Eyes on the World Stage – Cameron Main Prepares for the Ironman 70.3 World Championships
After an impressive victory at Ironman 70.3 Knokke-Heist, where he put in a dominant performance from start to finish, Cameron Main heads into the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in outstanding form and full of confidence.
Since joining TRI-FIT earlier this year, Cameron has been working closely with us to refine every detail of his setup, from fine-tuning his aero position in the wind tunnel to optimising the performance of his race-day kit. Every watt and every second counts, and the gains have been clear to see.
Ahead of the biggest race of his season, we caught up with Cam to talk preparation, mindset, and motivation, and to get a glimpse behind the scenes of what it takes to compete with the best in the world.
Intro / Background
1. For those who might not know you yet, can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you first got into triathlon?
I’m a 25-year-old Scottish Triathlete currently based in Loughborough. Before triathlon I used to do Taekwondo where I achieved my black belt at the age of 11. At 12 years old I decided to quit Taekwondo and give triathlon a go. My dad was very involved in Triathlon when I was younger and I would always go and watch him at races, which motivated me to give it a go one day. My first triathlon was at a Scottish event in East Fife, I nearly finished last and threw up on the bike, but I loved it and couldn’t wait to train more and get faster.
Within one year I was selected onto the Triathlon Scotland Development programme and continued to improve from there, getting my first British medal at 15 years old. It took me until the age of 21 to get my first GB vest qualifying for the U23 Euro Champs in 2021. That same year I also qualified for the senior Euro champs and U23 World Champs in Edmonton. The following year I qualified for the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham for Team Scotland, an incredible experience with family and friends watching.
After a successful but challenging few years in the short course world of triathlon I made the decision to move to long course triathlon after competing in my first Ironman 70.3 in Western Australia at the end of 2024. Since then I have had a successful 2025 season so far, finishing in the top 5 of 3 Ironman Pro series races, one of them being 2nd place at Ironman 70.3 Venice-Jesolo and also recently becoming Ironman 70.3 Belgium Champion.
2. What does qualifying for the Ironman 70.3 World Championships mean to you personally?
Quaifying for the Ironman 70.3 World Champs was something I was definitely targeting this year. With the way I planned my season I didn’t make it easy to qualify, with my only opportunities to qualify being at Pro Series races (highest level of racing in Ironman). Thankfully and slightly surprising I managed to secure my slot at my first race of the season at Ironman 70.3 Geelong. This meant so much to me as it reassured me that I had made the right choice to move to long course and step away from short course triathlon. It was also a huge confidence boost that in my second ever Ironman 70.3 I could compete with some of the best guys in the sport. It was also really nice to be able to remind everyone who supports me that their help really is worthwhile I couldn’t achieve this without their support.
Training & Preparation
3. How has your training block looked leading up to Worlds — anything different this time around?
Training has been very challenging over the summer, including the last month. I have been struggling with a lower leg issue that has impacted my running since the end of May. After struggling on and off with pain I decided to get a couple of MRI scans in September and October to understand what is going on. Both scans came back clear so we are treating it has nerve pain coming from tightness and pinching in and around the hip area. Over the last week or two I have slowly managed to build back up some run training which has been positive, but definitely not in the place I would like to be with my running at the moment.
Apart from running I have been putting out some great swim and bike sessions consistently all year and feeling very strong in both disciplines. On our recent training camp in Lanzarote I ticked off some of my best bike sessions ever, hitting a new 20-minute power and riding over 600km/20 hrs a week. Swimming has always been a strength, so I am focusing on maintaining fitness and keeping my technique efficient.
4. What’s been your key focus in this final build? Speed? Endurance? Fine-tuning transitions?
Key focus in the last block has been working on building back strength and endurance in my running since the last few months have involved very little. On the bike it’s been a combination of building strength endurance around my lower threshold, whilst also pushing on my VO2 and second threshold fitness. On the swimming the focus has been to keep good feel for the water and tick off hard sessions while holding good technique to stay sharp for race day.
5. How do you balance pushing your limits in training with making sure you don’t overdo it before race day?
My coach Bex Milnes helps plan my training to make sure I don’t push training to far or help give perspective when the body just isn’t turning up for a session because I’m carrying to much fatigue. As an athlete you generally know what load your body can take and when it’s on the edge of burning out. At this point in the season it’s so important to be on top of recovery, food, vitamins, sleep and training smart. The athletes that do this leading into the World Champs will be the ones that perform well.
The Race Itself
6. Have you raced this course or location before? If not, what are you expecting from it?
I have never been to Marbella, but I have heard the course is very tough, which you can clearly see from the elevation profile of the course map. I have also heard that the run course is very sandy so can make for a hard run if the legs are heavy. Because of the quality of the field and the hilly bike course the race will be very hard from start to finish and I believe the race will be won or lost on the bike, given there is over 1700m of elevation.
7. What’s your race-day strategy — go out hard, or build into it?
Race day strategy is always a secret… But it’s also no secret I will be going hard from the start and ensuring I make the swim-bike break. It won’t be easy as there are some great swimmers racing from short course who will definitely want to push the pace on, but that should benefit me. Putting your effort down in the right place on the bike will be very important, as the climbs will be very hard and long, if you are not prepared for that it could ruin your race. Hopefully I can come off the bike in a strong position and put down a run I am proud of.
8. What part of the course are you most excited for — the swim, the bike, or the run?
I am most excited for the bike course. With over 1700m of climbing and some fast technical sections it’s going to be a very important and fun part of the race. I feel I have also prepared very well for the bike course so I am excited to put all y hard work into the race.
9. Every race throws curveballs — what’s your plan for when things don’t go perfectly?
I always plan a few scenarios out, so I know how to deal with each scenario on race day to the best of my ability with as little stress as possible. I sometimes use mantras to remind myself to relax and stay focused either when things are going well or when things maybe aren’t going so well. With Ironman and Ironman 70.3 races a lot can change over the 3-4 hrs of racing, so keeping a positive mindset is very important.
Mindset & Motivation
10. What drives you when training gets tough or motivation dips?
I think about my next race and how my other competitors will be working just as hard if not harder than me, this motivates me to get through the rough patches. I also think about my sister Abbie, who passed away due to cancer on Christmas Day in 2017. The way she dealt with everything and got on with life when she was terminally ill was incredible. I try to remind myself of what she was able to go through and that what I am struggle with sometimes is not even 1% of the struggle she was dealing with.
11. Do you have any pre-race rituals or superstitions?
Nothing really, which I think is a good thing. I just have the same pre-race nutrition strategy, but I think nearly every pro athlete does that.
12. What song or quote gets you fired up before a big race?
Song – Run Boy Run, Woodkid
Quote – “I’ll show you how great I am” – Muhammad Ali
TRI-FIT Connection
13. You’ve been part of the TRI-FIT family for a while now — how does the kit perform for you in big races like this?
The VORTEX race suit combined with the VORTEX calf sleeves are the ultimate race day combination for maximum speed and comfort. For me I know I can perform to my best when I use this combination in my Ironman 70.3 events.
14. Do you have a go-to piece of TRI-FIT gear that you never race without?
I never cycle without my Tri-Fit Jersey’s, especially the long sleeve top, they are a go to when it’s a bit colder. For racing it has to be the VORTEX race suit, the fastest suit out there!
15. How important is comfort and aerodynamics to you when you’re chasing every second at this level?
Comfort and aerodynamics is everything in the world of Ironman 70.3. When you are racing for that long and trying to save every second you need to be as comfortable as possible, but also as fast as possible. Tri-Fit as this perfect balance between comfort and speed that is perfectly shown in their VORTEX race suit.
Fun & Personal
16. What’s your go-to meal the night before a race?
Go to meal is pasta, cheese and tomato sauce, Boring, plain and simple but good on the stomach.
17. And what’s the first thing you eat or drink after crossing the finish line?
Ideally a protein shake, maximising recovery and getting the body hydrated. Otherwise definitely a coke or slice of pizza.
18. If you weren’t a triathlete, what do you think you’d be doing instead?
I would definitely be into trail running or hitting the gym trying to get PRs. I have a very addictive personality and love exercise so I think I would always be trying to do new challenges within the sporting world. I do however also like the business industry side of things too and would love to be involved in that area of work being involved in some high -profile sporting organisations.
19. Who’s the first person you call or text after a big race?
Family, coach and my partner Sophia.
20. Finally — if you could describe how you want to feel crossing the finish line in one word, what would it be?
Satisfied.
Ready to Take on the World
Cameron heads into the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in top shape, focused, prepared, and ready to test himself against the strongest field of the year. It’s been a huge season of progression, both on and off the course, and we’re proud to have supported him on the journey so far.
We’ll be following his race closely and sharing updates throughout the week, keep an eye on our socials for the latest from race day.
