2024 Ironman Texas Sub 3-Hour Marathons Notes

So, of course, it was correctly noted that this year's IRONMAN Texas winner Tomas Rodriguez Hernandez (MEX) ran a course best run of 2:34:14, beating Matt Hanson’s time (2:34:39) in 2018 by 25 seconds.

However, the most ever sub-3 hour marathons - 26 - were posted on Saturday in the event's 13-year history.  The year-by-year totals are as follows:

2011 - 6

2012 - 5 (1 was female)

2013 - 2

2014 - 7 (1 was female)

2015 - 4

2016 - 13 (2 were female)

2017 - 21 (2 were female)

2018 - 23 (1 was female)

2019 - 16 (2 were female)

2021 - None

2022 - 11

2023 - 15 (2 were female)

2024 - 26 

Twenty-four of those 26 were recorded in the first 29 men's finishers, while the final two were posted by age groupers.

The 63rd fastest male overall - Diego Blanton of Philadelphia, PA (30-34) - ran 2:56:34 as part of a 9:11:07 overall finish, while the other belonged to Martin Gallardo of San Rafael, Mendoza, Argentina (25-29), who ran 2:48:38 - the 76th fastest male on his way to an overall time of 9:18:55.

They were both eighth overall in their respective age divisions.

Women's champion Kat Matthews missed by 15 seconds (3:00:15) of being just the 12th sub-3 hour marathon by a female at IMTX.

Last year, Matthews broke an 11-year-old run course mark by Caitlin Snow with a showing of 2:49:32. 

 

Snow had run 2:51:47 while finishing second overall to Mary Beth Ellis.  She ran 20 minutes faster on the run than Ellis, but couldn't make up an almost 27-minute deficit coming out of T2.

#ironmantexas #IMTX #imtx2024 #thewoodlandstx

2024 Ironman Texas Age Group Best - News and Notes

There were just 25 new entries - 19 male and six female - in the top 10 lists of best times for each age group in the 13-year history of Ironman Texas.

Keller's Aubrie Yarbrough almost became the first 18-24 female to crack 10 hours as she was just three seconds away from doing so.  Last year, she won the age group in 10:31:58 at IMTX and finished third last October at Kona.

Local athlete Jana Richtrova's top female age group time on Saturday of 9:33:52 put her second all-time in the 40-44 division.  Her four top age group times are as follows:

W35-39

9:34:28 - Jana Richtrova, Watertown, MA, 2018 (1st)

9:37:48 - Jana Richtrova, Spring, TX, 2019 (2nd)

W40-44

9:29:04 - Sharon Schmidt-Mongrain, Lafayette Hill, PA, 2018 (1st)

9:33:52 - Jana Richtrova, Spring, TX, 2024 (2nd)

9:47:46 - Jana Richtrova, Spring, TX, 2023 (8th)

She's just one spot from holding the best time in two different age groups for women.  The only female to do that is another local athlete, Peggy Yetman.

In addition to top times from 2018 and 2023, respectively, in the 50-54 and 55-59 divisions with marks of 9:44:58 and 10:44:01, Yetman also has the tenth best time in the 45-49 division - for now - in 10:18:55 from 2017.  

No one in this year's 45-49 women's division came close of cracking the top ten with The Woodlands' Ana Andrade winning the age group - by less than two minues - in a time of 10:55:14.

Farmington, New Mexico's Cathy Tibbetts also became the only other female besides Yetman to have a time in the top 10 of three different age divisions as she won the female 70-74 age group on Saturday in a time of 14:39:55.

Tibbetts has the fifth best time of 60-64 women in 12:11:29, back in 2014, and the seventh best time ever in the 65-69 age group with a mark of 13:55:06 two years ago.

Her time Saturday was the second best ever in the 70-74 age group and it was only the fifth time in Ironman Texas history that a woman in that division finished the race.

Two new age group marks were set in the men's field on Saturday.

Doornenberg, The Netherlands' Mitch Wismans won the 18-24 age group with a time of 8:56:08, that eclipsed by 20 seconds the former mark held by Wheaton, Illinois' Parker Kerth from last year.  It was one of four new marks in the 18-24 division this year.

Meanwhile, Charlotte, North Carolina's Barry Edwards became the first male ever to go sub-10 in the 60-64 age group with a showing of 9:57:14, dislodging Texas' Steven Mudgett from the top spot and his 2017 time of 10:03:23.

Closer to home, The Woodlands dentist Michael S. Dwyer - with his 14:52:57 finish - is now only the fourth man in the 75-79 or 80-84 age groups to finish Ironman Texas.

All times in the 25-29 division through to and including the 45-49 age group requires a sub 9-hour time to make an entry into the top 10 lists.

#ironmantexas #IMTX #imtx2024 #thewoodlandstx

Memorial Hermann Ironman Texas Women's All-Time Age Group Top 10

Updated through 2023 (2016 not included because of short course; however, 2018 is as Ironman ratified the times of the overall winners as they were new IM-branded records.)

W18-24

10:00:03 - Aubrie Yarbrough, Keller, TX, 2024

10:30:28 - Zoe Bello, Miami, FL, 2018

10:31:58 - Aubrie Yarbrough, Keller, TX, 2023

10:47:46 - Claire Calkins, New York, NY, 2024

10:57:23 - Katie Colville, GA, 2015

10:58:03 - Claire Geiger, Evanston, IL, 2011

10:59:50 - Lydia Collins, Lake Jackson, TX, 2014

11:02:58 - Kristin Goett, Parker, CO, 2018

11:03:40 - Sierra Delmonico, Scituate, MA, 2023

11:07:34 - Erin Oliphant, Tempe, AZ, 2022

W25-29

9:00:49 - Hilary Fenton, Findlay, OH, 2018

9:30:46 - Kayla Bowker, Spokane, WA, 2018

9:33:20 - Laura Gray, Crewe, GBR, 2023

9:42:12 - Katie Colville, Decatur, GA, 2018

9:42:22 - Erin Sosdian, Spring, TX, 2018

9:51:44 - Jocelyn McCauley, Cincinnati, OH, 2014

9:56:09 - Audrey Maheu, FL, 2017

9:57:44 - Chloe Lane, Port Willunga, South Africa, 2018

9:59:45 - Haley Chura, Atlanta, GA, 2012

10:07:11 - Erin Humsi, Atlanta, GA, 2014

W30-34

9:23:56 - Alice Grant, Boston, MA, 2021

9:27:13 - Chelsea Tiner, Dallas, TX, 2018

9:28:26 - Allison Jacob, Kitchener, ON, Canada, 2023

9:34:42 - Ipek Onaran, Istanbul, TUR, 2018

9:36:09 - Annabelle Pirotte, Vinalmont, BEL, 2018

9:38:37 - Morgan Middleton, Brisbane, AUS, 2018

9:39:57 - Tami Ritchie, FL, 2017

9:40:26 - Ashley Dellosa, Phoenix, AZ, 2018

9:42:03 - Hannah Munday, Swansea, WE, GBR, 2024

9:42:12 - Sera Sayar, Instabul, TUR, 2023

W35-39

9:34:28 - Jana Richtrova, Watertown, MA, 2018

9:37:48 - Jana Richtrova, Spring, TX, 2019

9:39:34 - Pierangela Dezerega, Santiago, Chile, 2023

9:40:09 - Jess Perry, Sandy, UT, 2018

9:44:17 - Kathryn Aurand, Traverse City, MI, 2023

9:46:44 - Meghan Fillnow, Charlotte, NC, 2018

9:46:52 - Elyse Gallegos, Tallahassee, FL, 2023

9:47:37 - Emily Lanter, MO, 2017

9:47:46 - Leah Roberts, Somerset, NJ, 2018

9:48:27 - April Hince, Southlake, TX, 2018

W40-44

9:29:04 - Sharon Schmidt-Mongrain, Lafayette Hill, PA, 2018

9:33:52 - Jana Richtrova, Spring, TX, 2024

9:36:49 - Lindsey Deneen, Boulder, CO, 2018

9:37:43 - Meagan Bradley, Fort Lauderdale, FL, 2018

9:39:56 - Ashley Lasalle, New Iberia, LA, 2018

9:40:25 - Meghan Fillnow, Charlotte, NC, 2023

9:44:44 - Maki Nishiuchi, Nishinomiya, JPN, 2018

9:47:46 - Jana Richtrova, Spring, TX, 2023

9:48:41 - Tracy Campbell, Salt Lake City, UT, 2018

9:48:50 - Melissa Barrett, Gilbert, AZ, 2023

9:49:57 - Amy McGrath, Spring Branch, TX, 2014

W45-49

9:10:01 - Elisabetta Villa, Porcia, ITA, 2018

9:28:22 - Cibelle Hernandez Contreras, MEX, 2018

9:52:59 - Fiona Whitby, Toronto, ON, Canada, 2018

9:55:39 - Fiona Whitby, Toronto, ON, Canada, 2018

10:09:40 - Amy McGrath, Spring Branch, TX, 2015

10:14:36 - Dana Bullard, Keller, TX, 2023

10:14:38 - Kelly Phuah, Austria, 2017

10:16:33 - Susanne Davis, CA, 2017

10:17:26 - Deanna Newman, Birmingham, AL, 2015

10:18:55 - Peggy Yetman, TX, 2017

W50-54

9:44:58 - Peggy Yetman, Spring, TX, 2018

10:00:48 - Beni Gras-Thompson, Roanoke, VA, 2023

10:15:44 - Jody Dushay, Newton, MA, 2018

10:16:01 - Lisbeth Kenyon, Norway, 2015

10:23:13 - Ann Kaltenbaugh, Houston, TX, 2018

10:27:02 - Sara Fix, Hinsdale, IL, 2018

10:27:46 - Angie Anderson, Phoenix, AZ, 2018

10:32:06 - Madeleine Vergauwen, Longwood, FL, 2018

10:37:55 - Angie Anderson, Phoenix, AZ, 2019

10:38:25 - Lesley Brainard, Saulsbury, TN, 2023

W55-59

10:44:01 - Peggy Yetman, Spring, TX, 2023

10:46:41 - Julie Kaczor, Naperville, IL, 2018

10:46:51 - Julie Moss, CA, 2017

10:56:58 - Karen Tamson, Naples, FL, 2018

10:58:14 - Colleen Capper, WI, 2015

10:58:23 - Linda Hurley, AZ, 2017

10:59:13 - Kelly Luttmer, Coppell, TX, 2018

10:59:53 - Nancy Smith, New Britain, PA, 2011

11:02:45 - Nancy Agrillo, Grand Rapids, MI, 2023

11:08:25 - Sandra Spielmann, Racine, WI, 2018

W60-64

11:53:23 - Karen Tamson, Naples, FL, 2023

11:54:58 - Izumi Yamashita, Dunwoody, GA, 2023

12:07:30 - Julie Kaczor, Naperville, IL, 2023

12:11:17 - Beverly Watson, Priddis, AB, CAN, 2013

12:11:29 - Cathy Tibbetts, Farmington, NM, 2014

12:15:29 - Mary McDonald, Frisco, TX, 2018

12:21:34 - Marie-josee Cossette, North Vancouver, BC, 2023

12:44:58 - Karen Dayan, Delray Beach, FL, 2019

12:46:03 - Sonia Soprenuk, Denton, TX, 2023

12:48:56 - Karen Tamson, Naples, FL, 2024

W65-69

12:32:54 - Jean Watson, Mesa, AZ, 2023

12:52:36 - Denise Ross, Mississauga, ON, Canada, 2019

13:20:32 - Marty Smith, Liberty, UT, 2023

13:21:10 - Ginny Crumley, Gainesville, GA, 2023

13:33:08 - Joanne Furu, MI, 2017

13:51:17 - Sue Dejesus, Henrico, VA, 2018

13:55:06 - Cathy Tibbetts, Farminton, NM, 2022

14:00:09 - Sandy Meneley, Holmes Beach, FL, 2012

14:37:28 - Chris McCambridge, Lakeway, TX, 2011

14:39:06 - Sandi Wiebe, CO, 2017

W70-74

14:16:48 - Cullen Goodyear, North Vancouver, BC, Canada, 2019

14:39:55 - Cathy Tibbetts, Farmington, NM, 2024

14:51:31 - Cullen Goodyear, North Vancouver, BC, Canada, 2022

16:17:26 - Diane Tracy, St. George, UT, 2023

16:21:41 - Susan Duffy, Kissimmee, FL, 2021

Memorial Hermann Ironman Texas Men's All-Time Age Group Top 10

Updated through 2023 (2016 not included because of short course; however, 2018 is as Ironman ratified the times of the overall winners as they were new IM-branded records.)

M18-24

8:56:08 - Mitch Wismans, Doornenberg, NLD, 2024

8:56:28 - Parker Kerth, Wheaton, IL, 2023

8:57:50 - Nicholas Marcamtonio, NY, 2017

9:00:47 - Gavin Ketola, Rindge, NH, 2024

9:14:35 - Loic Guinchard, Collombey, Chile, 2018

9:14:53 - Ryan Vonderach, San Francisco, CA, 2018

9:16:52 - Ben Tolliday, Atlanta, GA, 2024

9:18:48 - Nicolas Longo, Homer Glen, IL, 2024

9:26:19 - Marin Lerche, Mouvaux, FRA, 2023

9:28:54 - William Watson, Portland, OR, 2023

M25-29

8:23:36 - Matthew Marquardt, Cincinnati, OH, 2019

8:36:19 - Carlos Santiago, Tijuana, MEX, 2018

8:40:11 - Frederik Andersen, Roskilde, DNK, 2018

8:49:24 - Nolan McPeek, Belmont, CA, 2018

8:50:55 - Ryan Snapp, Kingwood, TX, 2017

8:53:46 - Brad Miles, Flower Mound, TX, 2018

8:54:17 - Jonas De Wachter, Willebroek, BEL, 2024

8:56:45 - Corentin Cousin, Marseille, FRA, 2024

8:56:55 - Tripp Hipple, Denver, CO, 2015

8:58:01 - Aleksej Calmann, AARS, DNK, 2019

M30-34

8:17:24 - Ryan Giuliano, Cary, IL, 2018

8:29:44 - Craig Taylor, Santa Monica, CA, 2018

8:30:24 - Clay Emge, TX, 2017

8:32:14 - John Dzierzbicki, Chandler, AZ, 2023

8:36:35 - Ryan Giuliano, IL, 2017

8:37:08 - Ryan Snapp, Kingwood, TX, 2018

8:40:56 - Joel Junod, Lausanne, CHE, 2018

8:43:36 - Josh Eaton, Bonita Springs, FL, 2018

8:45:15 - Peng Cheng Li, Xichang, SI, 2024

8:45:35 - Pat Redner, Encinitas, CA, 2018

M35-39

8:27:04 - Juan Valencia, Medellin, COL, 2018

8:28:30 - Bruno Manzoni, Goiania, BRA, 2023

8:32:22 - Andrew Hall, Holladay, UT, 2024

8:36:14 - Luke Smith, Houston, TX, 2018

8:37:54 - Nathan Buttrick, Mount Pleasant, SC, 2018

8:38:12 - Jeffrey Bradley, Calgary, AB, Canada, 2018

8:43:01 - Anthony Adam, Bay Village, OH, 2018

8:43:23 - Jeff Scarella, Carrollton, TX, 2018

8:44:03 - Antonio Ferreira Da Silva Neto, Austin, TX, 2018

8:46:02 - Scott Hansen, Brooklyn, NY, 2018

M40-44

8:21:39 - Sam Gyde, Destelbergen, BEL, 2018

8:21:48 - Daniel Stubleski, Washington, MI, 2018

8:36:00 - Martin Caron, Garibaldi Highlands, BC, Canada, 2018

8:41:51 - Garron Mosley, Newport, IRL, 2018

8:42:00 - Brice Williams, Ogden, UT, 2018

8:43:54 - Jose Graca, Kailua Kona, HI, 2018

8:45:16 - Marcel Munoz, Sant Cugat, ESP, 2018

8:45:47 - Fernando Alfaro, Panama, 2018

8:47:06 - Sergio Ramirez, Frisco, TX, 2018

8:47:27 - David Zimmet, Rochester, NY, 2018

M45-49

8:40:01 - Ulrich Konschak, Prudhoe Bay, AK, 2018

8:44:21 - Rodrigo Sebastian Cuccaro, Ciudad de Buenos Aires, ARG, 2018

8:46:41 - Patrick Schuster, Arlington, TX, 2018

8:48:58 - Franz Leitner, Wien, AUT, 2018

8:50:14 - Daniel Henggeler, Wilen, CHE, 2018

8:52:37 - Barry Breffle, Cedar Rapids, IA, 2018

8:53:09 - Juan Valencia, Medellin, COL, 2024

8:55:54 - Kevin Pickard, Vancouver, BC, Canada, 2018

8:59:30 - Stefaan Devliegere, Oedelem, BEL, 2018

8:59:51 - Brian Chadwick, Elmwood Park, IL, 2018

M50-54

9:02:29 - Pascal Rojas Calvo, Saint Maur Des Fosses, FRA, 2018

9:06:37 - Chris Tomkinson, Port Moody, BC, 2018

9:08:37 - Craig Lanza, Brookfield, WI, 2018

9:11:44 - Pierre Heynemand, Canada, 2017

9:12:02 - Taro Shirato, Tokyo, JPN, 2018

9:15:16 - David Burger, Pennellville, NY, 2018

9:15:27 - Christophe Joly, Redwood City, CA, 2018

9:15:56 - Barry Berg, Vancouver, BC, Canada, 2018

9:17:01 - Brage Johannessen, Spring, TX, 2018

9:17:23 - Jeff Fieldhack, San Diego, CA, 2018

M55-59

9:11:04 - Sean Lewis, Fair Oaks Ranch, TX, 2023

9:25:01 - Richard Sweet, San Diego, CA, 2018

9:34:50 - Dennis Vandermeer, Santa Cruz, CA, 2018

9:37:57 - Chris Montross, CA, 2015

9:42:24 - Todd Shellenberger, Kissimmee, FL, 2023

9:43:46 - Fredrik Hallsten, Cary, NC, 2024

9:46:41 - Lee Walther, OK, 2015

9:51:42 - Juan Felipe Mondragon, Cali, VA, COL, 2024

9:55:33 - Doug Covington, Richmond, VA, 2024

9:58:15 - Stephen Marshall, Canada, 2017

M60-64

9:57:14 - Barry Edwards, Charlotte, NC, 2024

10:03:23 - Steven Mudgett, TX, 2017

10:03:24 - Jonathan Minto, Newcastle, ON, Canada, 2023

10:06:07 - Gunther Volz, Weiterstadt, DEU, 2023

10:10:54 - Paul Bakerman, AZ, 2017

10:11:56 - Frank Green, Miami, FL, 2018

10:15:31 - Dan Contant, Cornwall, ON, Canada, 2023

10:16:40 - Kurt Madden, San Diego, CA, 2018

10:19:10 - Dan Contant, Cornwall, ON, Canada, 2024

10:21:07 - Jeff Crosby, Kirkland, WA, 2023

M65-69

10:33:56 - Kelly Brandson, Orono, ON, Canada, 2023

10:43:18 - Arthur Halttunen, St. Petersburg, FL, 2018

10:43:38 - John Wilson, New Canaan, CT, 2023

11:08:34 - Marty Sudut, Miami, FL, 2018

11:10:26 - Guy Hachey, Blainville, QC, Canada, 2023

11:17:55 - Norio Yamamura, Yokohama, JPN, 2019

11:20:02 - Kurt Madden, San Diego, CA, 2023

11:20:02 - Jim Larrieu, Reno, NV, 2024

11:20:39 - Mike Catlin, Boerne, TX, 2023

11:35:12 - Yamamura Norio, Tsurumi Yokohama, JPN, 2018

M70-74

11:20:07 - Bob Knuckey, Alton, ON, Canada, 2018

11:59:27 - Andrew Loeb, Clermont, FL, 2018

12:28:39 - Roger Freeman, San Diego, CA, 2018

12:41:32 - Rick Simpson, Henderson, NV, 2024

12:45:41 - Eric Johnson, Seattle, WA, 2024

12:47:52 - Arthur Halttunen, St. Petersburg, FL, 2023

12:59:58 - Monte Hitchcock, Muncie, IN, 2023

13:00:46 - Oliver Mellet, Philadelphia, PA, 2024

13:22:57 - J Nathan Leech, The Villages, FL, 2019

13:48:04 - Arthur Halttunen, St. Petersburg, FL, 2022

M75-79

14:16:19 - Ken Hola, Saint Paul, MN, 2018

14:52:57 - Michael S Dwyer, The Woodlands, TX, 2024

15:16:47 - Robert McClure, Mercer Island, WA, 2018

M80-84

16:43:09 - Ron Ottaway, IA, 2017