The Ironwar: Mark Allen & Dave Scott

By 1989 Dave Scott was a six-time Ironman champion and Mark Allen, defeated in his previous attempts, a feared contender. This time, though, all bets were off. From the start, Mark hung on to Dave with mind-numbing intensity.

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[KGoben]

It was this race, watching Mark win when I first got bit. It's taken me 20 years to get my life in order, and though I won't be at Kona this year, I'm now up before dawn, logging the hours and countless miles to get there. If I can do this 20 years later, anyone CAN!

[aracergirl]

I remember this so well too- I was 9 years old. 20 years later, I've been adventure racing and ultrarunning for 12 years, and I'll be doign my first Ironman on Aug 30th!

The race in 1989 was definitely an inspiration to me.

[iiimke]

They are real legends!

They were quite cute in their runnings shorts, teehee :) :)

I cannot believe I'm going to meet Dave Scott this year in Norway.

He'll be my coach for the IM 70.3 Norway!!!! WOW!!!!

(Love the 80's style of the race back then :))

[Bobby McGee]

What an amazing example of guts and pushing your body to the absolute limit. My friend Matt Fitzgerald in his book Iron War talks about this as one of the examples of someone (Dave Scott) reaching almost absolute failure physically. Usually we tend to quit mentally long before our body shuts us down. It all comes down to Mental Toughness.

[bigtonyisdaman]

1:48 tell me how that arm looks natural

[Chipmunkapublishing]

Ah the Iron War. We love the Ironman.

[jameshayden69]

The Kona is the true test of athletic strength and endurance not the Tour de France. And for these two supreme freak athletes to win it soooo any times is mindboggling. The Tour you mainly train the lower body and that quickly adapts to that repetitive muscle action, whereas the triathlon is a total body buster and to adapt the whole body to all the muscles that are recruited to complete it takes almost blind dedication and focus. Those two guys are absolute legends.

[Guilv8]

VEGAN POWER

[Kedbuka]

This video fires me up. These two were awesome competitors.

[innismor11]

@Torrque Heat's # 1. 1988 was smoking hot. No one broke 8:30, and Allen (4th place) was the only runner under 3 hours for the marathon (@ 2hrs57) (and that possibly because he was so 'rested' on his bike leg with something like 3 flats forcing breaks for himself). If you get a hot day with light winds at Kona, it's bakesville out on teh Queen K. That was 1988. They tested even back then (I was tested). Just no idea how stringently. of course, I was clean!

[innismor11]

I've met Mark racing. He struck me as personable, no ego. Clearly, one of the most consistent performers in the history of the sport, from short course to Ironman.

[innismor11]

25 years later, and with all the improvements in training science, nutrition (training and race day), aero bikes, aero wheels, hydration strategies .... the top guys are really no faster than these two back then. They remain the two best males at the Ironman -- The Man and The Grip.