RunTri

Ironman 70.3 Steelhead 2011 Results Analysis

Rough weather conditions cancelled the swim portion of Ironman 70.3 Steelhead in 2011, converting the event into a bike/run duathlon. We found it interesting to compare the different in bike and run times on the same course in events preceeded by a swim (2010) and events without (2011).

Bad weather conditions led organizers to cancel the Steelhead triathlon's swim leg, reducing the event to a bike/run duathlon, giving us the opportunity to compare duathlon vs. triathlon bike and run splits. Resulting duathlon splits in most age groups were at least 3% or more faster, as shown in the chart below. Notable exceptions were M18-29 bike and run splits, and run splits for W18-24, W40-44, W55-59 and WPro categories.

Behind the percentage differences, here are average bike splits for the 2011 duathlon compared with the 2010 triathlon, by age group.

Here are average run splits for the 2011 duathlon compared with the 2010 triathlon, by age group.

Ironman Kona: 140.6 Miles From Start to Finish: Video

This is what it's like to race the Ironman Triathlon World Championship in Kona. We shot photos on race day, from the swim start, to the bike course through the lava fields, to Alii Drive and to the finish -- 17 hours of inspiring images captured in this 3 minute video.

Photos by Raymond Britt (also presented here: Ironman Kona 2012: 140.6 Miles of Images). Music by Emmy Award-winning composer and electric violinist Mark Wood from his CD Guts, Grace and Glory.

Images were taken at the following locations/times:

1. Swim Start
2. First Mile of the Bike Course
3. Third Mile Bike Course (same spot as #2, as bikes return to Alii Drive)
4. Waikoloa Bike Course, Heading Toward Hawi
5. Mile 107 Bike Course, near Airport, riders returning to transition
6. Alii Drive -- runners in both directions
-- Men's leaders returning from the turnaround
-- Women's leaders heading toward the turnaround
7. Run Course -- runners in both directions to/from Energy Lab
-- Men's leaders returning from the energy lab toward the finish
-- Women's leaders heading to, and soon after, returning from, the Energy Lab
8. Alii Drive Finish Line Before Sun Sets
9. Back on run course, same location as #7, age groupers running to/from Energy Lab
10. Alii Drive Finish Line After Dark

For more about racing Ironman Kona, see www.RaceKona.com and www.RunTri.com.

Ironman Kona World Championship 2010: Race Results Analysis

At the 2010 Ironman Triathlon World Championship Chris McCormack and Miranda Carfrae won the men's and women's titles, respectively, and 1771 athletes (out of 1847 starters) finished the tough 140.6 mile course.

Kona 2010 had the fastest finish times and one of the lowest DNF rates in the last 9 years.