How to do an Ironman in Eleven Difficult Steps: A Lighthearted Look at the Serious Sport of Triathlon and the Ironman Experience

Triathlete and author Dan Madson has written a book that will appeal to multi-sport athletes of all ages and abilities. Drawing on stories from his childhood when bike helmets were unheard of and spandex had yet to be invented, Dan takes the reader on a memorable and comical journey. Recalling his frigid early-morning swim lessons with Molly the Lifeguard, the purchase of his first pre-owned $15 bike, and his disastrous triathlon attempt at the age of 23, Dan sets the stage for a successful return to the sport at the age of 42. Having competed in his first triathlon in July of 1983 without any serious training, the author didn’t realize that 20 years would pass before the next one. Nor did he realize how that second race would initiate a personal Ironman quest–ending 16 months later as he lay on his family room sofa with a finisher’s medal around his neck, an immense feeling of accomplishment, and an IV tube stuck in his left arm.