The Ironman Triathlon, a grueling long-distance race held under harsh conditions, is organized by the World Triathlon Corporation (WTC). It starts with a 2.4-mile swim, followed by a 112-mile bike race and ends with a marathon (26 miles, 385 yards) with no breaks between events. Also known as the Ironman Triathlon World Championships or Ironman Hawaii, it had its first world championship in 1978 in Waikiki, Hawaii.
Location
It was moved in 1981 to Kailua-Kona on the Big Island of Hawaii to avoid Honolulu traffic. For the first few years, it was held during the spring. But since 1982, it has taken place in the fall so athletes around the world can enjoy the pleasant weather conditions at that time.
History
The inspiration behind the demanding event came about during an awards ceremony for a Hawaii running race. Competitors started debating the most-fit athletes: runners, swimmers or other athletes. Navy Commander John Collins and his wife, Judy, dreamed up a race they said would settle the argument. They combined the Waikiki Roughwater Swim, the Around-Oahu Bike Race and the Honolulu Marathon. The first-place finisher of the three-event match would be declared "the Ironman."
Significance
The idea sounded appealing, and 15 men competed in the first Ironman competition on Feb. 18, 1978, with Gordon Haller being declared the champion with a winning time of 11 hours, 46 minutes and 58 seconds. The event became very popular quickly, and about 50 athletes were expected to compete the next year. But bad weather postponed the race for a day, moving it to a Sunday morning. But it produced the first Ironwoman. Boston cyclist Lyn Lemaire, was the first woman to participate in the punishing competition and finished fifth overall.
Popularity
The same year, Barry McDermott, a writer from Sports Illustrated, was on the island to cover a golf tournament. He discovered the Ironman race and brought it huge publicity with a glowing article. The event was given worldwide attention in 1980 thanks to the televised coverage from ABC's "Wide World of Sports."
Growth
The Ironman Triathlon has grown from 15 competitors in the first two years to 1,500 athletes wanting to finish the race and receive the prestigious title "Ironman" or "Ironwoman."
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