Abstract
In this book, author Diana Tracy Cohen explores the sporting and professional careers, as well as the domestic lives of male triathletes—a population not studied earlier. She introduces the term Iron Dads to refer to those strong men who partake in iron-distance racing—2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, and 26.2-mile run—alongside performing the roles of a father, husband, or employee. Cohen chose the triathlon in particular, as her purpose was to understand how an endurance sport that demands a rigorous training regimen of 20 hours per week, on average, affects the personal and professional lives of those participating in it. Also, she chose male triathletes especially because on a global level men dominate the sport. Cohen does an intersectional analysis of sport, family, and work, and throughout this book, gives us insights on how Iron Dads balance and construct multiple masculine identities based on social expectations. She uses several methods to collect her data—in-depth interviews with 52 male triathletes, participant observation at a racing site, and analysis of online blogs posted by Iron Dads. Being a triathlete herself, Cohen’s use of the insider perspective besides field methods was effective in gaining an implicit understanding of the triathlon and the triathletes’ lives. This makes her analysis convincing and logical.
While discussing the juggling acts of Iron Dads, Cohen introduces three new concepts—athletic visibility continuum, sporting guilt, and balancing mechanism. According to Cohen, Iron Dads make their sporting identity and related activities visible only when their family members or friends expect the values of physical fitness and healthy lifestyle or the respected image of a triathlete to influence these men—their visibility is situation specific and based on others’ approval. Thus, Cohen uses her data to determine the visibility/invisibility of Iron Dads on a continuum. Also, Cohen finds that Iron Dads often suffer from a sporting guilt, that is, a guilty conscience for being physically and emotionally absent in one’s family life—because of their deep commitment to the sport. Thus, Iron Dads develop balancing mechanisms to compensate for their absence, such as negotiating training times, involving their families in the sporting events, or racing shorter distances.
Cohen contributes to the scholarship of men and masculinities in manifold ways. First, she notes that not all male triathletes pursue the sport only for leisure or to build a sporting identity, but also to become a man—in terms of aggressive and competitive attitudes and/or physical and mental strength—which echo throughout this book. In other words, she finds that an endurance sport like the triathlon constructs a masculine body and mind. Second, her study reveals that masculine identities are contextual; that is, one identity takes precedence over others depending on the social context and priorities at a given time. For instance, Cohen finds that the sporting identity of Iron Dads becomes salient as the racing events approach, manifested in their active involvement in training. Similarly, their identities as a father or husband become dominant during times of family conflicts; for example, when the wives of Iron Dads threaten them with divorce for neglecting their families, these men either quit racing or run shorter distances. Third, the socioeconomic background of the triathletes plays a major role in constructing the Iron Dad identity. This is because mainly upper- and middle-class men can afford the racing events’ exorbitant registration fees or the expensive equipment and nutrition needed to train for the racing event, and/or negotiate work hours and professional responsibilities for their sporting endeavors. Fourth, Cohen shows how the connection between religion, sport, and masculinity, such as the values of both Christianity and triathlon—“commitment,” “discipline,” and “hard work” (p. 112)—construct the Iron Man. Lastly, she notes that the meanings of masculinity are constantly changing. For instance, physically disabled men partake in the sport with help from their caring fathers. Cohen argues that such occurrences challenge the attributes of hegemonic masculinity—rough and tough.
Cohen also makes notable contributions to the study of sports in general. For instance, she studies a field of endurance sports that has been overlooked before, and explores the factors that motivate men’s participation in it. Moreover, her study reconfirmed that the sporting institution is inherently masculine. Finally, her work is pertinent to the scholarship of gender and family. For example, Cohen’s study finds that albeit gender roles are becoming increasingly flexible in contemporary heterosexual households, Iron Dads still adhere to the breadwinner role, and their wives do the bulk of the domestic chores and often end up working double shifts. Overall, the author’s lucid language and clear organization make this book a definite read for both undergraduate and graduate students, as well as for those men and women who struggle to balance multiple identities, and especially for those who are in and/or affected by endurance sports.