Morning endurance fans…

The wait is finally over.

After weeks of build-up, debate and anticipation, IRONMAN Texas is here at last — and it arrives in the middle of a huge weekend for endurance sport. With a stacked start list packed with champions, Olympians and genuine contenders, all eyes will be on the Lone Star State when racing gets underway later today.

But that’s far from the only show in town. There’s triathlon action in South Africa and Valencia, while Monday brings the second Abbott World Marathon Major of the season as the streets of Boston prepare to roar once again.

Storylines everywhere you look, and a season ready to hit a whole new level.

So settle in and get yourself comfortable — because one of the biggest weekends of the year has arrived. 🏊‍♂️🚴‍♂️🏃‍♂️

🚨 Here’s what we have lined up for you today…

🏊‍♀️ TRIALS: Lucy Charles-Barclay’s dreams of qualifying for the Team England Commonwealth Games swimming squad are over. Read HERE.

👏 RETURN: Steph Clutterbuck has signed up to race again next month as she continues to battle the effects of POTS syndrome. Read HERE.

🎽 INJURED 1: Emile Cairess’ hopes of setting a new British record at this year’s London Marathon have been ended by a calf injury. Read HERE.

❌ INJURED 2: London will also be without one of the potential stars of the women’s elite field as Peres Jepchirchir also pulls out. Read HERE.

Rarely has there been a stronger event outside an IRONMAN World Championship than what we have in store in Texas this weekend.

We’ve got multiple IRONMAN World Champions, former Texas winners and some standout ‘relative newcomers’ to full distance all taking each other on.

And it’s fantastic for fans of the sport that these big guns aren’t ducking each other but instead relishing the competition.

It also underlines that the IRONMAN Pro Series is working well – after all, there are eight Kona slots and similar prize money on offer at IRONMAN South Africa a day later, but there’s no comparison in terms of the standard of the respective fields.

Texas has always been a big draw, but this really is something special.

It is also worth mentioning that this is the first time we’ll see the 20-metre draft zone on the bike in an IRONMAN field of this quality – but those expecting record times should be mindful of the weather forecast, which currently suggests it will be hot and humid, with temperatures just under 30 degrees Celsius by early afternoon for the run.

⏰ START TIMES: IRONMAN Texas takes place today, and kicks off with the men’s race. They will get underway at 06:25 local time, which corresponds to 12:25 in the UK, 13:25 in Central Europe, 07:25 Eastern Standard Time and 04:25 on the West Coast.

The women will start racing six minutes later, at 06:31 local time. That’s 12:31 in the UK, 13:31 in Central Europe, 07:31 Eastern Standard Time and 04:31 on the West Coast.

📺 HOW TO WATCH: Both races will be broadcast live on the IRONMAN YouTube channel; you can find the link on this TRI247 Texas preview, HERE.

📍 COURSE: The IRONMAN Texas course is fast and flat.

It starts with a 2.4-mile lake swim at Lake Woodlands before heading through a spectator-lined canal toward the finish at Town Green Park. The swim is point-to-point with only one turnaround, and because the freshwater lake maintains an average temperature of 74 degrees Fahrenheit, it could be with or without a wetsuit.

The 112-mile bike features two loops on the Hardy Toll Road, and although it can often be windy, the flat course is known for its lightning-fast bike times.

And then the 26.2-mile run is one of the best supported there is. It takes place around Lake Woodlands and concludes with a spectacular finish on Waterway Ave.

❓ WHO’S THERE? It would be easier to say who isn’t racing at Texas; the fields are so stacked. But for the purposes of today’s Daily Split, here are a few of the names that you should be aware of…

🙋‍♂️ PRO MEN: This could be one of the largest men’s IRONMAN pro fields ever, with just under 80 slated to start. And it’s packed with quality – starting with the three Norwegians who swept the podium at the IRONMAN World Championship in Nice last season, Kristian Blummenfelt, Casper Stornes and Gustav Iden.

Indeed, the top five from last month’s Oceanside 70.3 all re-oppose – with winner Blummenfelt and third-placed Stornes joined by Jonas Schomburg (GER), who was runner-up, and the American duo of Sam Long (fourth) and Jason West (fifth).

Three-time IRONMAN World Champion Patrick Lange (GER) is looking to claim his third IRONMAN Texas title (following wins in 2016 and 2024) while Matt Hanson (USA) is a two-time Woodlands champion, albeit from an era where there was nothing like this strength in depth.

And we haven’t even mentioned one of long-distance triathlon’s biggest draws – Lionel Sanders (CAN) – nor US powerhouse Rudy Von Berg.

One big reason for the increased level of competition is the number of short-course and middle-distance stars moving up. Blummenfelt, of course, is an Olympic champion, but in Texas we’ll also see reigning 70.3 World Champion Jelle Geens make his eagerly-awaited IRONMAN bow alongside his fellow Belgian Marten Van Riel, who bossed the T100 after the Paris Games in 2024.

🙋‍♀️ PRO WOMEN: It’s a similar story in the women’s race, with the top two from the IRONMAN World Championship in Kona last year – Solveig Løvseth (NOR) and Kat Matthews (GBR) – wearing bibs #1 and #2.

And in #3 is American superstar Taylor Knibb.

That trio have dominated on the women’s side this season – Matthews won IRONMAN New Zealand and 70.3 Geelong, Knibb took the T100 opener on the Gold Coast and followed up at Oceanside, where the only person to get anywhere near was Løvseth.

Knibb, of course, was leading in Kona last year until the final few kilometres, and it will be fascinating to see how she goes on her return to full distance.

She was runner-up to Matthews here last year, the Brit having taken this title in each of the last three seasons, and Kat arguably looks better than ever in 2026.

Other names in the field who could mount a serious challenge include Austrian Lisa Perterer, who was third in Texas last year and also finished fifth at Kona and was second behind Løvseth at Lake Placid, and Hannah Berry (NZL), who was fourth at Kona.

It is going to be EPIC!!!!

The iconic IRONMAN South Africa celebrates its 21st year this weekend in Nelson Mandela Bay, Port Elizabeth, with a strong field of professional athletes making the trip down to the southern tip of the continent.

It’s not part of the IRONMAN Pro Series this year, and there’s no getting away from the fact that it plays second fiddle to IRONMAN Texas this weekend, but there’s still plenty to look forward to.

Eight Kona slots, split equally as ever, and $150,000 in prizemoney (compared to $175K for Texas).

Click the button below for the TRI247 preview, where you can find all the information you need on start times and how to follow, plus a full rundown of the main contenders…

Very much under the radar this weekend, the 70.3 at Valencia still has a pretty impressive field – including former IRONMAN world champion Sam Laidlow, who announced his intention to compete last week.

One of the few big-name athletes not racing in Texas, he will instead kick off his triathlon season in Spain with one of the newest races on the circuit.

The 130th Boston Marathon will take place on Monday as 30,000 athletes mark Patriots’ Day in America with one of the most iconic and traditional races in the running calendar.

Part of the seven-race Abbott World Marathon Majors, a prize pot of almost $1.5m is on offer across three divisions of professional competition – open, wheelchair, and para – while there is also a $50,000 bonus up for grabs should anyone break the course record.

The professional men will start their race at 09:37, with the women then departing ten minutes later at 09:47, which corresponds to 14:37 and 14:47 in the UK, 15:37 and 15:47 in Central Europe, and 06:37 and 06:47 on the West Coast.

A minimum 80% gravel and relentless elevation are the promises coming out of Nannup, Australia, where this year's historic UCI Gravel World Championships will be held.

The event, held on the weekend of 10-11 October, will be the first time the Gravel Worlds have been held outside of Europe, and course details have now been revealed by cycling's world governing body. The organisers are billing the races as offering “wide gravel roads, breathtaking climbs and encounters with iconic Australian wildlife”.

You can read the full article on Cycling Weekly by clicking HERE.

A lasting legacy will be left in honour of ultra-runner David Parrish, who died while running in the Highlands of Scotland on an unassisted record attempt for the Cape Wrath Trail.

The 35-year-old former Royal Marine was found in the remote mountainous region of Kintail in the north-west Highlands last Saturday, with police confirming there were ‘no suspicious circumstances’.

Parrish, a former winner of the Cape Wrath Trail in 2023 and the Dragon’s Back Race in 2025, was attempting the FKT as a fundraising effort for Scottish Mountain Rescue in honour of his close friend Luke Ireland, who died in 2014 while running in the mountains of Glen Clova.

More than £30,000 has now been raised via his Just Giving page, with hundreds of donations being made in the days after his death, with a series of tributes left for the runner, who had only recently returned from his stag weekend and was due to get married later this year.

The trail’s 376km route, running from Fort William to Cape Wrath, is well known for being one of the most challenging in the UK, covering Lochaber, Knoydart, Applecross and Torridon.

His post on the Just Giving page reads: “In November 2014, my good friend Luke Ireland passed away from hypothermia when the weather changed very suddenly and drastically as he was out running in the mountains around Glen Clova. Alongside fellow Marines, volunteers from the Scottish Mountain Rescue deployed in large numbers to search tirelessly for Luke and, tragically, bring him off the hill.

“The Scottish Mountain Rescue is an institution very close to the hearts of many in the outdoors/hiking/hill running community. It is made up of highly trained volunteers who are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to respond to emergencies in the mountains and remote areas of Scotland, and it relies on donations in order to carry out its great work.

“The above is just one example of the hundreds of call-outs the Scottish Mountain Rescue responds to each year, a truly invaluable service made up completely of volunteers. For this reason, I will be attempting to run the Cape Wrath Trail (CWT) unsupported.”

Fellow ultra-runner Pawel Cymbalista posted an emotional tribute on his Instagram page after hearing the devastating news: “As I was preparing for my daily training session this morning, the news destroyed me. It stopped me cold.

“The Cape Wrath Trail is one of the hardest lines in the UK, 234 miles of wild, remote terrain. Very few people ever take it on unsupported. It’s a commitment that demands everything.

“David had been in touch with me about his unsupported FKT attempt. He was meant to start a couple of weeks ago, but postponed because of Storm Dave. His final attempt came just days after his stag do; that’s how much he loved the mountains.

“I was meant to send him off on the day… but work got in the way. I didn’t get to wish him good luck… Today I honour David. His courage. His kindness. His willingness to take on something few would ever attempt. Run free, brother. Your energy stays on the trail. 🏔️🕊️”

In a tribute posted on the UK Climbing website, Shane Ohly, the organiser of both Cape Wrath and Dragon’s Back when Parrish won, said: “On behalf of everyone connected to the Dragon’s Back Race and Cape Wrath Ultra, particularly participants, the event team, and volunteers, I extend my heartfelt condolences to David’s family and friends, and to all those in the wider running and mountain community who knew and loved him.

“He was clearly a gifted endurance athlete, but never showy or attention-seeking. There was a humility about him that people noticed immediately and respected all the more for it. In my reflections on the 2025 Dragon’s Back Race, I described David as having led with ‘quiet determination and humility’, and I think that captures something essential about him.

“I’ve met many strong runners over the years, but only a smaller number leave a lasting impression, not because of how well they performed, but because of who they were. David was one of those people. He was an outstanding athlete, yes, but also a thoroughly decent man: modest, capable, generous, and full of quiet integrity.

“He won two of the hardest races in the world, yet he remained grounded and self-effacing throughout. That is rare, and it is why he will be remembered with such warmth and admiration.

”Today I honour David. His courage. His kindness. His willingness to take on something few would ever attempt. Run free, brother. Your energy stays on the trail. 🏔️🕊️”. Ultra-runner Pawel Cymbalista

They thought they had seen it all, but for the Norwegian guys preparing for IRONMAN Texas, it seems a trip to the infamous Buc-ee’s gas station/food stop will now be added to the list of things to do once their racing duties are done.

Anyone who follows Kristian, Casper and Gustav on social media will be aware of just how much food they pack away as part of their intense training regime… but it seems they have yet to try everything that America’s largesse has to offer.

When asked at this week’s Pro Panel whether they have experienced the vast array of snack options at a Buc-ee’s, their blank looks couldn’t fully hide their obvious excitement at the prospect of a post-race visit.

The local Texas store had better stock up, because some very hungry Norsemen are heading their way.

Injury risk is highest when runners start a new workout routine. Sudden increases in training load, poor mechanics, and lack of recovery create stress the body is not prepared for. Preventing injury is not about avoiding training; it’s about progressing in a way the body can adapt to.

Most running injuries are caused by overload. This happens when training stress exceeds the body’s ability to recover and adapt.
Common triggers include:

1: Start with controlled, easy running:

2: Progress gradually:

3: Focus on running mechanics:

4: Strength training supports prevention:

5: Recovery is part of training

He’s at it again.

In fact, double Olympic gold medallist Ali Brownlee could probably warrant his own weekly section in the Daily Split as he continues his relentless global search for high-thrill endurance challenges.

Having already raced up the Empire State Building, gravel-cycled across South Africa, and taken part in the brutal Patagonman Xtri, he has now turned his attention to the mountains and another SkiMo epic, which clearly tested him to the absolute limits.

Only last month, he took part in the Sellaronda Skimarathon – a classic nighttime ski mountaineering race in the Italian Dolomites – and this week, he again teamed up with former Polish mountain biker and fellow member of the International Olympic Committee’s Athletes’ Commission, Maja Włoszczowska, to take on the Patrouille des Glaciers.

The PDG is an international military race organised by the Swiss Army, which allows civilians to also join in the fun, as competitors traverse the Alps from Zermatt to Verbier in a 62km trek that has an elevation gain of 4,386 metres.

Brownlee, however, now seems ready for a bit of a rest. When asked if he will take part again next year, he replied with a rueful look: “Don’t ask me that today… Maybe ask me tomorrow. I’ve had a busy few months in terms of my sporting attempts, so I think I need a couple of more relaxed weeks and then try and work out what’s next.”

Together, we go the distance. — @247_endurance 🏃‍♂️🚴‍♀️🏊‍♂️