THE KONA BIKE: UNDERSTANDING THE COURSE ONE LANDMARK AT A TIME
By Samantha Murphy of Evolve Coaching Systems
On paper, the Kona bike course is not the hardest 112 miles out there, but what the elevation gains and the straightforward nature of the course fail to tell you is how the elements can shape both the bike and, ultimately, how your run could unfold. There are courses with steeper climbs and more raw elevation, but very few courses pair that terrain with the heat radiating off black lava rock, the loneliness of the Queen K, and coastal winds that make the Kona bike a challenge for all athletes.
Let’s start with the obvious: the Kona course leaves the pier and makes its way to the quaint town of Hāwī before it turns around and heads back to Kona. While the climb to Hāwī tends to get all the press, there are many landmarks along the course that can help any athlete break up their race into manageable pieces.
The IRONMAN Kona Bike Course
The route starts and ends at the pier in downtown Kailua-Kona. From T1, athletes complete a short loop through town before turning north onto the Queen Kaʻahumanu Highway, better known as the "Queen K," for a long out-and-back to the town of Hāwī on the island's northern tip. From there, it is a retrace of the same road back to town and into T2. Total elevation gain comes in at around 5000 feet, with most of the gain being in the back 56 miles.
Out of Transition: The Town Loop
Let the field spread out before the real work begins
Leaving the pier, the course heads up the first quarter of Palani Road for a VERY short but punchy climb (make sure you leave your bike in the correct gear!), then loops through town by way of Kuakini Highway past the Target shopping area on Makala Boulevard, up to the Queen K for a short stint, and heads down Palani and back on the Kuakini Highway for an out-and-back stretch of roughly 4.6 miles.
This early section is congested and “technical” by Kona standards. These opening miles are not a place to chase watts. Treat it as a chance to settle your legs, find your nutrition rhythm, soak up the experience, and let the field spread out before the real work begins. Once you make the turn on the out and back, you will be able to cruise back to the bottom of Palani, take the right at the “Hot Corner”, and head up Palani to the Queen K and the lava fields.
Please note: Riding on the Kuakini Highway, South of Kona, is prohibited prior to race day. Please drive this section to get a feel for the course.
The Queen K North
This section of the course can feel effortless
Turning onto the Queen K, the course heads out across open lava fields with the ocean on your left and very little shade or shelter anywhere in sight. Around the 12-mile mark, you will pass the Kona airport, after which the road flattens and straightens, making this a good stretch to settle into a sustainable rhythm and start managing heat and hydration in earnest.
The black lava absorbs and radiates heat, so the temperature you feel on the bike will often run well above what a thermometer reports. Pacing, fueling, and cooling are very important all day, but this section of the course can feel effortless as you start your ride and the terrain is very manageable. Take a mental picture of the airport as you head out on the course, as it will serve as an important landmark when you return to town in the closing miles of the bike, alerting you to just how close you are to finishing the bike leg.
Scenic Point and Wakilowa Village
Get cold water over your head and kit, and mentally regroup
Breaking up the stretch along the Queen K will help you to stay focused and allow for a mental reset from the monotony of the black lava. Approximately 25 miles into the course comes the overlook of Scenic Point on the inbound side of the course. This overlook marks the top of a rolling climb and a beautiful view of the turquoise waters of the ocean in the distance. It’s a great way to break up the ride as you roll through the lava towards the climb to Hāwī. Take in the view, remind yourself of your “Why”, focus on your pacing and fueling plan, and carry on.
Not long after Scenic Point, Waikalowa Village will come into view, with an outbound aid station located (typically) right before the entrance. Waikalowa Village is about ten miles from the last outbound aid station before the turn to Hāwī, which is an excellent time to top off fuel, get cold water over your head and kit, and mentally regroup. Remember to soak in all the cheers of the volunteers. Their cheers will carry you towards Hāwī and through these miles of the course.
Kawaihae and the Turn Toward Hāwī
One of the hottest parts of the course
Roughly 55 miles in, the course reaches the Port of Kawaihae, where riders leave the Queen K and turn inland toward Hāwī. This turn marks a shift in the day. It is also one of the hottest parts of the course, with little airflow. Shortly after exiting the Queen K and heading up to Hāwī, the road narrows, the terrain rolls, and this is typically where the crosswinds coming off the Kohala mountains start to make themselves known. The weather on the day will play a key role in the next few miles. On a windy day, this exposed part of the course can be both hot and windy and favors the athlete with good handling skills and a calm, steady demeanor.
The Climb to Hāwī
Another opportunity to feel gratitude in the grind
The final miles into Hāwī are the most demanding of the ride, a steady climb through open, exposed terrain where the wind can shift from a headwind to a punishing crosswind with little warning. This is also the highest point on the course, at roughly 623 feet above sea level, before the road turns back on itself at the Hāwī turnaround.
On your ride up, if the day is clear, you will have a spectacular view of Maui, reminding you of just what an incredible experience you are part of, no matter how grueling the day is—another opportunity to feel gratitude in the grind.
Reaching Hāwī is as much a psychological landmark as a physical one. It is the furthest point from the pier, and everything from here is, in theory, a return trip. It is also the location of Personal Needs, and for many athletes, the stop is an important one to claim their personal nutrition bottles. Please note that bottles will be warm no matter what strategy you attempt to apply, as the heat will melt and warm them quickly. If warm liquids are not your thing, then work out a fueling strategy that does not require you to get bottles from Personal Needs.
The Descent and the Return
Pacing discipline from earlier in the ride either pays off or gets exposed
The ride back out of Hāwī trades the climb for a fast descent, which can be complicated by the same crosswinds that were present on the climb up, but it is not overly technical. If you're a strong, relaxed rider, you will enjoy the descent. If descending in the wind is not your thing, then we would encourage you to take some time in the early days of race week to ride the climb up and down to get a feel for the crosswinds and the points in the course that offer some relief due to rock outcroppings and flatter sections.
Once back at Kawaihae, you’ll encounter another climb before the course rejoins the Queen K for the ride south, retracing the outbound route in reverse. By now the heat of midday is typically in full effect, and this stretch is where pacing discipline from earlier in the ride either pays off or gets exposed.
While Hāwī gets all the hype for the climbing portion of the bike, there is one last climb back up to Scenic Point that will allow you to assess how you handled your pacing and fueling. An aid station there will be crucial to keep your core temperature down with cold water.
Back to Town and T2
Mentally prepare yourself for T2 and the run ahead
Before you return to Kona, you’ll pass the airport, and this will serve as a reminder to take a moment to mentally prepare yourself for T2 and the run ahead. Once the course nears Kailua-Kona again, you’ll take a right onto Makala Boulevard and wind yourself back to T2 in a similar fashion to how you started your ride. These last few miles are a welcome and familiar sight after hours in the lava fields. From there, it is a short bike ride back through town to the pier, where you will dismount and make your way around the perimeter of the pier into T2, ready to start the marathon.
How you run the marathon is directly related to how you pace and fuel your bike, and experience on the island goes a long way. Knowing the demands of the course and having a plan for how you will physically and mentally navigate the bike will pay dividends in the closing miles of the day.
IRONMAN Kona Bike Course Pro-Tips
- Wheel choice is important in Kona and very dependent on your ability as a rider. Make sure to test your wheel set-up once you land on the island to ensure your comfort with riding in this unique environment. (Full disc wheels are illegal to ride in Kona due to the winds.)
- Heat management starts well before you feel hot. Have a fueling and hydration plan built around consistent intake from the start of the ride, not one that reacts once you notice you are struggling. Use all of the aid stations to get ice-cold water to aid in cooling.
- Practice riding in crosswinds before race day if you can. Knowing how your bike, wheels, and body position respond to a sudden gust is not something you want to learn for the first time on the Hāwī climb.
- Pace the town loop and Palani Road conservatively. It is congested, “technical,” and easy to burn matches you will need later, especially on the climb to Hāwī.
- Winds can shift meaningfully between early and late waves. What the day looks like for the pros on a livestream in the morning is not a guarantee of what you will face in the afternoon.
- We are guests on the island and want to be respectful of the people who live and work there all year round. If your time on the island allows for course recon on the days leading up to the race (which is ideal), please remember that the Queen K is a highway used by many residents on their daily commute. There are large trucks at high speeds, and it is very important that you are mindful of your surroundings. Please avoid riding in groups of more than two across.
- We might be biased, but the volunteers in Kona are some of the best in the business, and each aid station is a chance to power up with cheers, smiles, and unwavering encouragement.
Coach Samantha Murphy is the founder of Evolve Coaching Systems, one of the largest and most successful coaching groups in the Midwest. She and her team have coached hundreds of athletes to become IRONMAN finishers and reach their personal best.
