Tri'ing to be Perfect the new Ellen Hart Story

"Dying to be Perfect: the Ellen Hart Pena Story" was an ABC made-for-TV movie about a Harvard University graduate, who went on to receive a law degree from the University of Colorado. Athletically, this scholar competed in the 1980 U.S. Olympic Trials 10,000 meter run (where she finished third, but the team boycotted that year), the marathon at the 1984 U.S. Olympic Trials (her PR is 2:35:04), and has held the U.S. record at 30K and world best time at 20K. But, most notably, the movie revolved around the star's long battle with bulimia, a severe eating disorder. Read the story »

Older Stories

More Kona Bound Women

The second running of the Ford Ironman Louisville, Kentucky provided the athletes with an amazing opportunity to race in Kona-like conditions with temperatures reaching 90 plus degrees and humidity to match. Amazingly, the times these gals posted are still quite fast. But, before we get started there, one note to add to yesterday's story on Laurelee Welder: Read the story »

Kona Bound Age Group Women

With the Ford Ironman World Championship just 10 days away, the women who qualified in August at Subaru Ironman Canada and Ford Ironman Louisville have barely had time to celebrate getting their Kona slots. Most of these gals said it will become a reality when their planes land on the Big Island. Today we are pleased to introduce the women from Canada. Read the story »

"The Greatest Athletic Event I've Ever Participated In!"

Marty Bulcock is an accomplished athlete. Being Canadian he loves and plays hockey and all his family enjoys downhill skiing. Read the story »

Lolly Rodgers: A Truly Amazing Kona Champion!

Lolly Rodgers is a prototype for our Amazing Age Group Winners. A youngster in her age group at 65, Rodgers pushed through multiple problems to win her age group in 15:55:30, six minutes ahead of her closest competition. Read the story »

From Everest to Kona: Sean Swarner

While there have been those who have tried to explain to Sean Swarner that people who only have partial use of their lungs don't climb Everest and don't do the Ford Ironman World Championship, he's not listening. Read the story »

Kona Bound Again: Brian Scott

The first time Brian Scott raced an Ironman his watch stopped during the swim. While he was wearing a heart-rate monitor during the bike, he wasn't obsessive about reading the watch. Read the story »

"I Decided I Had To Have One!"

"While training for the 1980 Boston Marathon, a friend of mine showed me his Hawaii Ironman medal. I decided I had to have one and bought a bike the next day," says Kent Robison, who now owns five of them. Read the story »

That Steadfast Champion: Reinhold Humbold

An interesting phenomenon has taken place with those 55-59 age groupers during the last 10 years of Ironman. Read the story »

About the Race

Qualifier for Ford Ironman World Championship If you are a triathlete, there is no bigger day in this sport than the Ford Ironman World Championship. It is the race that defined our sport as it came of age, and continues to be the defining race in our sport for any avid triathlete.

To get to the starting line in Kona, you must either be very lucky and get yourself a spot through the lottery, or very talented, and win yourself a qualifying spot at one of the qualifying events held around the world.

Tens-of-thousands of triathletes try to get one of those coveted Ironman spots every year. Only 1,800 succeeded.

That means 1,800 "lucky" people get to test themselves on one of the biggest challenges the sports world has to offer ... 2.4-miles of swimming, 112-miles of biking, and a 26.2-mile marathon run through tough ocean waves, and challenging lava-covered terrain.

While there are thousands of triathlons around the world, it is this one that truly defines the sport. It all began at an Awards Ceremony for a relay running race in Honolulu in 1977. A group of local athletes discussed the idea of an endurance triathlon and combining three major events that already existed on the island. John Collins suggested combining them and making it a single-day event. Later that evening, Collins took the stage announcing the event and that "whoever finishes first, we will call him the IRONMAN." It has since become triathlon's Super Bowl, Wimbledon, World Series, World Cup, and Tour de France all rolled into one. What makes this event so unique is that "average" people get to compete alongside the best in the world.

Available Now from IronmanDVD

2007 Ford Ironman World Championship 70.3 DVD
Relive the November 10, 2007 race with this DVD. Watch as Andy Potts, a highly decorated athlete with short-course success, sprinted to a first place 3:42:33 finish, while Australia�s Mirinda Carfrae broke the course record and claimed victory finishing at 4:07:25. In addition to the competitive professional field, more than 1,400 other triathletes ranging from 19 to 82 years old crossed the finish line, including Mark Rothbaum, manager of country music legend Willie Nelson, and Stacey Junio, who celebrated her recent weight loss in preparation for the event. $34.95 Available now.