Ironman ultra-triathlons demand competitors swim 2.4 miles, cycle 112 miles, and then run a full marathon, paying upwards of $1000 for the pleasure. It’s not everyone’s idea of a perfect Sunday, but for its growing base of devotees, it has become almost like a religion. So how did the sport grow from its low-key Hawaiian roots to a money-making global phenomenon? And what drives people to push their bodies to the limit?

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Read by: Rick Broadbent, sports writer, The Times.

Producers: Harry Stott.

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Read more: $1,000 for 140 miles of suffering (in the rain) — why is Ironman so popular?

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