Countdown to Kona is the 2009 winner of the NABE 2009 Pinnacle Book award for Inspirational books. Each year, for the past 25 years, the North American Bookdealers Exchange (NABE) honors some of the finest books published by its’ members. Award Winners receive a Special Certificate and are honored in the spring edition of "Book Dealers World" as well.

Countdown to Kona is a book focused on an athletes blow by blow description of racing in the Ford Ironman World Championship. This race it the equivalent of playing in the super bowl but there is one amusing twist. Unlike other sports, The Ironman Championship held in Hawaii each year allows 200 lottery winners from around the world gain entry without qualifying in other Ironman races.

This book describes in great detail what Dale Tweedy, an Amateur Athlete who has never raced an Ironman race, goes through for over 14 hours as he completed the race. Novice and elite athletes will both enjoy this book from an informational/educational standpoint as well as a good dose of humor as well.

As a bonus section at the end of the book are the training notes taken during the training leading up to the actual race. There are many humorous parts in this section as well as serious parts. Dale even goes as far to explain some of the more, personal, issues that arise in training that nobody ever talks about in the Ironman circles and he explain how to deal with them in great detail.

Athletes and non-athletes alike will enjoy this book and learn more about the mysteries of the Big Island of Hawaii.


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