The Lima 70.3 Half Marathon: Flat, Cool, and Built for a PR

The Course

The run leg covers 21.1 km on practically flat terrain along the pedestrian path at Playa Agua Dulce and the Malecón, on the Costa Verde in Chorrillos. The organizer classifies the course as flat and fast, and for the run that claim holds up: no climbs, no terrain-forced changes of pace.

Sources differ on the number of laps: the official course page lists 3 out-and-back laps, while other sources mention 1 or 2 laps. That's no small detail for anyone planning pacing—or for spectators coming to watch you race. Check the official athlete guide when it drops and adjust your plan accordingly.

Weather: An Ally, With One Caveat

Late April in Lima is southern-hemisphere fall. Expected temperatures during the run leg are between 18 and 22°C, with highs around 23°C. For a half marathon after a swim and bike, those conditions are nearly ideal: you can afford aggressive pacing that would be suicide in hotter races.

The caveat: the waterfront offers little shade, and direct sun combines with glare off the ocean. At 20°C you're not risking heat collapse, but the solar load over two-plus hours of running adds up. Sunscreen in transition, a cap or visor, sunglasses. That's equipment, not heroics.

Pacing on a Course With No Excuses

A flat course gives you nothing for free: it hands back exactly what you left out on the bike. The classic Lima risk is this: fast bike leg, athletes buzzing off their average speed, first 5 km of the run above target pace, blow-up at km 14.

The plan that works:

• Km 0-3: deliberately start 10-15 seconds per km slower than your goal pace. Your legs need to find their run stride after 90 km in aero.
• Km 3-16: goal pace, steady. On a flat course, monotony is your best friend.
• Km 16-21: if there's still gas in the tank, this is where you spend it.

If the format ends up being multi-lap, use the laps as mental checkpoints: breaking 21 km into 3 blocks of 7 is psychologically more manageable, and on every pass you see the crowd and your people.

Aid Stations and Logistics

Detailed info on the number and contents of the aid stations isn't available in the sources consulted: the athlete guide and briefing are the final word. On a lap format, you pass the aid stations multiple times, which simplifies your strategy: no need to carry everything with you.

Traffic From Other Athletes

If the run is multiple out-and-back laps, expect a crowded course: first-lap athletes mixed in with those on their final lap, tight turnarounds, constant passing. Hold your line, don't get dragged into the pace of whoever passes you (they could be on a different lap), and count your own laps.

What to Do Between Now and Race Day

• Train the brick. The quality of your half depends on how you come off the bike: schedule regular bike-to-run transitions, with the first kilometers of running at a controlled pace.
• Test goal pace on truly flat ground. Find a waterfront path, a bike trail, a track: learn what it means to hold the same pace for kilometers with no grade changes to give you an alibi.
• Dial in your sun setup. Visor, sunglasses, and sunscreen should be tested in training, not discovered on race day.

If you're chasing a half-marathon personal best in a 70.3, this course profile and this weather are among the best you'll find. The rest comes down to how disciplined you were in the three hours before it.