Ironman Pace Chart

How to read the chart

Ironman (140.6) pace chart

Required splits for each goal finish, on a balanced distribution with 6:00 in T1 and 5:00 in T2. Swim pace is per 100 m; run pace is per kilometre.

Generated from the same split model as the goal split planner. The 17:00 row is the conventional course cut-off — see the cutoff calculator for the races that differ.

IRONMAN 70.3 pace chart

Required splits at half distance, with 3:30 in T1 and 2:30 in T2. The 8:30 row is the conventional 70.3 cut-off.

70.3 Switzerland allows only 7:30 rather than 8:30, so check your own race's athlete guide.

Ironman checkpoint clock: what the race clock should read

Cumulative elapsed time at each gate for the most-chased goals. Write the row for your goal on your arm — it is far easier to hold a plan when you know what the clock should say at T1 rather than doing arithmetic at hour seven.

Elapsed time from your own start, which is what a rolling-start race measures. Add your wave offset if your race starts in waves.

What the chart cannot tell you

Frequently asked questions

What is an Ironman pace chart?

A table showing the swim pace, bike speed and run pace each goal finish time requires. Rather than working forward from your paces to a time, you read backwards from the time you want to the numbers it demands - which is how most athletes actually plan a race.

What splits do I need for a sub-12 Ironman?

On a balanced distribution with six minutes in T1 and five in T2, a 12-hour Ironman needs roughly a 2:01/100 m swim (1:16), 28.5 km/h on the bike (6:19) and 6:00/km for the marathon (4:13). Shift time between legs and the requirement moves with it, which is what the split calculator is for.

What bike speed do I need for a sub-10 Ironman?

About 34.3 km/h (21.3 mph) for a 5:15 bike split, alongside a 1:40/100 m swim and a 4:59/km marathon. That bike speed is the hardest part of the equation for most athletes, because it needs both the power and the aerodynamics to hold it for over five hours.

Is this chart a prediction of my time?

No, the opposite. It tells you what a chosen finish time requires, not what you will run. Whether the numbers are realistic for you is a separate question - the race predictor answers that one from a recent running race, your FTP and a pool time.

Why does the chart assume those transition times?

Six minutes for T1 and five for T2 at full distance, and 3:30 and 2:30 at 70.3, which is realistic for age-group racing with a change of kit and a long run through transition. Fast athletes beat those figures and first-timers rarely do; the calculators let you set your own.

Should I print this chart or use the calculator?

The chart is for orientation - seeing what a goal costs and which leg looks least plausible. Once a goal looks right, build the actual plan in the calculator so you can adjust for your own transitions, a hilly course and the heat, none of which this chart assumes.

Turn the chart into a plan