Ironman Thailand: all you need to know to race the Ironman 70.3 Phuket & Race review

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A man running on the beach as training to race the Ironman Thailand 70.3, in Phuket, Thailand.
Training for Ironman (in) Thailand has many perks!

 

Updated January 2023 – Since 2018 the Ironman 70.3 Thailand is happening in Bangsaen, Chon Buri district.

In November two of my passions fused together. Triathlon and Thailand, more precisely, Ironman and Phuket. I raced the Ironman Thailand 70.3 that took place in Phuket on November 26th, 2017.

From time to time I get strange looks when mentioning the Ironman competition. People ask if there is anything to do with Tony Stark. The answer is “nope”, the Ironman triathlon started back in 1978, gained popularity throughout the 2000s and now it’s booming all around the world. Ironman has two types of triathlon competitions.

The “full” Ironman consists of swimming 3.8km, cycling 180km, and running 42km, and the “half” Ironman or Ironman 70.3. As the name suggests it’s half of the length, so swimming 1.9km, cycling 90km and running 21km, and it’s this one the half Ironman Thailand that I did!

 

Why race the Ironman Thailand in Phuket?

Well, Phuket is one of my favorite holiday destinations in Thailand. It offers sandy beaches with a calm sea, from desert ones like Mai Kao to the busy Patong Beach. In addition to beaches, there are tropical jungles, mangroves, and of course, the crystal clear waters of the Andaman sea, absolutely great for snorkeling and diving.

Phuket is the perfect place for Ironman Thailand, the island is stunning and you can combine triathlon with holidays.
Who else agrees Phuket is a perfect destination for Ironman?

Thai cuisine is another reason why I keep returning to Phuket. You can taste delicious Thai dishes at the night markets or unique restaurants as Raya and Kan Eang Pier Restaurant. Fans of architecture and history will dig Phuket Old Town and its Sino-Portuguese buildings. If you are into shopping there are a couple of big malls and countless shops selling souvenirs and local crafts.

My advice is to stay in Phuket a few more days after the Ironman 70.3 Thailand so you can explore the old town and the stunning beaches.
The Sino-Portuguese buildings pop out, don’t they?!

You can use Phuket as a base to explore nearby islands and attractions as there are daily boats to Phi Phi, James Bond Island and Similan Islands.

I discovered the “sporty” side of Phuket back in 2015 while training for Paris Marathon. While on the island, my training ranged from 15 to 28 km and most of them were done around Patong beach, the busiest beach in Phuket. Although it is very quiet during sunrise and the temperatures were pleasant for running, the stunning views and sunrises were my motivation to train.

As I mentioned before, the sea is usually calm, without strong currents. I’ve swum in Kata, Karon, Surin, Mai Kao and Kamala. All of them were absolutely stunning! I didn’t have the chance to cycle in Phuket although I drove a motorbike around the island and saw many cyclists. From my perception, the drivers respect the cyclers but, in some points, the roads are quite narrow.

Phuket island is not only perfect for Ironman 70.3 competition, it's is also a great place for all the athletes families and people who travel with them.
Phuket really has it all…

In my opinion, Phuket is a great triathlon destination because you can combine a great Ironman race with a relaxing getaway. You can travel alone, with your friends, or with your husband, wife, kids… It’s the perfect destination for either a family holiday or a romantic getaway.

Ironman Thailand 70.3 took place in Bang Tao Beach and its starting point, transition 1, transition 2 and finishing line are basically around the same premises, which is awesome for spectators and athletes.

These are some of the reasons why I decided to join Ironman 70.3 Phuket but I can give you at least 60 more reasons to do it, there will be 30 qualifying age group slots for the Ironman 70.3 Championship to be held in South Africa and 30 slots for Kona in Hawaii.

 

Where to stay in Phuket for Ironman 70.3

The best area to stay when racing the Ironman Thailand is around Bang Tao Beach. There are several luxury resorts, mid-range hotels and apartments for rent in the area.

The best hotels to stay for Ironman Thailand are located in Bang Tao beach in Phuket.
That’s what I call inspiration!

Our choice was Angsana Laguna Phuket, the official hotel for the competition. I wanted to be right on the spot where the action would happen. It was easier to attend the race briefing, to do the bike check-in, and I didn’t need to wake up “super extra” early on the race day.

On top of the convenience, the resort has great facilities and amazing rooms.  The hotel was well prepared to receive the event and the athletes. The breakfast at 4 am on the race day was a plus.

Book your room at Angsana Laguna Phuket as from USD 100 per night!

 

Ironman 70.3 Thailand, Course and Organization

A detailed review of each course you will find further on the post. The racecourse maps are available on this page. Bear in mind that the organization might change the courses to guarantee the safety of the athletes.

Relaxing at Bang Tao Beach before the Ironman Thailand in Phuket.
Balance your body and mind.

Sunrise Events is behind the organization of Ironman 70.3 Thailand in Phuket. It was the second time they manage this race and they put together a great event. They have a long tradition of managing triathlon competitions in the Philippines and Vietnam.

 

Weather in Phuket in November

Be ready to sweat. November is usually the end of the rainy season with temperatures ranging from 24C to 30C and humidity usually over 75%. At this time the island still gets some rains, especially at night. In 2017 the temperature wasn’t that hot which helped a lot of the athletes. Fingers crossed for a not-so-warm day on the race next year!

 

Training for Ironman in Thailand

To train for Ironman you need time, willpower and dedication. I don’t have any issues with that, my only issue is following a routine. Being a full-time traveler adds an extra challenge. My training for Ironman Thailand was partially in Brazil, Italy, Romania, Austria, Switzerland, Portugal, Taiwan and Thailand. Changing countries every week or so, made it hard to establish a routine. I managed to run well but my swimming and cycling training was almost non-existent. But that makes me believe that anyone can train and race an Ironman 70.3, if I can do it with this crazy traveling routine, anyone can do it too.

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My training for Ironman Thailand has been crazy. I have been running in warm countries as Brazil to freezing places as the Swiss Alpes.
The cold can’t stop me!

During my 3 years of non-stop traveling, I managed to train and complete the Paris Marathon, the Angkor Wat Half Marathon, the Chiang Mai Half Marathon, the Ironman Langkawi in Malaysia, and the San Fermo Trail in Italy. Now I added the 70.3 Ironman Phuket to my list.

Patong is the busiest beach in Phuket, although you can find good spots for running, specially during sunrise and sunset.
During sunrise and sunset, you can get even the busiest beach to yourself.

 

What equipment do you need to race Ironman?

The shorter answer is a pair of running shoes, a bike and goggles. The longer one I could breakdown per modality:

Swimming: comfortable goggles and a swimsuit or pair of shorts are essentials. You can add several accessories to help with your training but on the race day, you will need only your goggles and your swim garment.

Swimming equipments are the easiest ones to cary on our luggage. The problem is that I still don't have any bike to race Ironman Thailand in Phuket.
*glub glub*

Cycling: here is the tricky part, because the sky’s the limit when it comes to bikes. Bike parts, helmets, shoes and much more. On my first Ironman I raced with a Felt, on the second one with a Volt and in Phuket 70.3 I had a Cervélo P2.

Running: the easiest one! Buy a VERY comfortable pair of running shoes. I’ve tried a few brands as Adidas, Saucony, Asics and New Balance. My favorite brand is New Balance, their running shoes are extremely comfortable and stylish, and don’t forget about socks with good cushions and a comfortable pair of running shorts.

Having a watch to keep track of your performance helps a lot. I can recommend 2 brands, Garmin and TomTom, I have used them both and their gadgets are top quality. Currently, I’m training with my TomTom Spark 3 Cardio + Music. It’s an awesome watch that comes with wireless earphones and a capacity to store up to 500 songs, enough soundtrack for your Ironman 70.3 training.

To be honest, this list can go on and on, nutrition is very important (there are carb gels, mass gainers, recovery shakes…), compression clothes, sunglasses, backpacks, sunscreen and more.

 

Ironman 70.3 Thailand Race Review

The time has come and the race is done. I have completed the Foremost Ironman 70.3 Thailand and I can say that it was an incredible race. Let’s break it down to pre-race, race and finishing area experiences.

 

  • Ironman 70.3 Thailand Pre-Race Activities

Athlete Registration: there was no queue and I registered myself in less than 10 minutes. In the goodies bag there was a magazine with the official program which was very handy.

The Athlete Registration for Ironman Phuket in Thailand was flawless.
Registration ✔️

Expo: I found the Expo quite small compared to other races. Although the shops were loaded with everything you might need at the last minute. I bought extra tubes, co2 cartridges, some tools, and electrolyte capsules there.

Bike Service: Bikezone Thailand was in charge of the Bike Service and they were brilliant. Several services such as brake adjustment, chain lubrication, and changing tires/tubes were free of charge. Top tip: Bikezone Thailand offers top-quality bikes for rent, so you can avoid the hassle of traveling with your bike. I rented a Cervelo P2 to race the Ironman Thailand, the bike was impeccable. Big thanks to Tri, Bank, Ham, and the team, you guys are stars!

The Bike Service at Ironman Thailand was managed by Bikezone Thailand and was impeccable.
Pro bike rental ✔️

Carbo Load Dinner: this was by far the best pre-race dinner I’ve ever had. The quality and the variety of food were absolutely delicious. You could choose Western and Asian dishes, vegetarian and Paleo options. They even had a station preparing Pad Thais on demand.

Bike Check-in: do it in the morning to avoid the queues! The process was quite fast but I arrived there for the bike check-in at around 2 pm and there was a long queue. Not fun to wait for over 20 minutes in the rain.

The Ironman Thailand's Transition 1 & 2 ware located ay the same spot in Bang Tao Beach.
Getting there…

Race Briefing: 30 minutes packed with important info about the race. The videos showing the bike and running courses were great. Arrive a few minutes before the start to guarantee yourself a seat.

 

Ironman 70.3 Thailand Race Day

One of the reasons I decided to stay at the Angsana hotel was the extra sleeping time on the race day. From my room to the transition area it took about a 10-minute walk. Even though I woke up at 4:30 am, I enjoyed a hearty breakfast and I was at the transition area before 5:30 am.

Time to double-check the bike tires, tools, gear bags and the last look around the transition area to not be lost after swimming. I’ve used the tents and flags behind the transition area as a reference, my bike was at the last row in front of the third tent and a yellow flag. I always walk around the transition area to memorize the quickest way out.

Last minute bike inspection before the Ironman Phuket Thailand.
Time in preparation is never wasted.

The Pros started at 6:20 am and the Age Groupers started at 6:30 am. The Age Groupers were divided by their estimated swimming time and released on waves. While waiting to start I met 3 Brazilian fellows and also one of our readers recognized me, hello Simon! Chatting before the race always helps to relieve stress.

  • Swimming at Ironman 70.3 Thailand

Off to the water! The swimming course was fairly easy to navigate, a clockwise course with the first buoy located 400 meters from the beach, then a right turn and 700 meters until the next buoy where we made another right turn,  300 meters,  another right turn and 400 meters to where the last buoy was.

Finally, we made a left turn to swim the last 100 meters. I stopped twice to clear my goggles, I didn’t feel any current and I found the water temperature perfect. To be honest I didn’t train properly for swimming but focused on gaining strength, especially on my shoulders. It worked well, I was expecting to swim the 1,900 meters in 40 minutes and it took me 38 minutes.

Starting point of the Ironman Thailand is at Bang Tao Beach in Phuket.
Here we go!!
The Swim course at Ironman Thailand is L shaped and easy to navigate through.
Where’s W̷a̷l̷d̷o̷ Rob?
Swimming at Bang Tao Beach was the first leg of Ironman Thailand.
All smooth with the swimming course.
  • Transition 1

There was a shower just before entering the T1. The bikes were on racks and the gear bags were placed under the bikes. It was quite easy to navigate through T1.
Time 6:09 minutes (could have been faster…)

  • The Ironman 70.3 Thailand Bike Course

The 90 kilometers course was quite challenging, with only 1 lap around the north of Phuket island. From kilometers 10 to 22 there was a very technical hilly portion. Going up was tough and riding down was quite dangerous, my hands were hitting the brakes all the way.

Highway 402 was great, we cycled for about 30km on good pavement with easy ups and downs. From kilometers 54 to 64 we rode on a narrow and empty road, with a few ups and downs there as well. After that, we were back to busy roads till the end.

The Bike Course of Ironman Thailand in Phuket was quite challenging. 90 kilometers, one loop around the north of Phuket with some hilly portions.
Still able to smile through the challenge.

There were 4 aid stations at kilometers 23, 42, 60, and 78. In my opinion, they should add one more aid station at the beginning of the course. As I mentioned before, I cycled with a Cervelo P2 provided by Bikezone Thailand, I can’t recommend them enough!

Time: 3:12 hours, it was ok, not great, but ok. My average BPM was 130, clearly, I could have pushed a bit more.

  • Transition 2

Back to the same transition area where I made my biggest mistake on this race. I haven’t planned, nor trained my nutrition and relied only on a Mass Gainer shake on T2 and the shake really upset my stomach.
Time: 6:50 minutes (again, this could have been faster)

  • The Ironman 70.3 Thailand Running course

The running course consisted of 2 laps and it was basically flat. From the transition area we ran towards the National Park for the first u-turn, then a left turn to the next u-turn, another left led us back to the same road till we made another left to Laguna Phuket road for the u-turn at Cassia Hotel, then repeated. 

The 21 kilometers running course of Ironman Thailand was well marked and mostly flat.
Run, Rob, run!
Running the Ironman Thailand was an achievement after so many months training for it.
Must. Go. On.
Be prepared for the hot weather during Ironman Thailand. The heat was strong when we were running.
Feeling hot hot hot ♪

The good thing was everything was well marked and there were aid stations every 2 kilometers. The bad thing was, some aid stations ran out of Pepsi and ice at around 12:10 pm. The road between Km 0.5 and Km 6 and between km 10.5 and km 16 was quite narrow and having cars driving behind us or even overtaking runners wasn’t a good experience. Hope the organizers can get a permit to close this road for next year’s race.


Time: 2:23 hours, I was expecting to finish it in less than 2 hours, but my upset stomach kept holding me back.

Overall time: 6:26 hours, considering my not enough training and being my first Ironman 70.3, I was quite happy with my result. There is room for improvement, especially on the nutrition side.


Finishing area at the Ironman 70.3 Thailand

Crossing the finish line was the best part of the day. I got my medal and my finisher shirt and ran, actually walked to the food area. Again the organizers did a great job by offering a huge selection of food, all dishes that I tried were delicious. Loads of fruits and Thai sweets were available as well.

Mission Accomplished! Crossing the finishing line of Ironman Thailand in Phuket.
Mission accomplished!

I skipped the massage and medical support but jumped into one of the pools filled with ice cold water to relax my muscles.

The best part? They were giving away Singha beers, the lady was so kind to bring me a beer to the pool. I really enjoyed the friendly atmosphere at the finishing area, especially the fact that family and friends were allowed there. In some races, this doesn’t happen and the athletes are in a rush to leave to see their beloved ones.

The ice pools and the free beer were a plus at Ironman Thailand.
Relaxing after the race

 

  • Bike and gear check out

I believe it didn’t take me 5 minutes to collect my stuff and complete the checkout. Faster than my T1 and T2… LOL.

 

Final thoughts about Ironman Thailand 70.3

I can say that the Ironman 70.3 Thailand in Phuket was a great and well-organized race. The swimming was done in calm and very clean waters, the bike course was challenging and beautiful, and the running course was fairly easy. 

Not only Phuket should be on your travel itinerary to Thailand, but after the competition having your medal on your chest take time to explore the other islands, the countryside and Bangkok. A perfect Thai trip needs to have a stop by Chiang Mai [read here our guide to explore the best of Chiang Mai and also a coffee and trekking experience].

Bangkok is a must! If it’s your first time in Thailand’s bustling capital read our ultimate guide to things to do in Bangkok, where to stay and how to get around. If you have already traveled to BKK, have a look on our special list of unique and cool things to do in Bangkok beyond the top attractions.

For all the triathletes that are traveling with your beloved one, we also have you covered. We have a romantic guide to Bangkok, and also an itinerary with the most romantic hotels in Thailand.

Also read:  Where to stay for Ironman Cervia – Best hotels and tips

What about you? Have you ever raced a triathlon competition? Would you race Ironman Thailand in Phuket?

 

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The best guide to travel and race the Ironman Thailand in Phuket. Race information, training advice, travel tips and where to stay in Phuket for the Ironman 70.3.

12 thoughts on “Ironman Thailand: all you need to know to race the Ironman 70.3 Phuket & Race review”

  1. Hey, funny this one should be in the thread. My husband did the half in Phuket last year. He’d completed the full-distance in Wales just a few weeks before with a great time and the Phuket heat made this race ( even at half the distance) so much harder. He’s about to do the Langkawi Full Distance so he’s training here in Vietnam in tropical heat for a few months. He’s done Cairns full too, we used to live out there. You two should get together and talk pain and blogging 🙂

    Reply
  2. I did this race last year and it was great. Very well run considering it was Sunrises first on Phuket. They did change the bike course back onto the foot bridge which isn’t great. 1000+ going over a bridge designed for pedestrians doesn’t really work. But as its the same for everyone it doesn’t effect your time anymore than anyone else. Make sure you push hard to the bridge so that there isn’t so many people there is a good bit of advice. Also its very bumpy as you leave Phuket onto the mainland and you can loose things that aren’t strapped on really well. The after party at the finish was brilliant. Family can mix right at the line and the Singha beer sponsor was supplying free beer to all finishers. Enjoy the race. It will be as hot as Langkawi or maybe even hotter. Look forward to reading your race report.

    Reply
  3. Hi Robson,
    thanks for all the information. I will be an Ironman Phuket, Thailand, Racing in Asia first timer. I am a bit nervous about my travel plans, so I thank you a lot for all this really good information. Maybe we meet before, during or after the track. Look for an 2meters tall guy on a even bigger FELT 😉
    See you in Bang Tao!

    Reply
    • Hi Simon,
      Greetings from Phuket! The weather is terrible warm….
      Happy to help! A heads up, they changed the bike course to avoid the mount/dismount pedestrian crossway. It will be a bit hilly now.
      Keep an eye on our Facebook and Instagram, planning to ride the bike circuit this week 😉
      Great bike choice! I rode a Felt B12 on my first Ironman.
      See you in Bang Tao!

      Reply
  4. Hi Robson,
    Great write up of the race. The bike sounds tough but an improvement on getting across a pedestrian bridge twice like last year. I have to agree that their after race area is one of the best I’ve seen while racing and with the added bonus of being able to mingle with family and friends straight away. Any ideas on your next race yet? Europe perhaps. I’ve signed up for another full later in the year although not in Asia this time.
    Good luck
    Cheers
    James

    Reply
    • Hi James,
      Yes, a good improvement from last years. And it was the best after race area I’ve ever been to.
      Haven’t decided yet but I really want to do another 70.3 this year.
      Good luck on your trainings and hope to see around Europe!
      Cheers
      Rob

      Reply
  5. What a great race review with helpful advice and fabulous pics !! have been thinking about doing this one as my first 70.3 and your review has definitely helped in sealing my decision.. Many Thanks !!

    Reply

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