Complete a 70.3 Half-Ironman

Proof required

Submit: an official chip-timed result from a completed Olympic-distance triathlon (or sprint triathlon completed within the previous 12 months), showing your name, bib number, and finish time with splits.

What gets checked

• Official result is from an Olympic-distance or sprint triathlon at a registered event — the event must be organised by a recognised triathlon federation or registered event organiser; the result must show chip-timed splits for swim, T1, bike, T2, and run, and a total finish time
• Result is a DNF-free completion — a DNF (Did Not Finish) at an Olympic triathlon is not a qualification for the 70.3 training block; the race must have been completed to the finish line
• Sprint triathlon substitution is within 12 months — if the sprint triathlon result from sport-complete-sprint-triathlon is being used as the substitution, it must be from within the previous 12 months; a sprint result from 2+ years ago does not demonstrate current readiness

Common mistakes

• Attempting the 70.3 without any prior triathlon experience — the 70.3 is 1.9km swim, 90km bike, and 21.1km run; a first-time triathlete experiencing open water swimming and transitions for the first time at this distance faces challenges that experienced triathletes have already resolved; the Olympic or sprint triathlon milestone exists specifically to prevent this scenario
• Using the Olympic triathlon as the last event before a 70.3 with insufficient recovery time — the Olympic triathlon requires 2–3 weeks of recovery before beginning the 70.3 training block at full volume; beginning the 70.3 block immediately after the Olympic triathlon with no recovery typically results in injury in weeks 3–5 of the block
• Entering the 70.3 based on fitness alone without triathlon-specific experience — experienced runners or cyclists sometimes attempt a 70.3 as their first triathlon because their aerobic base is sufficient; the experience gap is in transitions, open water navigation, race nutrition, and the specific muscle fatigue pattern of triathlon multi-sport effort; the Olympic triathlon milestone is not negotiable

Resources

What a verifier looks for

• Verify the official result is a completed triathlon, not a DNF — check that the result shows a total finish time; a result showing split times but no total finish time may indicate a DNF or technical issue; ask for clarification
• Confirm the distance is Olympic or sprint — a 5km run/25km bike event is not a triathlon; confirm the swim distance is 750m (sprint) or 1500m (Olympic); events shorter than sprint distance do not satisfy this milestone
• Ask about the experience — 'what was hardest about the Olympic triathlon?' is useful context; a genuine competitor will name something specific

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.

Proof required

Submit: a weekly training summary showing all swim, bike, and run sessions in the peak training week, with total volume for each discipline. Strava's weekly summary view, TrainingPeaks, or a manually compiled log with activity links are all acceptable.

What gets checked

• Peak week shows at least 8 hours of combined swim/bike/run training — a peak week of 4 hours is insufficient preparation for a 70.3; 8 hours is the minimum; most first-timer 70.3 programmes have peak weeks of 10–14 hours
• All three disciplines are represented in the peak week — a week with only cycling and running but no swimming is not a triathlon peak week; all three must be present
• Peak week timing is consistent with a 24-week training block — the peak week should fall in the latter half of the training block (weeks 14–20 of 24), with a taper period following

Common mistakes

• Not following a structured training plan — triathletes who train without a structured plan typically do the activities they enjoy most (often cycling) and underprepare in the disciplines they find harder (often swimming); the 70.3 rewards balanced preparation across all three disciplines; use a training plan that specifies swim, bike, and run sessions per week
• Not building volume progressively — a common pattern is low training volume for 16 weeks and then 3 high-volume weeks before the race; this approach leads to injury because the body cannot adapt to sudden training load increases; the 24-week block should show consistent progressive build with a recovery week every 3–4 weeks
• Skipping the brick workouts in the peak training week — peak training weeks in triathlon programmes include at least one brick (bike followed immediately by run); the brick in the peak week should approach race distances (80km bike + 15km run); skipping the brick removes the primary stimulus for T2 adaptation

Resources

What a verifier looks for

• Check that all three disciplines are represented in the peak week — confirm swim, bike, and run sessions are all present; a peak week without swimming is not a triathlon training peak
• Verify the volume is at least 8 hours — add up the moving time from all activities in the week; 8 hours combined is the minimum; ask about the total if it is not clear from the summary
• Ask about the week's longest sessions — 'what was the longest ride and the longest run in your peak week?' is a useful question; the answers should be consistent with 70.3 preparation (75km+ ride and 18km+ run at minimum)

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.

Proof required

Submit: (1) an official chip-timed result from the 70.3 event (link or screenshot showing name, race number, and finish time with swim/T1/bike/T2/run splits), and (2) a 150+ word reflection on the race experience and what the 24-week training block built that was not there before.

What gets checked

• Official chip-timed result with all splits — the result must show swim, T1, bike, T2, run, and total finish time; a result showing only total time without splits is less complete but passes if it is clearly from the official timing service with the student's name and race number
• Reflection is 150+ words covering both the race and the training block — the reflection should name specific moments from the race (something that surprised or challenged on race day) and address what the 24-week training block built
• Race distance is confirmed as 70.3 — not Olympic (25.75 miles), not full Ironman (140.6 miles); 70.3 miles is the specific distance; confirm the event is marketed as a 70.3 or half-Ironman distance event

Common mistakes

• DNF late in the race and not attempting again — the most common DNF location in a 70.3 is the run leg, either from cramping, nutrition failure, or heat; a DNF that occurred in the run leg is 2–3 years of training behind the finish; the right response is to identify the specific cause of the DNF and prepare to re-enter a 70.3 within 6 months while fitness is maintained
• Racing without a nutrition plan — a 70.3 lasts 4–7 hours; the body can store approximately 90 minutes of glycogen; racing without consuming carbohydrates from mile 1 leads to energy depletion in the final run leg; develop and test the race nutrition plan in training (specifically in brick sessions) before race day, not on race day
• Going out too fast on the bike — the 70.3 bike is 90km; cyclists who exceed their target power in the first 30km consistently underperform in the final 30km and are unable to run effectively at T2; the bike split should feel controlled for the first 45km

Resources

What a verifier looks for

• Verify the result on the official timing platform — search the event name on ironman.com or the relevant timing service; confirm the student's name and race number appear with a finish time and splits
• Confirm the event is a genuine 70.3 — search the event name; it should appear as a BTF, Ironman, or Challenge Family 70.3-distance event; an unsanctioned event at a similar distance does not produce the chip-timed official result required
• Read the reflection for race-day specificity — ask 'what was the hardest moment and what caused it?' if the reflection is too general; a specific answer about the run leg or the final 10km of the bike reveals the training's success and gaps

You'll sign in first, then come straight back here.