The Sub 10 Ironman
So, you’ve signed up for an Ironman. Congratulations! You’ve either made a bold commitment to peak endurance or a catastrophic miscalculation of your life choices. Either way, welcome to the club.
If you’ve spent even five minutes in the triathlon world, you’ve probably heard the sacred numbers: sub-10, sub-9, Kona slots, podiums. But what do these times actually mean? And more importantly, should you actually care?
What Does a “Good” Ironman Time Even Mean?
Let’s get one thing straight: finishing an Ironman is an achievement in itself. It doesn’t matter whether you cross the line in 8 hours, 12 hours, or crawling in at 16:59:59—you’re still an Ironman, and that’s more than 99.9% of the population can say.
That being said, here’s how most people categorize Ironman finish times:
🚀 Sub-9 Hours: The "Do You Even Have a Job?" Category
This is not a normal group of humans. These are genetic anomalies who seem to thrive on suffering.
Requires a 50-something swim, a sub-4:30 bike split, and a marathon that makes most people's half marathon time look slow.
You know that guy who always has just one more interval on the turbo trainer while everyone else is lying on the floor? That’s them.
If you’ve ever missed a single training session and thought, “Ah well, life happens,” congrats—you are not in this club.
🔥 Sub-10 Hours: The “Serious Age Grouper” Club
Fast, but still human (barely).
Typically involves a 1-hour swim, a 5-hour bike, and a sub-3:30 marathon.
A mix of talent, obsessive training, and the ability to say “No, I can’t, I have a long ride tomorrow” to literally every social event.
The dream time for many competitive age-groupers and a ticket to possibly sniffing a Kona slot if you're in the right age bracket.
😅 Sub-11 Hours: The “I Train A Lot, But I Also Like Pizza” Brigade
Respectably fast without totally sacrificing your social life.
Usually involves a 1:05 swim, a 5:30–5:45 bike, and a 4-hourish marathon.
You probably could go sub-10, but that would mean quitting Friday pints, so you know 🤷🏻♂️
🏃 Sub-12 Hours: The “Well-Trained, But I Still Have a Life” Finishers
Strong, consistent training but no obsessive aero sock purchases.
Generally a 1:10 swim, a 6-hour bike, and a solid run to bring it home.
You train hard, but you also eat cake. Balance.
🥵 Sub-Surviving: The Just-Happy-to-Be-Here Club (aka 12-17 Hours)
The real MVPs of the Ironman world.
Whether it’s your first Ironman, an uncooperative stomach, or just sheer willpower dragging you across the finish line, you’re still an Ironman.
Your mantra is simple: “Just. Keep. Moving.”
But Does Your Finish Time Actually Matter?
Does it really matter if you go sub-10 or sub-12 or just make the cutoff?
Well it really does depends on why you’re doing this.
✅ If you’re gunning for Kona – Yes, your finish time is everything. The competition is brutal, and depending on your age group, you might need a sub-9:30 or even faster to get a slot.
✅ If you’re chasing a personal goal – Then absolutely, time matters! Whether it's breaking 10, 11, or just beating your last race, setting a goal can give you purpose.
❌ If you just want to finish and enjoy it – Then time doesn’t matter at all. The best race is the one where you don’t end up in the medical tent and can still function enough to down a post-race beer.
The only thing worse than not hitting your dream time? It's hating the process along the way!
But let's say you do actually wanna get Faster???
If you’re now thinking, “Alright, I’d like to move up a category,” the good news is—you can. The bad news? There's no easy way. It takes work.
Here are the key things that separate the sub-10 dreamers from the sub-10 finishers:
1️⃣ Structured Training (Not Just “More Miles”)
A lot of people think that going sub-10 means just training more. Wrong. It means training smarter. Junk miles won’t save you, but a proper training plan will.
👉 If you actually want a science-backed training plan that balances volume, intensity, and recovery, get a coach. Preferably one that knows the pain of a sub-9 firsthand. I.E.... Me
(Enter the shameless plug for Comeragh Coaching )
2️⃣ Dial in Your Nutrition (Because Bonking at Mile 18 is Not Fun)
Sub-10 athletes don’t wing it on race day. They’ve practiced their nutrition in training, those long runs and bike (you'll be doing a few) are the perfect opportunity to dial in that race day plan!!
Learn what works for you, so you’re not the person throwing up at an aid station.
3️⃣ Optimize Your Bike Split (Without Selling a Kidney for Aero Gains) It's the thing you'll spend most time doing during the race so any savings you get, multiply!!
You don’t need a €10,000 bike to go sub-10. But you do need a solid and comfortable position, efficient power output, and a well-paced effort.
Get a bike fit, train in aero, and stop wasting watts.
4️⃣ Run Strong Off the Bike (Because a Marathon After 180km is a Different Beast)
Brick sessions are your best friend (and worst enemy).
The secret to a good Ironman marathon? Don’t cook yourself on the bike. A 10-minute slower bike split can save you 30+ minutes on the run. Bike for show.. Run for Dough 💰
But What Really Matters?
At the end of the day, your Ironman finish time is just a number.
If you’re chasing sub-9 or sub-10, go for it—but don’t let it suck the joy out of the sport.
If you’re out there to have fun and cross the finish line, that’s just as impressive.
And if your only goal is to not collapse in a gutter at Mile 20, that’s valid too.
But if you do want to get faster—whether that means sub-10, sub-12, or just a PB—structured training makes all the difference.
And that’s where comes in Comeragh Coaching
👉 Want to actually train smart and not just “hope for the best” on race day? Let’s get you on a plan that works. Check out Comeragh Coaching today.
Because going fast is fun. And so is not being a broken heap at the finish line.
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