St Kilda Beach, Port Phillip Bay
Start honestly and settle into open-water rhythm
The calm, rolling-start bay swim rewards an honest, controlled opening.
Seed honestly. Settle into rhythm.
Race Finder IRONMAN 70.3 Melbourne.
Race Intelligence · St. Kilda, Australia
IRONMAN 70.3 Melbourne.
Your best day in St Kilda.
Melbourne's Beach Road is built for speed, but this is a 70.3, not a cycling time trial. The bay swim is over quickly enough. Your job is to ride both closed-road laps in a way that lets you enjoy the second waterfront run lap.
St Kilda, a pier extending into the ocean at sunset.
- Race day
- 8 Nov 2026
- Course
- Swim 1.9 km · Bike 90 km · Run 21.1 km
- Historical air
- 11–24°C
Your day in St Kilda
What could you race?
I’m Tom, the coach behind Sense Endurance Coaching. Tell me where you are now and I’ll show you what a strong day in St Kilda could look like.
The course behind your race
Beach Road won't make your run easier.
For November 2026 the race uses St Kilda Beach and Port Phillip Bay, two 45 km Beach Road bike circuits and two half-marathon laps by the waterfront. Its openness means breeze, crowds and average speed can compete for your attention. Give your planned effort the deciding vote.
Beach Road, first closed-road lap
Establish power before admiring the speed
With no hills to force pacing discipline, it's easy to override on the famous flat Beach Road. Hold your number regardless of how easy it feels.
Cap opening effort. Fuel early.
Beach Road, second closed-road lap
Let the breeze move pace, not your effort ceiling
Repeat the first lap's effort and finish planned nutrition before the waterfront run.
Stay patient. Finish planned nutrition.
St Kilda waterfront, first run lap
Find controlled running legs before chasing time
Let the first waterfront loop feel easy, not fast.
Easy first aid station. Check posture.
St Kilda waterfront, second run lap
Use the crowd to finish rather than start too fast
Only progress once the first loop has held together.
Stay tall. Choose the last move late.
What to check in race week
Confirm the 2026 St Kilda swim buoys, Catani Gardens transition and Beach Road closure times. Check the two waterfront run loops, aid and actual Port Phillip Bay wind before choosing a bike power plan. Do not assume the easy-looking road will give you the same speed in both directions.
Forecast statusToo early for a forecast
A race-day forecast is not meaningful yet; check back closer to the event.
- Temperature
- 10.9–23.9°CDew point centred on 9.3°C
- Wind and gusts
- 14.8 km/hGusts up to 51.8 km/hPrevailing direction W
- Rain likelihood
- Up to 100%Wet-surface uncertainty retained
Historical baseline, 2019–2025 · Open-Meteo historical archive · Updated 2026-09-14.Historical comparison only. This is not a forecast for 2026.
Make your finish prediction and I can send this plan to you in race week.
Your plan, in race week
Prepare for St Kilda
Build the legs.
Practise the decisions.
A finish range gives you something to work towards. The preparation is specific to this race: two controlled Beach Road passes and calm off-bike running are practised together, so a fast cycling average never sets a reckless opening run pace.
I’m Tom. With Sense Endurance Coaching, I’ll build that preparation around your life, follow how you respond and adjust the work as you get closer to St Kilda.
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