An iron-distance triathlon involves a long swim, a very long bike ride and then running a marathon. It’s one of the greatest ultraendurance challenges in the world. But what are the marathon running records in iron-distance and Ironman triathlon?
HOW LONG IS AN IRONMAN TRIATHLON?
An Ironman and iron-distance triathlon consists of a swim, bike and run with transitions between each. The distance of each discipline is:
Swim: 2.4 miles (3.8km)
Bike: 112 miles (180km)
Run: 26.2 miles (42.2km)
Total: 140.6 miles (226.3km)
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN IRONMAN AND IRON-DISTANCE?
Iron-distance triathlons are swim, bike, run events totaling 140.6 miles (swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles and run 26.2 miles).
Ironman is an iron-distance triathlon organised by the Ironman global race production company.
WHAT ARE THE RUNNING RECORDS IN IRONMAN?
These are the record men’s and women’s iron-distance marathon splits. Remember: these times come after completing the swim and the cycle 🤯
The men’s iron-distance triathlon marathon record is 2:26:50 by Manoel Messias Dos Santos.
The women’s iron-distance triathlon marathon record is 2:38:27 by Laura Phillip.
The overall records for fastest iron-distance triathlons are:
The men’s iron-distance triathlon record is 07:23:24 by Magnus Ditlev at Challenge Roth 2024.
The women’s iron-distance triathlon record is 8:02:38 by Anne Haug at Challenge Roth 2024.
FASTEST MEN’S MARATHON IN IRONMAN & IRON-DISTANCE TRIATHLON
FASTEST WOMEN’S MARATHON IN IRONMAN & IRON-DISTANCE TRIATHLON
WHAT’S THE AVERAGE TIME TO FINISH AN IRON-DISTANCE TRIATHLON OR IRONMAN?
According to RunTri, the average time to complete a full iron-distance triathlon is 12 hours and 35 minutes. The breakdown of times is:
Swim: 1:16
Bike: 6:25
Run: 4:54
So that means the average iron-distance marathon time is four hours, 54 minutes.
FAQ ON IRONMAN MARATHON TIMES
What’s harder: a marathon or Ironman?An Ironman or iron-distance triathlon is harder than a marathon because Ironman includes a swim and a long bike ride and then also running a marathon. It’s difficult to compare Ironman to ultramarathons but in terms of time they are closest to a 100km ultramarathon.
Is it harder to train for an Ironman or a 100 mile run?It’s generally considered harder to train for an Ironman because it involves finding time to swim, bike and run, all for very long distances.
What is the average marathon finish time?The average marathon finish time is around 4:15-4:20. We’ve got more insight on the average marathon times here. The average marathon time during an iron-distance triathlon is around 4:54. Iron-distance athletes are incredible.
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Photo by Janik Presser on Unsplash
