20 Years on Island TimeKick off your season in legendary style at the 20th anniversary of IRONMAN 70.3 Texas. Two decades in the making, this iconic early‑season race blends everything athletes love: a fast, PR‑ready course wrapped in the laid‑back energy of a Texas beachside escape. Set on Galveston Island, …
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20 Years on Island Time
Kick off your season in legendary style at the 20th anniversary of IRONMAN 70.3 Texas. Two decades in the making, this iconic early‑season race blends everything athletes love: a fast, PR‑ready course wrapped in the laid‑back energy of a Texas beachside escape. Set on Galveston Island, the historic “Playground of the South,” race weekend unfolds amid sun‑soaked beaches, Moody Gardens, Pleasure Pier, and Gulf Coast charm. With everything centered around Moody Gardens, you’ll settle into island time the moment you arrive, soaking up a weekend that feels effortless, celebratory, and unforgettable.
Start your season where speed meets island time soul, and where 20 years of memories kick off the next chapter.
Swim
The swim is a 1.2-mile saltwater swim in protected Offats Bayou. The swim will begin at Moody Gardens’ beautiful white sand Palm Beach, and finish next to the majestic Colonel Paddlewheel boat. Average water temperature is 72 degrees Fahrenheit.
Bike
The flat, yet sometimes windy one loop, out-and-back course runs along the Gulf Coast of Texas. Athletes head out of Moody Gardens and bike along the Seawall and hug the Texas coastline, heading south to the end of Galveston Island. Next, athletes will cross over the San Luis Pass onto the mainland, through undeveloped coastline, before turning around and returning to Moody Gardens.
Run
The 3-loop run course takes athletes through Moody Gardens, along Offats Bayou and Palm Beach, before finishing near the blue Aquarium Pyramid surrounded by hundreds of spectators.
Swim: BAY
Bike: FLAT
Run: FLAT
High Air Temp: 79 °F / 26 °C
Low Air Temp: 67 °F / 19 °C
Avg Water Temp: 71 °F / 22 °C
Airport: HOU
LESS
Professional setup
When you pay this much for a race, you expect it to be well organized, and that was the case. With the recent addition of Dallas 70.3 to the calendar … MORE
When you pay this much for a race, you expect it to be well organized, and that was the case.
With the recent addition of Dallas 70.3 to the calendar just 3 weeks before Galveston, we saw a huge dip in attendance, from ~2000 to ~1400, with also a beginner percentage slightly higher than it used to be, leading to messy transition (people not knowing how to rack their bikes properly, etc), I think the transition area was short on volunteers for that reason. However the race was well supported.
Swim: wetsuit legal, we started out of 2 docks instead of 3 this year, which created a less crowded swim, Buoys and kayaks were frequent enough, and the saltwater swim is protected enough so visibility was great throughout
Bike: back and forth with 3 aid stations (every 15mi or so), properly separated from traffic. Lot of people and sometimes a narrow lane so not necessarilly easy to pass or ride strictly respecting the 6 bikes length rule, yet no real drafting packs or anything. Roads were cleaner than they use to as well, so I haven’t seen that many flats than I use to.
Run: the new course (from last year) is mentally challenging as the 3.5 laps have no shadow and little to no scenery. No shadow either for spectators who are now concentrated on a handful of spots, so it doesn’t have the crowd support it used to. The U-turns are down to 2 which is good. They also monitor your lap times and skipped times live, so cheaters are not only flagged but escorted out of the course. It happened to a lady who was starting her 3rd lap at the same time as me but was told by a referee that her course skipping had granted her a DQ (at mile 66 of this 70.3 race). Good.
Swag-wise you get the usual backpack, T-Shirt, and (new) a small towel for finishers (rather than the hat).
Hold on! Gonna be Windy
This race is always a toss up. In 2021 it was super windy. Felt great biking out, however when you turned back to head to start the run... it was … MORE
This race is always a toss up. In 2021 it was super windy. Felt great biking out, however when you turned back to head to start the run… it was insane wind.
Great race for first timers
I've done this race in prior years but still find it to be a fun and challenging course. The swim is normally wetsuit legal but can be choppy at times. … MORE
I’ve done this race in prior years but still find it to be a fun and challenging course. The swim is normally wetsuit legal but can be choppy at times. The bike is very windy but a nice flat out and back. The run is hot! It’s Texas! The great thing is this is an easy spectator friendly course. I would do this race again.
Start Your Tri Season off!
I've done this 70.3 several years in a row and always learn something new. Some years the swim is choppy. Some years its like glass. Some years the wind on … MORE
I’ve done this 70.3 several years in a row and always learn something new. Some years the swim is choppy. Some years its like glass. Some years the wind on the bike is crazy but there is always wind on the bike! The is hot and tough but since it’s close to home most of my team is either racing or there cheering! This makes this race fun and one I’ll do again. If its your first 70.3 I would highly recommend it. The course is flat!