Becoming an Ironman

Kara Douglass Thom gathers personal stories from athletes about their first Ironman triathlon, a race that asks for 2.4 miles of swimming, 112 of cycling and 26.2 of running, all in one day. The contributors, men and women of every age and level of ability, range from champions to people who failed to finish. Their accounts are frank about what to expect and how to prepare, and about which parts were rewarding and which were miserable. Along the way they pass on practical advice about nutrition, clothing and equipment, terrain and weather, mental preparation and emotional fatigue. Taken together, the stories record both the joy and the agony of the event for first-timers.

Mark Moses, founder of CEO Coaching International, named it in an interview among the books with the greatest impact on him.