Racing IRONMAN 70.3 Wisconsin: A Guide for Triathletes

Are you looking for a race with Midwestern charm, set in a lively waterfront town? Do you want a race that’s not only rewarding but will also make you excited to sign up for again next year? IRONMAN 70.3 Wisconsin has all you could want from a race, plus more!

Witness the vibrant beauty of Madison, Wisconsin, from its peaceful waterfront trails and artsy city feel. We picked this race as a fun father-and-son experience that would also cross off Tim’s 50th and final U.S. state.

We love traveling, but competing in triathlons is a close second in our family. Between Tim, Julie, and me, we’ve raced 70.3s and 140.6s all over the world, including Spain, Italy, races throughout the USA, and even the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships in Taupo, New Zealand.

Here is our race report for IRONMAN 70.3 Wisconsin.

Pre-Race in Madison

Madison is a charming lake town in southern Wisconsin. Downtown Madison, where the race venue is located, is a thin strip of land that sits between two lakes, Lake Monona and Lake Mendota.

The first weekend of September, Madison hosts both the IRONMAN 70.3 Wisconsin and IRONMAN Wisconsin. The 70.3 is on Saturday, while the full Ironman is on Sunday. We bumped into a few athletes that were racing both days!

We arrived in Madison Wednesday evening, giving ourselves two full days before the IRONMAN 70.3 race to explore the downtown area, check in at the IRONMAN Village, drop our bikes off in transition, shop for merch at the IRONMAN store, and get race ready.

Most athletes arrived Thursday evening and on Friday, so downtown Madison was fairly quite as we wandered around the sites during the day on Thursday.

On Friday, Tim and I did a quick practice ride and a practice swim. The water temperature was 69°F (20.5°C), which was just warm enough to swim without a wetsuit and not freeze. We were the only two at the practice swim that were going in without wetsuits (as we wanted to keep them dry for race day), which definitely attracted a lot of looks. We took pride that we were braving the chilly water in nothing but our swim shorts.

IRONMAN 70.3 Wisconsin: Race Report

Tim and I raced IRONMAN 70.3 Wisconsin in 2024. Here is what to expect on the course.

The Swim: 2.4 miles

The swim course takes place in Lake Monona, with athletes starting at the Monona Convention Center. Having swam in Lake Monona without a wetsuit the day before, we felt really confident for today. We both don’t do well with cold swims, but we knew that today would go great with our wetsuits on. We also had plenty of open water swim practice during our week in Madeira just 6 weeks prior, so we were ready to crush it today.

The swim is a one loop rectangle that follows along the waterfront, starting and ending in the same place. There are plenty of buoys along the way to aid in sighting, as well as lots of people in kayaks and paddleboards monitoring your safety.

The race officially started at 7:00 am. It is a rolling start with 3 athletes starting every 3 seconds. We lined up near the middle of the 34-38 minute projected swim time group and awaited our turn to enter the water. It took less than 10 minutes from the official start until we were running into the water.

The swim was great! Temperatures were perfect, I easily found my rhythm, and I did my best to draft off the faster athletes ahead of me. As we swam parallel to the waterfront, I found I could see where I was relative to the buildings to get an estimate of how far I’ve gone.

Good to Know: The swim can be choppy if it is windy so be sure to include some open water practice swims into your workout schedule. The water was fairly smooth during the swim portion of our race, but it became choppy as the winds picked up late morning.

The view of Lake Monona and the swim course from the convention center

Don’t expect visibility to be great, as the water is pretty murky. I found that I couldn’t see the feet of the athletes in front of me until I was right behind them, which can be a bit startling at times. If you have a sunny day like we did, sighting on the way back can be difficult as you’ll be looking into the sun. What worked best for me, since the buoys were hard to spot from further away, was to sight the long line of splashing the athletes ahead of me were making. As I got closer to the next buoy, I’d correct my angle.

I exited the water at 37:17, the fastest I’ve ever swam this distance, and beating my previous swim time by 8 minutes! I was off to a great start!

Good to know: In 2024 the race director said that the warmest water temperature the race has ever had is 75 degrees Fahrenheit. So, this race has been wetsuit legal for over 20 years.

T1

The transition area is unique, but it is my favorite transition area out of any race I’ve competed in so far. It is located in a large multi-story parking garage next to the Monona Convention Center.

Transition for the Ironman 70.3 race takes place on one level of the parking garage, which is covered by the level above it. The transition area for the full Ironman race takes place on the level above (the top level of the parking garage), which is uncovered and exposed to the weather.

One of the two spiral ramps of the parking garage. This one is the bike out and bike in ramp.

It can be a long run from the swim finish to your bike in transition. After exiting the water, you’ll follow the road to the base of the parking garage, with wetsuit peelers along the way to help you out of your swim gear. You’ll then run up a concrete circular helix lined with fans cheering you on, which can definitely have you feeling a bit dizzy at the top. From here it’s a long straight shot into transition and to your bike.

I quickly dumped my swim gear at the base of my bike, changed into my cycle shoes and helmet, and took off running with my bike through the concrete parking garage until I reached Bike Out.

Bike Out is located on the other side of the parking garage from where you entered after the swim. So, T1 involves running the full length of the garage, part of it to get to your bike and then the rest of it with your bike.

Tim, and other athletes, on the bike course, just after exiting the parking garage.

The Bike: 56 miles

Immediately after mounting your bike you then ride down a concrete circular helix to exit the parking garage and head out onto the bike course.

You’ll have a slow start coming out of town due to tons of short turns on bike paths. However, once you hit the main roads around mile 5, the course opens up.

The official IRONMAN website describes the bike course as hilly, with 1,744 feet (532 meters) of gain (as of the 2024 course). It felt hillier than that to me, but I also had to fight headwinds during the hillier section of the course, making it more difficult than I expected.

Despite the added difficulty, at times the bike course can be a total blast. With plenty of rolling hills through open farmland, you’ll have views out in all directions. Plus, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to crank your pace and stay aero on the way down these rolling hills.

One thing I wasn’t prepared for was the cold air temperature. When I got on the bike, the temperature was only 48°F (9°C). Usually, I have no problems in this weather, but since I was still wet from the swim, my core temperature was lower than normal. I was also racing in a sleeveless uniform, which looking back was a mistake for the bike. I should have at least brought arm warmers.

Mile by mile, both my hands and my feet slowly started to go numb. I reached down to grab a gel to refuel, but I could barely grip it. I also couldn’t grab a water bottle very easily, so I took in almost no nutrition or hydration the entire bike ride. Luckily, I wasn’t sweating, but I got really hungry about halfway through the bike. I was under-fueled, tired, and fighting headwinds and hills. Mentally I was out of it. I forced myself to smile and joke about the situation, which helped for a short bit before I fell right back into the hurt locker. I just put my head down, kept my legs spinning, and focused on getting through one mile at a time.

I reached the downtown Madison area and then biked back up the concrete circular helix into the parking garage where I returned to the transition area. It was now time to begin T2.

Good to Know: The bike course is open to traffic. Police officers were stationed at intersections to stop crossing traffic, but athletes should still maintain awareness of surroundings throughout the bike course.

T2

As I ran with my bike back to my transition area, I was a bit worried how I’d handle the run since I took in almost no fuel on the bike. I rummaged through my bag in transition and remembered I had a spare energy bar lying around. I sat down, ate the bar, and mentally prepared myself for the half marathon run.

Exiting T2 involves running down the concrete circular helix you ran up after the swim. So, T2 includes running the full length of the parking garage again, part of it with your bike in order to re-rack it, and then the rest of it to get to the run start.

The Run: 13.1 Miles

My plan was to start out slow and increase my pace over the first few miles, hold it for the middle portion, and then slowly pick it up again at the finish. Luckily for me, the quick break I took in transition gave me the mental reset necessary to get back in the game. I felt re-energized, especially with some solid food in my system. The sun was out, I was warming up, and I was on the run. Of the three disciplines in triathlon, the run is my strongest, so I always find an extra boost of strength coming out of T2.

The run course is made up of two fairly flat loops, which conjoin at the Monona Convention Center (just outside of the transition area). You’ll start on the smaller of the two loops, which runs southwest along the waterfront, with constant views out over the Madison skyline. Upon your return to the convention center, you’ll continue northeast, running through shaded neighborhoods and an open park along the water. That loop brings you back to the convention center, where you’ll complete the smaller loop for a 2nd time. Then you’ll start the approach to the finish line located near the Wisconsin State Capitol building.

The approach to the finish is the toughest part of the run course.

Mentally you think you are almost finished, but not quite. Leaving the run loops and lakefront behind you head back through the parking garage again, this time on ground level, so no circular helix this time. A series of streets await, each one taking you uphill. With each turn you are looking for the finishing chute. This goes on for a few blocks and then finally you make a turn into the finisher chute. The Wisconsin State Capitol building is behind you, setting you up for the perfect photo as you cross the finish line.

Despite bonking hard on the bike, I had an incredible run. I was right on pace, mentally I snapped back into action within the first mile, and most importantly I just felt happy. I was in such a positive headspace the entire way, which helped me push the pace fast enough to clock a half marathon personal record.

I hit my goal of negative splitting the half marathon, at a run time of 1:35:10 and the 6th fastest run in my age group! Talk about a comeback!

Good to Know: In 2024 the Ironman 70.3 race had 4,600 volunteers! Thank you to all of the volunteers for your support and making this such a great experience.

Summary

Overall, I felt like this was a great course and a very well-run event. There are a number of hotels within walking distance to transition. The swim and the run portions are spectator friendly. It has a great finishing chute. And a ton of volunteers come out to help support the event. The locals even refer to it as a festival weekend. How great is that!

There are two things I didn’t like about the race and both centered around the bike course. The first is all of the turns to get out of town and then you repeat that in reverse order as you come back into town. So, you can’t just settle in and start crushing it right away. The second is related to how the roads were built. There is a constant thump-thump, thump-thump as you ride a large portion of the course; you must be riding over thin grooves in the road. But these factors wouldn’t prevent me from signing up again.

IRONMAN 70.3 Wisconsin: A Spectator’s Perspective

Julie here now. I was Tyler and Tim’s race support, photographer, and biggest fan. I traveled for race weekend and loved every minute of it.

This is a fantastic race venue for spectators.

First of all, Madison is a beautiful city that is fun to explore in a day or two. If you haven’t been to Madison, it’s nice to plan on an extra day or two to see a few city sights and dine in its restaurants.

This is also a great race for spectating. That same parking garage, with its legendary spiral ramps, also makes the perfect place to watch the swim. You can use the Ironman app to track your racer, to get back down to the waterfront, in time to watch your friend or family member zip by as they start the bike.

With a few hours to kill, you can explore the city center or lounge by the lake, depending on the weather. The day that Tim and Tyler raced, the high temperature was 65°F, an unusually chilly day, but great for racing and spectating.

Once the racers are on the run course, you can see them quite a bit, as they do multiple loops along the lake. This flat, shaded, tree line course is a wonderful spot to cheer for them and the other racers on the course.

It is an uphill walk to the finisher chute, and it can be very hard to get a spot right up against the barrier (depending on the time of the race), but the Wisconsin State Capitol building makes a photogenic backdrop.

We all really enjoyed this race and it is one we would consider doing again in the future.

Things to Do in Madison

If you have some free time before or after the race, here are a few things to do in Madison, Wisconsin.

Wisconsin State Capitol

This Roman Renaissance building is notable in that it has the only granite dome in the United States. Inside, more than 40 different types of stone from around the world decorate its rooms and hallways. It’s worth going inside to see the beautiful interior and the museum. In the summer, the observation deck is open and provides great views of the summer (it was not open during our visit).

Go for a Stroll on State Street

State Street runs from Capitol Square to the University of Wisconsin. It is lined with shops, restaurants, museums, and theaters, plus you get a great view looking back at the Capitol building.

Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center

There’s no doubt you’ll be here, as the convention center is where you will pick up your race gear and shop for merch. Climb the steps to the very top of the convention center for a view over Lake Monona and the IRONMAN race venue. This is also a great spot to watch the swim, if you are a spectator.

Olbrich Botanical Gardens

These botanical gardens are beautiful and one of the top places to visit in Madison. They are not located downtown but they are just a short car ride away.

Memorial Union Terrace

This university hang out spot overlooks Lake Mendota. There can be live music, food, and drinks when the weather was nice (we were here just after a rainshower).

The Edgewater Hotel Docks

The docks at the Edgewater Hotel offer a very nice view of Lake Mendota.

Where to Eat in Madison

Here are a few of our favorite restaurants and a few places that we didn’t have time to try but get good reviews.

Pure Green. This small restaurant serves juices, smoothies, and bowls. It is located across the street from the Embassy Suites Hotel (where we stayed) and just a short walk to the race venue.

Naples 15. This is the place to carb load the night before the big race. We ate at this Italian restaurant twice and loved it. Make a reservation in advance.

Graze. This gastropub is run by Chef Tory Miller, a James Beard Award Winner. We ate lunch here and loved the food, the floor to ceiling windows, and the restaurant’s excellent location right in the city center.

Marigold Kitchen. This place serves breakfast and lunch and always had a crowd.

Eno Vino Wine Bar & Bistro West. We didn’t eat here but it gets great reviews and the photos of the food look amazing.

Where to Stay in Madison

There are some great places to stay within walking distance of the race venue.

The Hilton Madison Monona Terrace is located right next to the race venue and corridors connect it to the convention center. This is as close as you can get to the race venue.

We stayed at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Madison Downtown. It’s just one block from the race and it opened in 2024. We loved it here, as it’s clean, it’s quiet, and it has a fantastic location. It’s close enough to transition that Tim was able to set up his race gear in the morning and return to the hotel to use the bathroom, before the swim start.

Other hotels in the city center near the race venue are the AC Hotel by Marriott Madison Downtown, the Madison Concourse Hotel, the Best Western Premier Park Hotel, and Hyatt Place Madison/Downtown.

IRONMAN Wisconsin 70.3 Website

To register for the race, get detailed course information, and more, visit the official IRONMAN website.

If you have any questions about racing IRONMAN 70.3 Wisconsin, let us know in the comment section below.

More Triathlon & USA Guides