ironman
ironman Lexical Profile
ironman Game Scores & Validity
• noun
A grueling long-distance triathlon consisting of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bicycle ride, and a 26.2-mile marathon run raced in that order without a break, or a competitor who completes such a race.
"She trained for over a year in open water and on steep mountain roads to prepare for her first ironman."
A person, especially a male athlete, of exceptional physical strength, stamina, and endurance.
"The veteran hockey player became known as an ironman after playing in over five hundred consecutive games without missing a single shift."
Australian A surf lifesaving competition combining swimming, board paddling, ski paddling, and beach running, or an athlete who competes in this event.
"Thousands of spectators lined the Gold Coast beach to watch the reigning champion defend his title in the surf ironman."
Word Origin & Etymology
Formed as a closed compound of "iron" and "man", using "iron" figuratively to denote unyielding strength and endurance. The triathlon sense originated in 1978 in Hawaii when organizers combined three existing long-distance swim, bike, and run races into a single ultimate challenge.