Joshua Gordon, PhD

Ironman Texas 2024

Ironman Texas 2024 is poised to continue its legacy as one of the premier full Ironman races in North America, blending intense physical challenge with the natural beauty of The Woodlands, Texas. For detailed insights and data-driven analysis of this race, I invite you to revisit our previous discussions on Ironman Texas finish times 2017-2023.

Ironman Texas not only challenges athletes with its varied course but also demands peak condition training during the unpredictable weather of the cooler months. Located about 30 miles north of Houston, The Woodlands is easily accessible, with ample accommodations that cater to every budget—though booking early is advisable due to high demand during the race period.

Whether you're aiming for a personal best or tackling your first Ironman, this event promises an unforgettable experience with its flat and fast courses and enthusiastic spectator support. Prepare for variable weather and capitalize on the opportunity to excel in the heart of Texas this coming spring.

Ironman Texas 2024 Finish Times Analysis

Drawing from data from 2024 I conducted a comprehensive exploratory analysis of finishing times across different sports and age groups in Ironman Texas.

Table 1: Overall Average Finish Times (Gender Breakdown)

Gender	Split	Average Time
Female	Swim	01:27:23
Female	Bike	06:54:20
Female	Run	05:22:57
Female	Total Time	14:02:48

Gender	Split	Average Time
Male	Swim	01:22:24
Male	Bike	06:20:16
Male	Run	05:07:20
Male	Total Time	13:07:57

The average time for Male finishers was 13h07 while Female finished in 14h02.

Graph 1: This graphic captures the overarching trends in finish times over the years, offering a holistic view of how performance has evolved.

In 2024, both men and women achieved faster swim times compared to the previous year. However, bike times were notably slower, likely attributable to challenging windy conditions. Men recorded marginally quicker run times than in 2023, whereas women experienced slightly slower performances. Overall, women's times in 2024 were 33 minutes behind those of 2023, while men's times lagged by only 3 minutes.

2024 IMTX Swim

2024 IMTX Bike

2024 IMTX Run

2024 IMTX Overall

Table 2: Split Average Finish Times in 2024 (Gender Breakdown)

Gender	Age Group	Swim	Bike	Run	Total Time
Female	F18	01:19:26	07:00:35	05:16:21	13:51:28
Female	F25	01:20:43	06:58:16	05:09:47	13:44:30
Female	F30	01:21:22	06:45:16	05:07:02	13:30:55
Female	F35	01:31:18	06:54:21	05:24:04	14:08:22
Female	F40	01:27:15	06:40:33	05:12:32	13:38:04
Female	F45	01:31:33	06:53:55	05:25:19	14:09:16
Female	F50	01:27:19	07:05:38	05:29:36	14:22:10
Female	F55	01:31:47	06:59:37	05:51:06	14:42:31
Female	F60	01:31:14	07:21:06	06:03:39	15:16:20
Female	F65	01:18:12	07:24:49	06:00:38	14:56:48
Female	F70	01:21:59	07:09:53	05:46:06	14:39:55

Gender	Age Group	Swim	Bike	Run	Total Time
Male	M18	01:18:57	06:28:10	04:48:08	12:52:08
Male	M25	01:19:05	06:26:46	04:56:46	13:00:14
Male	M30	01:19:29	06:14:46	04:49:35	12:40:57
Male	M35	01:23:05	06:15:26	05:00:08	12:56:14
Male	M40	01:21:44	06:11:53	04:59:55	12:50:54
Male	M45	01:23:49	06:17:47	05:08:49	13:08:24
Male	M50	01:24:26	06:19:51	05:22:05	13:24:55
Male	M55	01:26:15	06:31:57	05:35:18	13:53:09
Male	M60	01:25:22	06:38:40	05:46:04	14:11:01
Male	M65	01:26:26	06:38:15	06:03:11	14:28:33
Male	M70	01:26:41	06:43:04	05:58:59	14:27:49
Male	M75	01:28:23	06:54:33	06:15:48	14:52:57

The 18-24 age groups for both males and females demonstrated the fastest swim times, while the 40-44 age groups for both genders exhibited the fastest bike times. Male participants in the 18-24 age group and female participants in the 30-34 age group achieved the quickest run times. Overall, male participants in the 40-44 age group and female participants in the 30-34 age group recorded the fastest overall times.

Table 3: Split Average Finish Times by Year (Gender Breakdown)

Year	Gender	Swim	Bike	Run	Total Time
2017	Female	01:31:09	06:39:09	05:12:44	13:41:30
2018	Female	01:26:00	06:11:13	05:26:48	13:22:23
2019	Female	01:29:01	06:48:45	05:37:02	14:14:34
2021	Female	01:34:22	06:44:57	05:33:48	14:09:35
2022	Female	01:29:06	07:00:41	05:31:03	14:21:28
2023	Female	01:25:27	06:29:01	05:15:31	13:29:18
2024	Female	01:27:23	06:54:20	05:22:57	14:02:48

Year	Gender	Swim	Bike	Run	Total Time
2017	Male	01:28:00	06:10:52	04:56:50	12:54:36
2018	Male	01:20:33	05:42:30	05:11:01	12:32:12
2019	Male	01:23:45	06:17:16	05:25:20	13:26:39
2021	Male	01:31:11	06:22:01	05:33:02	13:42:49
2022	Male	01:25:48	06:37:24	05:31:21	13:55:22
2023	Male	01:23:53	06:09:28	05:10:28	13:04:05
2024	Male	01:22:24	06:20:16	05:07:20	13:07:57

In 2024, the split average finish times for Ironman Texas showed notable trends when compared to previous years for both male and female participants. For women, the total time in 2024 was 14:02:48, which is a significant drop from 2023's 13:29:18 and marks one of the slower times since 2017. The swim and run segments saw slowdowns, with the swim time at 01:27:23 and the run at 05:22:57, both slower than the previous year. The bike segment, increased to 06:54:20.

For men, the 2024 results show a total time of 13:07:57, slowing from 13:04:05. The swim, bike, and run times for men in 2024 were 01:22:24, 06:20:16, and 05:07:20, respectively. The swim time, in particular, is much closer to the lower times seen in earlier years like 2018.

Graph 2: Comparison of total times by age group for repeat finishers from 2023 and 2024

The boxplot comparisons of total times by age group for athletes who completed both the 2023 and 2024 Ironman Texas races reveal interesting trends, particularly regarding changes in performance over the two years.

For female athletes, the boxplots indicate a general increase in total completion times across nearly all age groups from 2023 to 2024. The median times, denoted by the line within each box, generally shift upwards, signifying slower performances in 2024. The older age groups, such as F55 and F60, however, display less variation in their times year over year, indicating more consistent performances among older female athletes.

For male athletes, the boxplots show a similar trend of increased total times from 2023 to 2024 across most age groups. The shift is particularly noticeable in the M25, where the spread and median times in 2024 are visibly higher. This could suggest that factors such as temperature and windy conditions, or perhaps less optimal preparation affected younger male athletes more markedly. In contrast, the older groups, especially M60 and above, exhibit less pronounced changes, indicating these athletes maintained a more consistent performance level across the two years.

Graph 3: Distribution plots for Swim, Bike, Run, and Total Time to visualize performance distribution among participants

The cumulative distribution function (CDF) plot displayed here compares the distribution of total completion times across different years for an Ironman race. Each line represents a different year, and the shape of each line gives us insight into how spread out the completion times were among participants. Generally, as you move from left to right across the plot, you see a shift from faster completion times to slower ones.

Graph 4: Relative Performance Swim, Bike, Run, and Total Time 2017-2023 vs 2024 by Age Group

The heatmaps provided illustrate the percentage differences in performance across various event segments (swim, bike, run, and total time) between years, stratified by gender and age groups for a triathlon. In these heatmaps, positive values (shown in red) indicate longer completion times (i.e., worse performance), while negative values (shown in blue) indicate shorter times (i.e., better performance).

Female Athletes:

Swim: Most age groups show improving swim times, with the F70 and F60 groups showing significant increases (19.4% and 5.5% respectively). This suggests challenges or less favorable conditions for swimming among the older age groups.
Bike: Despite mixed results in swimming, bike segment times generally worsened across age groups, except in a few like F60 (3.4%) and F35 (2.9%) where slight improvements are observed.
Run: The run segment also displays mixed changes with notable deteriorations, especially in the F70 group, which saw a significant 13.3% decrease in run times.
Total Time: Reflecting the overall trend, most age groups experienced longer total times, particularly noticeable in the F70 category with a 5.1% increase, indicating worse overall performances in comparison to previous years.

Male Athletes:

Swim: Male athletes, especially in older age groups like M70, also experienced shorter swim times with a significant decrease of 9.6%.
Bike: Bike performances mostly saw minimal changes or slight worsening, with the largest decreases in efficiency occurring in the M18 and M50 groups (1.1% and -0.3%, respectively).
Run: The run segment shows a similar pattern of longer times in many groups, with the M18 group showing the most substantial improvement of 7.4%.
Total Time: Total times for most male age groups were similar to previous years.

This data suggests a trend of worsening performance across most age groups and segments for both genders, with a few exceptions where slight improvements are observed. These results could indicate various factors at play, including potentially more challenging race conditions, changes in the course, or variances in participant training and preparation between the years.

Table 4: Split Average Finish Times by Continent (Gender Breakdown)

Table 4 presents the split average finish times by continent, broken down by gender, for a particular sporting event. The data include swim, bike, run, and total times, providing a comprehensive look at performance differences across continents.

Female Athletes:

Europe shows strong performance particularly in swimming with the fastest average swim time of 01:17:19, but overall finish time is faster in North America despite slower splits in individual disciplines.
North America dominates in terms of the number of finishers (314) and has the longest total time of 14:12:35. Despite having slower swim and bike times than Europe, the overall longer course time could suggest a tougher course or conditions.
South America has comparable finisher numbers to Europe but slower times in all disciplines, suggesting potential differences in training focus or race conditions.
Asia and Africa each have only one finisher, making it difficult to compare these times with those of other continents due to the small sample size.

Male Athletes:

Europe again shows strong performance with a substantial number of finishers (169) and the fastest overall time of 11:17:38, highlighted by the best swim and bike times.
North America has the highest number of finishers (1538), but its total time is significantly slower (13:26:49) compared to Europe, which might be influenced by the larger sample size including potentially more amateur athletes.
Oceania stands out with the best swim time of 01:10:00 but has longer bike and run times, leading to a total time that is relatively competitive at 12:05:56.
Asia and Africa show slower performances across all segments with total times exceeding 12 hours, which might reflect different training environments or less favorable race conditions.

This data suggests significant variation in triathlon performance across continents, For both genders, Europe appears to exhibit a competitive edge in shorter split times, leading to faster overall performances. I believe, the observed differences in performance across continents can largely be attributed to selection bias, where individuals willing to travel internationally for a race are often more dedicated or competitive athletes. This self-selection means that the data may disproportionately represent higher-caliber participants who are likely more serious about their training and performance, skewing results towards faster times for continents with fewer participants traveling long distances. This effect highlights the importance of considering the motivation and background of participants when analyzing sports performance data globally.

Gender	Continent	Finishers	Swim	Bike	Run	Total Time
Female	Asia	1	01:24:35	05:47:10	04:16:21	11:38:41
Female	Europe	18	01:17:19	06:15:22	04:36:28	12:24:51
Female	South America	17	01:26:11	06:15:47	05:00:15	12:58:07
Female	Africa	1	01:27:10	06:28:30	04:50:11	12:59:24
Female	North America	314	01:28:02	06:58:57	05:27:10	14:12:35

Gender	Continent	Finishers	Swim	Bike	Run	Total Time
Male	Europe	169	01:13:51	05:29:40	04:21:53	11:17:38
Male	South America	113	01:16:40	05:44:13	04:27:18	11:41:24
Male	Oceania	8	01:10:00	05:51:29	04:50:19	12:05:56
Male	Africa	6	01:14:59	05:55:56	05:14:27	12:42:18
Male	Asia	27	01:26:40	06:24:40	05:01:32	13:10:17
Male	North America	1538	01:23:46	06:28:39	05:15:25	13:26:49

Table 5: Split Average Finish Times by Top 25 Each Age Group and Continent

Oceania stands out with exceptionally fast total times (09:03:50), largely due to having only one finisher whose times across all segments are notably quick, especially in the swim.
North America has the most finishers and shows longer total times (12:13:39), suggesting a broader range of participant skill levels.
Europe and South America have similar numbers of finishers, with total times that are quite close, reflecting perhaps similar competitive levels among top age group athletes.
Asia and Africa again show much longer total times, with small numbers of finishers, possibly indicating less competitive or experienced athletes in these regions.

Continent	Finishers	Swim	Bike	Run	Total Time
Oceania	1	00:53:00	04:39:11	03:24:03	09:03:50
Asia	5	01:05:59	05:02:10	03:29:57	09:45:59
Europe	78	01:07:01	05:06:06	03:50:52	10:13:24
South America	39	01:09:01	05:20:44	03:52:49	10:33:05
North America	336	01:17:03	06:04:05	04:38:37	12:13:39
Africa	1	01:27:10	06:28:30	04:50:11	12:59:24

Table 6: Split Average Finish Times by Top 10 Each Continent

This table contrasts sharply with the broad data, focusing on the top 10 athletes from each continent. Here, North America and Europe show very competitive times, significantly better than their general participant groups, particularly in North America where the top 10 athletes show an average total time of 08:59:17.

Continent	Finishers	Swim	Bike	Run	Total Time
North America	10	00:58:37	04:38:37	03:14:27	08:59:17
Europe	10	00:58:09	04:43:58	03:10:21	08:59:25
South America	10	01:00:16	04:50:22	03:15:08	09:13:56
Asia	10	01:10:51	05:14:11	03:45:06	10:20:05
Oceania	8	01:10:00	05:51:29	04:50:19	12:05:56
Africa	7	01:16:43	06:00:35	05:10:59	12:44:44

Table 7: Split Average Finish Times by Top 10 Represented Countries

United States shows a large number of finishers with a significantly longer average total time compared to smaller countries, which might indicate a wider range of abilities among its participants.
Countries like the United Kingdom, Brazil, and Germany show some of the fastest times, particularly in the swim and bike segments, which could be reflective of their strong triathlon programs and high-level athlete preparation.
Mexico and Canada are closely matched with the United States in terms of performance, with slightly faster times, which could be due to a smaller, more elite group of athletes.

Country	Finishers	Swim	Bike	Run	Total Time
United States	1580	01:24:54	06:37:02	05:21:53	13:43:08
Mexico	135	01:24:48	06:19:38	04:53:02	12:54:42
Canada	86	01:20:30	06:16:51	04:59:56	12:53:23
United Kingdom	32	01:13:30	05:54:11	04:39:05	12:01:40
Colombia	32	01:24:59	06:01:24	04:29:39	12:11:48
Brazil	30	01:13:24	05:23:37	04:13:56	11:02:03
France	29	01:18:44	05:36:36	04:23:09	11:30:22
Chile	28	01:15:07	05:46:46	04:33:50	11:48:52
Germany	22	01:13:39	05:33:59	04:31:50	11:32:42
Puerto Rico	21	01:17:15	05:56:19	04:32:13	11:59:21