My brother Bob, a huge runner from when running wasn’t cool, gave me this book. It was written back in 1978 and is recently back in print.
It is novel about running and runners written back during the days of “no pain, no gain” and “pain is what weakness feels like as it leaves the body,” and “sweat is just your fat cells crying.” The plot doesn’t really matter, it is about running by real runners.
The book starts our really slow. One problem is that the author seems to have gotten a brand new thesaurus and is really giving it a workout plus he is pulling the stops on every simile, metaphor, adjective, and adverb he has ever heard about. About halfway through the book though the author starts writing in a more natural style and the story grabs you and pulls you through to the end.
The book is about obsession, dedication, and hard work and has the best description of running a race I’ve ever read (not that I would know a thing about running a race.)
Buy this book (or get it from your library), and read it. You’ll like it.
I rate it 3.5 stars out of 4.
You’ve piqued my curiosity now! Adding it to my list! Have a lovely evening!
Sylvia
Hmmmm, interesting. I can’t decide if I should read it because even though I run, I’m not a “runner”. I know it sounds weird, but “runners” have that something that makes them runners. I’m just a gal who runs so this flab that is slowly creeping up on me doesn’t get the best of me. So, I might read this, I’ll probably check it out from the library (since I’m a library junkie). Just please tell me this…there are no photos of the author in his 1970’s style shorty short running shorts, are there? 😉
Also, you seriously read A LOT!! Dang–where do you find the time to do all this running and reading?? I’m kinda being serious about the reading. Where do you find the time?
I am curious about this. I am not a runner but an inveterate walker, and I would love to try this book to see what it is that makes runners….run. (I’m basically too lazy to try it, so I’d love to read about it!)
Sounds interesting, but I don’t know if I can get into the “no pain, no gain” thing.