With dave scott, a chief rival back in the day, he put together a 10episode series about their epic race in 1989, when allen finally beat scott after finishing second to him in 1986 and 1987. Ironman triathlon legend mark allen knows why americans dont. Aug 23, 2017 a recap of dave scotts sixth win and mark allens fifth loss. Sep 28, 2011 iron war made for an exciting read about a grueling rivalry as the ironman triathlon developed and gained notoriety in the early 80s. The epic battle between dave scott and mark allen at the 1989 ironman world.
Velo press is an endurance sports book publisher specializing in cycling, running and triathlon. Mark allen on the spirituality of peak performance rich roll. Dave scott, mark allen, and the greatest race ever. Iron war made for an exciting read about a grueling rivalry as the ironman triathlon developed and gained notoriety in the early 80s. We matched up at the season opener, a half ironman in panama city, florida. Along the way they might have passed a stack of fresh copies of the new competitor, the pre ironman issue featuring dave scott and mark allen on the cover with the headline showdown on the kona coast. In a spectacular duel that became known as the iron war, the worlds two strongest athletes raced side by side at worldrecord pace for a grueling 9 miles. Finally, on his seventh attempt, allen won, beating dave scott in triathlons greatest race ever. Driven by one of the fiercest rivalries in triathlon, dave scott and mark allen raced. First, it was a transcendent performance that has stood for 30 years. I enjoyed reading about dave scott and mark allens different approaches to the training and racing, all leading to the 1989 showdown on the ironman world championships on the big island. In fact, thats what he did in 1989 in perhaps the greatest ironman of all time.
And i felt i could do that because i had a secret weapon. Yet each defeat served to galvanize his commitment to fulfilling his dream of becoming an ironman champion. Unlike most race stories, this one has a pattern of a few chapters about the athletes followed by a chapter on the science of racing and suffering. His first six attempts all losses were casualties of everything from flat tires to internal bleeding.
Mark allen born january 12, 1958 in glendale, california is an american triathlete and sixtime ironman triathlon world champion. Sep 19, 2019 for the first time ever, they reveal why the iron war almost never happened this years ironman world championship will mark the 30th anniversary of the classic battle between dave scott and mark allena battle that gained global media attention and went down in history as one of the greatest races ever. Nov 01, 2011 dave scott and mark allen fought many battles prior to the 1989 ironman r world championship in hawaii. A progenitor of the sport, in 1993, scott was the first person ever inducted in the ironman hall of fame.
After 8 punishing hours, both men would demolish the previous record and cross the finish line a mere 58 seconds apart. Both athletes raced wondering how much longer they could go on at that level of suffering. In his new book iron war, fitzgerald recounts in gripping detail the showdown between mark allen and dave scott. Sep 30, 2011 the 1989 ironman world championship in which dave scott and mark allen raced side by side for 9 miles and crossed the finish line just 58 seconds apart is the stuff of legend in e. In an exhaustively researched book, fitzgerald recreates the famous race between dave scott and mark allen in the 1989 ironman world championshipiron. The two greatest athletes of triathlons pioneering generation raced side by side, literally, for eight straight hours at breakneck speed before allen finally tore away from his longtime nemesis with.
He graduated from uc san diego, where he was an allamerican swimmer, with a degree in biology. After 8 punishing hours, both men would demolish the previous recordand cross the finish line a. Thats the 1989 ironwar, where mark allen and dave scott battled for the hawaii ironman world championship title, sidebyside for eight hours, before mark pulled away to achieve his longawaited first victory in hawaii. It would be the first of six ironman titles in hawaii, the last coming in 1995 at age 37. The 1989 ironman world championship in which dave scott and mark allen raced side by side for 9 miles and crossed the finish line just 58 seconds apart is the stuff of legend in e. Iron war legendary triathletes dave scott, mark allen. Iron war is a riveting epic about how mark allen and dave scott drove themselves and each other through the most aweinspiring race in ironman triathlon history. By 1989 dave scott was a sixtime ironman champion and mark allen, defeated in his previous attempts, a feared contender. Inspiring book about one of the greatest ironman races, by two of its greatest. Ironman triathlon legend mark allen knows why americans. He had raced on the big island six times, the best results being two fifthplace showings, a thirdplace, and two secondplace victories. The 1989 ironman world championship is widely considered the most epic race in ironman history, if not all of endurance sport. More than a compelling story, iron war is a fascinating exploration of how scott and allen pushed themselves and each otherand what it takes for anyone to break through perceived limits. Apr 18, 2010 in fact, thats what he did in 1989 in perhaps the greatest ironman of all time.
Rivals dave scott and mark allen raced shoulder to shoulder for 9 miles at a recordbreaking pace before the fateful race was decided in the final few miles. He went shoulder to shoulder with dave scott until about 4km to go on the run when dave faded and mark kept his relentless 6minute pace going see accompanying picture. This enmity culminated in 1989s iron war, a spectacular duel between allen and scott on the lava fields of kona, hawaii. Iron war the 1989 ironmanr world championship was the greatest race ever in endurance sports. Iron war legendary triathletes dave scott, mark allen sue over.
Mark allen generally travels from san francisco, ca, usa and can be booked for private corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Apr 11, 2017 driven by one of the fiercest rivalries in triathlon, dave scott and mark allen raced shoulder to shoulder through ironman s 2. Two days before the 1989 ironman world championship, allen was relaxing in his kona digs, thumbing through a yoga magazine. Mark allen sixtime ironman world champion 7 of 9 you can keep going and your legs might hurt for a week or you can quit and your mind will hurt for a lifetime. In a spectacular duel that become known as the iron war, the worlds two strongest athletes raced. In 1989, the two titans of triathlon once again descended upon the white hot lava fields of hawaii to reprise their annual duel in a spectacular showdown that would. In 1986, he published his book dave scotts triathlon training. Dave scott, mark allen, and the greatest race ever run.
Dave scott and mark allen fought many battles prior to the 1989 ironman r world championship in hawaii. Oct 01, 2012 driven by one of the fiercest rivalries in triathlon, dave scott and mark allen raced shoulder to shoulder through ironman s 2. As one of the original big four, which included mark allen, scott tinley, and scott molina, the swimmerturned triathlon phenom from davis, calif. Iron war legendary triathletes dave scott, mark allen sue. Any big goal requires a significant and equally big amount of work. Matt fitzgerald is the author of numerous books on sports history and. How the iron war almost never happened triathlete triathlete. After competing and losing in the ironman world championship six times often to dave scott, i emerged victorious in 1989, winning one of the most difficult oneday sporting events in the world. Driven by one of the fiercest rivalries in triathlon, dave scott and mark allen raced shoulder to shoulder through the ironmanr 2. After 8 punishing hours, both men would demolish the previous recordand. Dave scott had won five of the races allen entered. Oct 11, 2019 with dave scott, a chief rival back in the day, he put together a 10episode series about their epic race in 1989, when allen finally beat scott after finishing second to him in 1986 and 1987. He has also written extensively for triathlete, mens fitness, mens health.
Driven by one of the fiercest rivalries in triathlon, dave scott and mark allen raced shoulder to shoulder through ironman s 2. Mark allen is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics. Mark allen coaching the best triathlon coaching on the planet. Inspirational quotes from ironman champions active. Iron war is a riveting epic about how mark allen and dave scott drove. The latest triathlon gear, training, nutrition, photos, races, movers, shakers. In his new book iron war, sports journalist matt fitzgerald writes a riveting. The 1989 ironman world championship was the greatest race ever in endurance sports. Members receive a free 12 week training plan, access to special programs and videos, discounts on daves gear, priority registration for daves camps and access to dave via live webinars and the community forum. I was there as a spectator that day and am still amazed at how easy he made it look.
Mark allen coaching the best triathlon coaching on the. Mark allen core elements of ironman training duration. After 8 punishing hours, both men would demolish the previous record. I was hoping to make a bold statement in response to his dominance the previous year. He is known by the nickname the man for his intense training regimens and his.
A recap of dave scotts sixth win and mark allens fifth loss. After competing and losing in the ironman triathlon championships six times often to dave scott, allen emerged victorious in 1989, winning one of the most difficult oneday sporting events in the world. Driven by one of the fiercest rivalries in triathlon, dave scott and mark allen raced shoulder to shoulder through ironmans 2. He is known by the nickname the man for his intense training regimens and his unrelenting race performances that created a record. Dec 22, 2011 the battle between dave scott and mark allen at the th hawaii ironman stands as one of the most dramatic stories in the history of athletics. Dave scott and mark allen fought many battles prior to the 1989 ironmanr world championship in hawaii. The week before the ironman world championships in kona, hawaii is known as kona week, and it is a tense time for the athletes racing. Each year he was squarely defeated by his arch rival, the legendary dave scott. This book chronicles arguably the greatest ironman of all time. Mark allen is an american triathlete and sixtime ironman triathlon world champion. After trying and failing six times to best dave scott at the ironman world championship, a fierce rivalry mounted between the two legendary athletes.
Scott, a primal force from the dawn of triathlon, was a power to be reckoned witha champion who in his ironman debut finished more than an hour ahead of his competition. A day in the life with dave scott you dont have to be around triathlon for long to learn that dave scott is one of the names that matter. The dave scott triathlon club is the exclusive highperformance community of 6x ironman world champion and master coach dave scott. Both are interesting, but the race story was more compelling for me. Mark allen is a legend and icon in the triathlon and endurance world. Along the way they might have passed a stack of fresh copies of the new competitor, the preironman issue featuring dave scott and mark allen on the cover with the headline showdown on the kona coast. In this chapter from iron war, mark allen and dave scott make their final preparations and race predictions. On october 14, 1989 at the ironman triathlon world championship the universe of sport was changed forever when dave scott and mark allen ran the greatest race ever run pushing each other to the breaking point, and then pushing harder for more than eight hours, never separated by more than a few feet. Bob babbitt an account of the 1989 ironman world championship in hawaii, featuring longtime rivals dave scott and mark allen, and how the two men became such driven athletes. After competing and losing in the ironman triathlon championships six times often to dave scott, allen emerged. Mark and mike slunk in with marks bike as invisibly as they could and made a furtive search for george. The 1989 ironman world championship was the greatest race ever. Between 1982 and 1988, mark allen launched six attempts to claim the title of ironman world champion. Six times before, the talented challenger allen had come up short.