The IRONMAN 70.3 Augusta 2026 pairs a current assisted 1.2 mile swim down the Savannah River with a rolling 56 mile bike leg through rural Georgia and a 13.1 mile run along the Augusta Riverwalk and North Augusta Greeneway. Here's your course breakdown and Best Bike Split race plan for race day.
If you're lining up for Augusta in 2026, the swim is going to lie to you about how the rest of your day is going to go. The Savannah River current here is strong enough that most athletes post the fastest swim split of their season, sometimes by several minutes. That's a gift, but it's also a trap. The bike that follows is not flat, and the run that follows the bike is happening in Georgia heat that's still very much alive in late September. Athletes who let a fast swim convince them they're having an easy day tend to find out otherwise on the back half of the bike course.
Race Overview
Augusta has hosted a 70.3 since 2009, and it's grown into one of the largest half distance races in North America. IRONMAN recently renewed its contract with the city through 2030, and the event has generated more than $76 million in economic impact for the Augusta area since it started. More than 1,600 volunteers work the race each year, and the IRONMAN Foundation has funneled over $237,000 in grants back into regional nonprofits.
For 2026, the race is set for Sunday, September 27. Pro men roll off the dock at 7:00 a.m., with age group waves following, and the winning times typically land around three and a half hours. The race is a genuine cross state event. The swim starts in North Augusta, South Carolina, and by the time you're out on the bike and run, you're racing through Augusta, Georgia, which gives the weekend a two city, two state feel that's rare for a 70.3.
Course Description
The swim covers 1.2 miles down the Savannah River, starting at Sharon Jones Amphitheater in North Augusta and finishing at Augusta's 5th Street Marina. This is a downstream, current assisted swim, and it's one of the more talked about swim legs in the sport for exactly that reason. Athletes regularly report swim splits well ahead of what they'd produce in still water, some by ten minutes or more. That's real time gained, but it's not free speed you can bank and forget about. It's still 1.2 miles of swimming before a long day of biking and running in the heat.
The bike is a 56 mile round trip out of downtown into rural areas south of Augusta, covering roads like Gordon Highway, Mike Padgett Highway, Old Waynesboro Road, and Liberty Church Road before turning back toward the city. The terrain is rolling rather than flat, with a couple of climbs in the back half that require real effort rather than just momentum, and the pavement itself has been described by past athletes as serviceable but not smooth in stretches. None of this is mountain biking, but it's enough rolling terrain and rough road that riders who treat it like a pure power number without accounting for the surface and the rises tend to get surprised by how much the legs feel by mile 45.
The run is 13.1 miles along the Augusta Riverwalk and the North Augusta Greeneway, crossing back and forth between the two cities before finishing on Broad Street at the Augusta Common. The terrain rolls gently and offers patches of shade along the river, but it's far from fully covered, and by the time most age groupers hit the run course the morning cool has burned off. Past finishers have described conditions in the high 80s turning a shaded, scenic run into a genuinely steamy one.
Forecasted Weather
Late September in Augusta still carries real Georgia heat. Average highs sit around 82 to 83 degrees, with morning lows near 63, and the muggy days that define an Augusta summer are fading but not gone, with roughly a one in three chance of a muggy morning. Rain odds run around one in four, and wind stays light, typically around 6 to 7 mph out of the east. The forecast on paper looks reasonable for a fall race, but Augusta 70.3 has a real history of hot race days, with past editions pushing into the upper 80s by the time the run gets going. Treat the average as a floor, not a promise.
Why This Course Rewards a Best Bike Split Plan
Augusta gets talked about as a fast course because of the current assisted swim, and that reputation is exactly why so many athletes overcook the bike here. A BBS race plan for the 2026 IRONMAN 70.3 Augusta will:
- Keep the fast swim from writing checks the bike can't cash. A big current assisted swim split feels like free time, but it doesn't change what your legs and your run split can actually handle. A plan built around your real bike and run fitness keeps a great swim from turning into an average overall day.
- Give the back half climbs their own numbers. The rolling terrain south of Augusta includes a couple of real rises, not just gentle undulation, and riders who don't have a plan for them tend to either surge past their target or grind through out of rhythm. Knowing your number for each one keeps the ride honest.
- Build in a margin for the road surface. Rougher pavement in stretches means more variability in how power translates to speed than a smooth closed course would. A plan that accounts for that instead of assuming ideal conditions keeps your pacing realistic instead of optimistic.
- Plan around the heat building through the run. Race morning starts comfortable, but Augusta in late September can still push into the high 80s by mid morning. A plan that protects your run legs on the bike, rather than spending them on a fast feeling swim, is what keeps that heat from turning your run into a survival shuffle.
Interactive Race Plan and Course Map
This power plan was modeled for an athlete with an average CdA of 0.2579, an FTP of 300 watts and weighing 165 lbs. Want to see what your time would be on the IRONMAN 70.3 Augusta course? Try the Time Analysis feature below, where you can quickly adjust Drag, Power, Weight and Crr to your own values. Check out our demo race plan to see what a premium race plan looks like.
| Interval | Int. Time | Total Time | Int. Dist. | Total Dist. | Grade | Speed | Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | 00:07:04 | 00:07:04 | 3.02 mi | 3.02 mi | -0.02 % | 25.58 mph | 226 w |
| #2 | 00:00:07 | 00:07:11 | 0.06 mi | 3.08 mi | -3.24 % | 26.88 mph | 172 w |
| #3 | 00:02:22 | 00:09:33 | 0.94 mi | 4.02 mi | +0.82 % | 23.75 mph | 241 w |
| #4 | 00:00:05 | 00:09:39 | 0.03 mi | 4.05 mi | +2.57 % | 22.18 mph | 270 w |
| #5 | 00:09:25 | 00:19:04 | 4.06 mi | 8.11 mi | -0.07 % | 25.86 mph | 223 w |
| #6 | 00:01:58 | 00:21:02 | 0.44 mi | 8.55 mi | +5.76 % | 13.25 mph | 295 w |
| #7 | 00:05:13 | 00:26:15 | 2.44 mi | 10.99 mi | -0.90 % | 28.05 mph | 208 w |
| #8 | 00:00:05 | 00:26:21 | 0.05 mi | 11.04 mi | -0.14 % | 32.62 mph | 221 w |
| #9 | 00:00:07 | 00:26:29 | 0.05 mi | 11.09 mi | +2.30 % | 25.36 mph | 266 w |
| #10 | 00:04:46 | 00:31:15 | 1.39 mi | 12.48 mi | +3.01 % | 17.40 mph | 276 w |
| #11 | 00:00:25 | 00:31:41 | 0.18 mi | 12.66 mi | -3.17 % | 25.47 mph | 174 w |
| #12 | 00:00:04 | 00:31:45 | 0.04 mi | 12.70 mi | -0.23 % | 30.30 mph | 222 w |
| #13 | 00:01:29 | 00:33:15 | 0.52 mi | 13.22 mi | +1.98 % | 20.83 mph | 261 w |
| #14 | 00:02:28 | 00:35:44 | 1.00 mi | 14.22 mi | +0.59 % | 24.20 mph | 235 w |
| #15 | 00:00:25 | 00:36:09 | 0.18 mi | 14.40 mi | -1.80 % | 25.43 mph | 194 w |
| #16 | 00:01:13 | 00:37:23 | 0.54 mi | 14.94 mi | -0.45 % | 26.41 mph | 220 w |
| #17 | 00:00:07 | 00:37:30 | 0.05 mi | 14.99 mi | +1.40 % | 25.05 mph | 249 w |
| #18 | 00:00:07 | 00:37:38 | 0.05 mi | 15.04 mi | -0.86 % | 23.52 mph | 208 w |
| #19 | 00:01:06 | 00:38:45 | 0.70 mi | 15.74 mi | -4.87 % | 37.96 mph | 153 w |
| #20 | 00:01:28 | 00:40:13 | 0.58 mi | 16.32 mi | +1.26 % | 23.40 mph | 249 w |
| #21 | 00:00:22 | 00:40:36 | 0.18 mi | 16.50 mi | -4.25 % | 28.14 mph | 165 w |
| #22 | 00:00:45 | 00:41:21 | 0.29 mi | 16.79 mi | +1.74 % | 23.54 mph | 259 w |
| #23 | 00:00:15 | 00:41:36 | 0.10 mi | 16.89 mi | -0.93 % | 22.59 mph | 206 w |
| #24 | 00:00:47 | 00:42:24 | 0.42 mi | 17.31 mi | -2.69 % | 32.00 mph | 179 w |
| #25 | 00:00:53 | 00:43:18 | 0.36 mi | 17.67 mi | +1.83 % | 24.21 mph | 257 w |
| #26 | 00:00:10 | 00:43:28 | 0.05 mi | 17.72 mi | +4.33 % | 19.44 mph | 319 w |
| #27 | 00:00:31 | 00:43:59 | 0.25 mi | 17.97 mi | -3.55 % | 27.82 mph | 167 w |
| #28 | 00:00:09 | 00:44:09 | 0.09 mi | 18.06 mi | -1.29 % | 33.42 mph | 200 w |
| #29 | 00:00:06 | 00:44:16 | 0.05 mi | 18.11 mi | +0.75 % | 29.41 mph | 237 w |
| #30 | 00:04:04 | 00:48:21 | 1.17 mi | 19.28 mi | +3.24 % | 17.14 mph | 278 w |
| #31 | 00:04:16 | 00:52:38 | 1.93 mi | 21.21 mi | -0.56 % | 27.08 mph | 215 w |
| #32 | 00:01:33 | 00:54:11 | 0.91 mi | 22.12 mi | -3.15 % | 35.09 mph | 173 w |
| #33 | 00:01:10 | 00:55:22 | 0.49 mi | 22.61 mi | 0.00 % | 25.02 mph | 231 w |
| #34 | 00:08:20 | 01:03:42 | 2.64 mi | 25.25 mi | +1.61 % | 18.99 mph | 250 w |
| #35 | 00:06:51 | 01:10:33 | 2.89 mi | 28.14 mi | -0.53 % | 25.31 mph | 219 w |
| #36 | 00:00:52 | 01:11:26 | 0.23 mi | 28.37 mi | +3.24 % | 15.88 mph | 296 w |
| #37 | 00:01:24 | 01:12:51 | 0.43 mi | 28.80 mi | +1.28 % | 18.30 mph | 255 w |
| #38 | 00:00:26 | 01:13:17 | 0.18 mi | 28.98 mi | -2.59 % | 24.38 mph | 195 w |
| #39 | 00:00:30 | 01:13:47 | 0.28 mi | 29.26 mi | -5.86 % | 33.65 mph | 156 w |
| #40 | 00:00:05 | 01:13:53 | 0.06 mi | 29.32 mi | -2.67 % | 35.50 mph | 194 w |
| #41 | 00:01:14 | 01:15:07 | 0.37 mi | 29.69 mi | +3.41 % | 18.13 mph | 316 w |
| #42 | 00:04:05 | 01:19:13 | 1.26 mi | 30.95 mi | +1.49 % | 18.49 mph | 258 w |
| #43 | 00:07:56 | 01:27:10 | 3.09 mi | 34.04 mi | -0.15 % | 23.37 mph | 230 w |
| #44 | 00:00:57 | 01:28:07 | 0.54 mi | 34.58 mi | -4.24 % | 33.74 mph | 165 w |
| #45 | 00:02:13 | 01:30:21 | 0.93 mi | 35.51 mi | +0.18 % | 25.14 mph | 232 w |
| #46 | 00:00:20 | 01:30:41 | 0.16 mi | 35.67 mi | -4.19 % | 27.81 mph | 171 w |
| #47 | 00:03:16 | 01:33:58 | 1.21 mi | 36.88 mi | +0.28 % | 22.17 mph | 238 w |
| #48 | 00:03:28 | 01:37:26 | 1.08 mi | 37.96 mi | +1.95 % | 18.74 mph | 265 w |
| #49 | 00:00:37 | 01:38:03 | 0.27 mi | 38.23 mi | -1.85 % | 25.72 mph | 200 w |
| #50 | 00:03:32 | 01:41:35 | 1.35 mi | 39.58 mi | +0.20 % | 22.88 mph | 235 w |
| #51 | 00:01:47 | 01:43:23 | 0.87 mi | 40.45 mi | -2.47 % | 29.09 mph | 193 w |
| #52 | 00:12:29 | 01:55:52 | 4.90 mi | 45.35 mi | -0.08 % | 23.54 mph | 230 w |
| #53 | 00:01:10 | 01:57:02 | 0.35 mi | 45.70 mi | +1.31 % | 17.81 mph | 258 w |
| #54 | 00:20:46 | 02:17:48 | 7.85 mi | 53.55 mi | +0.04 % | 22.68 mph | 235 w |
| #55 | 00:06:00 | 02:23:49 | 2.26 mi | 55.81 mi | -0.07 % | 22.55 mph | 231 w |
| Totals/Avg | 02:23:49 | 02:23:49 | 55.80 mi | 55.80 mi | -0.19% | 23.28 mph | 234.11 w |
Climb Summary by Category
| Category | Climb Count | Total Time | Total Dist. | Avg. Time | Avg. Dist. | Avg. Grade | Avg. Speed | Avg. Power |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cat4 | 7 | 00:17:02 | 4.42 mi | 00:02:26 | 0.63 mi | 3.63 % | 15.58 mph | 281 w |
| All Cats | 7 | 00:17:02 | 4.42 mi | 00:02:26 | 0.63 mi | 3.63 % | 15.58 mph | 281 w |
| Climb | Start Time | Start Dist. | Duration | Distance | Speed | Power | Grade | Elevation Gain | Category |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | 00:19:04 | 8.10 mi | 00:02:45 | 0.70 mi | 15.18 mph | 268 w | 3.88 % | 143 ft | Cat4 |
| #2 | 00:28:09 | 11.67 mi | 00:03:06 | 0.80 mi | 15.40 mph | 283 w | 3.83 % | 162 ft | Cat4 |
| #3 | 00:44:16 | 18.10 mi | 00:04:15 | 1.22 mi | 17.20 mph | 264 w | 3.11 % | 201 ft | Cat4 |
| #4 | 00:55:29 | 22.64 mi | 00:02:41 | 0.53 mi | 11.76 mph | 276 w | 4.92 % | 137 ft | Cat4 |
| #5 | 01:10:33 | 28.13 mi | 00:00:52 | 0.23 mi | 15.88 mph | 296 w | 3.24 % | 40 ft | Cat4 |
| #6 | 01:13:53 | 29.31 mi | 00:02:01 | 0.58 mi | 17.34 mph | 299 w | 3.25 % | 100 ft | Cat4 |
| #7 | 01:34:28 | 37.04 mi | 00:01:18 | 0.36 mi | 16.31 mph | 280 w | 3.21 % | 61 ft | Cat4 |
Build your own personalized IRONMAN 70.3 Augusta power plan today! Sign up for a free Athlete Basic account to get started with your athlete profile and bike setup, then grab the IRONMAN 70.3 Augusta course to model your own race plan.
IRONMAN 70.3 Augusta FAQs
Your target power depends on your FTP, body weight, bike setup, and finish time goal — not a generic number that applies to every rider. The variables that matter most are your current fitness, your aerodynamic position, and the specific demands of the IRONMAN 70.3 Augusta course. The best approach is to build a personalized plan in Best Bike Split using your actual athlete profile — you'll get a segment-by-segment power target based on your specific inputs rather than a one-size-fits-all recommendation.
Every course is different and requires its own unique pacing plan. On a multi-loop course, fatigue and wind shift between laps and what felt comfortable early can become unsustainable later. On an out-and-back, headwind in one direction becomes tailwind in the other — an asymmetry a flat power target can't account for. On a point-to-point or single-loop course, you only get one pass at every section with no opportunity to recalibrate. When you create a Best Bike Split race plan for IRONMAN 70.3 Augusta, we model the specific demands of that course so your pacing strategy reflects the race you're actually doing.
Significantly — and the effect varies depending on the course profile. On flatter courses, wind and aerodynamics become the dominant variables in your speed equation, more so than on courses where gradient naturally dictates effort. On climbing-heavy courses, your power-to-weight ratio and how you manage the descents matter most. A Best Bike Split race plan lets you model the specific conditions forecasted for IRONMAN 70.3 Augusta, so your targets reflect what you'll actually face on race day rather than what the course looks like on paper.
It depends on the course and how well you pace it. Flat, fast courses offer genuine PR potential but only if you execute correctly — without terrain to naturally regulate your effort, going out too hard early is easy and costly. Technical or hilly courses reward smart segment-by-segment pacing over raw fitness. Either way, a physics-based race plan from Best Bike Split gives you a realistic split prediction based on your actual profile so you know before race day what a well-executed bike leg looks like for you specifically.
Yes — and this is one of the most underused features. Once you've built your IRONMAN 70.3 Augusta race plan, you can export it directly to Zwift, TrainerRoad, or any ERG-mode trainer for indoor sessions, or push it to your Garmin, Wahoo, or Karoo for outdoor rides. Training on your actual race plan means you arrive at IRONMAN 70.3 Augusta already knowing what your target effort feels like at every section of the course — not just what the number says on paper.
