First Ironman event, and first time doing 70.3 distance. IM is such as well organised event. Probably one of the best events I've done. The whole thing from start to finish was excellent. The split transition was a right faff, and it was a shame that you couldn't register at T1 as anyone coming from the south drives straight past it (on the m6 toll), so it made the Saturday a complete waste of a day. However, registration and racking was easy and well organised. The buses on the morning of the event worked well too. Pre race, lots of help if you needed it, and just about enough portaloos - it's a chip start so it didn't matter that we were still in the queue when the pros started. The lake was a great swim, pulse start meant it wasn't too manic and most people put themselves roughly in the right group - although don't make the mistake I did and sight the water sports buoy, which added an extra 50m onto my swim. The course, that's hell of a cycle. The first 15 k is fast, but also you need to stay cautious, especially on that down, bend up at around 6k. It's quite gravelly and pot holes. But it's over fast and once out on the main road you fly around. The hill at Cannock is tough, but you get to come back down it again, so all good. Support and nutrition is all good, it's well sign posted and pot holes clearly marked. The run is mostly great. The heat was unbearable though (35c +). I got to my second lap and forget about time, and just focused on survival. On the second trip to the castle I ran the approach road, but walked in the shade up to the castle, but picked up again after that. The stretch from the castle to the aid station is flat, boring, no shade and hot - be prepared for that. After that once in the town, it's all good fun. The ending is something else, what a buzz running up that red carpet. Only minor complaint is in the athlete village there's chairs but no where to lie down - that would have been much appreciated. Great event, great day - a day I'll remember forever! Highly recommend.

Did this race back in June 2022, enjoyed it that much I’m doing it again this coming June, easy registration process, plenty of places to stay around Staffordshire, like many other IM events there’s regular shuttle bus taking you from the Center to the lake to start the swim, your street wear bag is transported back to race finish for you to collect. lovely swim location good starting atmosphere, bike route has some cracking woodland scenery. The run takes place in loops of the city Center which offers great support, the aid stations on course are great & finishes with a t shirt , a great medal ,dominos pizza & an athletic brewing non alc beer which went down a treat. Race entry is not cheap but you can get cheaper events of the same distance that are not Ironman branded so it’s down to personal preference.

A 6th time return to staffs 70.3. The location always makes this an easy race to get to. A good event with great volunteer support. My only two gripes are, seeing bike course Marshall’s (I suspect hired in) preoccupied on their phones rather than giving directions as sharp bends approach. Think I clocked three different Marshall’s doing this in potentially dangerous spots, and Stafford county council, please sort out those potholes!!!!!!!

I have been mulling over this for quite a while. Outstanding event and superbly organised, while the Ironman branded event are on the expensive side you really do get what you pay for. You can’t beat racing in closed roads or the finish of the red carpet. If there was one little niggle it would that because T1 and T2 are located in different areas spectators watching the swim and transition onto bike had to make there way back to stafford to watch the run start and finish but it was a minor detail. I know some competitors didn’t like the split transition areas but I thought it worked well. After race care was excellent as was on course refreshments. Will definitely be back. 

Ironman events always well organised

I'd advise on having a car as T1 is quite a long way away from Stafford and there are no busses on the Saturday to help take your bike to racking. 

Swim is a very simple course in a nice lake

Bike is predominantly on great roads and is well sign-posted throughout (great use of caution signs wherever sharp turns are). Only thing I think that could be improved is the positioning of aid stations as they're generally in places where you've gone downhill for a bit and then have to slow down to make sure you pick up a bottle. Closed roads always make a massive difference when trying to race too

Run course was great, loved the addition of the climb up to the castle and the crowds are great around the centre of town

Staff / volunteers all very helpful. I've been to briefings before that had a video showing. That's my preference as it takes up less time and is more flexible but the briefing was informative

All in all, a good race in a nice town, just make sure you're on top of the logistics

Be prepared for a long day on the sat. Register and visit T1 & T2 took most of the day (10:30-15:30) 

Actual day is an early start but the free bus from the town was great. Well looked after and just a brilliant event.

May look expensive but to close all the roads and all logistics i was happy and would recommend 

I've thrown alot of money at the IRONMAN brand in the past & raced in some stunning locations across the world: Luxembourg, Aix on Provence, Mount Tremblant, Canberra, Port Maquarie, Las Vegas, Weymouth & now Staffordshire. It was the most uninspiring course I've experienced & won't be returning! 

The bike route with the number of riders on was dangerous in places & the condition of the roads was really poor. I thought Wiltshire had some pot holes & rough tarmac though this was another level. The convoluated run course was a total maze through the town centre though the support to be fair was pretty decent. 

Entry into IRONMAN triathlon races is expensive & I think there are more interesting, scenic & enjoyable courses around to take part in. 

Well where to start, having completed a full ironman last year at Ironman UK in Bolton the idea of doing half those distances felt a whole lot more manageable prospect.

I'll start with registration, we got there on saturday (work commitments get in the way of a Friday registration) parking was at a premium we had heard from another couple staying at our hotel so we decided to park on the official car park for the race the next day.  The walk from this car park is far from ideal the day before a long race as the registration was at the far side of Stafford, having trekked for what felt like an eternity we arrived at the familiar Ironman tent with its usual 'Every item you could possibly want with an Ironman logo on' shop.  Registration was pain-free straight in no issues. Run bag dropped off at transition which was just around the corner and a trek back to the car.  We then had the joys of about a 30minute drive to T1 where again we were faced with a massive walk with the bike to drop it off, having parked at the rugby club at one end of chasewater reservoir. Finally after getting back to the hotel the whole day had gone and 14000 steps were recorded on the Garmin.

Race Day: As my wife decided to stay at the hotel and walk down to watch the run later in the day I was on my own getting to start, deciding not to risk it I drove down to the car park in Stafford town centre nice and early to get onto the official car park where there was ample room for plenty of cars, a fleet of buses arrived spot on time to ferry athletes to the start 30mins away we weren't crowded on and everybody got a seat. Enough buses to go around as far as I could tell meant getting to the start a breeze, bike checked in T1, bags dropped off with no issues or concerns it all went smoothly.  The start was delayed by an hour due to fog which was no fault of the organizers.

Swim: Not a lot to say about the swim, the rolling start meant athletes were spread and not all charging for the first turn point and the water quality was fine if not strangely warm for this time of year Garmin recorded 19 degrees.  1900m went by easily with only 3 turns to navigate on the course.

T1: Quite a run out of the water (about .4 of a mile) before reaching the changing tent with plenty of space to get changed and set for the bike.  As with most Ironman events the organisation and bag dropping process meant for easy swift transitions.

Bike: The bike course for me was in thirds (Not even thirds) with the first 10miles being much like a rollercoaster on nearby Alton towers, plenty of twists and turns tight roads and potholes aplenty.  During this first foray onto the bike, I witnessed a few crashes with cyclists going off the road into hedges and riding onto the grass verges through being caught out by a sharp bend nothing serious from what I witnessed, all being caused by excessive speed.  Sounds against all rules of racing, going to fast.  But in those first miles, the roads were not great for fast racing if you did not know them, I felt more like I was in a spinning class constantly moving from drops, hoods, TT bars.  The second third was great nice fast roads with plenty of space and sweeping bends.  The last third went up around and back down Cannock Chase which was lovely on the eye but not so much the legs by that point.

T2: Again expertly organised enough loos to go around without having to wait in a queue, straight through onto the run.

Run: I personally enjoyed the run course, it started with a short point to point run along the canal on a good tarmac path (Roughly 1.7miles) before joining the lapped part of which we were to do 3.  Each lap was just a little short of 4miles meaning it was long before passing loved ones at the side of the road every few miles.  The course zigzagged and turned around the city center with some sections having barriers on either side with a great amount of support.  It was largely un-eventfull running on a mixture of roads and footpaths, with even a short section on grass.  The aid stations were stocked aplenty with everything you need.  There were 2 aid stations per lap with meant you were never that far away from your next fix of water or coke, an absolute godsend in the scorching heat of the day.

Overall:  I thought this was a great race and course, swim was nothing too scary and being only 1 lap meant it felt over really quickly.  The bike course went through some absolutely stunning areas of Staffordshire, all be it a little dangerous in the early stages if you went as fast as you possibly could.  Then the run was well supported and no nasty surprises and plenty of support from the numerous aid stations and enthusiastic volunteers. 

Got to registration 8:30am Saturday morning, a handful of people there so shot through and watched race brief video. Dumped running gear in T2 and headed park to car, left in local retail park as no parking on site, drove down to T1.

T1 car park was over a mile away from T1 itself, but there were free shuttle buses, very helpful after I forgot my race belt (too used to wearing it under the wetsuit). The whole set up process took a couple of hours. Saw a lot of people complaining about it, but everyone knew and if you leave yourself enough time to set up, not a problem.

I went to Ironprayer at St Chads on Saturday (to fully immerse myself in the experience) and as a non church goer I really enjoyed it. Amazing tales from other athletes and so happy I went, thank you for welcoming me.

The race itself was delayed due to fog on the lake. It passed and everyone was in the water in an hour. The split start then turned into a free for all meaning mixed abilities in the lake together. Due to this I got punched in the face twice (never been hit in multiple triathlons), unfortunate but par for the course with the delayed start. The swim had a lot of non IM buoys in and the field was all over the place with canoes doing their best to shepherd.

T1 was close enough to lake for a swift in and out. Loads of accidents on the bike leg. Even coming out of T1 there was a long queue due to an ambulance not far away. Otherwise I enjoyed the bike. Couple of hills, but nothing too heavy.

T2 was nice and quick. Run was a flat (bar the railway bridge of doom) 3 lap course around a very well supported town centre (6 times over the railway bridge). So many feed stations!

Overall I enjoyed the event. Being part of an IM event has something special about it. I would do it again in a few years to see if they have ironed (pardon the pun) the new course teething issues.