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

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

4.1 of 5 stars 4.10 · rating details · 165 ratings · 32 reviews

The 1989 Ironman® World Championship was the greatest race ever. In a spectacular duel that become 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 the Ironman 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile b...more

Hardcover, 336 pages

Published October 1st 2011 by Velo Press

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Jun 13, 2012 Leslie Doll rated it 3 of 5 stars

I started reading this book without being aware of the letter Dave Scott and Mark Allen wrote, protesting the book. I read it anyway; I generally don't allow peer pressure to sway my decision as to whether or not to read a book. Isn't reading a study in critical thinking? Anyway, I digress. I enjoyed some parts of the book more than others; especially for its insights on mental toughness and training. But I had mixed feelings, especially regarding the author and his comments about the Hoyt racin...more I started reading this book without being aware of the letter Dave Scott and Mark Allen wrote, protesting the book. I read it anyway; I generally don't allow peer pressure to sway my decision as to whether or not to read a book. Isn't reading a study in critical thinking? Anyway, I digress. I enjoyed some parts of the book more than others; especially for its insights on mental toughness and training. But I had mixed feelings, especially regarding the author and his comments about the Hoyt racing team (father/son, son has cerebral palsy) that colored my overall view of the book.

I've read many of Matt Fitzgerald's other books, including Racing Weight, as well as his articles in Triathlete magazine and other venues. I think he generally writes very well, so I wasn't prepared for the disjointedness of this book. There are so many threads, large and small. One about the race itself; one on the analysis of Dave and Mark; one on mental toughness training; and a bunch of smaller ones. At times it was hard to follow Matt's train of thought. And then there's the letter from Dave Scott and Mark Allen regarding their feelings about the book. I've read the letter, and my impressions were that a) they do have a legitimate complaint, however b) they were cut out of the financial picture and c) they were being a little thin-skinned (unless there's something going on between the two of them and Matt that no one knows about. If one Googles the so-called lawsuit they filed against Matt - nothing comes up). In any case, the book didn't take away from my admiration for these two incredible athletes. If anything, it made me respect them all the more.

The description of the race, even knowing the outcome, is absolutely fascinating. It shows true grit, competition, fierceness, determination and creates the sensation of hot lava creating heat waves around you. This is where Matt's writing and hard work pays off and is the most exciting part of the book. You really feel like you were there along with them.

Matt does a decent job of describing where Mark and Dave came from and the factors that made them the great athletes they are. The more Matt delved into their characters, however, the more I could see why they were bothered by the book and why they didn't collaborate with him. He made many sweeping judgments based on his own flaws and interpretation. The amateur psychoanalysis got on my nerves. First, Matt implies - based on 4 (count them, 4) great male athletes - that if one has a lousy father, he'll be a great athlete because he has something to prove. 4 out of how many dozens of excellent male athletes? Seriously? This smacked of reaching for drama. The fact is, Mark's father came to Kona and watched him win. They appear to have formed a close relationship. Reading some of the reference material shows that the analysis is totally subjective.
Implying that one has to be born with a work ethic and a gene for suffering to be a good triathlete is not only a disservice to Dave's environment and lifetime influences, and various factors in Mark's life, but also to many other triathletes who have learned to work for what they want, and teach themselves mental toughness. Implying Dave and Mark are excellent triathletes are because they are "psychologically imbalanced" is an absolute discredit. Triathletes are crazy - sure - but to state they're psychologically imbalanced is crossing a line. Thin- or thick-skinned, I see how this can be seen as a slam. Matt contradicts himself on this front in so many places that it became difficult to consider him credible. He also contradicts himself by idealizing triathlon as a means to live a life less mediocre. So be psychologically imbalanced, or be mediocre. Take your pick! Matt references many interviews and conversations; in fact, there are 27 pages of references. It comes off as a tad defensive.

There was an interesting thread on mental toughness and the science behind it. While it was a fascinating read - the discussion about motivational intensity and tolerance for suffering was well-done - Timothy Noakes' work was more or less left out of the conversation. He was a pioneer and his work should have been included; given how much Matt has drawn on Noakes' research in his other books, I'm surprised it wasn't. Noakes (of Lore of Running fame) put forth the theory many years ago that the brain is the limiter of performance, not the muscles and body. It is good to see that studies are continuing with new insights all the time. There are many sound bites that imply that to succeed in triathlon, you just have to be mentally tough. Or have a lousy father. No, that is not all of it. A person who wants to succeed in triathlon must put in the physical training, and a lot of it. Mark and Dave spent decades of physical AND mental training for Kona. It isn't just about being mentally tough; it's about knowing where your limits are and how to move them, figuring out how badly you want it, and how willing you are to suffer. And it's also about support from family, friends, and teammates.

I went along towards the end of the book thinking, besides the faux psychoanalysis and a few other things, it wasn't so bad as a complete package. Then I see a comment that has me seeing red. Absolutely red. In a paragraph glossing over the Dick and Rick Hoyt's triathlon achievements, he notes that Rick's (who has Cerebral Palsy) athletic efforts as "piteous." More than Matt's self-pitying descriptions of himself in the last chapter (where he says he'll never achieve anything on the scale of Mark or Dave), this incensed me and made me want to call him up and give him the what-for. There's nothing piteous about Rick's competing in triathlons with his father. Absolutely NOTHING. (Did I mention I'm seeing red?) What would Matt rather Rick do? Sit in a wheelchair in his room by himself for the rest of his life? It was RICK who told his dad he wanted to race with him. 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. I have such pure disdain for Matt based on that comment; he is of the same ilk as those who told my parents there was nothing they could do for me, but put me in an institution and go on with their lives. I thought we were talking about a triathlon community here - where people are a little crazy, go out on a limb, and go do things they'd never dream of doing (like Chrissie Wellington, hello?!)

If you are crazy about triathlon, and are looking for lore to pass on to future generations, Iron War fits the bill with the description of the race. If you are looking for more research on mental toughness and the science behind it, it's there. Use these parts as inspiration to surpass your own pre-conceived limits. Whether you agree with Matt's perspective - just look past the faux psychoanalysis and his crappy attitude towards those with disabilities (I call them different abilities), this book does belong to the sport.
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Apr 28, 2013 Gordon rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sports

An incredible story of human struggle, elite athletic prowess, willpower over pain and suffering, and individual achievement. It is also a story that may never again repeat itself due to the unique attributes of the athletes in question and the period in which their competition occurred - the early years of Ironman Triathlon. I greatly enjoyed the personal stories of Dave Scott and Mark Allen who were my early sports icons and who inspired me in the 80s and 90s to take on triathlons as a hobby....more

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Sep 17, 2012 Silpa Parmar rated it 3 of 5 stars

Iron War tells the tale of two endurance athletes, David Scott and Mark Allen, who compete for the title of the 13th Hawaii Ironman in 1989. David and Mark are portrayed as quite different characters throughout the book. David is a firm believer of the ‘hard work will get you there’ mentality but a struggler of what seems to be bouts of ‘darkness’ (depression?). He appears more charismatic than his counterpart, Mark, who is more a spiritual soul and a survivor of a ‘tough’ upbringing by a father...more Iron War tells the tale of two endurance athletes, David Scott and Mark Allen, who compete for the title of the 13th Hawaii Ironman in 1989. David and Mark are portrayed as quite different characters throughout the book. David is a firm believer of the ‘hard work will get you there’ mentality but a struggler of what seems to be bouts of ‘darkness’ (depression?). He appears more charismatic than his counterpart, Mark, who is more a spiritual soul and a survivor of a ‘tough’ upbringing by a father who rarely took an interest in his son’s budding athletic career. There are a number of other characters that come and go throughout the story (and a number of ladies that seem to get shared around) but these did not seem integral to the story of David and Mark fighting it out for Ironman competition after Ironman competition.

For those of you not in the know, Ironman consists of a 2.4 mile (3.86km) swim, a 112 mile (180.25km) bike ride and a marathon 26.2 mile (42.2km). I’m absolutely in awe of anyone who is able to even contemplate entering and training for an event such as this but if it was easy, then everyone would be an ironman!

The author, Matt Fitzgerald, writes well overall but the book is quite disjointed and there were a few sections where I found myself skim reading e.g. the sections on the experiments on mental strength and entropy. These parts felt as though they had been slotted in as an afterthought and to increase the length of the book. The physiological/biological/chemical jargon was really lost on me... I just wanted to know who won the race! (And not resort to asking Google.)

You do actually find out who wins the race about halfway through the book and the remaining chapters talk about Dave and Mark’s return to the Hawaiian Ironman competitions in the following years, competing against much younger and quicker participants. These chapters, again, seemed a bit rushed and the narrative towards the end about Mark and his shaman was just really strange.

Overall, this was an ok book. I think it could’ve been far more engaging than it actually was. I’ve also been recommended ‘Can’t swim, can’t ride, can’t run’ to read (Andy Holgate) and I’m looking forward to getting into that as it seems a little less serious than Iron War. 2 and a half stars (rounded to 3).(less)

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Feb 11, 2013 Stephen Redwood rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sports

For any athlete open to being inspired by the performances of great athletes, this is a book to read. Two of the greatest ever full distance triathletes dueled for years at Ironman Kona, but there was one race in 1989 which was so challenging, where they were so closely matched, where so much persistence in the face of intense suffering was experienced, that the race came to be iconic. The duels were so arduous that they came to be known as The Iron Wars. This book dives into Dave Scott and Mark...more

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Apr 30, 2012 Steve Van Slyke rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Seekers of Inspiration

Recommended to Steve by: Paco

Shelves: sports

A fascinating story about two endurance athletes with very different backgrounds, personalities, habits, attitudes, and training methods, who nevertheless end up winning the Iron Man competition six times apiece and beating each other in the process.

It's a very human story. The warts and imperfections are neither glossed over nor omitted.

I agree with the author's conclusion: you cannot read a book, study the the training methods of the experts and replicate them and one day expect to find yourse...more

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Jul 25, 2012 Jennifer rated it 2 of 5 stars

Given the subject matter, this could have been an excellent book. Unfortunately, the author's writing style includes so many awkward, cliched phrases and wacky sports metaphors that the story of this epic race is reduced to a confusing tale of two flawed characters. The author indicates that he is a fan of both Dave Scott and Mark Allen in the epilogue and acknowledgments, but here's what they had to say after reading the pre-pub copy:

An Open Letter From Dave Scott and Mark Allen

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Oct 09, 2012 Jason Collins rated it 3 of 5 stars

An excellent story of the heroes & heroics of triathlon, BUT...

While the writing is generally very good, and the story exceptional, Mark and Dave's letter of protest (see link in Jennifer's review) definitely make me reconsider the validity of the author's work.

As grippingly told, exhaustively researched non-fiction, this would rate 4 stars. As a well-written story that blends solid research with shaky speculation, 3 stars seems more appropriate.

If you liked this, check out Born To Run by...more

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Feb 20, 2013 Phill Lloyd rated it 3 of 5 stars

Before purchasing this book I'd advise all to read this first

http://lavamagazine.com/kona/an-open-...

And then make up your mind (unfortunately I didn't have the benefit of knowing about the above and only discovered the open letter mid read)

Therefore I could only give this book a 3 star. Dave Scott, Mark Allen, The Iron War, the Sport of Triathlon deserves better but this is the highest I can possibly give this book.

To his credit the author produced a big read of nearly 400 pages, I learnt lots...more

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Feb 25, 2012 Jeff rated it 5 of 5 stars

Excellent book on the historic Ironman race between Mark Allen & Dave Scott in Kona. Unlike most race stories, this one has a pattern of a few chapters about the athletes followed by a chapter on the science of racing and suffering. Both are interesting, but the race story was more compelling for me. Still, it was a unique way to tell the story. This book has generated some controversy but I personally think both Dave Scott & Mark Allen look very good throughout the story.

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Jul 26, 2012 Mike rated it 4 of 5 stars

I received this book as a Christmas gift (I'd asked for it), and planned to read it "at some point". I picked it up shortly after the holiday and simply couldn't put it down. While I found a couple of the more scientific chapters to be a little tedious, overall, I loved the book. Fitzgerald really knows how to tell a story. I think it's a quality read of persistence and success, whether you're into triathlon or not.

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Dec 28, 2012 Elizabeth rated it 2 of 5 stars

I didn't realize before reading this book that both athletes objected to it. That casts an entirely different light on what now is inspired fiction. The story itself is so compelling I wish the author had not inflicted his pop psychology on us but done more reporting. I don't blame either racer for being angry about the book as it makes assumptions that are invasive and even unlikely.

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Aug 11, 2012 Philip Clark rated it 5 of 5 stars

A compelling and authoritative analysis of the upbringing, psychology, and physiology of the two best male triathletes of all time. Their clash is told like an episode of 'Lost' - alternating between gripping scenes of contemporary conflict, intercut with satisfying backstory and science that enrich the well-told tale.

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Jan 27, 2013 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is an awesome book that delves into the lives of two of the most notable "Ironman" athletes. It centers around one of their races where their rivalry is shown when this grueling 8 hour race comes down to a tiny margin of victory. Dedication, history and motivation can all be found in this compelling book.

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Apr 08, 2012 David Buse rated it 5 of 5 stars

An inspiring story of one of the greatest Ironman races ever. Dave Scott and Mark Allen duel it out until the final hill. A great insight into the mental and physical attributes required to conquer the big race on the Big Island.

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Apr 04, 2013 Chris Giovagnoni rated it 5 of 5 stars

Thrilling. Fast paced. Inspiring. But apparently a bit fabricated as well.

An Open Letter From Dave Scott and Mark Allen

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Aug 06, 2012 Bud Winn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Very entertaining and enlightening review of the greatest Ironman race ever. I enjoyed this book also because of the background of both of the athletes and what they went through, where they came from, etc.

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Jan 17, 2012 Tina rated it 5 of 5 stars

Fasinating story and I couldn't wait to find out who wins the race. I could have done without the physiology and research chapters so I skimmed those chapters.

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Jul 07, 2012 Briana rated it 5 of 5 stars

Weekend warriors like me will love this book! A compelling story, plus lots of interesting research about the mind/body connection in endurance athletics.

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Jul 26, 2012 Ashley31 rated it 4 of 5 stars

If you are interested in sporting rivalries (and this is one of the biggest) then you'll enjoy this book. All about two kings of the early years of long distance triathlon (Ironman)and their rivalry. It delves into the psycology of both protanganists and their need to push their mind and bodies to breaking point. Even though I knew the outcome of the 'big race' I was on the edge of my seat reading it.

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Jan 11, 2012 Keith rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: sports

Iron War is a fascinating story that takes you inside the minds and lives of two of the greatest triathletes to ever compete in Hawaii.

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Jan 17, 2013 Caroline Galone rated it 4 of 5 stars

This was very inspirational for any triathlete! I loved how it makes you believe further into your own mental stamina.

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Feb 17, 2013 Benjamin Malin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Enjoyed it. Got a little slow in the middle with some scientific stuff but in the end glad I stuck with it.

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Feb 14, 2013 Jack Nye rated it 5 of 5 stars

Great book. I remember watching this and now reading the backstory makes it even more unbelievable

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Apr 27, 2013 Scott Bodien rated it 3 of 5 stars

Very engaging and interesting to me. But then I found out the two athletes issued a joint statement criticizing Fitzgerald

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Dec 28, 2011 Jack rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: cycling, health-fitness, running

Great book, library doesn't own.

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Nov 29, 2011 Mdraeger rated it 3 of 5 stars

The story is fascinating, unfortunately it was hampered by a not so great writer. Too much jumping back and forth to interesting, but not necessarily relevant sections. Good book, but could have been so much better.

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May 06, 2012 Matt rated it 4 of 5 stars

Amazing. Highly recommend this book to anyone. Challenges the human spirit and forces you to examind yourself.

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Jul 06, 2012 Aiste rated it 5 of 5 stars

one of the most inspiring books ever. Easy read and a few educational and insightful data. i will never watch endurance sports the same way.

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Jul 30, 2012 Beth G. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, non-fiction, library-books, books-for-grown-ups, athletes, ironman, triathlon

Fascinating account of the 1989 Ironman in Kona. Fitzgerald profiles Scott and Allen in depth, filling out the picture with the history of the race itself and delving into sports psychology and physiology research that explains some of what was happening.

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Jan 30, 2013 dawn rated it 3 of 5 stars

Great story about ironman but it just felt really drawn out.

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