IRONMAN California 2026 | Custom Layered Wooden Triathlon Map

Three disciplines, 140.6 miles and one extraordinary achievement. This custom layered wooden map captures the October 18, 2026 IRONMAN California route in Sacramento, bringing the swim, bike and run courses together in a single framed piece of artwork.

This is one of my most precise maps to date. From the detailed Sacramento River swimming inset to the individually layered streets, carefully painted waterways and engraved race information, every element has been designed to preserve the geography of this remarkable triathlon.

The 2026 IRONMAN California Route

Held in Sacramento, California, this full-distance triathlon combines a current-assisted river swim, a fast cycling course through the surrounding agricultural landscape and a marathon through the city, finishing near the California State Capitol.

• Swim – 2.4 miles: A downstream swim in the Sacramento River, beginning near Tiscornia Park and the Jibboom Street Bridge area, and continuing towards the waterfront near Tower Bridge.
• Bike – 112 miles: A predominantly flat, two-loop course through the farmland and wine country surrounding Sacramento, including the Sacramento River Delta and roads around Babel Slough and California State Route 84.
• Run – 26.2 miles: A two-loop marathon incorporating the River Walk Trail, Tower Bridge, I Street Bridge, the American River Bike Trail and Discovery Park, with a finish near the California State Capitol.

The map brings these three very different routes together while retaining the surrounding geography. Although the course is predominantly flat, fine engraved contour lines can be seen around the more distant sections of the cycling route.

A Detailed Inset of the Sacramento River Swim

One of my favourite features of this design is the enlarged inset showing the swimming route.

The main map covers a substantial geographical area to accommodate the cycling and running courses. At that scale, the streets surrounding the swim would be too small to reproduce clearly in layered wood.

To solve this, I created a separate, zoomed-in map of the Sacramento River and its surrounding neighbourhoods. This allows the backstreets, bridges and waterways to be shown in much greater detail, while retaining the swimming route as a prominent feature.

The inset is constructed using several layers of precision-cut wood. The streets are raised above the engraved background, while the swimming route follows the river in distinctive orange. The waterways are finished in my signature deep blue and ocean foam blue colours.

Even the smaller streets and intersections have been carefully reproduced. The raised wooden layers create natural shadows, giving the inset a sense of depth that changes depending on the viewing angle and available light.

Precision-Cut Roads, Routes and Contours

Unlike a printed map, this artwork is built from individual wooden layers.

The roads and streets are cut separately and spray-painted grey, creating a raised network above the natural wood background. The swim, bike and run routes are highlighted in distinctive Strava-inspired orange, providing a strong visual contrast.

The surrounding landscape is engraved directly into the wood, including fine contour lines and waterways. These subtle geographical details add character without competing with the three race routes.

In the close-up photographs, the thickness of each wooden layer becomes particularly apparent. The orange route sits alongside the grey road network, while the engraved contours remain visible beneath.

Personalised Engraving for Every Athlete

The wooden footer is engraved with the event title, race date and personalised details supplied by the buyer.

For this example, the event is IRONMAN California, October 18, 2026. The athlete's name can be engraved beneath the title, together with a personal message or other information chosen by the gift giver.

There is considerable flexibility in the engraving. An athlete's name, event date, finishing time, race number, sponsor name, personal dedication or message can all be incorporated, subject to the available space.

Swim, Bike and Run Distances and Finishing Times

In this example, the footer displays the three official race distances:

• Swim: 2.4 miles
• Bike: 112 miles
• Run: 26.2 miles

Individual swim, bike and run times can also be engraved beside the distances, or the athlete's overall finishing time can be added instead.

Optional Wooden Location Pins and Medal

Small engraved wooden pins can be added to identify the start and finish of each discipline.

They can also highlight places of personal significance, such as a hotel, favourite café, viewpoint or memorable location along the route. This is particularly useful when creating a map as a gift, allowing the artwork to tell a more personal story.

An engraved wooden medal can also be included, featuring details such as the athlete's name, bib number, event name or finishing time.

The example below is from one of my Berlin Marathon maps. The design and engraving can be adapted to suit a triathlon or other endurance event.

Order Before the Race, Personalise After the Finish

You don't need to wait until the race is over to order your map.

I can prepare the route, cut and paint the wooden layers, and assemble much of the artwork in advance.

Once the athlete completes their event, simply send me their finishing time or official results. I can then add the final engraved details and complete the map for shipping, avoiding much of the production time that would otherwise follow the race.

This is particularly useful when ordering a gift for an upcoming triathlon, marathon or other endurance event. If you have a particular delivery date in mind, please contact me before ordering so I can confirm the production schedule.

A Framed Record of an Extraordinary Achievement

The completed map is presented in a sturdy, contrasting black frame. The dark frame complements the grey roads and orange routes while drawing attention to the natural grain and engraved details of the wood.

Whether purchased by an athlete or given by a partner, family member or friend, a personalised route map captures more than the location of an event. It preserves the distance, the journey and the memories associated with crossing the finish line.