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A comprehensive guide to racing Ironman 70.3 Cozumel.
*This is a review of Ironman 70.3 Cozumel based on my experience in the 2023 race.
Photo by Nabeel Chirathodi
Pre Travel: I'd like to preface this by saying that during our trip we spent time in Playa Del Carmen and Cozumel. Throughout our trip I felt safe swimming, biking and running by myself during daytime hours. We had positive experiences regarding the use of taxis and walking around during day and night. But like always, accessing reliable information is important prior to travel and it is important to note that the risk level for Mexico from the Canadian Travel Advisory was: Exercise a High degree of Caution. We recommend you read the information provided by the Canadian Travel Advisory in detail as certain risks are greater in specified regional areas.
We also took note of the location of the closest Consular Agency for Canada, which for this trip was in Playa Del Carmen.
We were prepared for emergencies by ensuring our travel insurance was active, would provide adequete coverage, and we were equipped with a first aid kit. Additionally, we made efforts to avoid drinking tap water (including ice cubes), and stuck to bottled products.
The Race:
Venue: Cozumel, Mexico
Photo by Nabeel Chirathodi
Expo and Transition Set Up:
There are two transitons for this race. T1 is set up at Chankanaab Park and T2 is located at the Mega Super Center Parking Lot. You are required to set up both transitions the day before the race.
Race Tip: Parking is unavailable at Chankanaab Park. For T1 set up you can bike to the park, set up your bike and take a cab back to your hotel. There were plenty of cabs available and they were cash only.
The setup for both transitions was easy and well organized. For T1 you were required to check your bike with an official (who ensured the wheels met the race requirements) and then rack your bike. For T2 you put all of your run gear into the designated bag and left it at the bike racks set up in the Mega Super Center Parking Lot.
Unique Feature: Due to the strong cross winds during the bike, the use of full DISC wheels is not allowed at this race. Race officials monitor this at bike check in.
The expo was open the Friday and Saturday before the race, it was well organized and well staffed. To streamline the process and minimize waiting times, packet pick-up was categorized according to the chosen time slot, with distinct lines corresponding to your bib number. Overall my gear pick up took less than 10 minutes.
Photos by Rachel Faulds
Beyond the Ironman Village/Expo, there were a handful of tents offering bike services and bike rentals. . The Ironman store was well stocked and had many vendors carrying most race day essentials. It's worth noting, however, that these stores tend to be on the pricier side, so be prepared to incur a premium cost.
Race Day Tip: Plan extra time to use the toilet before the race. There was one section of port-a-potty's and the line was time consuming.
Swim: The swim is an Ocean swim and not wetsuit legal. The sighting buoys were well placed and turn buoys were well marked and a different colour. The swim is an in water start coming in off of the Chankanaab Dolphin Discovery Center. It is a single loop course that ends at a set of stairs to exit the water. From there it's a fairly long carpeted run into T1.
Unique Feature: The swim takes place at Chankanaab Adventure Park and starts at the Dolphin Discovery Center. This is inside Cozumel´s National Reef Marine Park, an certified ecotourism site.
Transition 1: Leaving the swim there is a long run up into T1. It is carpeted and the footing is great. Transition runs pretty smoothly with a well marked exit and clearly marked mount line.
Race Day Tip: This transition is larger than most with a lot of different rows and pathways to get to your bike. To make sure that you can find your bike I suggest picking a landmark near your bike and planning your path from the swim exit to your bike.
Since you won't be returning to T1 it is essential that you put all of your swim gear into your designated bike bag with your race number on it (this bag will be provided to you at packet pick up). This ensures that it will be returned to you at the finish line.
Photos by Nabeel Chirathodi
Bike: This bike course is excellent. It is clearly market and there are frequent aid stations. Most aid stations had both water and gatorade. It's worth noting that accessing the Gatorade was slightly more difficult due to twist-off lids, as opposed to a more user-friendly design for quick consumption. The water bottles were easily accessible and reusable for a fun souvenir. The course was closed to traffic, and race officials were monitoring the course.
Elevation: This course is flat, my GPS showed an elevation change of 165 meters/541 feet.
One side of the Island can get windy (which is why disc wheels are banned), but overall it is a flat, but very hot course.
Transition 2: Takes place in the Mega Super Center Parking Lot where you had previously set up your race bags. The dismount line is clearly marked and the exit is on the opposite side of the parking lot.
Run : The run course is two loops, flat and very hot. The aid stations had water baggies, ice, coke, gatorade, and some different food (pretzels, bananas, oranges etc).
The litter zones were not clearly marked and I saw a lot of garbage throughout the course. The organizers did have a clean up crew though and I didn't notice any garbage the day after the race.
Elevation: This course is flat, my GPS showed that there was a total elevation change of of 40 meters/131 feet.
Race Day Tip: It gets really hot and humid out on the run. It can be a good idea to have a cooling plan. An example of this is using the ice provided at the aid stations to stick down your tri-suit or under a hat.
The course takes place in the largest city of Cozumel, San Miguel de Cozumel and was lined with spectators, so it never got lonely out there. Shade and sun protection are limited on the run course.
Nutrition: On course nutrition was water, ice, gatorade, coke, and some snacks (bananas, pretzels, oranges etc).
All nutrition was accessible on the run course. On the bike course accessing the Gatorade was slightly more difficult due to twist-off lids compared to the water which came in a reusable bottle.
Miscellaneous: Wearing your race bracelet a few days before the event can prove advantageous. Many local restaurants and stores extend special discounts to race participants, so having your bracelet in advance allows you to take full advantage of these offers.
There was a post-race after party/awards at Señor Frog's, where athletes had access to one free beer! Señor Frog's was also a vendor at the expo where you could 'spin the wheel' in a game to win a discount on your food.
Overall Rating: A This race was really well organized received almost a perfect score from the scoring guide. The one area for improvement would be gatorade with a twist off lid on the bike course!
Sometimes triathlon terms can be confusing. If you'd like some clarification on the terms used in this race review be sure to check out the Triathlon Glossary.
Pre Race Training and Accomodation:
Cozumel is great for event specific prep. The caveat is that there is no perfect accomodation. Hotels close to the finish line/T2 don't have beach access and hotels close to T1 are in a more secluded portion of the island. Taxis are readily available though, so transportation within the Island is easy.
Tip: If you are wanting an open water swim but staying close to the finish line/cruise terminals. I recommend Jeanie's Restaurant & Beach for some in town open water swimming.
The main swim options for this race were the Ocean or public lane swim (at a rate of $3 USD for one hour or $5 USD for two hours). The island was very bike and run friendly. If you want to swim the course prior to your race there was an option to do a practice swim at Chankanaab Park the day before the race.
There were a lot of hotel options at varying price points ranging from $65-$500+ CAD. Some were all-inclusive resorts while others were regular hotels. If you stay within the city in Cozumel there are ample restaurants, grocery and convenience stores.
Tip: Book accomodations really early to save money. There is a lot of people coming into town and the closer you get to the race the higher the hotel cost.
Throughout the race weekend mechanical services were available at the expo and at official race hotels. There are bike mechanics on the island, though I didn't use their service and am unsure if they work on triathlon specific bikes. Medical services were readily available with easy hospital and pharmacy access.
Cozumel received a perfect score for Pre Race Training and Accomodations.
Overall Rating: A+
Curious on how the scoring works? Check out the scoring guide.
Post Race Sightseeing:
Cozumel is great for a 'race-cation' or post race sightseeing. There are a lot of activities on the island and it is easy to book transportation around the island through cab, renting scooters, buggies or vehicles, and private tours.
Some major sightseeing attractions include for following: *Please note that this is NOT an exhaustive list. There are many other great things to see and do in Cozumel.
The Palancar Reef: This is the second largest reef barrier of the world. According to Cozumeldivers.org Some of the reef formations of Palancar are the same height as a 30-story building.
San Gervasio Mayan Archaeological Site: According to Cozumel Parks this archaeological site was sanctuary to the Goddess Ixchel. It is considered to be the center of pilgrimages for the Mayan people where they worshiped the Goddess "Ixchel". It is also believed to be a site of commerce and political development. This area consists of isolated temples and architectural sites which are joined by white roads called "sacbes".
The Mayan Cocao Company: is an interactive place to learn about the origins of chocolate in 'the same land of their creators': the Mayans, according to their official website. There are chocoalte workshops, chocolate and margarita workshops and a chance to visit a 'real Mayan house' to learn about traditions, day to day life, gardening techniques and more. You can read more about the Mayan Cocao Company here.
Faro Celerain Eco Park: also known as Punta Sur Eco Beach Park is an ecological park on the southern part of the island. It covers approximately 2,500 acres and according to Travel US News is home to exotic birds, crocodiles and sea turtles. There are also two lighthouses, one of which is from the pre-Hispanic Era and a museum educating on the history of the Maya, pirates and corsairs that once visited Cozumel.
Mayan Bee Sanctuary: is a place to discover the 'stingless bees' ( aka Meliponas or “Xunan Cab” in Maya language according to the Mayan Bee Sanctuary official website) and learn about their relationship and influence on Mayan culture and practices.
Fun Fact: According to UNESCO there are more than 36 Mayan archaeological sites on Cozumel, which include material remains of ceremonial and commercial centres as well as pilgrimage routes.
Photos by Rachel Faulds
Cozumel Pearl Farm: is family owned and operated on the North part of the island. It is the only active Pearl farm in the Caribbean. It is located in a natural protected area and is only accessible by boat. According to their website it was created as a research project and development of the species Pinctada radiata in 2001 and later opened it's doors for ecotourism in 2012 with the goal of promoting responsible travelling and to 'preserve the area in its untouched state for (the) future'.
Enjoy the Dining: There are many great dining options on this island. To find some of the best hidden gems we reccomend walking inwards from the common tourism areas.
Travel Tip: It's a good idea to always carry some Mexican Pesos on you. Some of the best dining options we found were cash only. Our favourite was El Coffee Cozumel.
Photos by Nabeel Chirathodi
Words To Know
Hi - Hola
Goodbye - Adios
Yes - Si
No- No
Please- Por favor
Thank you - Gracias
No thank you- No gracias
Ok - ok
Triathlons In Cozumel:
For all of these races the closest airport would be Cozumel. However, it can be difficult to get to so flying into Cancun is an option. If you choose to fly into Cancun you can take a bus to Playa Del Carmen, where the Ferry will take you to Cozumel.
Triathlons In Mexico:
Ironman 70.3 Los Cabos Closest Airport: Los Cabos International Airport (SJD)
Closest Airport: Campeche International Airport (CPE)
Ironman 70.3 Monterrey: Closest Airport: Monterrey International Airport (MTY)
Ironman 70.3 Acapulco:
Closest Airport: Acapulco International Airport (ACA)
AsTri Acapulco Triathlon Closest Airport: Closest Airport: Acapulco International Airport (ACA)
AsTri Triathlon Mexico City Closest Airport: Mexico City (MEX)
Please note that this is not an exhaustive list and that there are a lot of different triathlons and endurance races in Mexico. You can find out more about triathlons in Mexico from their National Federation.
Where to Stay:
With two transitions, and the race being spread throughout the island there is no perfect accomodation. Accomodations near T1 would likely have better beach access but be less convenient after the race. Accomodations near T2 have better access to food, the race expo and T2.
I reccomend hotels in San Miguel de Cozumel, near T2 as long as you are willing to take a cab to the beach for swims and/or plan on using venues like Jeanie's Restaurant and Beach. This allows you to take advantage of the race discounts available at some restaurants and stores and makes it easier to get back to your hotel after the race.
If you are staying closer to T1 and outside of the city, an all inclusive resort might be a better fit.
Tips and Tricks:
Plan your nutrition in advance, including if you are going to be using aid stations. If you are using aid stations make sure you look out for litter zones and/or prep yourself for the bottle pick ups.
Bring a flat changing kit (and/or a flat patching kit).
If possible, bring your own pump race morning. There are some available in transition but there can be lines to use them.
Give yourself extra time race morning since there is often long lines for toilets.
If you plan on using aid stations during the bike practice grabbing bottles during your ride(s)/training.
Race Specific:
Keep cash (Mexican Pesos) in your transition bag/on you race weekend. If you aren't staying at a race hotel you will likely need to rely on cash only taxi services to get around.
It's going to be hot, it can be a good idea to have a cooling plan.
There is a two transition set up and you will have to sign up for specific time windows to drop off your gear. When picking your drop off time keep in mind that the transitions are about 9km apart.
If you are travelling outside of your country it can be a good idea to drink only bottled water. This includes not consuming icecubes and using bottled water to brush your teeth.
Travel to Cozumel International Airport can be difficult depending on where you are coming from. For us it was cheaper and shorter travel to fly to Cancun, take the ADO bus to Playa Del Carmen and then the Ferry to Cozumel. The ADO bus has a drop off right beside the Ferry Station.
Cost:
The local currency is the Mexican Peso. At the time of writing this approximately 13 Mexican Pesos convert to $1 CAD. If you are getting cash, most currency exchanges charge a fee which makes the conversion approximately 12 Mexican Pesos to $1 CAD.
Credit cards are moderately accepted with some restaurants and services only accepting cash. Taxi's are also cash only. With credit cards, Visa was the most widely accepted.
Tipping is common practice here, with tips often ranging from 15%-20%.
Accomodations: There was a large selection of accomodations, ranging from $65 CAD-$500+ CAD per night. There were many official race hotels, which offered a shuttle to the swim start race morning. In order to save money, we did not stay at an official race hotel and had no issues getting a cab to the race start.
Food: Close to the Cruise Ship and Ferry stations food was more expensive at around $20-30 CAD per person. If you walked a couple of blocks away from these attractions meals were $10-20 CAD per person.
Parking Fees: There was no parking available at Chankanaab Park, so a shuttle or taxi was your only option. Some hotels offered free parking.
Taxi Cost: We paid on average between $11.50 CAD- $15 per taxi ride within the Island. The cost of using a Taxi increased if you were on the mainland (Playa Del Carmen).
Entry Fee: I was entered in the Womens Pro division which has a one day event fee of $250 USD or $330.89 CAD (at the time of writing this). I also upgraded my entry to purchase a VIP pass for my husband for $40 USD or $53.96 CAD. Professional athletes also have the option of paying $1200 USD annually and entering as many Ironman events as they choose. For this race (in 2023) if you are entering in the Age-Group division they have three tiers of pricing (based on when you register) and Ironman 70.3 events in Mexico have an approximate range $290- $325USD or $391-$438 CAD . There are often 'early bird' price options for this event so this cost can be variable.
Expo Fees: There was no fee to enter the expo but there was a lot of apparel/equipment for sale. It is often sold at a markup/Ironman Premium.
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Please note that this post was written from my perspective and experiences. Your experiences may vary. Please read the Canadian travel advisory (or your own countries travel advisory) prior to travel.