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Triathlon Atlas

Half distance · 6 December 2026

IRONMAN 70.3 La Quinta

La Quinta, United States

The race at a glance

Official race website
Circuit
IRONMAN
Distance
Middle distance
Terrain
Road
Swim
1.9 km
Bike
90 km
Run
21.1 km
Date
6 Dec 2026
Registration
Sold out
Swim venue
Lake
Average water temperature
14 °C
Bike profile
Flat
Bike elevation gain
135 m
Run profile
Flat
Run elevation gain
105 m
High air temperature
26 °C
Low air temperature
12 °C
Overall cut-off
8 h 30 min
Altitude
2 m
First edition
2018
Swim start
Rolling start

Edition history

20257 Dec 2025Held
20248 Dec 2024Held
20233 Dec 2023Held
20224 Dec 2022Held
20215 Dec 2021Held
20198 Dec 2019Held
20189 Dec 2018Held

How the day is laid out

The swim is held in a lake, from a rolling start. At an average of 14 °C this is cold water. A wetsuit will be worn by almost everyone who is allowed one, and a swim shortened or cancelled for conditions is a real possibility at this end of the range.

The bike leg is labelled flat.

The run is labelled flat, over 2 laps.

A flat bike followed by a flat run is the most predictable combination on the calendar. It removes climbing and the descents that come with it, so power output stays constant for the whole bike leg and wind becomes the main variable.

Expect air between 12 °C and 26 °C on race day. A spread of 14 degrees across the day matters as much as the peak, because what you wear at the swim exit is rarely what you want at the far end of the bike.

Against the calendar

Where this race sits among the others

Ranks are computed across every race of the same distance.

  • Average water temperature

    14 °C · median 21 °C

    The coldest of the 128 middle-distance races with a figure, across every circuit.

  • High air temperature

    26 °C · median 25 °C

    The 71st hottest of the 152 middle-distance races with a figure, across every circuit.

  • Bike elevation gain

    135 m · median 569 m

    The 10th flattest of the 105 middle-distance races with a figure, across every circuit.

43

races of this distance pair a flat bike with a flat run, out of 159. 53 share the bike profile alone.

13

races across every distance fall in December, out of 354.

68

races are held in North America. 5 of them in the same month as this one.

Questions about this race

When is IRONMAN 70.3 La Quinta 2026?
IRONMAN 70.3 La Quinta is held on 6 December 2026 in La Quinta, United States. The race is sold out.
Is a wetsuit allowed at IRONMAN 70.3 La Quinta?
Yes, and most likely compulsory: the average water temperature is 14 °C. Below 16 °C most races require one. The official call is made on race morning.
What is the cut-off at IRONMAN 70.3 La Quinta?
The course closes 8 h 30 min after the start. Intermediate cut-offs after the swim and the bike are in the athlete guide.
How hard is IRONMAN 70.3 La Quinta?
The bike course climbs about 135 m, the 10th flattest of 105 half-distance races with a figure. The bike is labelled flat and the run flat. Expect highs of about 26 °C on race day.

Where to stay

Hotels and rentals around the race venue, for the nights around race day.

Suggested stay: 4 Dec 2026 to 7 Dec 2026

The map is provided by Stay22. Bookings are made with the provider.

Races of the same distance in the same region

Entries are handled by the organiser

Registration and the athlete guide are on the official race page.

Open the official race page