T100 London 2026 Race Report: Nathan Bevan

Athlete: Nathan Bevan
Event: T100 London
Date: 26 July 2026
Location: ExCeL London
Distance: T100
Goal: Set a new personal best over the distance

Nathan went into T100 London as his A race of the season, in great shape and with a clear target: race the distance faster than ever before.

With a city-centre bike course on closed roads, racing based around the ExCeL and several events taking place across the weekend, T100 London offers a very different experience from many long-course triathlons. Here’s Nathan’s experience of the event, including the course, logistics, atmosphere and what he learned from race day.

Travel and Accommodation

I travelled to London from South Wales and stayed for four nights, from Friday until Tuesday. That gave us time to get settled before the race and also do some sightseeing afterwards rather than making the whole trip purely about racing.

We stayed at the Premier Inn London Docklands, which worked brilliantly. It was only around two minutes from the ExCeL and included free parking.

The drive from South Wales is roughly four hours depending on traffic and the route Google Maps gives you. The M4, M25 and M11 can all become very busy, particularly around Friday rush hour, so it’s worth allowing plenty of time.

My main accommodation advice would be to book early. Hotels close to the venue can fill up as race weekend approaches.

Being based around the ExCeL also makes exploring London straightforward. Tower Bridge is approximately 30 minutes away on the DLR, and there are two DLR stations close to the venue.

There is plenty of parking at the ExCeL itself, although road closures can make driving away from the venue more difficult during racing.

Registration and the T100 Expo

I registered on Friday, which I would definitely recommend.

Registration was quiet and the whole process was very straightforward. Make sure you have your QR code ready and it doesn’t take long at all.

Saturday was a very different story. With multiple races taking place across the weekend, registration was much busier and there were bikes everywhere.

Pre-race communication was excellent. We received plenty of emails, with more information arriving as race day approached about the possibility of a non-wetsuit swim and the precautions being considered because of the warm conditions.

The expo was very good too. There were a few decent bargains available and I thought there was a little more on offer than at a typical Ironman expo.

The volunteers were excellent throughout and couldn’t do enough to help.

Training and Race-Day Goal

This was my A race of the year, so I felt in great shape going into it.

The target was straightforward: a PB over the T100 distance.

One of the key parts of my preparation had been the Wednesday sessions Lawrence had built into my training. Those sessions have played an important role in the results I’ve achieved this year, and I arrived in London feeling ready to race.

Race Morning

The first wave started at 6:30 am, so it was an early morning.

Staying so close to the race venue made a huge difference. I could sleep a little later, have breakfast at the hotel and drink a bottle of electrolytes on the way across while still arriving with plenty of time.

The transition setup is slightly different from an Ironman. Your bike and run bags are hung on hooks next to your bike.

When I reached my bike that morning, I laid everything out more like I would for a sprint race. The officials were happy with that, so everything was visible and in a familiar position rather than having to empty bags during transition.

At the Swim Start

It was very warm in the holding pens. Athletes were advised not to fully put their wetsuits on until reaching the dockside to avoid overheating.

Despite the heat and the usual pre-race activity around me, I felt calm.

I knew what I wanted from the day and had a plan to execute.

The Swim

The swim was a two-lap anticlockwise course with an Australian exit between laps.

Conditions were generally good. The water was around 23°C and right on the borderline of becoming a non-wetsuit swim. It looked a little green, but there was no significant chop.

There was some confusion at the first buoy when a water marshal appeared to direct athletes towards a different buoy from the one described during the pre-race briefing.

The first and second buoys were also congested during the opening lap.

The Australian exit became another busy point. At the end of lap one, you ran down the gangway before re-entering the water alongside athletes from a new wave.

That created quite a lot of traffic, and the new wave didn’t appear particularly well seeded, with some athletes already breaststroking within the opening 50 metres.

Overall, though, navigation was straightforward and safety provision was very good, with plenty of watercraft on the course.

Transition 1

Immediately after leaving the water, athletes had to remove their wetsuits. Helpers were available before you then climbed the stairs and began a fairly long run towards the bike racks.

One thing to be aware of is that the floor can become slippery, so it’s worth taking a little care rather than trying to gain a few seconds and ending up on the floor.

The Bike

The opportunity to ride through London on closed roads is one of the biggest attractions of T100 London.

The bike course is predominantly flat. The main climbing comes when exiting the tunnels and crossing railway bridges rather than from any sustained climbs.

Road surfaces were good for the most part, although there were rougher sections around some of the construction works.

Congestion and drafting weren’t major problems during my race. The main places where riders tended to come together were on the climbs out of the tunnels.

Bike Pacing and Nutrition

My pacing and nutrition both went well.

I carried bottles containing around 90 g of carbohydrate each, with a few gels as backup.

There was one official feed station per lap, but I carried what I needed and didn’t use it.

The weather was overcast at the beginning of the bike but warmed up very quickly.

Overall, I had a really good bike leg. I faded slightly over the final 5 km, but riding around London on closed roads made it a fantastic course.

Traffic management and signage were both very good and I had no navigation problems.

Transition 2

T2 was straightforward.

My bike rack happened to be very close to the run exit, which made for a quick transition with no real issues.

The Run

The run course was entirely on tarmac but the surface varied. It was very smooth around the ExCeL and rougher on the main road sections.

Anyone who raced here previously should also be aware that the course is no longer completely flat.

I would describe the 2026 route as rolling, repeatedly running up and down a dual carriageway. It felt very different from the pan-flat course I’d raced in 2024.

Running Off the Bike

My pacing went well for most of the run.

I had a dip towards the end but managed to pull things back together and finish strongly.

The heat was probably the biggest challenge of the day and, looking back, managing my temperature is the main thing I would try to improve next time.

Crowd Support

The crowds were awesome throughout the day and made a big difference to the race.

The aid-station crews were brilliant too. There were DJs around the course blasting out music and even a steel band, which helped create a great atmosphere.

Run aid stations were frequent and well spaced, offering water, isotonic drink, Coke, gels, fruit and plenty of ice.

The Finish

The finish is one of the standout features of T100 London.

You run inside the ExCeL Centre towards the finish line and can see yourself on the huge screen as you approach.

It’s also a great setup for family and friends because they can get a good view of you crossing the line.

After setting target times for each discipline, I was just outside some of the individual splits I’d wanted.

But the overall objective was the one that mattered: I finished with a new PB over the distance.

What Went Well?

I’d set myself target times for each discipline and although I was just outside some of them, the overall race came together well enough to achieve the main goal: a new personal best over the distance.

Bike pacing and nutrition were good, and although I had a difficult patch towards the end of the run, I was able to recover and finish strongly.

What Didn’t Go to Plan?

The biggest challenge was dealing with the heat.

Conditions warmed up quickly and temperature management became increasingly important as the race progressed.

What Would I Do Differently?

The main change would be finding better ways to stay cool before the race.

The holding pens were already very warm before the swim, so avoiding unnecessary heat build-up before the race even begins is something I’d pay more attention to next time.

T100 London Course and Race Logistics

Swim

• Two-lap anticlockwise course with an Australian exit
• Approximately 23°C on race day
• Generally calm water
• Some congestion around the early buoys
• Busy re-entry alongside subsequent starting waves
• Easy enough to navigate overall
• Pontoon entry and exit
• Very good safety provision with plenty of watercraft

Bike

• Predominantly flat city course
• Short climbs out of tunnels and over railway bridges
• Opportunity to race through London on closed roads
• Generally good road surfaces
• Some rougher sections around construction works
• Very good traffic management
• Clear signage and straightforward navigation
• One feed station per lap

Run

• Tarmac throughout
• Smooth around the ExCeL with rougher sections elsewhere
• Rolling rather than completely flat
• Plenty of well-spaced aid stations
• Water, isotonic drink, Coke, gels, fruit and ice available
• Excellent crowd and volunteer support
• DJs and live music around the course

Post-Race Experience

The finish-line atmosphere was very good, with plenty of people inside the ExCeL waiting for friends and family members to finish.

The medal was good, while the event bag and T-shirt had already been supplied at registration and were both very good quality.

Post-race food included fruit, crisps and sandwiches.

Leaving the venue couldn’t have been much easier for us because our hotel was immediately next door.

Nathan’s T100 London Ratings

Would Nathan Recommend T100 London?

Yes.

It’s a great event and getting the opportunity to race your bike through London on closed roads makes it particularly memorable.

Nathan also felt the event offered excellent value for money and gave the overall race a 9/10.

Nathan’s Tips for Future T100 London Athletes

• Register on Friday if you can. Saturday becomes much busier with the sprint and Olympic-distance events taking place.
• Book your accommodation early. Hotels close to the ExCeL can fill up as race weekend approaches.
• Staying close to the ExCeL is extremely convenient. It makes the early race morning significantly easier and simplifies getting back after the finish.
• Allow extra travel time on Friday. The M4, M25 and M11 can all become very busy around rush hour.
• Be prepared for congestion during the swim. The early buoys and Australian exit/re-entry can become particularly busy.
• Don’t assume the run is completely flat. The 2026 course was more rolling than the pan-flat route used in 2024.
• Have a plan for the heat. Nathan’s biggest lesson from race day was the importance of staying as cool as possible before and during the race.

Final Verdict

T100 London delivered what Nathan had come for: a fast, exciting city race and a new PB over the distance.

The opportunity to ride through London on closed roads is a major attraction, while the ExCeL-based setup, enthusiastic crowds and excellent volunteers give the event plenty of atmosphere.

There were a few areas that could be improved, particularly some congestion during the swim, but with an overall rating of 9/10, Nathan would happily recommend the race to other triathletes.