Iron Will: The Heart and Soul of the Triathlon's Ultimate Challenge

A triathlon consists of 2.4 miles of open-water swimming, 112 miles of bicycling and 26.2 miles of runningslightly more than 140 miles in all. Although obviously no triathlon is easy, some are more taxing than others. The toughest by consensus is the Ironman, run in Hawaii, because it is impeded by high heat, winds and humidity. Plant, co-author of Winning Triathlon and a one-time competitor in this race, shows vividly just how grueling an event this is, with some athletes literally crawling to the finish line. The contest was the brainchild of Navy commander John Collins who was stationed in Hawaii. First held in 1979 with a handful of contestants, it now draws hundreds. Triathletes and those who hope to become so will find the book thrilling; others will wonder why and how the athletes do it. Photos not seen by PW. (October)