Kona Ironman
An Ironman consists of a 2.4-mile swim, followed by a 112-mile bike ride, all chased with a 26.2-mile marathon run. It’s a gruelling affair. But Kona isn’t just another Ironman. It’s notorious for extreme humidity, brutal heat, and unforgiving crosswinds. Even for elite triathletes, it’s a final boss-level challenge. But for Monger, a finish at Kona would mean entering the record books.
‘When I told people I was doing Kona, they’d just go quiet for a second,’ he said. ‘And I was like, “great for the nerves, thanks for that”. But I got it, only one double amputee had ever finished the race in the time limit before. The success rate was about 20%. So yeah, the odds weren’t amazing.’
His approach to training was relentless. Every session had a purpose. ‘I didn’t want to get to race day and think, “if only I’d done that session”. That’s the worst feeling in the world. You can’t fake preparation.’
Engineering a record breaking prosthetic
Being a double amputee added another layer of complexity. Kona’s heat and humidity weren’t just tough – they were a serious risk. ‘Sweat builds up in my prosthetic sockets, and when that happens, they can get loose,’ he explained. ‘It’s not like getting a blister on your foot. Your skin breaks down, and suddenly, you’re out of the race.’
To counter that, he and his prosthetist engineered a custom adjustable socket system inspired by cycling shoes. ‘We built in a Boa dial, so I could tighten or loosen the fit on the go,’ he said. ‘That way, I wasn’t stopping mid-race to take my leg off and pour out sweat.’
Even with the best preparation, things didn’t always go to plan. ‘I actually broke the Boa system during the race,’ he admitted. ‘Luckily, it still held up. But when that happened, I just thought, “well, there’s no turning back now—just get on with it.”‘
And get on with it he did. Monger didn’t just complete the epic feat, he entered the record books becoming the fastest double leg amputee to complete the Kona course, clocking in a time of 14:23:36, more than two hours faster than the previous best.
Taking on the monumental challenge for Comic Relief, Monger was followed by a camera crew throughout, documenting the challenge for a BBC documentary, out on 19th March.
‘You don’t take the days for granted,’ he said when asked what advice he’d give to a 16-year old Billy. ‘You grab every opportunity by the scruff of the neck and don’t stop trying.
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