Listen 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
Add to basket failed.
Add to wishlist failed.
Remove from wishlist failed.
Adding to library failed
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Buy Now for £18.29
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Listeners also enjoyed...
-
Did Not Finish
- Misadventures in Running, Cycling and Swimming (DNF Series, Book 1)
- By: George Mahood
- Narrated by: Nathaniel Priestley
- Length: 2 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Is running a marathon with your partner a wise idea? What about taking part in a triathlon together? George is about to find out as he and his wife Rachel put their marriage to the test. Now settled into life in Devon with their three children, they try to encourage a more active family lifestyle with camping holidays, family bike rides, hill-walking, and canoe trips. But things rarely go smoothly. Meanwhile, George continues to set himself ridiculous challenges. Having been a complete novice swimmer only a year earlier, he decides to confront his incompetence head-on.
-
-
Entertaining
- By Melanie Wright on 18-03-22
-
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.
-
-
accompanying pdf disappoints
- By Petros Mina on 11-12-21
-
Triathlon for Beginners
- Everything You Need to Know About Training, Nutrition, Kit, Motivation, Racing, and Much More
- By: Dan Golding
- Narrated by: John Gagnepain
- Length: 5 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Triathlon for Beginners is a complete start-to-finish guide that covers all areas of training and racing, including what you need to know and how to begin; how to understand the jargon of the sport; training rules and techniques; swimming, cycling, and running techniques; race etiquette; and how to get faster and better performances.
-
-
Very informative
- By Andy McClurg on 15-08-17
-
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 great as an audiobook
- By Anonymous User on 23-05-19
-
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.
-
-
An inspiring listen
- By Calluna on 25-07-13
-
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.
-
-
Great listen
- By Amazon Customer on 23-11-21
-
Did Not Finish
- Misadventures in Running, Cycling and Swimming (DNF Series, Book 1)
- By: George Mahood
- Narrated by: Nathaniel Priestley
- Length: 2 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Is running a marathon with your partner a wise idea? What about taking part in a triathlon together? George is about to find out as he and his wife Rachel put their marriage to the test. Now settled into life in Devon with their three children, they try to encourage a more active family lifestyle with camping holidays, family bike rides, hill-walking, and canoe trips. But things rarely go smoothly. Meanwhile, George continues to set himself ridiculous challenges. Having been a complete novice swimmer only a year earlier, he decides to confront his incompetence head-on.
-
-
Entertaining
- By Melanie Wright on 18-03-22
-
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.
-
-
accompanying pdf disappoints
- By Petros Mina on 11-12-21
-
Triathlon for Beginners
- Everything You Need to Know About Training, Nutrition, Kit, Motivation, Racing, and Much More
- By: Dan Golding
- Narrated by: John Gagnepain
- Length: 5 hrs and 1 min
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Triathlon for Beginners is a complete start-to-finish guide that covers all areas of training and racing, including what you need to know and how to begin; how to understand the jargon of the sport; training rules and techniques; swimming, cycling, and running techniques; race etiquette; and how to get faster and better performances.
-
-
Very informative
- By Andy McClurg on 15-08-17
-
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 great as an audiobook
- By Anonymous User on 23-05-19
-
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.
-
-
An inspiring listen
- By Calluna on 25-07-13
-
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.
-
-
Great listen
- By Amazon Customer on 23-11-21
-
Free Country
- A Penniless Adventure the Length of Britain
- By: George Mahood
- Narrated by: Kris Dyer
- Length: 10 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The plan is simple. George and Ben have three weeks to cycle 1000 miles from the bottom of England to the top of Scotland. There's just one small problem - they have no bikes, no clothes, no food, and no money. Setting off in just a pair of Union Jack boxer shorts, they attempt to rely on the generosity of the British public for everything from food to accommodation, clothes to shoes, and bikes to beer.
-
-
awesome
- By JohnJenner on 18-02-17
-
The Self-Help Bible
- All the Answers for a Happier, Healthier Life
- By: George Mahood
- Narrated by: Nathaniel Priestley
- Length: 7 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
This is the only self-help book you will ever need! In his usual humorous, down-to-earth style, George covers all aspects of self-improvement and personal development. From mindfulness to mindset, food to fear of failure, habits to health, exercise to education, mental health to morning routines, relationships to retirement, self-love to sleep, The Self-Help Bible has it all. It aims to provide all the answers to a happier, healthier life. And keep you entertained along the way.
-
-
eye opening.
- By Kindle Customer on 19-11-22
-
Not Tonight, Josephine
- A Road Trip Through Small-Town America
- By: George Mahood
- Narrated by: Nathaniel Priestley
- Length: 8 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Two Brits, George and Mark, set off from New York City to explore the back roads of America. In this calamity-ridden travel tale, George sets out in true clichéd fashion to discover the real America. Throw in plenty of run-ins with the police, rapidly dwindling finances, and Josephine - the worst car in the world - and you have all the ingredients for a classic American road trip. Will George and Mark make it all the way to California? And then there is Rachel, George's girlfriend, left back in England.
-
-
Tedious
- By kate62 on 01-08-21
-
Travels with Rachel: In Search of South America
- By: George Mahood
- Narrated by: Nathaniel Priestley
- Length: 5 hrs and 18 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Knee-deep in a swamp in the depths of the Bolivian jungle, hunting for anacondas in a pair of sandals, it occurred to George that perhaps he should have booked that all-inclusive honeymoon to the Maldives after all. Join George and Rachel on their hilarious journey through the wilds of Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia, as they climb volcanoes, fish for piranhas, trek through the Amazon rainforest, take death-defying bus rides, sample some of the continent’s strangest delicacies, and try to get to Machu Picchu.
-
-
brilliant listen
- By travel18 on 12-01-23
-
Every Day Is a Holiday
- By: George Mahood
- Narrated by: James Elliott
- Length: 7 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
George Mahood had a nice, easy, comfortable life. He had a job, a house, a wife, and kids. But something was missing. He was stuck in a routine of working, changing nappies, and cleaning up cat sick. He felt like he was missing out on a lot of what the world had to offer. He then discovered that it was Bubble Wrap Appreciation Day. The day after that was National Curmudgeon Day, and the day after that was Inane Answering Machine Message Day.
-
-
Very Enjoyable & Funny
- By Veronika on 17-02-23
-
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.
-
-
Hilarious
- By Worley boi on 19-04-23
-
Dare to Tri
- My Journey from the BBC Breakfast Sofa to Team GB Triathlete
- By: Louise Minchin
- Narrated by: Louise Minchin
- Length: 6 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
The amazing story of TV presenter Louise Minchin's journey from the BBC Breakfast sofa to representing Great Britain at the World Triathlon Championships. This is a warmly written and wonderfully honest adventure through sport that will both entertain and inspire. It started out as a fun BBC Breakfast cycling stunt in 2012 and culminated in Louise Minchin wearing the colours of Team GB at the World Triathlon Championship in 2015.
-
-
inspirational! A joy to listen too.
- By Anthony Mc Donald on 09-05-18
-
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.
-
-
Goosebumps !!
- By Anonymous User on 12-07-19
-
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.
-
-
Amazing book - inspirational
- By Will T on 09-07-21
-
To the Finish Line
- A World Champion Triathlete’s Guide to Your Perfect Race
- By: Chrissie Wellington
- Narrated by: Imogen Church
- Length: 12 hrs and 25 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
Being mentored by Chrissie Wellington would be a dream for any triathlete. In To the Finish Line, Chrissie presents her distilled wisdom, hard-won over the course of her extraordinary career, to give all triathletes the chance to learn from the very best. Chrissie writes with emotional honesty, and her warmth and sense of humour also shine through. She speaks frankly about her own experiences - both good and bad - from her career. Such stories will be a source of great inspiration to listeners.
-
-
Good for real beginners
- By Amazon Customer on 02-11-18
-
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.
-
-
Well revealed
- By RabbitLemon on 19-07-18
-
It's Only Slow Food Until You Try to Eat It
- Misadventures of a Suburban Hunter-Gatherer
- By: Bill Heavey
- Narrated by: Bill Heavey
- Length: 9 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
A longtime contributor to Field and Stream, Bill Heavey knew more than a little about hunting and fishing when he embarked on an ambitious project a few years ago to see how far he could get eating wild. But Heavey knew next to nothing about gardening or foraging, and he lives in northern Virginia, close to Washington, D.C. The rural wilds, this was not. Is it any surprise that his tasty triumphs were equaled by his hilarious misadventures?
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
- R L Dinsdale
- 19-04-23
Great listen in the build up to an Ironman.
Easy to listen to with humour dotted throughout, with a very human story throughout.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Meg
- 17-12-22
Read before doing an Ironman
Entertaining as well as giving a few hints and tips. Loads of similarities with my experience training.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Mr T Jones
- 31-10-22
just brilliant
George just writes like he's taking us with him in through the present into, the past and even the future.
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 07-04-22
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
- 07-02-22
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
- 21-12-21
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
- 01-06-21
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
- 14-05-21
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
- Ross I Pettigrew
- 01-06-23
Just good fun
If (like me) you’d only listened to/read George’s travel books (which are awesome!) and you were in two minds about this one, then throw that second mind in the bin and buy this book! Cracking story, loads of fun, and well worth a credit.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Mrs K J Lawrence
- 28-02-23
Narrator made it hard work!
Inspirational story although heavily padded, narrator really made it a tough listen, annoying silly impersonations ruined it for me, wish I’d bought the book and read it myself.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- nochum kurinsky
- 19-08-21
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’!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Chris & JoJo Davis
- 27-05-23
Good story and fun listen
It was a fun listen and narration was very entertaining. People scoring it low missed the point. It is not a trading guide. It’s a fun retelling of one person’s Ironman attempt. Just what I needed!!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- David and Victoria
- 18-12-22
What an amazing story! Excellent Narration!
One of George's best books! An incredible story of determination and grit with a little craziness!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Christine Wulff
- 11-07-22
The longest humble brag I’ve ever sat through
The subject line says it all. Don’t bother this book is a complete turn off.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Oscar Perales
- 08-07-22
Great story
Great story together with a very good narrative. Funny, inspirational and well written. Highly recommend
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Randy J. Reupert
- 23-05-22
Fantastic book!!
Well written, well read. Very inspiring!! Incredible journey for a man just out of surgery! Definitely worth it!!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story

- Mary Herron
- 13-05-21
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
- 20-04-21
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
- 18-03-21
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
- 01-03-21
Brilliant
A very inspiring story that entertains and amazes throughout. Funny and brilliantly narrated as well. Highly recommended.