Building on the IRONMAN Virtual Racing Series and in celebration of the IRONMAN World Championship, IRONMAN has launched a five-week-long IRONMAN VR Kona Series. This will ‘take athletes on a training journey that culminates in a virtual full-distance IRONMAN race, to be held as part of a week-long 2020 IRONMAN VR World Championship Celebration.’
For the first time, athletes will have the ability to virtually complete 140.6-miles in either seven-day, three-day or traditional 17-hour formats. The IRONMAN VR Kona Series kicks off on September 4 and runs through October 11.
Despite the cancellation of the 2020 edition of the IRONMAN World Championship, IRONMAN notes that the triathlon community around the world can still come together virtually to celebrate their achievements, triathlon’s crown jewel event, and all those who have contributed to the prestige over 42 years.
With a theme of E Ola Mau, meaning ‘Keep on Living’, the five-week IRONMAN VR Kona Series followed by a week-long series of activities, will celebrate Kailua-Kona, Hawai`i and the IRONMAN World Championship through athletic participation, storytelling and community moments.
The IRONMAN VR Kona Series will be focused on five key training elements athletes focus on in preparation for a full distance triathlon: speed, strength, knowledge, endurance, and preparation.
At the end of the five-week training block, and anchoring the 2020 IRONMAN VR World Championship Celebration week, will be the IRONMAN Virtual Club first full-distance IRONMAN triathlon virtual race, available to be completed over a seven-day, three-day or 17-hour timeframe.
Athletes that participate will have access to an exclusive finisher bundle that includes a finisher tee, hat and medals, including a five-piece medal set that brings together the elements of the training block, ‘representing E Ola Mau and the IRONMAN spirit of perseverance.’
The 2020 IRONMAN VR World Championship Celebration will feature a week of programming broadcasted on the IRONMAN Now Facebook Watch page.
‘Race week hallmarks, including the E Komo Mai Welcome Ceremony, Ho‘ala Swim celebration, Underpants Run and Heroes of Hawai`i cultural performance, as well as live racing competitions, professional athlete features and retrospectives will virtually come to life for a global audience through the live daily show.’
Hosted by Michael Lovato, Dede Griesbauer and Greg Welch, the program will also feature special guests including IRONMAN legends, professional athletes and Master Coaches.
“While it is hard to believe that for the first time in over 40 years we will not convene in Hawai`i to crown world champions this October, we are excited to share the magic of the iconic IRONMAN World Championship to athletes around the globe with the 2020 IRONMAN VR World Championship Celebration and IRONMAN VR Kona Series,” said Andrew Messick, President & CEO for The IRONMAN Group.
“As we continue to pursue our mission of providing exceptional, life-changing race experiences for athletes of all levels from their first step to the finish line, we are pleased to offer this compelling new opportunity to achieve athletic feats while also providing athletes with the structure and community that training at the highest level requires.
“We invite athletes of all abilities to join us in celebrating the long-standing IRONMAN mantra, ‘Anything Is Possible!’”
Supplanting the IRONMAN VR race schedule, IRONMAN VR Kona Series will kick off Friday, September 4 and run Friday to Sunday each week leading up to the 2020 IRONMAN VR World Championship Celebration during the week of October 5.
The IRONMAN VR Kona Series will also return to a single division format, the Classic division. This aims to allow for new and seasoned athletes alike to come together.
Each Kona Series weekend will vary, offering athletes specially designed workouts tailored to building confidence and introducing the core essence of an IRONMAN that can lead to successfully completing a 140.6-mile full-distance virtual race. The 2020 IRONMAN VR World Championship Celebration 17-hour format will also be available through more competitive Challenger division format.
| Date | Block/Race | Distance | Description |
| Sep 4-6 | IRONMAN VR22 Kona Speed Block | Swim or run: 1km Ride: 25km Run: 6km |
Shorter distances to focus on speedwork and kick off the training block with power and energy. |
| Sep 11-13 | IRONMAN VR23 Kona Strength Block | Swim or run: 1500 meter Ride: 50km Run: 12km |
Cutting back on the pace and increasing distance with a focus on getting stronger. |
| Sep 18-20 | IRONMAN VR24 Kona Knowledge Block | Swim or run: 20 minutes Ride: 40 minutes Run: 30 minutes |
This time trial is intended to call attention to pacing and increase athlete body awareness. |
| Sep 25-27 | IRONMAN VR25 Kona Endurance Block | Swim or run: 1.2 km Ride: 56 km Run: 13.1 km |
The longest total distance of the Kona Block, this workout is intended to test athlete fitness levels and boost confidence before tapering for Kona Week during preparation. |
| Oct 2-4 | IRONMAN VR26 Kona Preparation Block | Swim or run: 1 km Ride: 25 km Run: 6 km |
A workout focused on race week preparation, recovery, building strength, and preparing for the 140.6 miles during Kona Week that lies ahead. |
| Oct. 5-11 | 2020 IRONMAN VR World Championship Celebration | Swim or run: 3.8 km Ride: 180 km Run: 42.2 km |
In celebration of the previously scheduled 2020 IRONMAN World Championship, athletes from around the world will have the opportunity to come together and compete in a virtual IRONMAN race, bringing the IRONMAN World Championship and IRONMAN Virtual Club together for the first time. |
In addition to the IRONMAN VR Kona Series workouts, athletes can take on challenges. With challenges set by IRONMAN U Master Coaches, athletes will be provided with training tips and overall workouts that will help them train smart for their next race.
A special three-hour Facebook Watch Live Broadcast of the 2019 Vega IRONMAN World Championship will air on Saturday, October 10 with live interviews throughout. Viewers will get to see the perspectives of the pros and hear their retrospective reflections. Plus, special guests will offer insight and analysis, while celebrating in the Hawaiian tradition that has adorned the iconic race for over 40 years.
Bringing the IRONMAN community together virtually, the IRONMAN Virtual Club continues to grow and has now reached over 115,000 members across 170 nations and all US States on the platform with tens of thousands completing IRONMAN Virtual Club Challenges since its launch in April.
In addition, through the ‘Race Honorably’ campaign, IRONMAN adds that its goal is to provide an exceptional virtual racing experience with credible results that requires athletes to do their part by entering accurate data.
www.ironmanvirtualclub.com
www.ironman.com/im-world-championship
