IRONMAN… WHY NOT IRONWOMAN?

A friend I know on Facebook has flown to Hawaii to take part in Ironman Kona 140.6, and that got me thinking about this brutally tough triathlon.

The race consists of a 3.8 km swim, a 180 km bike ride and a full 42.2 km marathon.

More than 226 km in total!

Just hearing those numbers makes my legs tired!

And here is the funny part: both men and women compete.

Men: Ironman.
Women: Ironman too.

Hmm…

Why no Ironwoman?

Then I had another thought:

If the race were called IRONWOMAN instead of IRONMAN, would all those tough guys still be brave enough to sign up?

I suppose some would.

But imagine telling their friends:

— “I’m racing Ironwoman this weekend!”

Well… that might sound a little strange!

Meanwhile, the ladies simply say:

— “I’m an Ironman.”

He he… perhaps gender equality is not really about the name. It is about who can survive 226 km!

And as for me – Mr. Old Man?

Ironman or Ironwoman, it makes no difference.

226 km? I’ll just stand on the sidelines, watch and cheer!

Oh, and before I finish this silly little post, I almost forgot something important.

I should wish two remarkable women who are taking on the Ironman 140.6 course the very best of luck!

Hope Hoffman — true to her name, Hope — may your hope become reality, and may you successfully defend your Ironman Da Nang 140.6 2026 title!

And My Ca — a resilient Vietnamese woman — may you go beyond your previous Kona performance and achieve the result you are hoping for! ❤️

Good luck to both of you!

I’ll be right here, following your journey, watching from afar and… cheering you on!

__ Mr. Old Man