One of the most common questions that crops up about the Ironman triathlon is “What is the average finisher time?” It’s a popular point of curiosity for both beginners and experienced competitors. But when defining the average Ironman time, there’s a lot to unpack.
The average time for Ironman finishers varies widely by age, gender, and course. And then there’s the average Ironman time for professionals. Below we discuss all of these metrics based on the latest data available.
Overall Average Ironman Time for All Age Groupers
The average Ironman time across all age group finishers (including both men and women) is approximately 12 hours and 49 minutes. This includes the total time to complete all three legs in the full Ironman distance (Run 2.4 miles, Bikes 112 miles, and 26.2 miles).
The course can dramatically influence the average time. Ironman courses with hilly or rolling bike and run legs can add an extra hour to the overall average finishing time.
Conversely, highly competitive events like Ironman Kona and Ironman Copenhagen have significantly lower average finisher times that range between 11 and 12 hours for age groupers.
Average Ironman Time for Men
The average Ironman finishing time for men is 12 hours and 38 minutes.
Male Ironman age groupers spend an average of 1 hour 18 minutes in the swim, 6 hours 13 minutes on the bike, 4 hours and 50 minutes on the run, and 17 minutes in combined transitions.
Men’s Average Ironman Finish Time by Age Group
| Age Group (Years) | Time (Hour:Minute:Second) |
|---|---|
| 18-24 | 12:32:22 |
| 25-29 | 12:24:24 |
| 30-34 | 12:25:18 |
| 35-39 | 12:27:51 |
| 40-44 | 12:41:24 |
| 45-49 | 12:55:46 |
| 50-54 | 13:15:30 |
| 55-59 | 13:33:36 |
| 60-64 | 13:48:08 |
| 65-69 | 14:13:06 |
| 70-74 | 14:28:52 |
Average Ironman Time for Women
The average Ironman time for women is 13 hours and 35 minutes.
Female Ironman age groupers spend an average of 1 hour 23 minutes swimming, 6 hours 45 minutes on the bike, and 5 hours 10 minutes running the marathon run. 17 minutes is the average combined transition time for women.
Women’s Average Ironman Finish Time
| Age Group (Years) | Time (Hour:Minute:Second) |
|---|---|
| 18-24 | 13:01:50 |
| 25-29 | 12:57:38 |
| 30-34 | 13:05:49 |
| 35-39 | 13:13:08 |
| 40-44 | 13:22:02 |
| 45-49 | 13:33:51 |
| 50-54 | 13:50:32 |
| 55-59 | 14:01:59 |
| 60-64 | 14:39:48 |
| 65-69 | 14:59:58 |
| 70-74 | 15:23:26 |
Average Ironman Swim Time
At the standard Ironman swim distance of 2.4 miles (3.9 kilometers), the average Ironman swim time is 1 hour and 19 minutes for both men and women. This makes up approximately 10% of the total race time.
Average Ironman Bike Time
In the bike leg of an Ironman, the average time is 6 hours and 19 minutes for athletes to complete the 112 miles (180.2 kilometers). By far the most time-consuming leg of the race, the Ironman bike represents about 50% of the overall race time.
Average Ironman Run Time
Based on the marathon distance run, or 26.2 miles (42.2 kilometers), that makes up the final leg of the race, the average Ironman run time is 4 hours and 54 minutes across both genders. The Ironman run makes up 38% of the total race time.
Average Ironman Finish Time for Pro Triathletes
The average Ironman time for professional athletes varies widely depending on the course difficulty, competitiveness of the event, and specific race conditions. On average, male professional triathletes finish in around 8 to 9 hours, while female professionals finish in approximately 9 to 10 hours.
In general, the average Ironman time for professional triathletes is around 8 hours and 30 minutes. The swim portion typically takes about 50 minutes, the leg takes an average of 4 hours and 30 minutes, and the average marathon time takes approximately 3 hours and 10 minutes in an Ironman.
As training modalities and technological advancements in triathlon gear continue to progress, the average Ironman time continues to improve across the board. Not only are new records being broken on the professional level, but average times to qualify for the Ironman World Championships are becoming increasingly more competitive for age groupers.
References
- https://www.runtri.com/2011/06/how-long-does-it-take-to-finish-ironman.html
- https://www.coachcox.co.uk/imstats/im/
- https://www.obstri.com/
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Endurance athlete, professional off-road cyclist, and avid blogger, Tyler Tafelsky participates in long-course multisport and cycling events. Today, Tyler competes in ultra-distance cycling races at the professional level. Since starting Better Triathlete in 2014, he has been the head of content for the site's editorial team. Learn more about Tyler