Ironman Triathlon

endurance · sports · extreme challenge

Epic swimming start. Athletes dive into open water and swim 2.4 miles to begin the race. That's like swimming across a large lake without stopping.

Longest bike section. After the swim, competitors pedal 112 miles on bicycles, which is longer than driving across an entire state. Their legs are already tired from swimming.

Marathon finish line. Finally, exhausted athletes must run a full 26.2-mile marathon to complete the challenge. Most people find running a single marathon hard enough, but Ironman racers do it third.

All in one day. The entire race must be finished in one day, though competitors have up to 17 hours to complete it. That's longer than most people are awake.

Super rare achievement. Only the toughest endurance athletes in the world can finish an Ironman. Completing one is considered one of the greatest personal achievements in all of sports.