I have been reading “Iron War” by Matt Fitzgerald. It has been a very entertaining read despite
the lack of input or review by either Dave Scott or Mark Allen. It has been personally relevant as 1989 was
the year I completed my first triathlon, the “Bud Light” distance Memphis in
May. In a couple of Ebay searches I even
discovered that at one point I owned the official race poster (I could buy it
back for a mere $29). Even the video
could be had for $18.50 + $3 shipping and handling.
I really enjoy Fitzgerald’s writing. He has enough experience with the sport to
put in great side notes regarding triathlon personalities, sports science and
the heart of a triathlete. I met Dave
Scott at a seminar once in 2009. He was
then 55 years old and was in incredible shape.
I also had the opportunity to meet Mark Allen at a book signing but did
not take advantage of it. A recurring
theme of the book is Scott’s brute force approach to racing, similar to how Prefontaine
has been described. Allen, though 4
years younger, is presented as a more introspective racer who faced personal
demons and sought edges through a variety of mental and spiritual approaches. I never finished his book “Fit Soul, Fit Body”
but as I recall it reinforced Fitzgerald’s presentation.
I may have different insights when I am finished, but so far
it has been a great walk down memory lane.
It has also reinforced that a person can accomplish great things with
the proper motivation. In the past my
athletic endeavors have been sabotaged by poor diet, lack of sleep due to late
nights in front of the television or gambling, and poor planning in terms of
organization and training schedule. This
season will be different. I have the
right family support and situation to dedicate myself to excellence.
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