After nearly a day of flying, it's a relief to finally get outside and smell the salty, flowery Kona air. There's something indescribable about the feeling of stepping out of the last airplane of the journey, knowing that you have arrived to your final destination - the venue of the Ironman World Championship.
The Ironman World Championship is an incredible spectacle of an event. No matter if you are a participant, volunteer or spectator, it's worth the trip to the big island to experience all that is Ironman Kona. From all of the race week events to the massive expo to swimming in a clear, blue fish tank, the event itself is simply the icing on the cake. For seven years, the Ironman World Championship race week has always made for a memorable and inspiring experience for me.
But let's not beat around the bush. If you are participating in the Ironman World Championship, it can get rather expensive.
According to a past article, the average income of an Ironman triathlete is $247,000. Well, I can assure you that our household (and that of many other long distance triathletes) does not make that kind of money. Being a long-distance triathlete (or a triathlete training for any distance) is not inexpensive but it does provide many fulfilling opportunities and experiences that make the costs all worth it.
Here are the typical expenses for an athlete at the Ironman World Championship:
- Ironman Kona entry fee (after qualifying): ~$1000+ (per person)
- Flight: ~$1000 (per person)
- Airport parking: ~$120-$150
- Bike fees: ~$150 (per bike, one way)
- Rental car: ~$600-$800
- Food: ~$400+
- Lodging: ~$200-$220 per night (Airbnb)
- Extra (ex. massage, merch, last minute items like CO2, nutrition, etc.): ~$300+
Total - $😮$
(this does not include sight-seeing activities and some of the above amounts account for at least a 7-10 day stay).
- Plan in advance - Make reservations as far out as possible. Lodging and rental cars can be reserved at least 10-12 months out. Plus, the sooner out you reserve your lodging, the more options you will have (note: many athletes stay in the same condos/houses year after year so that is why many places are booked the day after the previous IM Kona). Make sure your condo/house has AC - many do not! I always look at the reviews and confirm with the owner of the airbnb/vrbo.
- Flight considerations - Review your flight bike policies and consider layovers of at least 2 hours (so that your bike can move from one plane to the next). Try to minimize layovers to help with the shuttling of your bike. As a note, Hawaii airlines does not allow soft bike cases. When booking your flight home from Kona, you will likely have an overnight flight. Consider a seat that will allow you to (somewhat) rest with an exhausted body.
- Bring as much with you - Shopping on an island is expensive. Some athletes ship heavy items to the island. Consider the costs of paying for an extra piece of luggage to bring items with you so that you don't need to panic shop when you get to the island. Not only is shopping on an island a bit expensive but if there's something that you need for your trip/race, there's a good chance other athletes need it as well (and that item may be in short supply).
- Where to pay extra - Although I try to make our trip as "affordable" as possible, there are a few splurge items. For example, we like to be within walking distance of the race start. I account for this when looking for lodging (we typically stay at the Kona Plaza). I also like to pay extra for extra leg room on the plan (especially for Karel - we often don't sit together so that he can be near the front of economy with plenty of leg room and I sit in an aisle a few rows back). We do not eat out much on the island except Karel loves the Poke bowls and we both love the Acai bowls. I do encourage that you arrive at least seven days out. Participating in the 2.4 mile Ho'ala Ironman training swim (which is open to anyone, be sure to register at least a month out as the event does fill up and there is no race day registration) on the Saturday before the event (one week out) is absolutely worth it. Plus, it's good to give yourself time to become one with the island, get to know the course and acclimate. You could go without a rental car but I think it's worth having one for grocery shopping and to train on the bike course a bit further north of the island (the first 7 miles of the bike course are between the airport and Kailua-Kona, which can get very busy with cars).
- Where to watch your money - Many athletes spontaneous spend on the latest and greatest. Some of this is feeling vulnerable to buying "speed" (ex. upgrading your bike for $1500+ on the two days before the event) whereas it's easy to overspend out of worry or fear (ex. a new helmet, new shoes, etc.). My advice is to only spend on items that answer yes to these questions: Will it make your race more enjoyable? Will it make your race safer? The Ironman World Championship is still an Ironman. A lot can happen over 140.6 miles. And the island can be unpredictable. Because of this, spending money on items that you think will make you faster is not worth it. Instead, if a race kit or helmet will make you feel cooler in the hotter than hot conditions, that can make you race more enjoyable. If spending money on a new pair of goggles will help you swim better without worry of your goggles fogging up, it's worth it. If using super deep wheels because so and so said that you will go faster, will you enjoy riding those wheels in gusty, trade winds? Purchasing a hydration belt so that you can carry your own nutrition with you can certainly make your race safer for your body.
- Make smart investments - It doesn't matter what level athlete you are. If you are training for an Ironman distance event, you are undergoing an amazing human feat. Participating in a 140.6 mile event should be taken very seriously. Therefore, I encourage you to make smart investments with your money. Investing in a sport dietitian, massage therapist/PT, sport psychologist, bike fit and coach will be worth your while. Having someone help you in your journey will allow you to better do what you love to do - swim, bike and run. Plus, with so much going into a one day event, investing into the areas that will help you feel more confident and prepared on race day will make for a more enjoyable (and safer) race day experience. The latest wearable gadget with a dozen different settings to help you monitor your health is worth nothing if you lack an understanding of how to fuel and hydrate your body before and during a 140.6 mile event.
If you have any questions regarding traveling to Kona, Hawaii for the Ironman World Championship (as spectator, volunteer or participant) or racing the event, I'd be happy to help you out. Feel free to send me an email: Marni@trimarnicoach.com