Iron War: Dave Scott, Mark Allen, and the Greatest Race Ever Run

This is a well written and really thrilling book. Having done Ironman at Kona twice in first in '90, the year after this race (and then in '91). The Man-Grip poster was the poster used for '90 Ironman. Even knowing the outcome, Mr. Fitzgerald managed to create a page turner, as he weaves the stories of the paths Dave Scott and Mark Allen took to get to this ultimate showdown. And for others out there who have raced Kona, you will both re-live experiencing those locations described in the book during the race, and remember the same pains and hurdles you had to overcome- even if you are regular human racer and not one of the triathlon gods. For all triathletes, there are some wonderful insights into both the different training regimes Scott and Allen relied upon, as well as some great insight into racing physiology and human performance, that Mr. Fitzgerald uncovered in his research for the book- and probably make you want to go to Kona even more than you do now! These insights might help you in your next race, whether its an Ironman or not. My daughter bought this for me as reading material for our recent long flight back to Hawaii (vacation only). She was in bookstore and saw cover and knew my finisher poster for '90 Kona Ironman, had same picture, so she knew I'd like it- and she was correct. It's motivating, relatable to, and what you want in a sports story- even when you know the ending- like re-watching a classic movie or re-reading your favorite book. The story and drama of the event are undiminshed by the passage of time and the public knowledge of the event's outcome.

I feel the greatest compliment a writer can receive for their efforts is something to the effect of "I couldn't put the book down". This is exactly that kind of book!! While initially I was hesitant to purchase it due to all the negative reaction from the two main characters, however, after reading it, I think it was not only superbly written but also extremely well researched. While we may never truly know what was going on in either Dave Scott's and Mark Allen's head that day, I feel Matt Fitzgerald more than adequately captured what each was most likely thinking based on his research. Even if the author was a bit off in that regard, that should not be used as an excuse to discredit the factual elements that were so well documented throughout the book. Once I finished reading it, I'm convinced Dave and Mark were less interested in winning the race that day as opposed to totally running the other person right into the ground! Such is the intense nature of athletes at this level. While I've participated in numerous sprint, Olympic and half iron distance triathlons, I cannot imagine the time and effort one must put forth to complete a full ironman, let alone win one. While on the one hand I have to admire athletes at this level, on the other hand I think you have to be a little nuts to put yourself through this kind of physical abuse! Bottom line, I highly recommend reading this book, even if you're not into triathlons. The story itself, along with the all background leading up to the race that day, is compelling enough that even non-athletes will find it well worth the read.

Let me start by saying that I'm not into triathlon but I'm really enjoying this book. I've read running books but really had no idea at all about triathlon. The primary storyline is amazing and the two main characters are fascinating. I bought the book for my Kindle and my only complaint about the book is that it's a little slow in parts. For example, the book rips along except for chunks of some chapters spent on the science of endurance athletes. Don't get me wrong, this is very interesting stuff (I'm a runner) and the author does a good job of maintaining the pace of the story throughout these scientific interludes, but sometimes I find myself wanting to scan ahead to hear more about Dave and Mark. I would recommend this book to anyone who is involved (or wants to be involved) in an endurance sport. I would even say this would be a good book for people who like reading about triumph of the human spirit. What Dave and Mark did was/is amazing and at parts I found myself choking up a bit and, at other times, wanting to lace up my running shoes and see how much I could exert myself. Definitely a good read, albeit a little slow in parts.

After reading the reviews I was not sure whether to buy the book, knowing that the 2 protagonists of the story did not endorse it. I finally bought it based on the many good reviews and I'm glad I did. The author recreates the excitement of the race, while providing insight into the philosophy and training approaches of Dave Scott and Mark Allen. His assumptions on the motivators of these two men, allegedly rooted in their childhood, may be right or not (as Dave & Mark assert), they certainly sound plausible based on the many footnotes and integrate well into the story. So overall a gripping read that will provide motivation for many training sessions to come and that - having never seen Dave & Mark - left me with deep respect for their trailblazing achievements. Great photos accompany the book, however in the Kindle version they are all at the back of the book, after the text. It would be nice to see the photos in the appropriate context in the text, however this is a minor complaint in an overall great book.

Libro stupendo, con molti riferimenti di natura psicologica, culturale e sportiva. Va letto da sportivi e non, un must per i triatleti

I've been doing triathlon for just over a year now and I'd heard little bits about these two guys. Firstly, as a story I'd give this 4 stars. Matt Fitzgerald is clearly passionate about the subject and he talks about the race and it leaves you on the edge of your seat. The best bit about this book for me was the science stuff and in particular the chapter on what marks these two guys out as "more" than others. Fitzgerald talks about a guy called Sam Marcora who did a study on Exercise Fatigue and it's really insightful but explained in simple terms. Basically it's about how we can always dig that little bit deeper than we think we can and it's not the muscles telling us "no", it's the brain. I did a ten mile run shortly after reading this chapter and I was able to push myself that little bit harder and clocked a great time. Seriously, it's worth reading.

a great story about 2 different champions and 2 different personalities

A história do Ironman confunde-se com a história destas duas lendas dos esportes de endurance: Dave Scott e Mark Allen, cada um com 6 títulos mundiais. Com filosofias de treino, idades, histórias de vida e talentos diferenciados eles protagonizaram um dos maiores espetáculos do Triathlon no Ironman do Havaí em 1989. Passaram cerca de 8 horas lado a lado, duelando o primeiro lugar da competição. Com certeza, uma das imagens memoráveis do esporte. Ainda não havia lido nenhuma obra de Matt Fitzgerald até então. E me impressionei bastante com o estilo, linguagem, profundidade da pesquisa, a preocupação em bem descrever a personalidade e analisar a influência dos dramas pessoais de cada um. Tudo isso culminou nesta fantástica rivalidade. Uma das ideias mais interessantes é a questão do endurance mental e tolerância a dor e fadiga. Sintetizada pela famosa frase do triatleta Wolfgang Dittrich, citado na obra: "Para vencer o Ironman, você deve ter preparo físico e mental. E todos tem preparo físico." Enfim, um livro excelente.

Ein tolles Buch für alle Sportsfreunde und Iron Men begeisterte!