Now here is a thought…
This morning, I had breakfast with Danie Cronjé, famous Attorney and Liquor Law Specialist in Stellenbosch. Who also happens to be an accomplished athlete with a dozen IRONMAN®/70.3 events under the belt and a keen purist road cyclist. As he left for the office, he also left me with the following idea, which stuck, and has been unknowingly on my bucket list for a while…
Full DIY IRONMAN® for fun, sans the medal
Historically the 10th of May has the least amount of wind in Stellenbosch, as researched by Danie. Which seems like a perfect day for what he wants to do. And I fully support it. And want to grab a few friends and see if we can do it with him. But I will most certainly not be running. This is the plan: a full DIY IRONMAN® distance but completely self-supported. You are on your own. So perseverance counts. But that we have in spades. The event will go as follows:
What is a full IRONMAN®?
A full Ironman triathlon consists of a 2.4-mile (3.8 km) swim, a 112-mile (180 km) bike ride, and a 26.2-mile (42.2 km) marathon run, for a total distance of 140.6 miles (226 km). and our DIY IRONMAN® will follow the same rules. These distances are significantly longer than those for other triathlon events like the Half Ironman (70.3) and Olympic-distance triathlons.
Full IRONMAN® distances
- Swim: 2.4 miles (3.8 km)
- Bike: 112 miles (180 km)
- Run: 26.2 miles (42.2 km)
- Total: 140.6 miles (226 km) for the DIY IRONMAN®
IRONMAN® cut-off times
A full DIY IRONMAN® has the same official IRONMAN® total cut-off time of 17 hours from the start of the swim, with specific cut-off times for each discipline: 2 hours and 20 minutes for the swim, a cumulative 10 hours and 30 minutes for the swim and bike, and 17 hours for the entire race. While the overall 17-hour limit is standard, specific intermediate cut-off times can vary by race, so it is crucial to check the rules for your particular event.
- Swim: 2hrs 20min (3.8 km)
- Bike: 8hrs 10min (180 km)
- Run: 6hrs 30min (42.2 km)
- Total: 17hrs (226 km)
- And the times are cumulative as described above so what you score on the swim you can add on the bike and what you score on the swim and bike you can add to the run. Or walk in my case. Seeing as this is a DIY IRONMAN®…
When and where?
Swim at MATIES gym outside pool at Coetzenburg makes a lot of sense. Alternatively, at the Bergrivierdam outside Franschhoek. And then the bike course is still open for discussion. Maybe a few laps or maybe just a massive out and back. Safety first. And for the run/walk I couldn’t be bothered. Suggestions are welcome. Where would you want to do it?
Keen? Let me know.
And if you are from upcountry, lets send your bicycle down to Stellenbosch…
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Ps, When are the next IRONMAN® events in South Africa?
- IRONMAN® SA Port Elizabeth – April 19, 2026
- IRONMAN® 70.3 Mosselbaai – November 16, 2025
- IRONMAN® 70.3 Durban – June 7, 2026
