The idea for the first ever IRONMAN race began as a debate among athletes, on the island of Hawaii, over who was the fittest; swimmers, cyclists, or runners. The first IRONMAN took place on the Island of Oahu and combined the 3 events of the Waikiki Rough Water Swim, the Around Oahu Bike Race, and the Honolulu Marathon, into 1 seemingly impossible race. The winner, it was decided, would be called the IRONMAN. Only 12 people completed that first race; proving the impossible could be done. Since then, the sport has gone from strength to strength, and now, athletes can compete in any one of over 170, full or half distance, IRONMAN races, around the world, every year. Due to the high number of racers, IRONMAN Hawaii was relocated to Kailua Kona in 1982, where the annual IRONMAN World Championships still take place.
