You Are an Ironman - Jacques Steinberg

As he did so masterfully in his New York Times bestseller,
The Gatekeepers, Jacques Steinberg creates a compelling portrait
of people obsessed with reaching a life-defining goal. In this
instance, the target is an Ironman triathlon-a 2.4-mile open-water swim
followed by a 112-mile bike ride, then finally a 26-mile marathon run,
all of which must be completed in no more than seventeen hours.

Steinberg focuses not on the professionals who live off the prize
money and sponsorships but on a handful of triathletes who regard the
sport as a hobby. Vividly capturing the grueling preparation, the
suspense of completing each event of the triathlon, and the spectacular
feats of human endurance, Steinberg plumbs the physical and emotional
toll as well as the psychological payoff on the participants of the
Ford Ironman
Arizona 2009. His You Are an Ironman is both a
riveting
sports narrative and a fascinating, behind-the scenes
study of what makes these athletes keep going..