Synopses & Reviews
October 14, 1989: The day of reckoning. The six-time champion seeks to destroy his competition once and for all. But his challenger knows he must win the race that matters most. Driven by one of the most intense two-man rivalries in sport, Dave Scott and Mark Allen faced off at the Ironman® World Championship to contest a race that would redefine the limits of human endurance. Shoulder to shoulder through a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike race, and a 26.2-mile marathon, Scott and Allen battled at world-record pace for a grueling 139 miles. After 8 punishing hours, the margin of victory would be a mere 59 seconds. This is the soaring narrative of how two champions—one a master of pure will, the other plagued by self-doubt—drove themselves and each other to push beyond all known boundaries of physical performance in one of the most awe-inspiring races in sports history.
Review
"Captivating, animated, uniquely readable and downright thrilling. [
Iron War] is a truly great read--and an ode to our sport with all its quirky characters and epic venues...It is absolutely comparable to Krakauer, Bowden (
Blackhawk Down), or Sebastian Junger (
The Perfect Storm)...
Iron War is what we buy books for: Excitement, entertainment, information and inspiration." --
TriSports.com"A true page-turner about a too-little-known great moment in sports." -- Booklist (American Library Association)
"For any triathlete or endurance athlete, or anyone who wonders what it takes to be the best in sport, Iron War is an excellent read...Readers will come away with a very strong understanding and appreciation for two of the true legends of our sport...as well as a very clear look at the greatest race ever run." -- Triathlete.com
"Iron War really is a book that should be on your bookshelf if you have even the slightest interest in the sport of triathlon, but it also is a great read for anyone looking for inspiration in general." -- Slowtwitch.com
"Fitzgerald eases readers into the nuances of the sport, capturing imaginations with a satisfying study of two exceptional athletes and what makes them tick." -- ForeWord magazine
"Iron War is the very first time our sport has engaged in Krakauer-style journalism, where full-featured personalities are presented to readers without excuse, or pause, or an author's self-censorship. Iron War is Fitzgerald's Krakauer moment." -- Slowtwitch.com
"Iron War by Matt Fitzgerald recounts the fabled Ironman world championship battle between triathlete legends Dave Scott and Mark Allen. By the end of the story, [triathletes] will feel like [they] personally know the athletes, raced side-by-side with them, and understands the amazing contribution they made to the sport." -- Active.com
"In his new book Iron War, Fitzgerald recounts in gripping detail the showdown between Mark Allen and Dave Scott. Iron War delves into the vastly different personalities and psyches of these two iconic athletes and presents an anatomy of mental toughness that both men shared." -- Triathlete magazine
"In an exhaustively researched book, Fitzgerald recreates the famous race between Dave Scott and Mark Allen in the 1989 Ironman World Championship....[Iron War] captures the strength of character of both athletes better than any other publication to date." -- Xtri.com
"The real gems of [Iron War]...are the robust descriptions of the race itself: the pain and suffering, the strategy, the story arc. The telling of this story gives insight into the race far beyond what we could see on the ABC special...or on YouTube today. It's an insight that casual fans (and perhaps even athletes themselves) don't often get. And for that reason alone, [Iron War] was one I could not put down." -- TriMadness
Synopsis
The 1989 Ironman World Championship was the greatest race ever in endurance sports. In a spectacular duel that became known as the Iron War, the world's two strongest athletes raced side by side at world-record pace for a grueling 139 miles.
Driven by one of the fiercest rivalries in triathlon, Dave Scott and Mark Allen raced shoulder to shoulder through Ironman's 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike race, and 26.2-mile marathon. After 8 punishing hours, both men would demolish the previous record--and cross the finish line a mere 58 seconds apart.
In his new book Iron War, sports journalist Matt Fitzgerald writes a riveting epic about how Allen and Scott drove themselves and each other through the most awe-inspiring race in sports history. Iron War goes beyond the pulse-pounding race story to offer a fascinating exploration of the lives of the world's two toughest men and their unquenchable desire to succeed.
Weaving an examination of mental resolve into a gripping tale of athletic adventure, Iron War is a soaring narrative of two champions and the paths that led to their stunning final showdown.
About the Author
Matt Fitzgerald is a certified sports nutritionist and the author of numerous books on running, triathlon, nutrition, and weight loss. His most recent books are Racing Weight Cookbook, Racing Weight Quick Start Guide, RUN: The Mind-Body Method of Running by Feel, Racing Weight, Brain Training for Runners, and The Runner's Diary. Matt is a regular contributor to Men's Fitness, Men's Health, Outside, Runner's World, Bicycling, Running Times, Women's Running, and other sports and fitness publications. Fitzgerald is a featured coach on TrainingPeaks, Pear Sports, and Active.com. He is a certified sports nutritionist (CISSN) licensed by the International Society of Sports Nutrition. He lives and trains near San Francisco, California.
Table of Contents
1 The Moment
2 A Drop Too Much
3 Get a Grip
4 Pain Community
5 You Again
6 Dig Me Beach
7 Iron Will
8 Shot out of a Cannon
9 Burning Matches
10 Vision Quest
11 Breaking Point
12 The Man’s Search for Meaning
13 Shaman Surfer
Epilogue
Notes
Photo Credits
Course Map
Iron War Timeline
Acknowledgments
About the Author