🏊
SWIM
1.9 km
+
🚴
BIKE
90 km
+
🏃
RUN
21.1 km
Dhanabalan Thangarasu · First Triathlon · Salem, Oregon

OREGON IRONMAN 70.3 July 19, 2026

Target: Sub 6:00 · Willamette River swim · Cascade foothills bike · Minto-Brown Island run · 57 marathons of running fitness behind you

6:00
Target finish
5:54
A-target split
7 wks
To race day
29.2
kph bike target
0:38
Swim 1.9km
2:00/100m
+0:03
T1
cum: 0:41
3:05
Bike 90km
29.2 kph
+0:03
T2
cum: 3:49
2:05
Run 21.1km
5:56/km
5:54
A-Target · 6 min buffer
Race overview

Sub-6 Race Plan

Your 58 marathons and 3:30 PB make the run your superpower. The bike is the variable. The swim is current-assisted and fast. Target 5:54 — 6 minutes inside the goal.

Swim target
0:38
2:00/100m · current-assisted
Bike target
3:05
29.2 kph · 7/10 effort max
Run target
2:05
5:56/km · your strongest leg
Total target
5:54
6 min buffer under 6:00
A-Target — Sub 6:00
0:38
Swim
+
0:03
T1
+
3:05
Bike
+
0:03
T2
+
2:05
Run
= 5:54  ·  6 min buffer ✓
B-Target backup — Sub 6:15
0:40
Swim
+
0:04
T1
+
3:10
Bike
+
0:04
T2
+
2:10
Run
= 6:08  ·  Safe backup
Run is your superpower. 58 marathons and 3:30 PB. The 21.1km run is where you gain time on every other athlete. Protect it by riding the bike at 7/10 effort max.
Bike is the critical variable. You need 29.2 kph average. Your first ride back hit 22.6 kph at 3/10 effort — you have significant headroom. 7 weeks of training will close this gap. Never exceed 8/10 on climbs.
Swim is current-assisted — Oregon is the fastest on the circuit. Target 2:00/100m pool effort. The downstream current gives you ~2 minutes free. Wetsuit legal. Practice open water sighting 3× before race day.
Calgary Marathon · May 25, 2026

Split Analysis

3:53:59 finish · 5:33/km avg · Sub-4 #17 · Your 21.1km split of 1:52:53 mid-marathon confirms the Ironman run target of 2:05 is conservative.

Finish time
3:53:59
5:33/km average
Half split
1:52:53
at 21.1km mark
2nd half
2:01:06
+8:13 positive split
Ironman run target
2:05
well within range ✓
What this means for the swim
Your aerobic engine is clearly strong. A comfortable 38-minute swim at 2:00/100m is well within your fitness. Oregon's current-assisted swim is the fastest on the circuit — you will likely feel like you're barely trying.
What this means for the bike
Your 26–30K surge to 5:02 shows a powerful engine that needed pacing discipline. Same rule applies to bike: ride 7/10 max. Arrive at T2 with legs. Then unleash the run engine you showed in Calgary.
May 26 – July 19, 2026

7-Week Training Plan

4 days recovery from Calgary, then 6 weeks of progressive triathlon training. Build swim and bike volume while maintaining your run base.

Days 1–4 (May 26–29): Full recovery from Calgary. Walk, stretch, sleep, eat well. No running. Light swim or easy 30-min spin only on Day 3–4 if feeling good. Let the marathon lactic load clear completely before building for Ironman.
Swim
Bike
Run
Brick
Rest
Race day
4 key sessions

Brick Sessions

Bike directly into run with zero break. This is how you train the physiological adaptation needed for race day. Each brick builds on the last.

Brick #1 — Introduction
Week 3 · Sat Jun 14
Bike
60 km
26–27 kph easy
T2 max
2 min
no sitting down
Run immediately
8 km
6:10/km — any pace
Experience the "brick legs" feeling. Don't fight it — the heavy concrete feeling at km 1–2 is normal and passes by km 3. No nutrition needed for this short session. Note how your legs feel at km 5 vs km 1.
Brick #2 — Race-pace run off longer bike
Week 4 · Sat Jun 21
Bike
80 km
28 kph steady
T2 max
3 min
practice T2 routine
Run immediately
10 km
5:50/km race pace
First time running at race pace off a long bike. Gel at km 20, 40, 60 on bike. First 2km run at 6:10 to let legs settle, then build to 5:50/km for km 3–10. Note HR and effort level — this is exactly what race day feels like.
Brick #3 — Full race simulation
★ Most important session of the entire 7 weeks
Week 5 · Sat Jun 28
Bike
90 km
29 kph · full nutrition
T2 max
3 min
full T2 routine
Run immediately
14 km
5:55/km race pace
Treat this like race day — full nutrition protocol, race kit, real T2 setup. If you hold 5:55/km through km 12 off a 90km bike, sub-6 is confirmed. If legs go at km 8, your bike pace was too aggressive — adjust for race day. This single session is worth more than all other sessions combined.
Brick #4 — Confidence sharpener
Week 6 · Sat Jul 5
Bike
50 km
29 kph — feel fast
T2 max
2 min
sharp and fast
Run immediately
6 km
5:45/km — feel strong
Short, sharp, confidence-building. Should feel easy after Brick #3. This is not a fitness session — it is a mental confirmation that you are ready. Finish feeling fast and fresh, not exhausted. Taper mode begins this week.
The golden rule of brick sessions. Always go from bike directly to run with zero break — not even a sit-down. The physiological adaptation (blood redistribution from cycling to running muscles) only happens if you transition immediately. Even 5 minutes rest defeats the purpose.
Race day fuelling

Nutrition Plan

Simple, repeatable, tested in training. Never try anything new on race day. Your gut needs training just like your legs do.

Carbs on bike
60–75g/hr
3–4 gels total · every 30 min from km 15
Carbs on run
45g/hr
2 gels · km 7 and km 14
Fluid throughout
500–750ml/hr
every aid station · never wait until thirsty
Night before
Carb load dinner — rice or pasta with chicken. No new foods. Early dinner at 6pm. No alcohol. 500ml water before bed.
4:30am race morning
Breakfast 2.5–3 hrs before start — oatmeal + banana + peanut butter toast. 500ml sports drink. Coffee if you normally drink it. Nothing heavy or fatty.
Before swim start
1 gel (25g carbs) 10 min before entering water. Small sip of water. Nothing more. Stomach should be settled.
Swim 🏊
Nothing during swim. Oregon is only 38 min — focus entirely on clean technique, sighting, and relaxed breathing.
Bike km 0–15 🚴
Start drinking immediately — 2–3 sips every 10 min from your bottle. Do not wait until thirsty. Stomach settles after km 10. Small sips only.
Bike km 15, 45, 75
1 gel every 30 min — always chase with 100ml water. Aim for 60–75g carbs/hour. One electrolyte drink bottle + two plain water bottles. Total: 3–4 gels on bike.
T2 🔄
1 gel as you rack the bike — start the run with fresh carbs already in your system. This is the most strategically important gel of the race.
Run km 0–5 🏃
Water only at every aid station. Small sips. Stomach is adjusting from bike. Do not force nutrition yet. Focus on rhythm and settling the legs.
Run km 7 and km 14
1 gel at each point. Cola at the aid station if available — real sugar + caffeine = late-race rocket fuel. Keep taking water at every station from here to finish.
Post-race 🎉
Within 30 min of finish — recovery drink or chocolate milk + banana. Real food within 2 hours. Rehydrate slowly. You just completed your first triathlon.
Golden rule — practice in training first. Use your exact race-day gels, drink mix, and nutrition timing in every brick session from Week 3. Your gut needs training just like your legs. Never introduce anything new on race day.