Ironman Florida 2025

At TriFit, we’re all about the journey—before, during, and after race day. This blog is where we share our experiences from races across the country, from local sprints to epic destination events. You’ll find travel tips, race-day insights, and honest recaps to help you prepare, perform, and enjoy every mile. Whether you're chasing a new PR or just in it for the thrill, we hope our stories inspire and guide you on your own racing adventures.



The Race: Ironman Florida

Choosing an Ironman

When choosing an Ironman, I (CA) was pretty adamant that it had to be a driveable distance. I did not want to fly with the bike (at least not the first race), so that left us with a few options. We considered this race (Florida) as well as Maryland and Chattanooga. If I had been willing to fly with all of the equipment, Mitch ultimately probably would have chosen Ironman Arizona. 

The race venue options started broad, and had to taper in as we realized driving made the logistics more feasible. I (Mitch) wanted the race with a longstanding history and minimal cancellations. I wanted to get the full race day if I trained that hard. Arizona was my #1 pick if we did not have to fly, because it was a lake swim and the bike/run course was beautiful. Florida has a lot of similar pros, but with an unpredictable ocean swim and potential sealife. Maryland has a history of swim cancellations, potential for greater heat in September (AZ and FL in November) and also occasional jellyfish issues. I also began to consider Ironman Chattanooga because I loved the bike course in the 70.3 we did this year, but the current assisted swim and history of swim cancellations had me too concerned. Finally, I spoke with several Ironman veterans and they agreed Florida was the best “bet” and has a long history. I was also pleased to learn that the Florida bike course is not pancake flat, I prefer some rolling terrain. 

The ultimate decision came when we found out we were pregnant. We knew this would potentially be a key determining factor, and it was. It worked in my favor (Mitch) since I had been favoring Ironman Florida over the rest. It fit the timeline!

Travel

From Columbia, South Carolina to Panama City Beach, Florida was an 8 hours drive. We did this drive in one day, arriving in Panama City Beach on Wednesday, October 29th. 

We also had family that flew in for this race and utilized Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport which was easy to navigate both for the traveler and person picking them up from the airport. This was an approximately 20 minute drive from Embassy Suites. 

Check-In

We chose to arrive on Wednesday, October 29th due to the long drive. We arrived later in the afternoon, so that check-in could be completed the next day. Check-In was completed on Thursday, October 30th, with the bike check-in being on Friday, October 31st. The check-in process was simple, only taking about 15 minutes. This year, they were given bookbags at check-in (hat and shirt were given at the finish line). 

Race Day

For the athlete (from Mitch’s perspective)

Ironman Florida has been around for over 20 years, and that is evident. The organization of the pre race events, athlete village, race course, and accommodations were excellent. Even down to the small details of food vouchers, it was well done. Obviously the athletes care most about the race course, and that was well planned. The Athlete guide did a great job of laying everything out, and Facebook groups filling in the personal twists. Local athletes were good about organizing unofficial bike rides during the week before the race, with those details mostly on Facebook. Ironman organized a shake out run and practice swim, both of which provide a comfortable environment to get the last minute sessions done. Therefore, race day was smooth. All of the meetings, bag drop offs, and information had been laid out and explained well. I did find the Q&A meeting helpful as well.

Race day always starts early, however, since most of our gear was already packed, the only real responsibility of the morning was to pump up tires and add nutrition to the bikes. After that, we “stretched in the heat of the hotel” and worked our way to the beach 30-45 minutes before the race. Standing on the beach with the support crew was cold, but the time went by fast. Before we knew it, we were lining up to jump in the water. 

For the spectator (from Carrie Ann’s perspective)

Overall, I would say that this was a relatively easy race to spectate. Though, the race director recommended not driving any part of the course. If you stay around Pier Park, you are able to easily see each part of the race. You can easily see the end of the bike and walk to watch your athlete come out on the run. Also, the marathon is two loops, so you get to see them halfway through the marathon as well! 

Though we chose to stay in a hotel that we could walk everywhere, there is plenty of parking at Pier Park if you chose to stay a little further away from transition/Ironman Village. 

There were public restrooms located at the pier, Pier Park, and Aaron Bessant Park. 

Where to Stay

For this race, we had several different family members join us, all staying in different places. Mitch and I, along with two other athletes that we were traveling with all chose to stay at the Embassy Suites. To be fully transparent, this was the right decision for us due to the amount of Hilton Points that we had, but was the more expensive option if you were paying with cash. Though it was more expensive, it may have still been the decision that we made as it was incredibly convenient for the race weekend. This stay included breakfast each morning, opening at 7AM. However, on race morning, they did set up a light breakfast of Oatmeal, fruit, and protein bars for those staying at the hotel. This hotel is right next to Pier Park where there are shops, food, and the finish line. It’s an easy walk across a parking lot to Aaron Bessant Park where the Ironman Village was located. With each room being a suite, it was a good amount of room considering the triathlon gear that we were traveling with. 

We had family members that stayed in Calypso Tower (tower 3), which is right next to the Embassy Suites. These were condos with full kitchens and depending on your needs, this could be a better option. It was cheaper and could easily be split between multiple families depending on who you are traveling with. The specific condo they had had a balcony that overlooked the road where the athletes bike and run. 

We also had family members that stayed at the Hampton Inn. Though this was a little further of a walk, it was the cheapest option and still convenient to the pier, Pier Park, Transition, and Ironman Village. 

I would consider all of these to be a good option, depending on your needs and budget. 

Where to Eat

Throughout our stay, we ate at both local and chain restaurants. Panda Express and Chipotle were both easy options. During the check-in process, the athletes were given $25 vouchers for local restaurants. We chose to utilize our voucher at Great White Pizza. It was a good amount of food and we paid very little out of pocket for our lunch. On race day, they opened early to serve breakfast pizzas. We went back a second time to enjoy those! At Pier Park, we also enjoyed Mason’s Famous Lobster Rolls, Auntie Anne’s, and Kilwins for ice cream. 

Depending on where you are staying, it is very difficult to get out during race day. If your athlete wants something specific for dinner after the race, I recommend getting it prior to race day.

The day after the race, we had dinner at Sharky’s Beachfront Restaurant. I recommend sitting at a table outside. The view at sunset was incredible! 

Adventure

The Pier that the athletes swim around on race day is a simple “adventure” that we did while there. We arrived on Wednesday and it was $4 to get onto the pier. However, on Thursday and Friday, Ironman had taken care of the cost; it was free to walk the Pier. I would recommend walking the Pier as it gives the spectators a good perspective of the length of the swim. Also, the water is so clear that you are able to see marine life (we saw jelly fish, a small shark, and a small school of fish)! The Pier is restricted to VIP access the day of the race. 

Weather/Packing

For the first two days that we were there (Wednesday and Thursday) it was very overcast and windy. Layers and a light jacket were appropriate for those days. The sun began to come out on Friday where a jacket was no longer needed. On Saturday morning (race day), it was cool in the morning on the beach. As a spectator, I wore long packets, a jacket, and ear warmers; though cool, overall comfortable. It began to warm up quickly once the sun came out. During the middle of the day, I wore leggings and a t-shirt; some spectators were even in shorts. By the evening, we were back in long sleeves and a jacket. 

We really enjoyed our time in Florida. This was our second “Ironman” event and the plan will be to continue to do more. These events are really well run and a great experience for both the athlete and the spectator. 

We look forward to continuing our travels one race at a time!