Originates from
Hawaii, the "
hawaii Ironman" is the hardest one there is and qualifying for it can be as difficult as finishing the race itself.
An "Iroman" is a
triathlon event( see triathlon)which takes all three disciplines(swimming,
biking and running) to extreme levels. The event starts with a 3.8
km swim, then going on to the 180km bike and the marathon(about 43km)run.
There is no break between these 3 sports which is what makes it so hard. That and the intense distances. There is a time limit for each event. The swimming time limit is about 2 hours and 20 minutes.
The best usually take about 8 hours to finish an Ironman, the worst will take over 16 hours and some might even have to
drop out or risk severe injury and in some cases, death.
It is hard to get into an "Ironman" event, and preparing for one can take years depending on the individuel. Those who participate and finish get a t-shirt which they can
proudly wear post-race.
Triathlon and the Ironman are growing in popularity.
Jim trained 3 hours a day everyday for 2 years and entered the "Germany Ironman" and finished with a time of 10 hours. He now has a
tshirt which he proudly wears.
Jim
feels great and is now one of the ultimate
badasses in the world.
No football,rugby,soccer,or whatever player can touch him.
He has become the ultimate endurance athlete. Jim is now an "Ironman"
