When twenty-three-year-old Julie Moss waded out to start the 1982 Ironman Triathlon in Kona, Hawaii, she wasn’t expecting to win, or even to seriously compete. Julie’s goal was to finish, perhaps to prove something to herself and others, and to complete her senior college project on the Ironman.

Having only completed two triathlons previously at much shorter distances, and with - despite some hard last-minute training - less than exemplary preparation, Julie wasn’t an obvious candidate for glory. So to find herself in the lead during the final leg of the race - the marathon - after a gruelling 2.4 mile open water swim and 112-mile cycle, was, to say the least, unexpected. Naturally though, having hit the front, she wanted to stay there; and did, until just fifteen feet from the finish line, her exhausted and glycogen-depleted body finally gave up. Almost.

What happened next was witnessed subsequently on TV by millions, and brought the formerly niche sport of triathlon - and endurance sport in general - to far greater prominence.

In Crawl of Fame, Julie tells that story and far more, from her early influences growing up in California to her long and chequered career in triathlon, via relationships, marriage (to six-time Ironman World Champion Mark Allen), motherhood and divorce. Julie’s voice is very honest and direct, pulling no punches when it comes to her own ups and downs, successes and failures, both on a personal and sporting level.

I’ll admit, I didn’t totally warm to husband Mark, though granted we only hear one side of the story, and Julie never badmouths him in any way and indeed sings his praises highly on many occasions.

Crawl of Fame provides a fascinating insight both into one woman’s remarkable story, and also the development over several decades of the Ironman and the experience of racing this unique event.

I knew absolutely nothing about Julie Moss when I commenced this reading, and now I know much more than I ever could have imagined. Moss' drive and enthusiasm is a rare thing (she doesn't realise this) and getting to know her before, during and in the aftermath of her 'crawl of fame' is a really pleasant reading experience, and really inspires the reader to aim higher and reach for more.

Aside from the actual tale of the crawl that made her an icon, Julie Moss gives a lot of space in the book to describing her family life, her son's upbringing, her relationship and the difficulties associated with falling away from a person you love so much. This hit home and Moss comes across as infinitely wise after her experiences. Toward the end of the book, her adult son Mats begins on his own adventures into the wilderness of endurance sports, and you get the impression that a whole new generation will have a story to tell in just a few short years.

Great read if you're into any form of endurance sport- even as a spectator.