Where Are All The IRONWOMEN?

Troubling data from IRONMAN, sunscreen on a cloudy day? And easy aerodynamic tips!

Author

Matthew Sharpe
April 18, 2025

Good morning everyone,

We got a lot of positive feedback on Tuesday’s edition featuring the “magic muscle.” If you missed it, be sure to check it out here!

In today’s edition:

  • 🤷‍♀️ Where are all the IRONWOMEN?

  • 😎 Do you need sunscreen on a cloudy day?

  • 💨 And easy + effective aerodynamic tips!

Thanks for being here.

-Matt Sharpe, newsletter editor

Headshot of Matt Sharpe

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ONE BIG THING

Where Are All The IRONWOMEN?

IRONMAN

What is it: IRONMAN has released new participation data that highlights strong growth in future facing demographics.

  • They also revealed troubling female triathlon participation data and findings from extensive research on female endurance athletes

Ascending athletes: According to the data, full distance IRONMAN and 70.3 races are seeing an increase in younger athletes. Compared to 2019, full distance IRONMAN’s have seen a 39% increase in the number of first-time competitors in athletes under 30.

  • While 70.3 events have seen a staggering 66% increase in athletes under 30 since 2019.

In 2024, over 200,000 athletes registered for IRONMAN branded triathlons with the 30-34 age group taking over the title of the largest category for the first time ever.

  • In terms of participation by country, the USA took the top spot followed by the UK, France, Germany, and Australia. France saw a massive 16% year over year jump in athlete participation.

IRONMAN also revealed that athletes are signing up for their events earlier than ever before as seen in the unprecedented sellout of 32 events already this year.

Female fumble: A clear takeaway from the data was the reality check that female athlete participation is not where it should be. Globally, female participation in full distance IRONMAN events is only at 18%.

  • The figure rises to 26% for IRONMAN 70.3 participants.

This data dovetails with recent data from USA Triathlon that revealed female participation in long-distance triathlon has only returned to 71% of pre-Covid levels, while male participation has seen a 91% return.

Understanding the undersupply: To better understand the female participation gap, IRONMAN surveyed over 10,000 female endurance athletes from 97 countries.

The most significant barrier preventing triathlon participation identified by female endurance athletes? Finding time. Other top concerns included:

  • Demands on family life.

  • The volume of training required.

  • And the ability to find childcare.

Additionally, many non-triathletes surveyed revealed concerns around body image and confidence as inhibitors to competing. And over 85% of female non-triathletes revealed that improved race experiences, increased visibility of female participation and community building could help improve female triathlon participation.

Specific solutions: Post-survey, IRONMAN enlisted six subject matter experts to interpret the data and determine a path forward for improving female triathlon participation.

  • Visibility, race experience, and community were the three key themes that were identified to help grow female triathlon participation.

IRONMAN has also stated that it will introduce a suite of new initiatives aimed at improving the female race experience and growing female participation. These include:

  • Increasing female visibility in IRONMAN media.

  • Women’s specific race-day enhancements.

  • Community-focused training groups and meet ups.

CEO says: IRONMAN CEO remarked on the data saying, “As the global leader of triathlon, we have both a responsibility and an opportunity to not only grow IRONMAN, but also to partner across the community to grow the sport. We only achieve this by continuing to listen to and care for our athletes with intent and purpose.”

“We have an unwavering commitment to reducing key barriers to entry, evolving our product offerings…and developing the next generation of athletes.”

Tempo’s take: It’s no secret participating in triathlon can be very time and resource intensive. These realities, coupled with structural issues like the gender pay gap and the unequal share of childcare, make the goal of increasing female triathlon participation especially difficult.

Can IRONMAN solve these deep economic and structural issues? Definitely not. But kudos to them for bringing awareness AND trying to come up with solutions to increase female triathlon participation.

Although they didn’t mention it in their release, IRONMAN may have also inadvertently come up with a partial solution. The newly announced IRONMAN 70.3 Ruidoso will also feature Olympic and Sprint distance races creating a “festival weekend.” Throw in the Iron Kids race and this model could at least provide an opportunity for every family member to participate and compete on the same weekend!

How can triathlon entities improve female participation?

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TEMPO TALKS PODCAST

Transition hacks? Supplement secrets? And why you NEED to do hill repeats!

We’ve been having a blast bringing you the Tempo Talks podcast!

And if you’re wondering where to start? A few of our favorite episodes are listed below!

Episode 5 - Why you NEED to do running hill repeats, why intriguing demographic data is great for the sport, and how you can avoid the health pitfalls of a pro triathlete! Listen here

Episode 6 - Transition hacks to save you time, why the IRONMAN Pro Series matters, and why did the T100 just get $10m? Listen here

Episode 7 - What supplements should you be taking? And why “futureproofing” triathlon matters for you! Listen here

Check out every episode of Tempo Talks on Apple, Spotify, and more! 

FAVORITES

🍓 Revamp your breakfast: Are you tired of the same old oatmeal? This article brings you three unique energizing breakfast recipes that’ll revamp your morning routine and provide sustained energy to fuel your busy days! Our favorite? The Blueberry baked oats! [Canadian Running]

😎 Sunscreen on cloudy days? For many athletes, the sun is making a triumphant return to their training routine - and so is sunscreen! But when the clouds come to play, do you still need to lather up? Absolutely, and this article explains why! [Pelotan]

🌒 Training at night: It’s a question wondered by athletes the world over. Will working out at night hurt your sleep? Well, a new study aimed at finding the answer has just been released. And after analyzing 4.3 million nights of sleep across 15 thousand subjects, the enlightening results speak for themselves! [Will Ahmed/Nature]

💨 Aerodynamic tips: Don’t waste your hard training only to leave minutes on the table during your bike split! These easy and effective aerodynamic tips can help you make up those crucial minutes you need for your next PB. [Freespeed lab]

REEL TIME

“Yeah son I just need to finish a few more efforts here!” 😂😂😂

Bonus one because who hasn’t wanted to flex their FTP at work! 😂

QUICK NEWS

Venice Beach, baby: In a stunning move, the Los Angeles Olympic organizing committee has moved the 2028 Olympic triathlon venue from Long Beach to Venice Beach. [World Triathlon]

New IM 70.3: For the first time, IRONMAN will host a race in New Mexico as the inaugural IRONMAN 70.3 Ruidoso will be held in July 2026. Also included in the announcement - there will be Olympic and Sprint distance races in what will be a “festival-like” endurance weekend. [IRONMAN]

T100 Qatar: Registration is now open for T100 Qatar, and it’s already proving to be a popular event with over 1,000 athletes already registered! [Sportzhub]

Economic impact: According to Taupō District Council, the IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships brought in $23 million to the region, and $50 million nationally. [Sun Live]

Cook Island Champions: The 43rd edition of the Cook Island National Championships saw impressive performances and new national champions crowned. [Cook Islands News]

TEMPO EXCLUSIVE ARCHIVE
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