Running Titles

The classic account of an unforgettable endurance test, now updated with a new introduction. The 1989 Ironman World Championship was the greatest race ever in endurance sports. In a spectacular duel that became known as the Iron War, the world's two strongest athletes raced side by side at world-record pace for a grueling 139 miles. Driven by one of the fiercest rivalries in triathlon, Dave Scott and Mark Allen raced shoulder to shoulder through Ironman's 2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike race, and 26.2-mile marathon. After 8 punishing hours, both men would demolish the previous record—and cross the finish line a mere 58 seconds apart. In Iron War, sports journalist Matt Fitzgerald writes a riveting epic about how Allen and Scott drove themselves and each other through the most awe-inspiring race in sports history. Iron War goes beyond the pulse-pounding race story to offer a fascinating exploration of the lives of the world's two toughest men and their unquenchable desire to succeed. Weaving an examination of mental resolve into a gripping tale of athletic adventure, Iron War is a soaring narrative of two champions and the paths that led to their stunning final showdown.

The Ultraman Triathlon, one of the most remarkable endurance races in the world, is a three-day, 320-mile race that circumnavigates the Big Island of Hawaii. With only 40 competitors allowed in each year, this invitation-only event hosts some of the most superlative athletes on the planet. The Race Within discusses the 30-year history of the sport and race director Jane Bockus, former Pan Am flight attendant who has never done a triathlon, yet has dedicated herself to keeping the event true to its founding spirit for decades. This book follows Jane, her assistants, and a small cast of athletes through an entire year—from the end of the 2012 Ultraman to the 2013 event—and shows how they faced new challenges to the growth and well-being of the event, and were forced to question if old traditions could survive in a world of constantly-evolving sports entertainment. Granted full access to the race and the athletes, author Jim Gourley presents a look at this unique event and examines what it means to truly love sports.

Offering an inside look at the most famous marathon in the world, this exploration traces the Boston Marathon's 26.2-mile route from the starting line on narrow Main Street in Hopkinton to the Boylston Street finish line in downtown Boston, bringing to life the history, personalities, pivotal moments, and individual character of each city the race traverses. The Boston Marathon includes well-researched briefs on topics including Metcalf's Mill at Ashland, the unmarked starting point of the first race in 1897, the infamous 1967 battle over Kathrine Switzer's attempt to compete five years before women were allowed, and other vital race-day elements. The book also includes a tribute to the victims of the tragic 2013 bombing near the finish line. This is a supremely entertaining glimpse at the history of the greatest running event in the world—from wacky entrants to hard-fisted managers, tortured disappointments, and glorious triumph.

<P style="BORDER-TOP-COLOR: ; BORDER-LEFT-COLOR: ; BORDER-BOTTOM-COLOR: ; MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt; BORDER-RIGHT-COLOR: ">Have you ever thought about running a 5K naked or getting the all-time biggest marathon finisher’s medal? How about running five miles while eating a dozen donuts or chugging down a few beers? Or maybe you’d prefer running a half marathon in paradise or a 5K dressed as a gorilla? Whatever your dreams, runner and traveler Denise Malan has written the perfect book for everybody who is searching for America’s greatest—and craziest—running adventures: the races that all enthusiasts should seriously consider running before they die. She gives the inside scoop on 200 truly unique races around the United States, covering distances from one mile to ultramarathon.