Jordan Laner Takes on Ironman 70.3 Little Elm

March 17, 2026

Little Elm, Texas. March 15, 2026

Jordan Laner took on Ironman 70.3 Little Elm in Little Elm, Texas on March 15, 2026. As one of the first Ironman 70.3 races of the season, this event quickly became one of the most anticipated races of the year. It was also the first time Ironman hosted a race in the Little Elm / Dallas area, and the excitement showed. The race sold out quickly and drew a massive field of athletes. Even the professional lineup was stacked with big names competing early in the season.

Race Morning Challenges

Going into the race, early morning conditions brought heavy winds across the course. The race directors were faced with a difficult decision as the water conditions became increasingly unsafe.

The result was a major change to the race format.

The swim would be cancelled for age group athletes, while the professional athletes would complete a shortened 350 meter swim.

For everyone else, the race would begin with a bike time trial start.

It was a surprising announcement, but understandable as athlete safety in the water would be tested.

With the change announced, Jordan geared up for a bike start instead of the traditional swim.

The Bike Fight

Starting near the back of the pack, Jordan clipped into the pedals and pushed off the start line, working his way through the field of athletes.

Once the course opened up, the miles began moving quickly. Jordan settled into a steady pace, averaging 20–22 miles per hour.

It was an intense mix of crosswinds, tailwinds, and strong headwinds throughout the course. Some sections offered a burst of speed with a helpful tailwind while others demanded serious effort, grinding into hills while fighting powerful headwinds.

At times, sudden gusts pushed hard against the bike, forcing athletes to brace against the handlebars as the wind hit the disc wheels.

At mile 40, we spotted Jordan racing through a turn, maintaining a strong pace deep into the bike leg.

Bringing the bike home was no easy task, the roads back to T2 were heavy headwind zones, forcing athletes to dig deep and maintain effort despite the drop in speed.

At Mile 56 Jordan brought the bike into T2, making it out of the bike leg and heavy winds with a time of 3:19:01.

T2 - Time to Run

With the bike complete, it was time to gear up for the run.

Aero helmet and bike shoes off, bucket hat and alphafly shoes on.

After 6 minutes and 12 seconds in transition, Jordan headed out onto the run course.

13.1 Miles

The run course consisted of three loops, with the final loop breaking off toward the finish line. It was a scenic course running through parks, waterfront sidewalks, and a short wooded trail section.

Early into the run, Jordan appeared at an aid station grabbing a quick drink, a banana, and throwing ice into his tri suit to cool down.

By the first hour of the run, the sun was fully out, bringing up temps and direct sunlight onto the concrete sidewalks and roads. Despite the heat, Jordan was moving out there.

As Jordan raced his way through the second loop, we were able to cheer him on through the water front section of the run. Spirit and morale was holding high still! Perfect state to empty the tank and haul it trough one final loop.

The Final Miles

Around mile 10, the wind came back stronger!

Wind gusts cut across the run course. Sometimes pushing directly into runners, and other times providing a tailwind boost around long turns. One thing it did help with, was cooling. The hot stationary air on those sidewalks was now a strong breeze going right into warm triathlon suits and sweaty hats.

Miles 11 and 12 were high effort, but a familiar task for Jordan. Over the past year he has completed Ironman 70.3 Waco in 2025 and both the Austin International Half Marathon and Austin Marathon in 2026.

Those races had prepared him well for the final stretch.

The Finish Line

After mile 12, Jordan turned out of the loops and made the turn toward the finish.

Down the iconic Ironman red carpet, he ran through the final stretch taking in cheers from the crowd and the final gusts of wind.

Crossing the finish line, Jordan officially became one of the athletes to complete the very first Ironman 70.3 Little Elm. An absolutely amazing moment.

This was a race day with challenges, sudden changes, high temps and efforts, but with race experience, a cool head, patience, and lots of grit through the hard miles. Jordan took on the challenge and finished the race.