What is the Ironman?
An Ironman is a long-distance triathlon of a 3.86 km swim, a 180.25 km bike ride and a 42.2 km marathon run, completed in a single day. Most races have a cutoff of 17 hours.
The Ironman began in Hawaii in 1978, when US Navy officer John Collins suggested combining three existing races on Oahu: a swim, a bike ride around the island and the Honolulu Marathon. He reportedly said that whoever finished first would be called the Iron Man. Fifteen people started and 12 finished.
The Ironman World Championship moved to Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii in 1981 and became famous for its heat, wind and lava fields. Today, Ironman races are held around the world, and athletes qualify for the championship by performing well in other events. The best professionals finish in about seven and a half to eight hours.
A personal challenge
For most amateur athletes, simply finishing an Ironman is the goal. Crossing the finish line, they hear the announcer say: You are an Ironman. The shorter Ironman 70.3 races cover half the distance.
Did You Know?
Ironman is a trademark of the World Triathlon Corporation, so other full-distance races must use different names.