Try free for 30 days
-
Operation Ironman
- One Man's Four Month Journey from Hospital Bed to Ironman Triathlon
- Narrated by: Nathaniel Priestley
- Length: 8 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged Audiobook
- Categories: Biographies & Memoirs, Sports
Add to basket failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from Wish List failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Listen with a free trial
Buy Now for $27.79
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
People who bought this also bought...
-
Irondad Life
- A Year of Bad Decisions and Questionable Motives - What I Learned on the Quest to Conquer Ironman Lake Placid
- By: Russell Newell
- Narrated by: James Patrick Cronin, Julie McKay
- Length: 6 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Why do people race in Ironmans? Only a person whose good sense was severely impaired would decide to do a race marked by such agony and suffering - a race that makes no sense to normal people. Russell Newell would find out when he signed up for the second oldest Ironman in the country: Lake Placid, in the idyllic Upstate New York village nestled in the Adirondacks. Russell would then question his sanity and test his resolve as he attempted to finish the 2018 Ironman Lake Placid...despite almost drowning, crashing on his bike, and more.
-
-
Absolutely awesome
- By Anonymous User on 18-05-2022
-
80/20 Triathlon
- Discover the Breakthrough Elite-Training Formula for Ultimate Fitness and Performance at All Levels
- By: Matt Fitzgerald, David Warden
- Narrated by: David Warden
- Length: 4 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A breakthrough program for triathletes - beginner, intermediate, and advanced - showing how to balance training intensity to maximize performance - from a fitness expert and elite coach. Cutting-edge research has proven that triathletes and other endurance athletes experience their greatest performance when they do 80 percent of their training at low intensity and the remaining 20 percent at moderate to high intensity.
-
-
Not worth it as audiobook
- By Anonymous User on 02-09-2019
-
A Runner's High
- Older, Wiser, Slower, Stronger
- By: Dean Karnazes
- Narrated by: Andy Ingalls
- Length: 6 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Dean Karnazes has pushed his body and mind to inconceivable limits, from running in the shoe-melting heat of Death Valley to the lung-freezing cold of the South Pole. He's raced and competed across the globe and once ran 50 marathons, in 50 states, on 50 consecutive days. Confronting his age, wearying body, career path and life choices, we see Karnazes as we never have before, raw and exposed. A Runner's High is both an endorphin-fuelled story and a love letter to the sport from one of its most celebrated ambassadors.
-
-
Good book, not-so-good narration
- By Anonymous User on 11-05-2022
-
Broken Open: Mountains, Demons, Treadmills and a Search for Nirvana
- By: David Clark
- Narrated by: David Clark
- Length: 11 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
David Clark is a formerly obese alcoholic and fast food junkie who found a new life in running. Now, 13 years after his transformation, he shares his inspiring story of taking running to the extreme edge of his physical and spiritual breaking points. Having run more than a hundred races, including the Leadville 100-Mile Trail Run and the Hardrock 100, David has achieved unimaginable success in the ultramarathon world, considering his humble start.
-
-
Great read.
- By lilthomas on 28-12-2020
-
In It for the Long Run
- Breaking Records and Getting FKT
- By: Damien Hall
- Narrated by: Stewart Crank
- Length: 9 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In It for the Long Run is ultrarunner Damian Hall’s story of running a first marathon aged 36, dressed as a toilet, and representing Great Britain four years later. His midlife-crisis running problem escalated to 100-mile ultramarathons and record-breaking bimbles, culminating in his 261-mile Pennine Way run in July 2020.
-
Can't Swim, Can't Ride, Can't Run
- From Common Man to Ironman
- By: Andy Holgate
- Narrated by: Gregory St. John
- Length: 7 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This book is both a lesson in true grit and determination, but its goal is one that is attainable. Andy isn't a sporting superstar, he holds down a nine-to-five job and all the pressures that go with it; he isn’t blessed with speed and talent; there are no multi-million pound sponsorship deals; yet this remarkable "common man" is inspiring in a way that some of today’s sporting superstars have forgotten how to be.
-
-
Narrator has a weird accent
- By Jack gould on 05-12-2020
-
Irondad Life
- A Year of Bad Decisions and Questionable Motives - What I Learned on the Quest to Conquer Ironman Lake Placid
- By: Russell Newell
- Narrated by: James Patrick Cronin, Julie McKay
- Length: 6 hrs and 2 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Why do people race in Ironmans? Only a person whose good sense was severely impaired would decide to do a race marked by such agony and suffering - a race that makes no sense to normal people. Russell Newell would find out when he signed up for the second oldest Ironman in the country: Lake Placid, in the idyllic Upstate New York village nestled in the Adirondacks. Russell would then question his sanity and test his resolve as he attempted to finish the 2018 Ironman Lake Placid...despite almost drowning, crashing on his bike, and more.
-
-
Absolutely awesome
- By Anonymous User on 18-05-2022
-
80/20 Triathlon
- Discover the Breakthrough Elite-Training Formula for Ultimate Fitness and Performance at All Levels
- By: Matt Fitzgerald, David Warden
- Narrated by: David Warden
- Length: 4 hrs and 41 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A breakthrough program for triathletes - beginner, intermediate, and advanced - showing how to balance training intensity to maximize performance - from a fitness expert and elite coach. Cutting-edge research has proven that triathletes and other endurance athletes experience their greatest performance when they do 80 percent of their training at low intensity and the remaining 20 percent at moderate to high intensity.
-
-
Not worth it as audiobook
- By Anonymous User on 02-09-2019
-
A Runner's High
- Older, Wiser, Slower, Stronger
- By: Dean Karnazes
- Narrated by: Andy Ingalls
- Length: 6 hrs and 44 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Dean Karnazes has pushed his body and mind to inconceivable limits, from running in the shoe-melting heat of Death Valley to the lung-freezing cold of the South Pole. He's raced and competed across the globe and once ran 50 marathons, in 50 states, on 50 consecutive days. Confronting his age, wearying body, career path and life choices, we see Karnazes as we never have before, raw and exposed. A Runner's High is both an endorphin-fuelled story and a love letter to the sport from one of its most celebrated ambassadors.
-
-
Good book, not-so-good narration
- By Anonymous User on 11-05-2022
-
Broken Open: Mountains, Demons, Treadmills and a Search for Nirvana
- By: David Clark
- Narrated by: David Clark
- Length: 11 hrs and 6 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
David Clark is a formerly obese alcoholic and fast food junkie who found a new life in running. Now, 13 years after his transformation, he shares his inspiring story of taking running to the extreme edge of his physical and spiritual breaking points. Having run more than a hundred races, including the Leadville 100-Mile Trail Run and the Hardrock 100, David has achieved unimaginable success in the ultramarathon world, considering his humble start.
-
-
Great read.
- By lilthomas on 28-12-2020
-
In It for the Long Run
- Breaking Records and Getting FKT
- By: Damien Hall
- Narrated by: Stewart Crank
- Length: 9 hrs and 50 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In It for the Long Run is ultrarunner Damian Hall’s story of running a first marathon aged 36, dressed as a toilet, and representing Great Britain four years later. His midlife-crisis running problem escalated to 100-mile ultramarathons and record-breaking bimbles, culminating in his 261-mile Pennine Way run in July 2020.
-
Can't Swim, Can't Ride, Can't Run
- From Common Man to Ironman
- By: Andy Holgate
- Narrated by: Gregory St. John
- Length: 7 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This book is both a lesson in true grit and determination, but its goal is one that is attainable. Andy isn't a sporting superstar, he holds down a nine-to-five job and all the pressures that go with it; he isn’t blessed with speed and talent; there are no multi-million pound sponsorship deals; yet this remarkable "common man" is inspiring in a way that some of today’s sporting superstars have forgotten how to be.
-
-
Narrator has a weird accent
- By Jack gould on 05-12-2020
-
A Life Without Limits
- By: Chrissie Wellington, Michael Aylwin
- Narrated by: Imogen Church
- Length: 10 hrs and 8 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The amazing life story of Britain's world conquering triathlete, Chrissie Wellington. Chrissie Wellington is the world's No 1 female Ironman triathlete, the current quadruple World Champion and World Record holder. In 2009 she was voted 'Sunday Times Sportswoman of the Year' and in 2010 was awarded the MBE. She is the undefeated champion of Triathlon, having won nine Ironman titles from nine races.
-
-
So much more than a book about triathlon
- By James on 26-04-2017
-
Relentless
- Secrets of the Sporting Elite
- By: Alistair Brownlee
- Narrated by: Alistair Brownlee
- Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In his quest to define ‘sporting greatness’, double Olympic champion Alistair Brownlee has spent nearly four years interviewing and training with some of the greatest minds in sport to discover what it takes to become - and remain - a champion.
-
-
Great collection of insights of the top athletes in a variety of sports
- By Martin Schett on 13-09-2021
-
Mike Reilly Finding My Voice
- Tales from Ironman, the World's Greatest Endurance Event
- By: Mike Reilly, Lee Gruenfeld
- Narrated by: Mike Reilly
- Length: 7 hrs and 43 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Ironman is a sports phenomenon that has come to symbolize the very best of human striving, achievement, and excellence. And race announcer Mike Reilly is known throughout the endurance sports world as the "Voice of Ironman." Every year, over 300,000 people around the world compete in a series of long-distance triathlons that test the outer limits of their physical abilities and mental toughness. Some do it for glory, some to test themselves, some to honor lost loved ones or colleagues, some to bring healing to their troubled lives.
-
-
Loved it
- By Anonymous User on 13-01-2021
-
I'm Here to Win
- A World Champion's Advice for Peak Performance
- By: Chris McCormack, Tim Vandehey
- Narrated by: Howard Brunner, Chris McCormack
- Length: 8 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
As the winner of the 2010 Ironman Championship in Kona, Hawaii, Chris "Macca" McCormack may be the world's greatest athlete. In I'm Here to Win, McCormack shares his story along with training tips and practical advice to help listeners develop their own routines, diet, exercise programs and race strategies. Chris McCormack has dedicated his life to training for - and winning - the Ironman World Championships, one of the most grueling tests of mental and physical endurance in the world.
-
-
brilliant, well read and valuable advice
- By Leanne on 02-10-2019
-
Life Is a Marathon
- A Memoir of Love and Endurance
- By: Matt Fitzgerald
- Narrated by: Jamie Renell
- Length: 9 hrs and 13 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
An endurance athlete and coach reveals how the marathon transforms the lives of everyone who attempts it - and how it has helped his own family cope with serious adversity.
-
-
Miss learning title,
- By Riccardo Messora on 11-04-2022
-
Running Man
- A Memoir
- By: Charlie Engle
- Narrated by: Charlie Engle
- Length: 10 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
After a decade-long addiction to crack cocaine and alcohol, Charlie Engle hit bottom with a near-fatal six-day binge that ended in a hail of bullets. As Engle got sober, he turned to running, which became his lifeline, his pastime, and his salvation. He began with marathons, and when marathons weren't far enough, he began to take on ultramarathons, races that went for 35, 50, and sometimes hundreds of miles, traveling to some of the most unforgiving places on earth to race.
-
-
Confronting and motivating
- By Cheyne on 21-04-2020
-
The Triathlete's Training Bible
- The World's Most Comprehensive Training Guide, 4th Ed.
- By: Joe Friel
- Narrated by: Brian Arens
- Length: 13 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Triathlete’s Training Bible is the best-selling and most comprehensive guide for aspiring and experienced triathletes. Joe Friel is the most trusted coach in the world, and his proven triathlon training program has helped hundreds of thousands find success in the sport of triathlon. Joe has completely rewritten this new fourth edition of The Triathlete's Training Bible to incorporate new training principles and help athletes train smarter than ever.
-
The Brave Athlete
- Calm the F--k Down and Rise to the Occasion
- By: Simon Marshall PhD, Lesley Paterson
- Narrated by: Simon Marshall, Lesley Paterson
- Length: 9 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The Brave Athlete solves the 13 most common mental conundrums athletes face in their everyday training and in races. You don't have one brain - you have three; your ancient Chimp brain that keeps you alive, your modern Professor brain that navigates the civilized world, and your Computer brain that accesses your memories and runs your habits (good and bad). They fight for control all the time and that's when bad things happen. What if you could stop the thoughts and feelings you don't want? You can.
-
-
Brilliant book
- By Richard on 10-12-2017
-
Training for Ultra
- Ultra Running Stories from the Middle of the Pack
- By: Rob Steger
- Narrated by: Robert Steger
- Length: 6 hrs and 37 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This book has a single purpose - to inspire you to run! Through sharing a detailed account of my first three years of pursuing running from the middle to back of the pack, it will hopefully show you you are capable of much more than you may think. After my dad's major health scare, it was time for me to change everything. Little did I know how much I would learn after taking on some physical exercise. A radical diet change allowed me to lose a forth of my body weight and it gave me boundless energy to get outside and explore.
-
-
inspiring
- By Anonymous User on 25-11-2021
-
Out and Back
- A Runner's Story of Survival Against All Odds
- By: Hillary Allen
- Narrated by: Hillary Allen
- Length: 6 hrs and 30 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
In 2017, world-class ultrarunner Hillary Allen was at the top of her sport - and it felt like she was running on top of the world as she competed in Norway's Tromsø Skyrace. Allen was nearly halfway through the 50-kilometer race when she fell 150 feet off an exposed ridge, fracturing her back and breaking multiple ribs, both feet, and both of her lower arms. Beginning with the dramatic story of her accident and rescue, Out and Back: A Runner's Story of Survival Against All Odds recounts Allen's fight to return to the life she loves.
-
-
True inspiration
- By Dr Amy Hewitt, Veterinarian on 03-07-2022
-
How Bad Do You Want It?
- Mastering the Psychology of Mind over Muscle
- By: Matt Fitzgerald
- Narrated by: Matt Fitzgerald
- Length: 8 hrs and 29 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The greatest athletic performances spring from the mind, not the body. Elite athletes have known this for decades, and now science is learning why it's true. In his fascinating new book, How Bad Do You Want It?, coach Matt Fitzgerald examines more than a dozen pivotal races to discover the surprising ways elite athletes strengthen their mental toughness.
-
-
An excellent book about sports psychology
- By T. Bowman on 04-03-2020
-
Reborn on the Run
- My Journey from Addiction to Ultramarathons
- By: Catra Corbett, Dan England
- Narrated by: Allyson Ryan
- Length: 7 hrs and 33 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Aside from her rock star looks, Catra Corbett is a standout in the running world on her accomplishments alone. And, unbelievably, she's also a former meth addict. After two years of addiction, Catra is busted while selling, and a night in jail is enough to set her straight. She gives up drugs and moves back home with her mother, abandoning her friends, her boyfriend, and the lifestyle that she came to depend on. Her only clean friend pushes her to train for a 10K with him, and surprisingly, she likes it and decides to run her first marathon after that.
-
-
Pretty average
- By Anonymous User on 30-04-2020
Publisher's Summary
Operation Ironman follows George Mahood's hilarious and inspiring journey from a hospital bed to an Ironman triathlon. After major back surgery, George set himself the ultimate challenge:
- A 2.4 mile swim
- A 112 mile bike ride
- And a 26.2 mile run
- All to be completed within 16 hours
He couldn't swim more than a length of front crawl, he had never ridden a proper road bike, he had not run further than 10k in 18 months...and he had never worn Lycra.
He had four months to prepare.
Could he do it?
More from the same
What listeners say about Operation Ironman
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 12-04-2022
A true family man's journey
As a normal father who is in training to attempt an Ironman this was the story I needed to hear. No elite athletes journey, a father and family man's journey, overcoming surgery then an Ironman. His method was a try as you go, just do what you feel will help. It was a fairly pedestrian journey but one I related to wholly that showed not all heros must ware capes.
Great tale and great narration. Side note is, if you don't know that 'Wham' song 'Club Tropicana' is be aware that you will corrupt your YouTube algorithm looking it up. Maybe ask a mate to look it up for you. 👍
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 21-12-2021
A fun and enjoyable listen
The tonality, the story, the humour, I loved it all. It was a fun and enjoyable listen
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Tamara Bond
- 07-10-2021
Loved It.
Now I’m going to have to do something epic…very inspiring and a fun listen.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 21-02-2021
Enjoyable listening on my training runs
Great humor and excellent account of the training and race day experiences. Thanks fellas, great job!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Dean
- 26-08-2020
Another fantastic book!
I've read all of George Mahood's book and Operation Ironman doesn't disappoint. Another funny, well told and, ultimately, inspiring book. Well done again George!!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Tanja Harkonen
- 02-06-2020
fantastic story
Fantastic story, engaging , funny, informative, and inspirational from a person to achieve such an awesome feat. I'm now going to have e a crack at an ironman
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Randy J. Reupert
- 23-05-2022
Fantastic book!!
Well written, well read. Very inspiring!! Incredible journey for a man just out of surgery! Definitely worth it!!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- nochum kurinsky
- 19-08-2021
Great storyteller
I downloaded the book because I basically read and listen to everything triathlon related. Turns out it’s a gem. He’s a great story teller. His story is cool but his delivery is the genius here. He’s funny, self deprecating, and kinda corny at times. There are some little tidbits of Ironman training advice thrown in as well. Great ‘read’!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Mary Herron
- 13-05-2021
I thought it was great!!
So funny and heartfelt. Loved the English accent and the English style it was written in. I'm going to check out his book about biking across the UK...or was it just England? I'll look forward to finding out.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Steve Hughes
- 20-04-2021
Very entertaining audio book
I really enjoyed this book, helped to pass the time while doing my own training. Many inspiring, funny and sweet moments.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- HikerGirl
- 18-03-2021
Ironman goals
Pretty entertaining as I am training for a 70.3 but thinking maybe should have just gone for the full instead! Fun listen/read!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Jesper Soerensen
- 01-03-2021
Brilliant
A very inspiring story that entertains and amazes throughout. Funny and brilliantly narrated as well. Highly recommended.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Karen Malone
- 29-12-2020
Wonderful and inspiring!
Another great adventure told in a humble and humorous way! George makes you feel like family.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Amazon Customer
- 07-04-2022
Very inspiring
I currently intend on getting to an ironman start line and this was a very inspiring book to listen to and nice to hear such a posative outlook on life and unpredictable situations. Well done.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Melanie
- 07-02-2022
Loved it!
Have listened twice through. Very funny and inspirational. Will probably listen again. Great story.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Jake
- 21-12-2021
Inspiring
Brilliant story, brilliant journey. Very inspiring. Highly recommend to anyone interested in triathlons or lacking motivation
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Anonymous User
- 01-06-2021
Really Enjoyable
Great listen, I previously listened to free country again a great story. Will definitely be listening to more books by George Mahood 👌🏻.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- C. Taylor
- 14-05-2021
What an absolute slog
For the most part I found this book very irritating and an absolute slog to get through, and not just because the narrator is annoying and can't sing, but honestly when he tries to imitate children or do any other accent that's not his own its like nails on a chalk board.
I have done the Ironman before and I know how much you have to sacrifice and how long you have to train for to even stand a hope in hell of completing it.
This guys attitude to a lot of it absolutely stank, I mean why Ironman? I admire the fact he wanted to do something physical to help with recovery from surgery but why not a standard triathlon or maybe even a half ironman at most? Most of the time, to me it came across that he appeared to be doing this for the social glamour rather than the personal achievement, this was obvious by the fact he takes the opportunity to tell everyone and anyone that he is doing it, but at the same time said he was only willing to put in 3-4 months of training, half of which he couldn't even run or ride a bike properly because he was still recovering. While I was racing and competing in lots of races over the course of a decade I saw the finisher percentage of the races I took part in radically decline as more and more people signed up to do these races and had to pull out due to
lack of training. While reading this book I couldn't help but think this guy is exactly the person I used to begrudge seeing on the start lines of races, turning up hoping to just have fun after having done little to no training. Normally I have absolutely nothing against this, especially of course if it's a beginners race, but the Ironman is an elite race, which is another reason why I thought he chose to do it to impress others rather than to help himself.
He also spends a lot of time explaining techniques and ideas he doesn't really appear to understand, so it's like listening to someone paraphrasing from someone elses book a lot. The book also contains a ton of boring conversation and a lot of filler that isn't really needed in the book, but does utilise the narrators terrible accents.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Anonymous User
- 07-06-2022
Funny. Inspiring. Excellent!
Operation Ironman is a captivating read. Honesty and humour combine to make this this book stand out above other personal challenges books.
-
Overall

- Anonymous User
- 23-05-2022
Lighthearted like at ironman
Really enjoyed this, light-hearted look at Ironman training and racing,
this is not a training manual for those who are looking for one!
-
Overall
-
Performance

- Amazon Customer
- 20-05-2022
the narrators voice is irritating
The narrators voice let's this down, it is so forced, face posh English. really irritating.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Pete
- 20-09-2021
I liked it.
would have been nice to know more detail on the training. but it's a good, informative and entertaining story.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Vicki Bennett
- 02-09-2021
Good Fun
Really lovely book, and shows what people are capable of doing when they put their mind to it - and also a true reflection of the “joy” of balancing family life with training and events - and the characters you meet along the way. A book that encourages challenges, showing they are achievable rather than being intimidating and making it feel like they are out of reach. Well done George!!
16 Best Audiobooks by Aboriginal Authors
Across genres, there’s no shortage of brilliant titles from Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander writers of Australia.



16 Audiobooks Full of Life Hacks to Live By
Looking to improve yourself mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually? This is where to start.



14 Feel-Good Audiobooks to Brighten Up Your Day
The Audible library is packed with feel-good audiobooks that will lighten the soul and fill the heart with joy.


