Iron War

by Matt Fitzgerald

  p. 164 at other vendors: Newkirk interview.

  p. 164 beyond the pier: Hinshaw interview.

  p. 165 virtually a mirror: Tracy Frankel photograph, “A bird’s-eye view of the Ironman’s 2.4-mile swim,” Triathlete, January 1990, p. 26.

  p. 165 first Ironman in 1987: “Bud Light Ironman Triathlon World Championship IX: Race Results, October 10, 1987,” Ironman.com, http://ironman.com/events/ironman/worldchampionship/?show=results#axzz1UeKPUh10.

  p. 165 that cooperation: Wolfgang Dittrich, personal telephone interview, November 2010.

  p. 165 chore of sighting: ibid.

  p. 165 each man’s head: ABC Sports 1989 Ironman television broadcast.

  p. 165 even give up: Dittrich interview.

  p. 166 reaches the finish line: “Bud Light Ironman Triathlon World Championship XI: Race Results, October 14, 1989.”

  p. 166 figured it out sooner: Greg Kirkpatrick, “Ironman Canada—1998,” ontherunevents.com, http://www.ontherunevents.com/news/0054.sht.

  p. 166 in today’s race: Patrick Bateman, personal telephone interview, December 2010.

  p. 166 a few weeks ago: Hinshaw interview.

  p. 166 positions on the bike: “Bud Light Ironman Triathlon World Championship XI: Race Results, October 14, 1989.”

  p. 166 to touch his rival: ABC Sports 1989 Ironman television broadcast.

  p. 166 he’s still there: Los Angeles Triathlon Club, A Night with Dave Scott and Mark Allen.

  p. 167 back to shore: Plant interview.

  p. 167 behind Dave’s group: ABC Sports 1989 Ironman television broadcast.

  p. 167 anything flamboyant: Bob Babbitt, “IronWar!” Competitor, December 1989, pp. 8–10, 33.

  p. 168 Sharon Allen, alone: Graves interview.

  p. 168 as a single group: Reganold interview.

  p. 168 visible at some distance: Scott, Dave Scott’s Triathlon Training.

  p. 168 the final strokes: ABC Sports 1989 Ironman television broadcast.

  p. 169 like a knapsack: ibid.

  p. 169 of a second later: “Bud Light Ironman Triathlon World Championship XI: Race Results, October 14, 1989.”

  p. 169 spontaneously burst: Gary Allen interview.

  p. 169 sense of urgency: ibid.

  p. 169 a grizzly bear: ABC Sports Ironman television broadcast.

  p. 170 vanguard of the group: “Bud Light Ironman Triathlon World Championship XI: Race Results, October 14, 1989.”

  p. 170 an errant elbow: Mark Roberts, personal telephone interview, November 2010.

  p. 170 behind Dave: Gary Allen interview.

  CHAPTER 9: BURNING MATCHES

  p. 171 the transition area: Dave Scott, e-mail correspondence, July 2011.

  p. 171 right behind him: ABC Sports 1989 Ironman television broadcast.

  p. 171 long metal racks: ibid.

  p. 172 ahead of him: ibid.

  p. 172 short-course speed: Dave Scott, personal telephone interview, January 2011.

  p. 172 ball of the foot: ABC Sports 1989 Ironman television broadcast.

  p. 173 of the Netherlands: Rob Barel, e-mail correspondence, February 2011.

  p. 173 winner Ray Browning: Ray Browning, personal telephone interview, January 2011.

  p. 173 stomping on his pedals: Dirk Aschmoneit, personal telephone interview, March 2011.

  p. 174 la folie, he thinks: Yves Cordier, e-mail correspondence, March 2011.

  p. 174 the caboose: Chris Hinshaw, personal telephone interview, January 2011.

  p. 174 smelled, from the road: Patrick Bateman, personal telephone interview, January 2010.

  p. 175 from his bottle: Mike Pigg, personal telephone interview, November 2010.

  p. 175 at Duke University: Scott Molina, personal telephone interview, July 2010.

  p. 175 jersey pocket: Dave Scott, Dave Scott’s Triathlon Training (New York: Fireside, 1986).

  p. 175 away from Rob: Wolfgang Dittrich, personal telephone interview, November 2010.

  p. 175 his ideal rhythm: ibid.

  p. 175 the German drift ahead: Rob Mackle, personal telephone interview, November 2010.

  p. 175 down his gullet: Dittrich interview.

  p. 175 document his exploits: ibid.

  pp. 175–176 other Ironman officials: Mike Reilly, personal telephone interview, November 2010.

  p. 176 3:00 at the start: Dave Scott on Competitor Radio, http://competitorradio.competitor.com/tag/dave-scott.

  p. 176 antidrafting rules require: 1989 Bud Light Ironman official program.

  p. 176 rather not inhale: CJ Olivares Jr., “The Art of War,” Triathlete, January 1990, pp. 24–37.

  p. 176 he is praying: Kenny Moore, “Big Splash in Hawaii,” Sports Illustrated, October 23, 1989.

  p. 177 and Pat Feeney: Anna Scott, personal telephone interview, November 2010.

  p. 177 in their Jeep: Charlie Graves, personal telephone interview, October 2010.

  p. 177 Waikoloa Beach instead: Brian Hughes, personal telephone interview, March 2011.

  p. 177 three-wheel bicycle: ABC Sports 1989 Ironman television broadcast.

  p. 177 rest of his life: Dick Hoyt, personal telephone interview, January 2011.

  p. 177 to deal with it: ABC Sports 1989 Ironman television broadcast.

  p. 178 disappeared,” he said: Hoyt interview.

  p. 178 without him, anyway: ibid.

  p. 178 from his son’s penis: Sam Nall, It’s Only a Mountain: Dick and Rick Hoyt, Men of Iron (St. Petersburg, FL: Southern Heritage Press, 2002).

  p. 179 pull alongside him: Dittrich interview.

  p. 179 than to say them: ibid.

  p. 179 climb toward Hawi: Cordier e-mail correspondence.

  p. 179 not going fast enough: Dan Rock, personal interview, Solana Beach, CA, January 2011.

  p. 180 he was doomed: Hinshaw interview.

  p. 180 John cheers: John Reganold, personal interview, July 2010.

  p. 180 he calls: Dave Scott interview.

  p. 181 from the rim: Chris Lieto, TriCenter, courtesy competitortv.com.

  p. 181 an open window: ABC Sports 1989 Ironman television broadcast.

  p. 181 We will see: ibid.

  p. 182 would be in trouble: Mackle interview.

  p. 182 can’t see his face: “Iron War Uncut: Dave Scott and Mark Allen,” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTeoBJRzUlo.

  p. 182 good for business: personal conversations with Hawi proprietors.

  p. 183 the portable toilets: ABC Sports 1989 Ironman television broadcast.

  p. 183 memory of convenience: Dittrich interview.

  p. 183 nearly double it: ABC Sports 1989 Ironman television broadcast.

  p. 183 a fruit smoothie: Mackle interview.

  p. 184 bathroom opportunities: Pigg interview.

  p. 184 punches the accelerator: Olivares, “The Art of War.”

  p. 184 on the descent from Hawi: Ken Glah, personal telephone interview, December 2010.

  p. 184 margin in check: Olivares, “The Art of War.”

  p. 185 keep it upright: CJ Olivares, personal telephone interview, October 2010.

  p. 185 break her neck: ABC Sports 1989 Ironman television broadcast.

  p. 185 coming down again: Dave Scott on Competitor Radio.

  p. 185 known as the Beast: Harald Johnson, “Beauty and the Beast,” Triathlete, July 1988, pp. 24–29.

  p. 185 front of the train: Pigg interview.

  p. 186 they will finish: ABC Sports 1989 Ironman television broadcast.

  p. 186 gap: “Three minutes!”: Dave Scott on Competitor Radio.

  p. 187 grade of 7 percent: Mapmyride.com, http://www.mapmyride.com/s/routes/view/bike-ride-map/hawaii/kona/1130454.

  p. 187 saddle and launches: Dave Scott interview.

  p. 187 and vomits: Olivares, “The Art of War.”

  p. 187 in his low back: Mackle interview.

  p. 187 He does: Dave Scott interview.

  p. 188 Here we go: Olivares interview.

  p. 188 his low back hurt
s: Babbit, “Kona Countdown: Dave Scott.”

  p. 188 Mark lowers his head: “Iron War Uncut: Dave Scott and Mark Allen.”

  p. 188 started to struggle: Dittrich interview.

  p. 188 into Wolfgang’s face: ibid.

  p. 188 intensity just a bit: Dave Scott interview.

  p. 188 behind Dave and Mark: Pigg interview.

  p. 188 last of the five: Olivares, “The Art of War.”

  p. 189 everyone goes berserk: Reilly interview.

  p. 189 lounge chair: Los Angeles Triathlon Club, A Night with Dave Scott and Mark Allen, October 5, 2002, videotape courtesy of Bob Babbitt.

  p. 190 into the run: ibid.

  p. 190 rest of the way: Dittrich interview.

  p. 190 race time: 5:27:17: ABC Sports 1989 Ironman television broadcast.

  p. 190 stage finish: Mike Plant, personal interview, San Marcos, CA, November 2010.

  p. 190 one minute fifty-one seconds later: “Bud Light Ironman Triathlon World Championship XI: Race Results, October 14, 1989,” Ironman.com, http://ironman.com/events/ironman/worldchampionship/?show=results#axzz1UeKPUh10.

  p. 190 split is 4:37:53: ibid.

  p. 190 after Rob: ibid.

  p. 190 feel what’s coming: Plant interview.

  CHAPTER 10: VISION QUEST

  p. 191 wear for the run: Mark Allen on Competitor Radio, http://competitorradio.competitor.com/tag/mark-allen.

  p. 191 the island day: ABC Sports 1989 Ironman television broadcast.

  p. 192 only he knows: Mike Plant, Iron Will: The Triathlete’s Ultimate Challenge (Boulder, CO: VeloPress, 1999).

  p. 192 hauling after him: ABC Sports 1989 Ironman television broadcast.

  p. 192 Ironman bike leg: CJ Olivares Jr., “The Art of War,” Triathlete, January 1990, pp. 24–37.

  p. 192 early run pace: ibid.

  p. 193 as the runners pass: John Reganold, personal interview, July 2010.

  p. 193 as a spotter: Mike Plant, personal interview, San Marcos, CA, November 2010.

  p. 193 and John Martin: Brian Hughes, personal telephone interview, March 2011.

  p. 193 and Mike Norton: Reganold interview.

  p. 193 first mile: 5:55: Mike Plant, e-mail correspondence, February 2011.

  p. 193 hushed by the report: Plant interview.

  p. 194 surge to catch Dave: Dave Scott on Competitor Radio, http://competitorradio.competitor.com/tag/dave-scott.

  p. 194 decarbonated Coca-Cola: ABC Sports 1989 Ironman television broadcast.

  p. 194 four and five apiece: ibid.

  p. 195 hands on mouths: Reganold interview.

  p. 195 lawn chair earlier: Los Angeles Triathlon Club, A Night with Dave Scott and Mark Allen, October 5, 2002, videotape courtesy of Bob Babbitt.

  p. 195 ten seconds to do: ibid.

  p. 196 take him with me: “Iron War Uncut: Dave Scott and Mark Allen,” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WTeoBJRzUlo.

  p. 196 stations on Ali’i Drive: ibid.

  p. 196 the coming pass: Olivares, “The Art of War.”

  p. 196 less than four miles: Lars Finanger, “Wolfgang Dittrich—The Rabbit,” Slowtwitch.com, October 27, 2008, http://www.slowtwitch.com/Interview/Wolfgang_Dittrich_-_the_rabbit_587.html.

  p. 196 Man, oh, man: Mike Plant, personal interview.

  p. 196 history in the making: Bob Babbitt, personal interview, San Diego, CA, 2010.

  p. 197 into Mark’s mind: Olivares, “The Art of War.”

  p. 197 sole of his shoe: T. J. Murphy, “Shamanism and the Art of Triathlon,” Triathlete, August 1999.

  p. 197 at a parade: Anna Scott, personal telephone interview, November 2010.

  p. 197 he jokes: Los Angeles Triathlon Club, A Night with Dave Scott and Mark Allen.

  p. 198 Paula Newby-Fraser: “Bud Light Ironman Triathlon World Championship XI: Race Results, October 14, 1989,” Ironman.com, http://ironman.com/events/ironman/worldchampionship/?show=results#axzz1UeKPUh10.

  p. 198 point in the race: Julie Moss, personal telephone interview, September 2010.

  p. 198 race for the ages: Mike Reilly, personal telephone interview, November 2010.

  p. 198 the final straight: ibid.

  p. 198 for third place: Ken Glah, personal telephone interview, December 2010.

  p. 198 transition. 58:24: Los Angeles Triathlon Club, A Night with Dave Scott and Mark Allen.

  p. 199 behind them is running: Lew Kidder, “Bud Light Ironman World Championship,” Triathlon Today, November 1989.

  p. 199 toward the coast: ABC Sports 1989 Ironman television broadcast.

  p. 199 fail to finish: “Bud Light Ironman Triathlon World Championship XI: Race Results, October 14, 1989,” Ironman.com, http://ironman.com/events/ironman/worldchampionship/?show=results#axzz1UeKPUh10.

  p. 199 before the race: Sharron Ackles, personal telephone interview, 1999.

  p. 200 at this one: Olivares, “The Art of War.”

  p. 200 at this aid station: Dave Scott on Competitor Radio.

  p. 200 increasingly uncomfortable: Brant Secunda and Mark Allen, “Fit Soul—Fit Body: 9 Keys to a Healthier, Happier You,” Living Dialogues podcast series, episodes 89 and 90, personallifemedia.com, http://personallifemedia.com/podcasts/212-living-dialogues/episodes/33806-brant-secunda-huichol-shaman-healer-mark. Courtesy of Personal Life Media.

  p. 201 feels like a wall: Olivares, “The Art of War.”

  p. 201 never win this race: Mark Allen, personal telephone interview, 2004.

  p. 201 two days ago: Los Angeles Triathlon Club, A Night with Dave Scott and Mark Allen.

  p. 201 his peripheral vision: Murphy, “Shamanism and the Art of Triathlon.”

  p. 202 more to life: Allen interview.

  p. 202 into his spirit: Secunda and Allen, “Fit Soul—Fit Body.”

  p. 202 his station wagon: Mike Adamle, personal telephone interview, December 2010.

  p. 202 of the bike leg: John Boyer, personal telephone interview, December 2010.

  p. 203 point in the race: Los Angeles Triathlon Club, A Night with Dave Scott and Mark Allen.

  p. 203 visible to onlookers: Bob Babbitt, personal conversations, June 2010–May 2011.

  p. 203 eighteen in 5:40: Plant interview.

  p. 203 behind the gladiators: Babbitt conversations.

  p. 204 Exceed and Coke: Photo by Gary Newkirk, Triathlete, January 1990, pp. 24–25.

  p. 204 bib is missing: ibid.

  p. 204 can barely watch: Mike Rubano, personal telephone interview, October 2010.

  p. 204 memory of the day: Ken Glah, personal telephone interview, December 2010.

  p. 204 completed descent: Olivares, “The Art of War.”

  p. 205 helicopter hanging above: Moss interview.

  p. 205 What will happen: ibid.

  p. 205 It’s too important: ibid.

  p. 206 Hop on: ibid.

  p. 206 You can do it: ABC Sports 1989 Ironman television broadcast.

  p. 206 into his palm: Dave Scott, personal telephone interview, January 2011.

  p. 206 behind Grip: Olivares, “The Art of War.”

  p. 206 zapped his legs: Dave Scott on Competitor Radio.

  p. 206 making the catch: Olivares, “The Art of War.”

  p. 206 Crush him: Mike Norton, personal telephone interview, July 2010.

  p. 207 answers in his mind: Dave Scott interview.

  p. 207 boarding of the truck: Moss interview.

  p. 207 on this hill: Kenny Moore, “Big Splash in Hawaii,” Sports Illustrated, October 23, 1989.

  p. 207 this moment: 7:58:02: Kidder, “Bud Light Ironman World Championship.”

  p. 207 Go now!: Mathias Müller with Timothy Carlson, 17 Hours to Glory: Extraordinary Stories from the Heart of Triathlon (Boulder, CO: VeloPress, 2010).

  p. 207 rival is struggling: ABC Sports 1989 Ironman television broadcast.

  p. 208 disjointed stilts: ibid.

  p. 208 Julie shouts: Moore, “Big Splash in Hawaii.”

  p. 208 Dave will be on him: ibid.


  p. 208 the present hill: Olivares, “The Art of War.”

  p. 208 top of the hill: John Brant, “Dave Scott, Mere Mortal,” Outside, October 1992, http://www.outsideonline.com/outdoor-adventure/Dave-Scott--Mere-Mortal.html.

  p. 208 along the Queen K: Los Angeles Triathlon Club, A Night with Dave Scott and Mark Allen.

  p. 208 flies down Pay-’n’-Save Hill: ibid.

  p. 208 shouting, “Yes”: Moore, “Big Splash in Hawaii.”

  p. 208 give it to you: Hughes interview.

  p. 209 Mark, you won: ibid.

  p. 209 for four minutes: Plant interview.

  p. 209 whole lot louder: Olivares, “The Art of War.”

  p. 210 unashamed weeping: ABC Sports 1989 Ironman television broadcast.

  p. 210 and more personal: Moss interview.

  p. 210 champion of Ironman: ABC Sports 1989 Ironman television broadcast.

  p. 211 of his left hand: ibid.

  p. 211 Not really: Plant interview.

  CHAPTER 11: BREAKING POINT

  p. 213 in Angola, Indiana: All information about and quotations from Stephen McGregor come from personal interviews and e-mail correspondence with him.

  p. 216 in the AP axis: S. J. McGregor, M. A. Busa, J. A. Yaggie, and E. M. Bollt, “High Resolution MEMS Accelerometers to Estimate VO2 and Compare Running Mechanics Between Highly Trained Intercollegiate Runners and Untrained Runners,” PLoS One 4, 10 (October 2009): e7355.

  p. 217 robotic, if you will: S. J. McGregor, M. A. Busa, J. Skufca, J. A. Yaggie, and E. M. Bollt, “Control Entropy Identifies Differential Changes in Complexity of Walking and Running Gait Patterns with Increasing Speed in Highly Trained Runners,” Chaos 19 (June 2009): 026109.

  p. 223 of football practice: Curtis Vollmar, personal interview, Ypsilanti, MI, December 2010.

  p. 224 top runner on the team: ibid.

  p. 224 except to race: ibid.

  p. 224 in poor shape: John Goodridge, personal interview, Ypsilanti, MI, December 2010.

  p. 224 ran above himself: ibid.

  p. 224 can’t really race: Vollmar interview.

  p. 224 he went all out: ibid.

  p. 224 the guys,” he suggested: Goodridge interview.

  p. 225 other young alumni: Vollmar interview.

  p. 225 the same technique: personal observation.

  p. 225 VO2max of 75: ibid.