I'm a decent runner and cyclist, but I've never swum in open water. Does this guide cover that?

Yes. Phase 3 of the guide walks you through completing your first open-water swims in a wetsuit, and Phase 2 covers buying or renting a wetsuit that complies with USAT rules. What it does not do is teach swim technique — that part belongs to your training plan.

I've already registered for my race. Is there anything left for this guide to help with?

Yes. Registration is only the first step. The guide also walks you through your USAT annual membership, travel and bike transport, gear and race-day nutrition setup, open-water and transition rehearsal, and then the entire race-week and race-day process through the finish line.

Do I need a triathlon bike, or will my road bike be enough?

A road bike is enough. The guide assumes you own or have access to a road bike, a helmet, basic cycling shoes and running shoes, and lists a triathlon or TT bike as optional. You will still need to equip the bike with mandatory race gear, which the guide covers.

I'm not based in the US. Can I still follow this guide?

Not as written. It assumes a USAT annual membership, which requires a valid credit card and a US mailing address. If you are outside the US, you would need the equivalent multisport federation and race registration process for your own country, which this guide does not cover.

Will this guide tell me how to train for the race?

No, and that is deliberate. It does not prescribe a training schedule, swim technique drills, bike power zones, run pacing or strength work. It assumes you already have a training plan in place and covers the roughly 40% of getting to the finish line that happens outside training sessions.

My race is five months away. Is it too early or too late for this guide?

The guide assumes you start it six to nine months from race day, with a training plan already identified. If your race is closer than that, the logistics steps still apply, but you would be working on a tighter timeline than the guide assumes.

EN3 versions

Get to the start line of your first Half Ironman

You cross a 70.3 finish line with an official result, having handled registration, licensing, open-water preparation, bike transport, transition setup and race-week logistics — the roughly 40% of the project that is not training.

Fby Finito HQEchipa Finito

Created 2 months agoUpdated last month

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Who it's for

U.S. adults aged 35–50 who already run or cycle regularly, have registered for a 70.3 triathlon six to nine months out, and have never raced a multi-sport event. You have a training plan but need a logistics companion to handle everything outside of training sessions.

About this playbook

This guide covers everything required to get from race registration to the finish line of a Half Ironman (70.3) triathlon that is not covered by a training plan. You will secure your USAT annual membership, register for your chosen race, arrange travel and bike transport, acquire and test essential gear, complete your first open-water swims in a wetsuit, rehearse transitions and race-pace nutrition, and navigate race-week logistics including packet pickup, athlete briefing, transition setup and race-morning preparation. It does not prescribe a training schedule, swim technique drills, bike power zones, run pacing or strength work — those belong to your training plan. It also does not cover injury prevention, recovery protocols or post-race analysis. The path assumes you have a training plan in place and are six to nine months from race day when you start.

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5 phases · 22 steps

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Phase 1: Register and secure your slot
4 steps
Phase 2: Equip yourself and your bike
4 steps
Phase 3: Rehearse race conditions
4 steps
Phase 4: Execute race-week logistics
5 steps
Phase 5: Race day from setup to finish
5 steps

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Details

Estimated duration1 day 1 hour

Steps22

Estimated budget$500–$2,500 USD

What you need first

You have registered for a specific 70.3 race and have a race date confirmed. You own or have access to a road bike (triathlon or TT bike optional), a helmet, basic cycling shoes and running shoes. You are following or have identified a training plan that covers the swim, bike and run training. You have a valid credit card and a US mailing address for USAT membership.