IRONMAN 70.3 La Quinta
Course breakdown, historical weather, field analysis, and pacing notes.
Cold desert water and flat, fast racing in the Coachella Valley
La Quinta, United States · December 6, 2026
IRONMAN 70.3 La Quinta (formerly Indian Wells–La Quinta) is a flat, fast desert race in California's Coachella Valley — a cold lake swim, quick roads beneath the Santa Rosa mountains, and a flat run at SilverRock. An early-December date brings cool, dry desert conditions.
- Swim
- 1.9 km
- Lake
- Bike
- 90.7 km
- ↑83m · Flat
- Run
- 21.0 km
- ↑54m · Flat
- Air Temp
- —
- Water Temp
- 14°C
- Wind
- —
Swim Course
Cold, still swim in Lake Cahuilla
The 1.9 km swim is in Lake Cahuilla, a desert reservoir beneath the Santa Rosa mountains. Early-December water is cold — around 14°C — so this is reliably wetsuit-legal and a race where a full or thermal wetsuit (and often neoprene cap) pays off. The water is flat and still; the challenge is the cold, not the conditions.
- Cold desert reservoir (~14°C)
- Reliably wetsuit-legal — full/thermal wetsuit common
- Flat, still water
- Warm up well before the start
Bike Course
Flat, fast desert roads
The 90 km bike is flat and fast — only around 85 m of gain across wide, smooth Coachella Valley roads beneath the mountains. It's a pure aero-power course; wind funnelling through the valley is the main variable. Expect quick splits if you can hold position.
- Very flat (~85 m of gain) — aero-power course
- Wide, smooth desert roads
- Valley wind is the main variable
- Fast splits for well-positioned riders
Run Course
Flat two-loop run at SilverRock
The 21.1 km run is a flat two-loop course around SilverRock Park in La Quinta (the run moved here when the event dropped the Indian Wells venue for 2025). Cool, dry desert air and a flat profile make for fast, comfortable running and even pacing.
- Flat two-loop course at SilverRock
- Cool, dry desert air
- Even pacing, fast splits
- Great late-season racing weather
Race Day Conditions
Cool, dry desert early December
Early December in the Coachella Valley is cool and dry — crisp mornings, comfortable daytime temperatures, and very low humidity. The cold lake swim is the day's real weather story; on the bike and run, the dry desert air is close to ideal for racing, with valley wind the main wildcard.
Race Field Insights
How the Field Performs
Aggregated from 8,070 finishers (2022–2025)
- Total Starters
- 8,564
- Finishers
- 8,070
- DNF Rate
- 5.7%
- Years of Data
- 2022–2025
- Median Finish
- 6h 01m
Finish Time Distribution
How the Median Finisher Spends Race Day
What Each Pace Looks Like
Fast | Solid | Median | Back of Pack | Slow (P90) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swim | 32m 07s | 36m 42s | 42m 06s | 47m 52s | 54m 23s |
| Bike | 2h 26m | 2h 38m | 2h 53m | 3h 10m | 3h 28m |
| Run | 1h 37m | 1h 51m | 2h 08m | 2h 30m | 2h 51m |
| Finish | 4h 50m | 5h 23m | 6h 01m | 6h 45m | 7h 24m |
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 postPlan IRONMAN 70.3 La Quinta 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.