The 1989 Ironman® World Championship was the greatest race ever. In a spectacular duel that become known as the Iron War, the world''s two strongest athletes raced side by side at world-record pace for a grueling 139 miles.

Driven by one of the fiercest rivalries in triathlon, Dave Scott and Mark Allen raced shoulder to shoulder through the Ironman 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike race, and 26.2-mile marathon. After 8 punishing hours, both men would demolish the previous record-and cross the finish line just 58 seconds apart. The race would redefine the limits of human endurance and the role of mental toughness in sports.

In his new book Iron War, sports journalist Matt Fitzgerald writes a riveting epic about how Allen and Scott drove themselves and each other through the most awe-inspiring race in sports history. Iron War goes beyond the pulse-pounding race story to offer a fascinating exploration of the lives of the world''s two toughest men and their unquenchable desire to succeed.

Weaving an examination of mental resolve into a gripping tale of athletic adventure, Iron War is a soaring narrative of two champions and the paths that led to their stunning final showdown.

October 14, 1989: The day of reckoning.

The six-time champion seeks to destroy his competition once and for all.

But his challenger knows he must win the race that matters most.

Driven by one of the most intense two-man rivalries in sport, Dave Scott and Mark Allen faced off at the Ironman® World Championship to contest a race that would redefine the limits of human endurance. Shoulder to shoulder through a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bike race, and a 26.2-mile marathon, Scott and Allen battled at record pace for a grueling 139 miles. After 8 punishing hours, the margin of victory would be a mere 58 seconds.

Iron War is the soaring narrative of how two champions-one a master of pure will, the other plagued by self-doubt-drove themselves and each other to push beyond all known boundaries of physical performance in one of the most awe-inspiring races in sports history.

October 14, 1989, marked the much-anticipated showdown between a pair of superhuman athletes at the height of their racing careers.

Dave Scott and Mark Allen fought many battles prior to the 1989 Ironman® World Championship in Hawaii. Six times before, the talented challenger Allen had come up short. Scott, a primal force from the dawn of triathlon, was a power to be reckoned with-a champion who in his Ironman debut finished more than an hour ahead of his competition. Allen's record was equally spectacular, yet while he was able to win races around the world, he repeatedly failed at the one that mattered most.

In the race that would become known as the Iron War, Scott and Allen raced side by side at world-record pace for a grueling 139 miles. Hordes of spectators lined the streets in the final 2.6 miles, drawn by the unfolding drama to witness one of the most extraordinary stories in the history of sports.

Sports journalist Matt Fitzgerald writes a riveting epic about the lives of two legendary rivals, each possessed by an unquenchable will to succeed. Beyond its compelling race narrative, Iron War is a fascinating exploration of how Allen and Scott became such driven athletes: one who fought his inner demons to become victorious and the other who was left unable to forgive his loss.

Hell-bent on achieving greatness, these two Ironman champions redefined the limits of endurance and mental toughness and forever transformed their sport.

Matt Fitzgerald is the author of numerous books on sports history and endurance sports. His best-sellers include Racing Weight and Brain Training for Runners. He has also written extensively for Triathlete, Men's Fitness, Men's Health, Outside, Runner's World, Bicycling, Competitor, and countless other sports and fitness publications.