Wednesday, May 21, 2008

Becoming an Ironman by Kara Douglass Thom



This was a really great read. Thom takes us through the journeys of all types of people as they complete their first Ironman Triathlon. There are professional athletes, everyday people, those who missed the cutoffs for the time and had to stop racing (my heart broke on a couple of those stories, thinking about the preparation and training that goes into a race like this), athletes with disabilities and even those who tried it and found they had an exceptional skill for it.

The book does get a little repetitive at times. That being said, part of the charm of the book is Thom's ability to capture the "voice" of each of the triathletes. She does a very good job of laying out people's motivations, struggles and the incredible feeling of finishing a race of this magnitude. I'd recommend it for anybody thinking about an Ironman, or even trying to go long in an endurance sport.

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