IRONMAN 70.3 Maine
Course breakdown, historical weather, field analysis, and pacing notes.
A downriver Kennebec swim and the hilliest ride in the Northeast
Augusta, United States · July 26, 2026
IRONMAN 70.3 Maine is set in the state capital of Augusta, with a current-assisted swim down the Kennebec River, a genuinely hilly bike through the Kennebec valley, and a run past historic Fort Western. A late-July date and an early 6 a.m. start make for a big Northeast summer day.
- Swim
- 1.9 km
- River
- Bike
- 90.2 km
- ↑1073m · Rolling
- Run
- 21.1 km
- ↑126m · Rolling
- Air Temp
- —
- Water Temp
- 24°C
- Wind
- —
Swim Course
Downriver swim in the Kennebec River
The 1.9 km swim heads downriver on the Kennebec with current assistance, producing fast splits. Race-morning water averages around 24°C — usually wetsuit-legal but right at the cutoff, so check on the day. The 6 a.m. rolling start gets athletes moving early on what can be a long, warm day.
- Current-assisted downriver swim
- ~24°C — usually wetsuit-legal but marginal
- Early 6 a.m. rolling start
- Fast splits with the current
Bike Course
The hilliest ride of the five — Kennebec valley climbing
Don't be fooled by the flat swim: the 90 km bike is the toughest of these courses, with well over 1,000 m of climbing through the rolling-to-hilly Kennebec valley. There's no single mountain, but relentless rollers and punchy climbs demand disciplined power management and honest gearing. This is a strength-rider's bike leg.
- ~1,070 m of climbing — by far the hilliest here
- Relentless rollers and punchy climbs
- Rewards disciplined power management
- One intermediate bike cut-off
Run Course
Riverside run past historic Fort Western
The 21.1 km run follows the Kennebec through downtown Augusta, passing Fort Western — the oldest wooden fort in the United States. The profile is gently rolling (~125 m of gain) with aid roughly every mile. After the demanding bike, smart pacing here separates strong finishers.
- Gently rolling riverside run (~125 m)
- Passes historic Fort Western
- Aid roughly every mile
- Pace the first half — the bike takes its toll
Race Day Conditions
Warm Northeast summer, cooler than the South
Late July in Augusta, Maine brings warm but generally comfortable summer conditions — milder than the Southern heat races, though humidity can build. The early start helps athletes get the bulk of the bike done before the warmest part of the day; hydration still matters on the hilly ride and exposed run.
Race Field Insights
How the Field Performs
Aggregated from 6,559 finishers (2022–2025)
- Total Starters
- 6,787
- Finishers
- 6,559
- DNF Rate
- 3.2%
- Years of Data
- 2022–2025
- Median Finish
- 5h 57m
Finish Time Distribution
How the Median Finisher Spends Race Day
What Each Pace Looks Like
Fast | Solid | Median | Back of Pack | Slow (P90) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swim | 19m 05s | 21m 52s | 27m 14s | 30m 36s | 33m 52s |
| Bike | 2h 38m | 2h 52m | 3h 08m | 3h 28m | 3h 48m |
| Run | 1h 38m | 1h 51m | 2h 08m | 2h 29m | 2h 50m |
| Finish | 4h 51m | 5h 22m | 5h 57m | 6h 40m | 7h 20m |
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 Maine 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.