Our Story

10IronWomen began in October 2018, when ten friends signed up for Ironman Barcelona. Some of us had never completed a triathlon, some didn't own a bike, others had never swum in the sea or run a marathon. We wanted to take on the challenge together, so we gave ourselves a team name. We also knew very few women were doing events like this, and we wanted to show others they could too. Ironman events are not, despite the name, just for men.

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We started sharing our journey on Instagram: every high, every low, and every genuinely terrifying open-water swim. We wanted women to see what it really looks like to go from beginner to Ironman. At the time, only around 12% of long-distance triathlon entrants were women, and our followers kept telling us the same thing: they didn't feel there was a space for them.

In 2019, after a year of training, nine of us crossed the finish line at Ironman Barcelona. The tenth took on an even bigger challenge: motherhood. We couldn't have done it without each other, and it remains one of the proudest days of our lives.

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That finish line became the start of something much bigger. Women began messaging us to say they'd been inspired to try triathlon or even take on an Ironman themselves. When we asked who wanted to race the following year, more than 100 women said yes. That's when we evolved from a team of ten into a community.

 

We opened 10IronWomen for two simple reasons:

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First, representation. Our mission has always been to help achieve a 50:50 gender split at Ironman events. We know that won't happen overnight, but every woman who starts a race because she believed she could brings us one step closer.

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Second, community. Training for an Ironman is hard, but it's so much easier when you're surrounded by people who understand the journey. We wanted to create the support we were lucky enough to have ourselves, a place where women can train, learn, and grow together.

Each year we choose races to take on as a community. Two highlights stand out: Ironman Barcelona 2023, where more than 50 of our women completed the full distance, and the 2024 World Championships, where over 11 of our qualifiers lined up on the start line, helping us become the third-largest triathlon club represented at the event.

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But our story isn't just about Ironman. Every year our members race everything from sprint triathlons to full-distance events, because everyone's journey is different. If a sprint is your biggest challenge, we'll celebrate it just as much. Growing women's participation starts with making the sport feel welcoming and accessible.

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As a grassroots community, we also believe triathlon should be accessible. Alongside an annual Ironman, we always include affordable UK races, supporting local clubs and making it easier for more women to get involved.

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Joining 10IronWomen is completely free, and everyone is welcome. Our community offers training plans, group chats, training days, weekends away, and women who genuinely want to see each other succeed. We have regular events in London and Bristol, with members across the UK and around the world. Whether you're training for your first Ironman, your first triathlon, or simply love to swim, bike or run, there's a place for you here.

 

Curiosity is the only qualification you need.