Iron Hope: Lessons Learned from Conquering the Impossible

Triathlete Lawrence debuts with a gritty compendium of insights into perseverance and willpower gleaned from completing 100 Ironmans in 100 consecutive days. Setting himself the challenge during the Covid-19 pandemic in a bid to inspire others, Lawrence battled brutal conditions, immense pain (“Several toenails have blackened and fallen off. My mouth is full of thrush. My lips are frozen and blistered, cracked and bleeding”), and the impulse to give up after crashes and injuries. He offers plenty of helpful takeaways (get comfortable with bad beginnings; use positive self-talk to starve negative voices of power) but attributes his “bulletproof mentality” mostly to “making and keeping small promises” to himself in order to build confidence. Lawrence’s candid disclosures about his highs and lows fascinate, even if some of his advice will strike the average reader as overzealous (doing “just one more rep” to “break through the barrier that has been holding you back” feels manageable in a way that embracing pain even when doing so “defies logic” does not). Still, those seeking a road map for tackling their next major challenge will find this worth a look. (Jan.)