Matt Fitzgerald is an award-winning endurance sports journalist and bestselling author of more than 20 books on running, triathlon, fitness, nutrition, and weight loss, including Brain Training for Runners and Racing Weight. The biggest criticism I would level at the book is not so much any inaccuracies but rather its structure and length.

I am so happy that the Hoyt team went out to show the world what they CAN do (versus what they cannot), and so happy they have inspired so many people. Scott was in fact dominant in the annual Iron Man championships held in Hawaii from 1980 to 1988 winning six out of ten races and finishing second in one of the two 1982 editions, often finishing 20 minutes ahead of his nearest competitor.The greatest triathlon battle of all times - this book has a nice lead up to it and serves really well with the description of the actual race. Fitzgerald eases readers into the nuances of the sport, capturing imaginations with a satisfying study of two exceptional athletes and what makes them tick.

In this book, Matt Fitzgerald provides a detailed, passionate, and honest account of their journey to becoming the best in the world. And if there's one public activity where a professional can truly say, "I didn't sign up for this," it's certainly triathlon or, at least, it was in the early 80s.People looking to break through the numbness of a normal life are attracted like moths to the flame, many are completely consumed by the fire and love it for that very reason. The book has added that third dimension, and their darker angels provide me a permission slip to rise and fall, ebb and flow, fail and succeed, just as they did. For instance, Allen using Phil Maffetone's go slower to go faster low heartrate focus on aerobic workouts, was very interesting, and I have more to learn about that. The two greatest athletes of triathlon's pioneering generation raced side by side, literally, for eight straight hours at breakneck speed before Allen finally tore away from his longtime nemesis with less than two miles left in the 140.

com (October, 2011) "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.each starred letter is accentuated, each capital letter is spoken loudly, the double letters are drawn out and the pause. Booklist (American Library Association, September 1, 2011) "Captivating, animated, uniquely readable and downright thrilling. More than a compelling story, Iron War is a fascinating exploration of how Scott and Allen pushed themselves and each other – and what it takes for anyone to break through perceived limits.

Dave Scott and Mark Allen were a pair of generational talents who dominated the sport of triathlon, and their remarkable story reveals what it takes to break through the perceived physical and mental limits of endurance and pain. Highly inspirational reading for anyone interested in endurance sports or human performance generally. This makes sense when I think about it, because I feel just as tired at the end of a 3 mile run as at the end of a 7 mile run, and the difference is likely just my brain wanting to be done. com (October, 2011) "The 1989 Ironman® World Championship is widely considered the most epic race in Ironman history, if not all of endurance sport. The two protagonists are interesting people and their achievements, which are related in the book, are phenomenal.There was a time when running the mile in four minutes was believed to be beyond the limits of human foot speed, and in all of sport it was the elusive holy grail. Reading this book as a newbie to the sport gives great insight to the world of triathlons elite but it's amazing how easy it is to relate to as an amateur. Iron War commences with that moment, then immediately pans out to provide the landscape that brought the Ironman, Mark Allen, and Dave Scott, to that place, under that hot sun, on that afternoon. But before there was ultramarathon, and daily sufferance classes in the form of Crossfit, there was Iron Man.