Product Description
Central Park, Brighton Beach, Flushing Meadow Park, Van Cortlandt Park, the Greenbelt in Staten Island . . .America’s largest city is loaded with great places to run.

New York Running Guide provides complete information on 44 of the best routes throughout New York’s five boroughs, Long Island, and New Jersey. The routes, which are as unique and diverse as the city itself, are runner-tested and approved for safety, scenery, and enjoyment. Eight of the routes profile the best race courses in the New York City area. For each route in the book, you’ll find a course description, a detailed map, directions to the starting point, and an icon key that shows route distance, scenery, terrain, hill ratings, and available facilities. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Better Maps Online
Some of these maps are dated, but if you are new to New York the information will at least lead you in the right direction.All that said, there are better maps online.Try [...].Both have their benefits.MapMyRun has more maps, but RunYourCity is more detailed (and useful).

I would recommend this book to someone who needs something in print, but if you can tolerate reading online I would look elsewhere.

Very Poorly Done
I found this book to be very poorly put together.There were countless mistakes about mileage, and the character of the running routes.The maps were terrible, giving no specific details (in fact they re-printed the same terrible map of Central Park about 4 times in 10 pages.) More importantly, I felt that the authors may have never even run the routes they are trying to describe.Although it is obvious that they have a talent for writing, this book is not helpful to runners, and seems to be hastily thrown together in an attempt to sell copies and rip people off.

Awesome!!!!!! The Best NY Running Guide ever!!!!!!!!!
This book is so great.I never knew there were so many great places to run in ny.

While this book is helpful to some I found it very flawed
I concentrated on the Queens section the most and I would like tohighlight the inconsistencies I found as well as the mistakes.First, themileage for Forest Parkstates it is 3.75 miles, but when you read thedescription it doesn't add up.They say the first half is .75 and thesecond half is 2.5miles.In addition the course isn't totally clear whenI ran the first half I came upon what appeared to be a closed road, it wasthe only way I could run that would bring me back to the main road, so Ibelieve I went the right way. Then I would like to write about FlushingMeadows Park.Try running this course...if you can, there is alot ofconstruction that has changed the second half of this run and I think theauthors weren't aware of this.Finally the map of the New York CityMarathon in wrong, they put the Bronx where Queens should be.If thesemajor mistakes exist in just the sections of the book I have read, Ibelieve there may be more.I purchased this book because I couldn't findan earlier version of the same book, which I felt was very well done.It contained long runs through the entire borough and I thought this was a great feature.I hope the authors will reissue this book with thecorrections and better diagrams of the runs. ... Read more

Product Description
Andy Blackford, now a middle-aged advertising executive, was a guitarist in Genesis's support band when he was advised to give up smoking and keep fit otherwise he would die. Having been voted the man least likely to reach 30 when he was at Oxford, he decided at 29 that running was the answer even though he'd come in second-to-last in the annual cross country race the last time he had done any running, saved only from the ultimate humiliation by a classmate with rickets. Yet he persevered, jogging nightly around London's squalid South Circular Road in a pair of exhausted Green Flash plimsolls. A year later, he was persuaded to enter the Hambledon Hill Race in Dorset, which involved a near-vertical ascent of an Iron Age fort after two compulsory pints of scrumpy. He came last, slightly rupturing a lung. But the seed was sown. Andy ran his first marathon within the year, knocking out a respectable 3hrs 30mins over a hilly 26 mile course.At the finish, he had to be stretchered to a swimming pool and unlocked by a physiotherapist. Running on Empty is the story of one man's devotion to a sport for which he had no natural aptitude whatsoever.It is chiselled out in twenty years of anecdotal columns commissioned by Runner's World magazine, recording his battles with injury, his experiments with diets and equipment, and his participation in lunatic events that have had him running up the Himalayas, across the Sahara, onto the Greenland ice-cap and through the Amazonian rainforest. Andy has inspired two generations of runners, many of whom have followed his example in accepting hugely-serious challenges without ever taking them too seriously. ... Read more

Product Description
The myriad relationships between psychology and sport constitute the fertile ground mined by Ethan Gologor in his latest book, Psychodynamic Running: The Complete, Definitive, Madman's Guide to Distance Running and the Marathon. Zen-like in its approach, this book offers meditations on running as a tool - and the tools of running - to paint a picture of one man's journey from the recliner to the races. The assembled ruminations on the concept of running in all its forms, metaphors, and applications sheds light on what running really is, why we do it, and how to get it done. More importantly, Psychodynamic Running uses running as a template to examine connections among addiction, compulsion, socialization, and therapy, and discusses the potential benefits and pitfalls of running and the runners' culture.

As an author, academic and clinician, Dr. Gologor combines research, experience, and a wicked wit to present running as an overarching metaphor for life, and shows us how we can use it to get a handle on our own lives. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Not just for marathoners
Dr. Ethan Gologor, Psychology Professor, Psychotherapist and amateur tennis player, trained for and successfully completed the New York Marathon in 2005 as he approached his 65th year.This book weaves together Gologor's psychological insights and personal experiences about running and living.He draws upon his work as a Psychology teacher & scholar, psychotherapist and even as a parent.The book while primarily a serious analysis of running is also funny, thoughtful and in a subtle way provides an understanding of life in the early 21st century. ... Read more

Product Description
Written by Britain's most successful marathon runner of the 1990s, this invaluable guide will help you get the most from your distance training. From the complete beginner enchanted by the challenge of the London Marathon, to the experienced runner wishing to improve on racing strategy, its authoritative pages reveal a wealth of information on: structuring an effective build-up and taper training harder without doing too much improving your endurance and pace judgement producing your best on race-day. The new edition is in full colour, making for easier navigation and bringing the action photography to life. The text has been fully updated to take account of the latest developments in running science and programme design, plus more insights from Richard and other leading runners.This new edition has been fully updated with the latest training ... Read more

Product Description
Elite Performance: Running is the second in a new series of Elite Performance titles aimed at aspiring recreational athletes who typically train and compete at club level and above.The increased use of lab-based sports testing in recent years has considerably raised awareness of the impact of sports science on training and performance, and many coaches, trainers and athletes are looking for more information and guidance on how to apply this knowledge to their own training. This approach is at the heart of the Elite Performance: Running, which includes structuring a training programme, how and when to use different levels of training, the importance of rest and recovery, goal-setting, physiological assessment, principles of heart rate training, and detailed sections on injury prevention/treatment and nutrition. There is also a section on race day preparations and planning. With a practical full-colour design and packed with stunning colour photography, Elite Performance: Running is an indispensable companion for the middle- and long-distance runner, giving them all the information and tools to gain a competitive edge and stay fit. ... Read more

Product Description
The concept of fell running is simple: a long-distance race that includes running up and down several tall mountains. Though rarely making the sports pages, it is a mass-participation sport in areas like the Lake District and Snowdonia - indeed, race organisers turn competitors away so that fragile mountain uplands are not irrevocably damaged by thundering feet. Fixtures like the annual Ben Nevis and Snowdon races, or the Borrowdale and Wasdale fell runs in the Lakeland valleys (20-mile-plus marathons), have remained local events attended by the whole community - the runners back at work the next day shearing sheep. Now, Richard Askwith explores the world of fell-running in the only legitimate way: by donning his Ron Hill vest and studded shoes and spending a season running as many of the great fell races as he can, from Borrowdale to Ben Nevis: an arduous schedule that tests the very limits of one's stamina and courage.Along the way he also meets the greats of fell-running - like the remarkable Joss Naylor, who to celebrate his sixtieth birthday ran the Lakeland fells non-stop for a week, and Kenny Stuart, the wiry Keswick man whose astounding records still stand for many of the top races, and Bill Teasdale, one of the sport's pioneers, still living in the same tiny cottage in the northern Lakes. And ultimately Askwith's obsession drove him to attempt the ultimate challenge: a circuit of the Lake District peaks within 24 hours. This is a portrait of one of the few sports to have remained implacably amateur, and utterly true to its roots - in which the whole point, indeed, is to run the ancient, wild landscape, and stay a hero within one's own valley. A chronicle of a masochistic but admirable sporting obsession, a touching exploration of one of the last genuinely sporting communities, and an insight into one of the oldest extreme sports, Feet in the Clouds is a unique sports book to rival a William Hill winner like Angry White Pyjamas. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Askwith takes you with him.
In the twenty or so years of running trails and ultramarathons, mostly in the U.S., I have waited for someone who could portray what goes on "out there" while running.Fell-running is arguably more challenging than our U.S. trails--the idea that we are almost always on trails is the giveaway.

Askwith gives us history of the legendary runs, names that become people with the biographical chapters, and, the icing on the cake--he takes us with him on several runs.I suffered his DNF just as I have suffered my own, his introspection echoed the many others I have heard.It sounds trite, but he transposes the reader from the comfort of the warm chair to the cold challenge of a waiting hillside.

Well done, very well done.

Fascinating story about a hidden "sport"
This is a great antidote to all the glamour and money in modern professional sport. A tale of hard men, in a neglected corner, who have done extraordinary things. ... Read more

Product Description
John Ball has written an intimate and inspiring story of his life with Parkinson's disease. Living Well, Running Hard provides the reader with insights into Ball's growth from isolation into a leadership role in the Parkinson's community. His long struggle to understand the disease provides the reader with an in-depth look at the complexities of Parkinson's. His transition is triggered by a childhood desire to run a marathon. His love of running, his desire to take action, and his willingness to take on challenges come together in the formation of Team Parkinson. In spite of his diagnosis, Ball has continued to run the Los Angeles Marathon each of the last ten years, raising more than half a million dollars toward research for a cure. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Upbeat and Hopeful!
My husband, age 67 with Parkinson's, spotted a mention of the author John Ball in his monthly Runner's Magazine. We "googled" John and found this book. Since my husband is a runner he related tremendously with John and was very uplifted by reading his book. This story stresses the benefits of both exercise and community in battling Parkinson's Disease. A good read, especially for anyone interested in running.I am not, but wanted to share the book with my husband. I'm glad I did as John is all about not only hope, but enthusiam for life. ... Read more

Product Description

Product Description
This book has the direct answers to the most frequently asked questions about training for and running a marathon. Author Jeff Galloway knows these questions well, he averages answering over 100 questions a day. Over a million runners have received individual coaching, attended a Galloway running school or retreat, read his books or joined one of his training programs. Answers are loaded with direct, practical information based upon the overwhelming success that Jeff has had in giving advice during his 35+ years of coaching. Areas covered are training, nutrition, motivation, female issues, preparing for race day, race issues, recovery, staying injury free and more. The answers provide thorough information with inspiration. Galloway's training programs experience an over 98% success rate for beginners and veteran runners. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Disappointed with references to other books
As a marathon walker slowly converting to marathon runner, I got this book hoping for thorough answers to common marathon training questions. I did get some answers. However, I was disappointed that many of the answers were simply references to other books by the author. While some of the actual answers were fairly thorough, many were quite short.

New marathoners looking for a quick reference will find some useful information here, but intermediate or advanced runners looking to further their knowledge of the sport would be better off with a more comprehensive book by either Galloway or another respected running expert. I would consider this book a companion to Galloway's other titles. ... Read more

Product Description
A DRM free eBook.

The Good Things You Get from Distance Running
Reaping The Rewards of Distance Running
Positive Body Effects of Distance Running
Things You Can Learn From Distance Running
What is Distance Running?
Getting Set for Distance Running
Training for Distance Running
Training Methods In Distance Running
Building Towards Distance Running
Distance Running: Tools of the Trade
Nutrition And Distance Running
Distance Running – Injuries And Errors
How to Avoid Injury During Distance Running Training
Running The Distance By The Basics
Distance Running – Random Tips
How to Become Successful in Distance Running
Water Intoxication from Distance Running
Post-Distance Running Tips
Women’s Distance Running Apparel: Not Just for Fashion
Ironman Triathlon: Distance Running, Swimming and Biking in One
Crossing Countries in Distance Running
Distance Running And The Marathon
Distance Running and the Olympics
How’s Distance Running for Your Kid?
... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Awful, awful, awful!
This was poorly written and a waste of my time and money.Not only was there no new information, or even new insights from the author, but it seemed as if it was a bad translation with no editing.It felt more like a collection of half thought out blog-posts than anything else. ... Read more

Product Description
Effective running requires fitness and harmony of the body, mind, and spirit. Running Within is your guide to developing each of those areas so that you can perform better, have more fun, and experience a deeper connection with running.

Sport psychologist, best-selling author, and runner Jerry Lynch and physician and elite triathlete Warren Scott provide insights and prescriptions throughout. Among the many useful tools offered in the book are

• goal-setting guidelines,

• relaxation and visualization exercises,

• affirmation-building tips,

• positive ways of dealing with setbacks,

• fatigue and injury-coping methods,

• motivation boosters, and

• prerace and race strategies.

Running Within will help you break through mental barriers, enjoy running more, reach higher levels of performance, and thrive in competition. Learn how to unleash the complete body-mind-spirit runner within you. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Greatest running book ever!
Too many running books focus on things you need to be doing, which granted are important, but this book's emphasis is about relaxing and running because you love it. My speed and enjoyment both increased notably thanks to this book. A must read for every runner!

Masters Runner
Don't let the Tolkien-ish font on the cover throw you.This book is nightly bedtime reading for the focused runner (doesn't hurt before every workout either).Endlessly inspiring, uplifting, focusing.You will become a better runner after reading this book.If you're not a runner, you will want to become one.Thank you, Lynch and Scott, for this work.

Sadly disappointed
If the authors had "Exhibited the Warrior Within", as outlined in the fifth chapter of their book, and engaged self-knowledge, persistence and integrity in writing this book, we may have gotten something worthwhile.They didn't and we didn't.It would seem that there is such a demand for books on running that half-baked scripts get published at the expense of obscuring more qualified efforts.

Two telling examples set the tone of this effort.The authors inaccurately recount a piece of running legend and mysteriously confuse the 1982 Boston Marathon "Duel in the Sun" between Salazar and Beardsley with some prior Bill Rodgers Boston Marathon victory.As I wasn't looking for a book on running history, I tried to ignore this error, but I was left wondering "are these guys really runners?" and whether there was a kernel of truth somewhere in their anecdote.Also: Breathing exercises, body sensing, and relaxation techniques offered by these authors do not appear to be consistent with or as well developed as other more qualified sources.While these are serious considerations and invaluable tools for runners who are interested in "mastering the body-mind-spirit connection", you may be better served by practicing yoga from a qualified source, rather than rely on the "knowledge" of these authors.

Even if you are able to suspend judgement in the light of such failures, the guts of their effort was apparently devoted to the power of affirmations and visualizations.Here too, I was disappointed.For me, affirmations that endure through the battles of fatigue and self-doubt that plague us a some point during most every marathon must call upon the lessons of our personal running experience rather than rely upon borrowed examples of self-deceit (or self-direction as these authors suggest).I would be more satisfied with a process that helped to "conceptualize" those personal running lessons in the form of personally powerful affirmations.I'm sorry, but affirmations such as "I'm tired, yet I know I'm not alone" will be of little help in carrying me to the finish.

I was most intrigued, and by corollary, most disappointed with their effort to cultivate the idea of the "Warrior Within."We have all experienced those fleeting moments during good runs when the magic kicks in and we feel invincible.Any book that helps to achieve and sustain those feelings is worth its retail cover price.This one doesn't and isn't.

Great book
Book was great. Very informative into the relationship between the body and the mind. Must read for spiritual runners.

MUST HAVE !!!!!!!
I just completed my first marathon and don't think I would have finished had I not purchased and read this book. During training, we had "long runs". The night before each long run (in excess of 17 miles) I would read the sections of this book that addressed issues I was likely to face during the following days long run. That helped me tremendously. The book gave me a sense of calm.

There are virtually thousands of books on the market concerning running. Most of those books however don't spend nearly enough time on the most critical aspect which is mental preparedness and toughness. However, this book gives what most trainig books and groups do not..a way to deal with the mental aspects of running.

This book is wonderful because it gives the reader techniques on how to deal with stress, anxiety, pain, disappointments, setbacks injuries, fatigue etc., all from the MENTAL side. I like how the authors make the connection between mind and body. They focus on the mind first and how the mind can often control the body.

I found MANY useful mental exercises from "breathwatching", visualization, dealing with fatigue and disappointments, learning from mistakes etc., Most importantly, the book focuses on the process of running and self discovery and NOT the result. This book helps novice runners like myself enjoy the process, find our own tools that work for us and realize that it is often mind over matter. This book is a must have for those just starting out "marathoning" or for anyone who just wants to enjoy the mental benefits of running and the pleaseure it gives. ... Read more

Product Description
In one source, find out everything you’ve ever wanted to know about running! Written by two of the most popular authors on running, the Running Encyclopedia provides a complete look at the sport’s history, key figures, major events, and primary training theories and terms.

More than 1,000 listings highlight the most influential runners, coaches, races, training methods, and events that shaped the sport into its present-day status. Brush up on concepts such as threshold training, negative splits, and carbo loading, or just enjoy reading about your favorite athlete. You’ll also find more than 100 photographs that capture the history of road racing, including some rarely seen photographs from the early days of the sport. The race accounts, photos, and commentary make you feel as though you were really there.

Turn to the Running Encyclopedia for virtually any topic on running, from historical accounts to running personalities to training philosophies. It’s the one source you can count on to satisfy your thirst for running knowledge. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

This book has ALL the answers!
I'm not a die hard runner and I sure don't know everything about running. So I have questions. This book has been such an EASY reference when a questions pop up. I keep it next to my running log and probably refer to it at least 2 times a week. It gets a big thumbs up from me.

A recommended giftbook for running enthusiasts
Collaboratively compiled and written by Richard Benyo and Joe Henderson, Running Encyclopedia: The Ultimate Source For Today's Runner provides an A to Z listing of all the people, places, things, and ideas that directly or indirectly affect runners and the sport/physical fitness regimen of running today. From age-grading (a system of equalizing runners by age and gender) to Emil Zatopek (arguably the greatest distance runner of all time), the Running Encyclopedia covers just about everything any novice or veteran runner could want to look up. A recommended giftbook for running enthusiasts and a core volume in any personal or professional sports oriented library collection! ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (16)

Get your running shoes on Girls
Very good read...thanks to K Switzer, Women can run with the best of them....inspried me to get my shoes on and go run.

Wonderfully written & very inspiring.
I recommend this book for any women looking for a role model.Or any runner looking for inspiration.Or any person looking for a great book.

A role model, to be sure!
This is the perfect book to give to a female running partner! Reading Kathrine's story of personal and athletic growth was most inspiring. As well as being an honest and insightful autobiography of her personal and athletic growth, the book really lets you in on the world of networking, marketing and how people influence each other. You see how things can get done with a person's determination and focus -- in the business world as well as through the rigors of athletic training. Kathrine tells pretty much her whole story; whatever she has left out was probably appropriate abridgement, because what we see of her seems pretty complete for the purposes of this book. What an adventure it was at the start of women's running! You get a step-by-step unfolding of what it took to get to that excellent moment in 1984, when Joan Benoit crossed the finish line of the first women's marathon in the Olympic Games. Runners will especially enjoy this book, but it will be interesting to anyone who enjoys reading about people who make a postive difference in the world.

A must read for all runners
Kathrine is famous as the first woman to officially run the Boston Marathon (under circumstances of some controversy, back in 1967).After that historic event, she continued a powerful running career, which included winning the 1974 New York City Marathon.Kathrine is furthermore credited as one of the main influencers of the development of competitive distance running for women internationally, including the establishment of the women's marathon as an Olympic event.
This book is Kathrine's story.While that story is a fascinating one for anyone involved in running, it is more than that - it is a source of inspiration for anyone fighting against the odds in similar situations.
However, it is not just the story that makes this book special.It is written in such a casual, enjoyable style that I, for one, could not put it down.Marathon Woman is a must read for anyone who calls himself or herself a runner.
Warwick Ford, Author of "Fun on Foot in New York"

My inspiration!
Katherine Switzer's story truly inspired me to give qualifying for Boston another shot, and this year i trained my heart out and improved my marathon time by over an hour, breaking 3:20 and qualifying for Boston for the first time.I thought of Katherine's story as I ran my marathon and used it to make me stronger all summer long.It is the best book I have ever read, it made me realize anything WAS possible if i trained hard and believed in myself.Thanks Katherine!! ... Read more

Product Description
On March 4, 1928, 199 men lined up in Los Angeles, California, to participate in a 3,400-mile transcontinental footrace to New York City. The Bunion Derby, as the press dubbed the event, was the brainchild of sports promoter Charles C. Pyle. He promised a $25,000 grand prize and claimed the competition would immortalize U.S. Highway Route 66, a 2,400-mile road, mostly unpaved, that subjected the runners to mountains, deserts, mud, and sandstorms, from Los Angeles to Chicago.

The runners represented all walks of American life from immigrants to millionaires, with a peppering of star international athletes included by Pyle for publicity purposes. For eighty-four days, the men participated in this part footrace and part Hollywood production that incorporated a road show featuring football legend Red Grange, food concessions, vaudeville acts, sideshows, a portable radio station, and the world's largest coffeepot sponsored by Maxwell House serving ninety gallons of coffee a day.

Drawn by hopes for a better future and dreams of fame, fortune, and glory, the bunioneers embarked on an exhaustive and grueling journey that would challenge their physical and psychological endurance to the fullest while Pyle struggled to keep his cross-country road show afloat.

"In a wild grab for glory, a cast of nobodies saw hope in the dust: blacks who escaped the poverty and terror of the Old South; first-generation immigrants with their mother tongue thick on their lips; Midwest farm boys with leather-brown tans. These men were the 'shadow runners,' men without fame, wealth, or sponsors, who came to Los Angeles to face the world's greatest runners and race walkers. This was a formidable field of past Olympic champions and professional racers that should have discouraged sane men from thinking they could win a transcontinental race to New York. Yet they came, flouting the odds. Charley Pyle's offer of free food and lodging to anyone who would take up the challenge opened the race to men of limited means. For some, it was a cry from the psyche of no-longer-young men, seeking a last grasp at greatness or a summons to do the impossible. This pulled men on the wrong side of thirty from blue-collar jobs and families."--from the Preface

"No writer 'owns' a swath of history the way Chuck Kastner 'owns' the wildly crazy C. C. Pyle Bunion Derbies. The inaugural race was a truly American epic: from its massive scope to the fact that it was dominated by a handful of second-rate runners who decided there was no future in continuing in the underdog role. Chuck's book makes you want to schedule your next vacation for Route 66, there to relive the zaniness and heroics of 1928."--Rich Benyo, editor, Marathon & Beyond Magazine

"What made Bunion Derby an outstanding read for me is twofold: it is about a piece of American history that is today almost unknown. One web site has a fascinating history of it, and there have been a few articles here and there, but for the most part it has disappeared from written history. Why? There is so much that it represents--the character and strength that was an American virtue; the opportunistic hucksterism that defined this country; individuals conquering extraordinary physical and emotional difficulties, petty jealousies, cheating, political and financial agendas, and creating for themselves a personal challenge that each--whether he dropped out or completed the race--in his own way won. This is one of those books that should be discovered by every reader who appreciates solid research, writing worth reading and a fantastic story. How many ways can I say that it is one every reader of BiblioBuffet should pick up as soon as possible. Bunion Derby has my highest recommendation."--BibioBuffet

"Bunion Derby's narrative arc transcends the academic approach one would expect from a university press."--Philip Damon, on the Peace Corps Writers website

"We think [Bunion Derby] would make a great holiday gift for any of your running or history-minded friends, but get one for yourself, too. It's a great read."--Northwest Runner ... Read more

Customer Reviews (8)

Inspiring
This book is a great story of a footrace and of American history too.If you are a runner, read for certain.If you love history, read for certain.And if you need a story to inspire you to greatness...read for certain.

A gem!
How quickly we forget!I have been a lifelong student of American history and a casual runner for more than 20 years, yet, I had never heard of the 1928 "International Trans-Continental Foot Race," an epic, non-stop, 84-day road race covering 3400 miles from Los Angeles to New York City. By today's "ultra-marathon" standards, such a feat of endurance is inconceivable.

In his delightful book, "Bunion Derby," Charles Kastner has brought this remarkable race and its incredible participants back to life, helping to fulfill race referee Arthur Duffy's prediction that "...some day the public will come to realize that this cross country foot race is one of the greatest athletic achievements of the age."

Organized by sports promoter C.C. Pyle and his partner, football hero "Red" Grange, the race attracted 199 participants who competed for a First Prize of $25,000, a small fortune at the time.Each morning, the runners rolled off their metal cots, ran a race leg of 30-75 miles, scrounged for dinner, fell exhausted onto their cots, and woke up to do the whole thing over.Along the way, they had to overcome freezing temperatures, sprained ankles, bad food, assaults by hit-and-run drivers, and threats of violence against the African-American runners.

Could anyone today even imagine running from Los Angeles through the Mojave Desert, crossing the mountains of northern Arizona, and reaching the New Mexico border in twenty days?Throw infreezing rains, a 7400' elevation gain, and howling head winds and the feat becomes super-human.

Remarkably, 55 of the original 199 starters finished the race, even though many were simply amateur runners or not even runners at all.At least, not when they started.By the end of the race, each of the finishers had proven himself to be one of the most accomplished athletes in human history.

One does not have to be a runner to enjoy Kastner's book.Combining his talents as an author of magazine articles with serious research, he has turned the account of each of the 84 daily legs into a dramatic tale of considerable suspense. In addition, he places the race in the context of 1920s America, emphasizing themes of community boosterism along the new Route 66; the hucksterism and promotional fervor of the fads that swept America; and the wide-open, "can-do" spirit of the decade.Kastner gives special attention to the several African-American competitors and the dark racism they faced as they crossed states in which the Ku Klux Klan reigned.

My hat is off to Mr. Kastner for bringing this event to light and providing us with an entertaining and informative book that will delight anyone who picks it up.

Bunion Derby
What began as a quick browse for me became an adventure.I had expected a book which might appeal to distance runners only (a punishment to which I will never aspire).I found myself rooting for a number of the participants and marveling at their progress.There was little Olli Wanttinen at 4 feet nine inches; how many more steps must he have had to take to match the taller runners' strides.Fifteen-year-old T. Joseph Cotton, eldest of seven siblings, wanted the prize money to help feed his family.Then there was experienced competitor, Charles Hart, who, at age63, was two and three times the ages of most of the racers.

But this is more than just a book about running.Mr. Kastner has done a laudable job of portraying a fascinating, little known facet of American history.It is a literate account of one of the greatest publicity stunts from an age of outrageous stunts - of marathon dancing, goldfish swallowing, and flagpole sitting.There is all the pathos of an America rife with pockets of extreme poverty and hardship, class and color discrimination, optimism and perseverance.

The book is meticulously researched and generously illustrated with archival photographs.Several appendices tantalize with glimpses of future ultra races (post 1928).I hope another book will soon be forthcoming.

A record of determination and perserverence
Ostensibly a book about running - it is concerned with the cross country foot race from Los Angeles to New York in 1928 - it is so much more.It is a slice of American history, our pride and our shame.Runners and walkers from all over the globe were competing for a $25,000 prize - a vast sum in those days.Many who entered did so for the money and what it might do for their families. It didn't matter that so many of these men lacked the training, the support people, and the proper attire for such an endeavor. C.C. Pyle, the promoter of the race, and all the attendant side show foolishness that capped most days of competition, promised food and housing along the way. (The eleven-foot tall coffee pot fastened on a truck chassis, a famous curiosity of the day, followed the racers andserved the runners and staff 90 gallons of coffee a day).

The reality was this:The food Pyle provided was inadequate to such an arduous venture. Lodging was minimal - tents or boxcars barely serving to keep runners out of the worst of the weather. When one of the front runners persisted in publicly complaining about Pyle's lack of sufficient attention to the men, he received a telegram stating that his wife had died.She had, in fact, died several years earlier; the idea was that he would rush home and forget about the race.

The Black runners fared as well, or as poorly, as the rest of the pack until they ran smack into the Jim Crow South.There they were harassed and threatened.Their treatment was referred to by the international runners as "the most disgraceful thing they ever knew anything about."

Kastner has illuminated what was great and what was wrong with America as it was in 1928.Despite the scorching heat of the Mojave, the sleet, the wind, and the altitude of the mountains, the filthy, sweat-soaked clothing and ill-fitting shoes, and threats and humiliation aimed at the Black athletes, 55 men completed the 3,400-mile trek.These men rose to a challenge and would not be daunted.Why did so many put themselves through such an ordeal?As one racer put it, "Every man who finishes such a race is a winner. He has shown strength of heart and purpose, which should uplift him with pride and uplift his children after him."

Bunions are only a small part of the story
This is a beautifully written and well-researched story, and to that extent it is a good book.Chuck and Mary Kastner are friends, and frequent visitors to our Bed & Breakfast, so I won't say any more about the book than "Buy it" you won't be disappointed!

The story on the other hand belongs not only to the book, but to American History.The racers formed a cross-section of American society, with some fascinating foreigners thrown in for good measure.The trials and tribulations of all the runners amazed me and their sheer persistence could not help but become fodder for the story.But more than that the story is of ordinary people whose characters and personalities were forever changed by their phenomenal efforts.When the leaders of the race cross into New York State, there is a gesture by the leading racer which brought tears to my eyes.I leave it to you to buy the book and read the story, and admire these Bunioneers. ... Read more

Product Description
Do you know that more than 32 million Americans took a run in 1998? If you'd like to join millions of people in this exciting sport -- or sharpen your existing skills -- take the first step with Running For Dummies by five-time Olympic medalist Florence "Flo-Jo" Griffith Joyner. This easy-to-understand guide can help you jump-start your running program and give you the confidence to be successful, whether you're running for fitness, fun, or competition.

Running For Dummies shows you the proper ways to stretch and warm up, top-notch workouts for sprinting and distance running, and techniques to fine-tune your form. Find out how to outfit yourself with the best shoes and gear, how to eat to win, and how to sharpen your mental edge. Plus, you discover the top races for beautiful routes, women-only runs, first-time friendly marathons, and great Web sites for runners. Tragically, Florence Griffith Joyner died at the time of this book's publication. A special tribute section is included in Running For Dummies, and a $1.00 contribution is made to The Flo-Jo Memorial Community Empowerment Foundation with every copy sold.Amazon.com Review
As good a primer as Running is, it takes a few momentsto turn the sense of loss attending author Flo-Jo's premature deathinto one of celebration of her accomplishments. Running'striumphant cover and 16-page full-color photographic homage to one oftrack and field's most spectacular presences serve as bridges overthis emotional gap, but, ultimately, it's Flo-Jo's own contagiouspassion and eagerness to share what she knows that kick thiscomprehensive, energetic, and entertaining guide into a truly fittingtribute.

Like a good coach, Flo-Jo works to inspire and nevercondescends; she helps you get started, spurs you on, and then sends youhuffing and puffing on your way. She explains running's physiologicaland emotional benefits in detail (and those of walking, too, if you'reso disposed); introduces you to shoes and equipment; and stresses theimportance of safety and road etiquette, good nutrition, stretching,warming up and cooling down, and, most of all, making sure thatregardless of your health or age to check first with a doctor beforebeginning any serious running program. With the basics in step, sheshoots you into the fast lane with advanced training tips, injurymaintenance and prevention advice, and racing suggestions (how tofind, prepare for, and run them), from local 5Ks on flat courses todemanding international-scale marathons.

In the For Dummiestradition, she ends with a series of top 10 lists. Two of them, takentogether, nicely capture the essence of Flo-Jo as hard-nosedcompetitor and elegant personality: More Than Ten Ways to Sharpen YourMental Edge and Ten Beautiful Races. For Flo-Jo, victory andaesthetics were just two legs of the same race. --JeffSilverman ... Read more

Customer Reviews (9)

Good info
I bought the gift for my sister-in-law for xmas.She is becoming a track coach in the spring time, but has never coached before, so i thought it would be funny to get for her.I looked the book over and it does have a lot of good information.Being a runner and a cross country coach I thought it had really good info for a beginner.

An informative find
Back when I was in high school, Florence Griffith-Joyner was a huge inspiration for me.Since I was also a sprinter on the track team, that makes sense.After high school, I fell out of the habits I had followed and eventually abandoned them.Now I am older, and wiser, and I would like to get back into the walking/jogging routine.This is an EXCELLENT book to use as a refresher or as a starter.Flo-Jo has really wonderful tips and leads you every step of the way.No matter what fitness level you are at, this is a must if you are considering walking/jogging and/or running.

The Basic Running Book
At first I bought this book for my research project for my English class. I chose running as my topic and eventually this book helped me much.
I am personally a noob at running but just think to start it. After reading this book, I know many things i didn't.
I also read many other running book. They are somewhat not easy to be understood, unlike this book. Though running for dummies gives just general explanation, it's simple and easy to understand, especially for the amateur runners.

A good book if you never ran
I found this book extremely helpful when I first started exercising.If you have never run before, I believe you will find it helpful.It is a novice book, but we all have to start somewhere!

Good overall, especially for Flo-Jo fans
This is a great buy if you are a Flo Jo fan.

For everybody else, this is a typical dummies book, it covers all the major areas of a subject, but it by no means comprehensive or in-depth. As with most dummies book, I recommend them for those looking for a quick introduction/reference to a topic. ... Read more

Product Description
Paul VI High School dominated boys’ scholastic cross-country in South Jersey over a span of 20 years. From 1980 through 1999, Paul VI was voted the number one boys’ cross-country team in South Jersey an unprecedented 15 times, including 11 straight seasons encompassing the years 1980 through 1990.

Customer Reviews (6)

If you ran for or against Paul VI, you will really enjoy this book.
The first thing that jumps out at you with this book is the tremendous effort in research that went into writing it.It is a fantastic book, that based on my time at Paul VI, is very accurate and well presented.I especially appreciated the summaries of the track seasons that corresponded with each Cross Country season.If you ran for Paul VI you will really enjoy this. If you ran for one the many schools that competed against Paul VI, especially during the 80's and early 90's, I think you would enjoy it as well. I imagine a lot of runners probably wondered what it was like to run for a team that could get 40 kids to come out for the team and was so successful.This book really gives you insight into what it was like to run at Paul VI.

A Must Read for Paul VI Cross Country Alumni
Jim Enright chronicles Paul VI Cross Country's swift rise and ultimate decline."The Streak" should be read by anyone ever involved with the program.It is more than a "glory days" retrospective.The book reveals that the success many may attribute to a cult of coaching personality or a special pool of skinny Catholic kid talent, was in fact the product of a system implemented by Mike Glavin and certain subsequent coaches that involved ravenous in-house recruitment, fostering intense intra-squad competition, an uncompromising commitment to hard work, very high individual and team goal-setting and a sort of "professionalism" toward other teams.DeJoseph and others play the lead roles but the Tom Donnellys of the world steal the show and are the over-achieving poster children for successful Paul VI Cross Country squads.Readers may also be interested in "Coaching Cross Country Successfully" by Joe Newton, Published by Human Kinetics (1998).

Excellent book: inspirational and accurate
"The Streak" details the 27-year winning streak of the Paul VI cross country team.It is an inspirational sports story, not just for runners but for anyone who likes a good underdog story.And as a member of the team from 1985-88, I can tell you that it's VERY accurate: the descriptions of guys like Mike Glavin, Ron Faith, & Jason DiJoseph, and of the program in general, are right on.And it doesn't focus only on the individual standouts; it describes the growth (and sadly, the decline) of the team as the years went on."The Streak" includes not just the statistics, but many of the good stories associated with the program (and they are many).Mr. Enright's writing style brought me right back to the days of the grueling training runs & nail-biter races.I strongly recommend "The Streak", especially to runners.And if you were involved with the program, I encourage you to read not just the chapters of your own "era"--read it all, chronologically.It's a great story of a legendary, classy program.

Run Right Out & Read about the Eagles!
This is a wonderful story about generations of ordinary kids who did something extraordinary - maintain a Cross Country Dynasty for 28 years. There were some elite runners on the team at different points in time, like Jason DeJoseph, but most were just kids with fire in the belly and pride in their team. This isn't just a book for the die-hard harrier, but for anyone who roots for the underdog to win against often overwhelming odds. The best part of the story is that these kids formed a brotherhood that transcended their years on the team and bonds them to this day.

Very Disappointing
Being a current Paul VI senior, I was very curious to read about the history of the cross country streak.However, this book provided very little information on the historical years of the streak other than statistics.Instead, the author seems to treat the streak as his own, despite only coaching the team for 4 years.It would be far better if he downplayed his own role, and wrote more about the runners and gave them credit for running as part of the prestigious program.Instead, he goes so far as to insult members of the team, and praises his own coaching skills.The book is not about the historical cross country streak, but is instead a biased account praising the author rather than the program or the students.The idea makes for a great book, but the execution here is poor at best. ... Read more

Product Description

Customer Reviews (3)

a nice book about the history and status of Chicago Marathon
After having finished 2 times Chicago half marathon this and last year, I also ran this year's Chicago Marathon. With my impressive feeling during and after running, I became very interested in the history, status and some background story of Chicago marathon. I borrowed this book from the Chicago Public Library and read it. It is a very nice book covering all aspect of the marathon itself, including the history, the race director, sponsorship, government support, charities and media, and more interesting the runners. I found a lot of informationbehind the scene. Mr. Suozzo did a lot of interviews and provided many first-hand evidence of why and how the Chicago Marathon are continually becoming popular as one of the major marathon in the world.

This book is particularly informative for people, like myself, who have run Chicago marathon. However, it is not a training book with no technical guidances of how to train and run Chicago Marathon.

Treasure trove of information...
A facinating look, often behind the scenes, of this world famous race. A must read for anyone that has run Chicago or is contemplating it.

It's not what you think
Good book for those who live in Chicago and want to learn the history of the marathon.As a first timer running Chicago, I thought it would give me course insight, running strategies and what to expect running the marathon. it wasn't this type of book.I returned it. ... Read more