The things we tell ourselves, either helpful or harmful, can come to pass, particularly if that message is reinforced.
Page 42
In a nutshell
In 2021, endurance athlete James Lawrence decided to push himself to the limits by completing 100 triathlons in 100 days. This came 6 years after having earned his third Guinness World Record by completing 50 full distance triathlons in 50 US states over 50 consecutive days. Iron Hope is his story of conquering 100 and the lessons he learnt and hopes to impart.
Book Club Notes
There’s no easy way to say this so I’ll start with it – I did not enjoy this book. When chatting about this book while reading it, Feige asked if I’d be that honest in the review – I hate giving bad reviews but not every book is going to hit every reader the same way and that is ok. I didn’t like this book, but many people did and were inspired by it. For me, Iron Hope did not give me what the back page promised:
A life changing book that would reveal how to
- Say yes to opportunities
- Develop confidence
- Overcome obstacles holding you back
- Forge an iron will by making and keeping small promises
- Foster hope and resilience
- Reach for your dreams and accomplish big things
What James accomplished is without a doubt a huge feat, but to me it read like manufactured suffering so that he had a story for his coaching business. I’m all for pushing yourself and love endurance sports but I don’t believe in damaging your body to prove a point. It’s the coaches who preach recovery and endurance athletes who share how they’ve been forced to DNF out of the interest of their well being that inspire me – not the person who sees quitting as weakness. Because sometimes knowing when to quit is the bravest thing you can do.
Read If
You followed the Conquer100 journey or have an interest in endurance sport.
Rating
Writing – 3/10
Likeability – 3/10
Purpose – 4/10
Shareability – 1/10
The Nitty Gritty
Published by: Pan Macmillan
Genre: Non-Fiction, Health, Self Help
ISBN: 978-1035062256
Pages: 279
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A note on our book ratings
Storyline: How good is the storyline? Is it believable and complex or does it make you shake your head in its ridiculousness?
Writing: How well written is the book? Do you find yourself wowed by the writing or unimpressed?
Character Development: Do the characters evolve and grow through the book and are they multi-dimensional?
Plot Twist: Were you able to predict the end, or did the author give you some surprises along the way to keep you on your toes?
Shareability: How likely are you to share the book?
