “ready to go”; this means that these plans are available for an athlete to use as soon as they purchase them.  Plans like these are specifically designed to help athletes train for the IRONMAN 70.3 distance.  They are often written and sold based on an athlete's experience level (such as Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced) and on the type of metrics an athlete wants to leverage during their training (such as effort, heart rate, power, or pace).  

It’s not uncommon to see IRONMAN 70.3 Training Plans that are written with a specific race in mind; race course profiles do change how athletes should be preparing in training.  For instance, an athlete training for IRONMAN 70.3 Maine (which has a downriver swim and a very hilly bike course) will need to train a lot differently than an athlete who is training for IRONMAN 70.3 Eagleman (which has a brackish water swim and a flat course for the bike and run).

Beyond these base elements, there isn’t any individualization in these types of training plans; IRONMAN 70.3 Training Plans are generic and are not personalized for an individual athlete and their specific goals.  Because of this, this option is the cheapest way that athletes can get guidance for IRONMAN 70.3 training; the average price of IRONMAN 70.3 Training Plans that cover 26 weeks of training is $80. 

Custom-Built IRONMAN 70.3 Training Plans

Custom-Built IRONMAN 70.3 Training Plans are designed, written, and personalized specifically for an individual athlete.  Custom-Built IRONMAN 70.3 Training Plans account for so many things, including: the athlete’s goal race, the athlete’s experience level, the athlete’s training preferences, the athlete’s goals, the athlete’s personal schedule, the athlete’s injury history, and more.  

A coach meets with an athlete to discuss their goals and what things they want accounted for in their Custom-Built IRONMAN 70.3 Training Plan.  Then, the Custom-Built IRONMAN 70.3 Training Plan is written for and delivered to an athlete.  Once they receive their Custom-Built IRONMAN 70.3 Training Plan, the athlete goes and follows the Custom-Built IRONMAN 70.3 Training Plan on their own; there isn’t any feedback or guidance given to the athlete once the plan is written and delivered.  Custom-Built IRONMAN 70.3 Training Plans are nice options for athletes who are self-motivated and who don’t want or need to work with a coach on a daily or weekly basis, but still want to have a customized training plan to follow to help them reach their goals.

Because they are individualized for each athlete, Custom-Built IRONMAN 70.3 Training Plans are more expensive than “generic” IRONMAN 70.3 Training Plans.  The average cost of a Custom-Built IRONMAN 70.3 Training Plan that covers 26 weeks of training is $700.

Performance Coaching

Performance Coaching is the highest level of coaching, communication, and personalization that an athlete can get while training for an IRONMAN 70.3.  All of the same things (the athlete’s goal race, the athlete’s experience level, the athlete’s training preferences, the athlete’s goals, the athlete’s personal schedule, the athlete’s injury history, and more) are taken into account for an athlete on Performance Coaching, but there’s even more specificity and detail with this training option because athletes have unlimited communication with their coach throughout all of their training.  Additionally, training is designed and written one week at a time (versus several months at a time) and can be adjusted on a very granular level (even daily) depending on how things are going in training and what things are happening in an athlete’s life.

Because this service has such a high level of personalization and communication, it is the most expensive Coaching or Training Plan option that an athlete can select.  The average cost of 26 weeks of Performance Coaching is $1,600.

Total IRONMAN 70.3 Training Costs

As you can see, once you list out everything that you either need or that is very helpful to train for an IRONMAN 70.3, the costs add up, and they add up quickly.  Here’s the total average amount you can expect to spend while training for an IRONMAN 70.3, broken down by category:

Swim

Pool Access: $300

Bathing Suit: $60

Swim Cap: $15

Goggles: $25

Wetsuit: $400

Swim Safety Buoy: $40

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Bike

Bicycle: $3,000

Helmet: $100

Bike Pump: $40

Flat Repair Supplies: $60

Bicycle Maintenance: $300

Bike Fit: $200

Cycling Shoes: $300

Clipless Pedals: $100

Cycling Clothing (One Outfit): $497

Indoor Cycling Trainer: $500

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Run

Running Shoes: $150

Running Clothing (One Outfit): $412

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Everything Else

Race Entry: $425

Race Travel: $2,000

Tri Kit: $230

GPS Device: $600

Hydration Vessels: $140

Hydration Beverages: $160

Workout Fuel: $220

Coaching & Training Plans: $80-$1,600 (Average: $700)

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Total Average Cost to Train for an IRONMAN 70.3: $10,974

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Low Average Cost to Train for an IRONMAN 70.3: $8,354

High Average Cost to Train for an IRONMAN 70.3: $11,874

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These calculations do represent averages, and it’s been my experience that athletes spend more than these averages.  Between wanting extra gear, more than one outfit to train in, needing bike repairs, and more, athletes end up incurring additional costs throughout their training.

The total cost of training for a race like this is one of the reasons I urge athletes not to rush into doing this distance of triathlon.  If athletes wait a year or two (or more!) to take on this distance and work on establishing a strong foundation of training, they will not only be stronger when they decide to train for an IRONMAN 70.3, but it will also be less expensive at that time because they will have acquired some of the necessary gear items and tools slowly along the way, dispersing the cost out over several years instead of incurring it all at once in a single year.  

The Bottom Line

The truth of the matter is this: Training for an IRONMAN 70.3 is expensive.  There isn’t any other way to sugar coat or say it.  Training for an IRONMAN 70.3 is absolutely a wonderful and worthwhile goal.  At the same time, it’s so important to fully understand what it takes (emotionally, temporally, and logistically) to train for a race like this before you set a goal to do one.

By seeing and understanding the true total costs of training for an IRONMAN 70.3 before you sign up for one, you can make wiser, more thoughtful choices about how to spend your money and about what timing in your life is right to take on a goal of this magnitude.  These informed and thoughtful choices will give you a higher probability of successfully and joyfully achieving your goals at an IRONMAN 70.3 race.