IRONMAN 70.3 Florida
Course breakdown, historical weather, field analysis, and pacing notes.
Flat, fast and friendly on the shores of Lake Eva
Haines City, United States · December 13, 2026
IRONMAN 70.3 Florida in Haines City is a flat, fast, PR-friendly race built around a lake swim and pancake-flat central-Florida roads. A December date brings mild, comfortable conditions — a favourite end-of-season target and a strong World Championship qualifier.
- Swim
- 1.9 km
- Lake
- Bike
- 90.0 km
- ↑340m · Flat
- Run
- 21.1 km
- ↑127m · Rolling
- Air Temp
- 16–28°C
- Water Temp
- 19°C
- Wind
- 13 km/h
- SE
Swim Course
Single-loop swim in Lake Eva
The 1.9 km swim is a loop in Lake Eva, a calm freshwater lake in the heart of Haines City. Mid-December water averages around 19°C — firmly wetsuit-legal, cool enough that a full-sleeve wetsuit still makes sense. Flat, sheltered water and a rolling start make this an approachable, fast swim.
- Calm freshwater lake loop
- ~19°C — wetsuit-legal
- Sheltered water, rolling start
- Approachable and fast
Bike Course
Pancake-flat central-Florida roads
The 90 km bike is essentially flat — a single loop through central-Florida orange-grove country with only minor undulations. It's a course for sustained aero power: hold your position, hold your watts, and let the flat roads do the rest. Wind is the main variable on an otherwise straightforward ride.
- Genuinely flat — built for sustained aero power
- Single loop through orange-grove country
- Wind is the main variable
- Two intermediate bike cut-offs
Run Course
Flat two-loop run around Lake Eva
The 21.1 km run is a flat two-loop course around Lake Eva and the surrounding neighbourhoods, with aid stations roughly every mile. The flat profile makes for even pacing and fast splits; the December date keeps temperatures manageable for a strong finish.
- Flat two-loop course
- Aid roughly every mile
- Even pacing, fast splits
- Mild December running conditions
Race Day Conditions
Mild, comfortable Florida December
December in Haines City is one of the most comfortable slots on the calendar — mild mornings and pleasant, often low-humidity race conditions, a world away from Florida's summer heat. The main variable is wind across the exposed bike course; otherwise expect fast, forgiving weather.
Race Field Insights
How the Field Performs
Aggregated from 6,043 finishers (2022–2025)
- Total Starters
- 6,568
- Finishers
- 6,043
- DNF Rate
- 7.6%
- Years of Data
- 2022–2025
- Median Finish
- 6h 08m
Finish Time Distribution
How the Median Finisher Spends Race Day
What Each Pace Looks Like
Fast | Solid | Median | Back of Pack | Slow (P90) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swim | 33m 51s | 38m 08s | 43m 16s | 49m 12s | 55m 48s |
| Bike | 2h 30m | 2h 43m | 2h 58m | 3h 17m | 3h 35m |
| Run | 1h 40m | 1h 54m | 2h 11m | 2h 32m | 2h 52m |
| Finish | 4h 58m | 5h 30m | 6h 08m | 6h 50m | 7h 31m |
Related reading
Race Day Weather and What It's Really Doing to Your Pacing Plan
Performance starts dropping over 22°C and humidity makes it worse. How heat compounds across the bike and run — and why the bike hides it.
Read postYour Race Plan Isn't Generic — Why Course Intelligence Changes Everything
Same FTP on two different courses produces two completely different races. Elevation, wind, and shelter change what every watt is worth.
Read postTSS, IF, and Variability Index — What the Numbers Actually Mean on Race Day
Two riders with identical power, identical IF, and similar run fitness finish with run splits forty minutes apart. IF, VI, and TSS explain why.
Read postPlan IRONMAN 70.3 Florida with Keiro
Get a complete pacing strategy for every discipline — built from this course, forecast weather, and your fitness.
Independent analysis. KeiroLabs is not the event organizer and is not affiliated with the race organizer.