How much does it cost to do an Ironman?

A detailed accounting.

This was something I had wanted to do at Triathlete: Really truly answer the question, in a detailed way, of what it actually costs to do your first Ironman. It’s an incredibly commonly Google’d question, yet you can’t find answers beyond the registration fee + maybe some basic gear expenses. No one has put together accurate numbers in a specific way for the full cost from registration to training to equipment to travel.

Our basic assumptions and sources: We’ve constructed our expenses sheet based on the most common model: an athlete who signs up for a full Ironman 10-12 months out, and either has done a sprint/Olympic or plans to do one in their build to their goal. That means a relatively new triathlete looking to do (most likely) their first Ironman. As such, we assumed they would need to buy most of the necessary gear. We used either the actual literal most recent costs (registration & fees), or numbers pulled from either the most recent USA Triathlon State of the Sport survey in January (which included average prices paid for coaching & certain pieces of gear) or from industry averages you can find for the U.S. at large. In all cases, we erred on the side of the lower possible end within an industry range — in order to give us a minimum possible cost to do an Ironman from scratch.

I’ve also included in some categories additional optional costs, which are not automatically required but which an athlete seems likely to incur. This gives us a total range of what an Ironman would cost for a new athlete. This does *not* consider or factor in what it costs for someone looking to qualify for World Champs or upgrade or be a professional age-grouper. This is *not* the upper end of what one could spend on triathlon.

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Registration for Ironman

• Registration: $875

• Active processing fee: $80.94

• USAT one-day license: $23

SUB-TOTAL: $978.94

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Travel to/from race

**assumption that a new Ironman athlete would typically pick a race they can drive to from their house (all things considered); however, that’s not always the case, and there also can be real increases in lodging prices around events. we’re also making the assumption that they’d travel with at least one other person, as the average is four additional people per athlete**

• Hotel for 3 nights minimum: $171/nt. ave in US + tax (9%) $46.71 = $559.71
  (Sunday race — check-in by Friday, gear drop Saturday, awards Monday)

*ADDITIONAL OPTIONAL COSTS*

• My actual Airbnb costs for Lake Placid 5 nights (because of travel) w/ fees + tax: $1,181 —> difference from min. = $621.29

• Flight: 2x $500 = $1,000

• Rental car: $93/day (U.S. ave.) + tax = $412

• Bike transportation (borrowing a bike box) @ min. bike fee 2x $75 = $150

SUB-TOTAL: $559.71

(WITH OPTIONAL ADD-ONS: **$2,743**)

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Gear & equipment

**assumption that a person who wants to do an Ironman would need to buy the minimum amount of “starting from scratch” gear — including a bike & wetsuit, cycling clothes, bike fundamentals — but would likely own some existing running clothes, nutrition; average prices are taken from the Endurance Exchange State of the Sport survey assuming a “newbie” TT bike level — other prices are approximate from the lower-end/minimum of industry averages**

• Bike: $2,693

  • assume it comes standard with wheels, tires, and all components

• Helmet: $120

• Cycling shoes: $150

• Pedals: $65

• At least one cycling kit: $130

• Bike pump: $40

• Saddle bag & flat kit: $45

• Wetsuit: $310

• Swimsuit: $55

• Goggles: 2x pairs/6 mos = $50

• Watch/wearable (82% of triathletes own one according to State of Sport survey, ave. price): $446

• Running shoes: min. 2x pairs/6 mos = $200

• Tri suit: $220

• Race belt (or some way to carry stuff in race): $15

• Hydration/water bottle set-up on bike: $55

*ADDITIONAL OPTIONAL COSTS*

• Bike computer: $230

• Cycling sunglasses: $60

• Race running shoes: $240

• Additional tires & tubes: $160

SUB-TOTAL: $4,594

(WITH OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL ADD-ONS: **$5,284**)

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Training

**assumption that a new Ironman athlete would need some kind of training plan or guidance, ave. coach fee from State of Sport survey**

• Coach: $203/mo for 6 months = $1218

• Gym membership (with a pool): $125/mo for 6 months = $750

• Bike maintenance: 2x tune-up price @ my local bike shop = $240

*ADDITIONAL OPTIONAL COSTS*

• Bike fit at a shop: $150

• Personal trainer/strength training: $60/session = $180

• Masters or swim coaching: 12-punch card = $180

• Physical therapy and/or massage: $90/session = $360

SUB-TOTAL: $2,208

(WITH OPTIONAL ADDITIONAL ADD-ONS: **$3,078**)

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Of course, there is no upper limit on how much you can choose to spend on gear or travel or extras. But I think these approximations are fair for what is absolutely required — there is NO way you can do an Ironman without the things listed here as the minimums necessary. (You *will* need two pairs of running shoes, you *will* need pedals and a bike pump.) I also think my additional optional add-ons are actually very likely things a new Ironman athlete will end up spending money on: physical therapy, bike fit, swim coaching or Masters groups, additional hotel nights. These are not the highest-end of options.

I also didn’t get into the weeds of additional food costs, paid time off or vacation days, decreases in productivity, additional doctor visits or medical costs, etc.

It still brings us to a significantly higher total than I think most people would assume initially. Of course, some of these (especially gear) are one-time costs you won’t have to re-purchase for at least multiple years — though there is quite a bit of depreciation on gear. My personal incremental cost for doing an Ironman this year, for example, did not include a bike or wetsuit or helmet, but did include new cycling & running shoes, replacement tri kit, watch, swimsuits, goggles, tires, etc. A few of the costs listed here also might be spent whether or not a new athlete did an Ironman — like a gym membership or running shoes — but I think we still captured the most fair assessment of what costs are minimally necessary.

TOTAL: $8,340.65

(with additional possible extra costs: $12,083.94)