Biomaterial Database

Analysis of Hawaii ironman performances in elite triathletes from 1981 to 2007. 2008

Romuald Lepers

INSERM U887, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Burgundy, Dijon, France. romuald.lepers@u-bourgogne.fr

OBJECTIVE To examine the improvement in swimming (3.8 km), cycling (180 km), running (42.2 km), and overall performances at the Hawaii Ironman Triathlon of elite males and females between 1981 and 2007. METHODS Trends across years, gender differences in performance times in the three disciplines, and overall winning times of the top 10 males and females were analyzed. RESULTS Overall performance time in the ironman decreased rapidly from 1981 but has remained stable since the late 1980s. From 1988 to 2007, linear regression analysis showed that change in swimming, cycling, running, and total performance for both males and females was less than 1.4% per decade, except for females' running time, which decreased by 3.8% per decade. Since 1988, the mean (SD) gender differences in time for swimming, cycling, running, and total event were 9.8% (2.9), 12.7% (2.0), 13.3% (3.1), and 12.6% (1.3), respectively. CONCLUSIONS After an initial phase of rapid improvement of performances during the 1980s, there was a relative plateau, but at least in running and cycling, there were small improvements. Over the last two decades, gender difference in swimming remained stable while it slightly increased in cycling and decreased in running. The gender difference in ironman total performance is unlikely to change in the future.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D010807	Physical Endurance	The time span between the beginning of physical activity by an individual and the termination because of exhaustion.	Endurance, Physical,Physical Stamina,Stamina, Physical
D005260	Female		Females
D006254	Hawaii	A group of islands in Polynesia, in the north central Pacific Ocean, comprising eight major and 114 minor islands, largely volcanic and coral. Its capital is Honolulu. It was first reached by Polynesians about 500 A.D. It was discovered and named the Sandwich Islands in 1778 by Captain Cook. The islands were united under the rule of King Kamehameha 1795-1819 and requested annexation to the United States in 1893 when a provisional government was set up. Hawaii was established as a territory in 1900 and admitted as a state in 1959. The name is from the Polynesian Owhyhii, place of the gods, with reference to the two volcanoes Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, regarded as the abode of the gods. (From Webster's New Geographical Dictionary, 1988, p493 & Room, Brewer's Dictionary of Names, 1992, p2330)	Midway Island,Midway Islands
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D001642	Bicycling	The use of a bicycle for transportation or recreation. It does not include the use of a bicycle in studying the body's response to physical exertion (BICYCLE ERGOMETRY TEST see EXERCISE TEST).
D012420	Running	An activity in which the body is propelled by moving the legs rapidly. Running is performed at a moderate to rapid pace and should be differentiated from JOGGING, which is performed at a much slower pace.	Runnings
D012737	Sex Factors	Maleness or femaleness as a constituent element or influence contributing to the production of a result. It may be applicable to the cause or effect of a circumstance. It is used with human or animal concepts but should be differentiated from SEX CHARACTERISTICS, anatomical or physiological manifestations of sex, and from SEX DISTRIBUTION, the number of males and females in given circumstances.	Factor, Sex,Factors, Sex,Sex Factor
D013177	Sports	Activities or games, usually involving physical effort or skill. Reasons for engagement in sports include pleasure, competition, and/or financial reward.	Athletics,Athletic,Sport
D013550	Swimming	An activity in which the body is propelled through water by specific movement of the arms and/or the legs. Swimming as propulsion through water by the movement of limbs, tail, or fins of animals is often studied as a form of PHYSICAL EXERTION or endurance.