Title/Author:
“26.2
Miles to Boston: A Journey into the Heart of the Boston Marathon” by Michael
Connelly
Tags:
Running,
Marathon, Boston, History
Publish date:
March 18,
2014
Length:
296 pages
Rating:
5 of 5
stars (outstanding)
Review:
The Boston
Marathon is considered THE premier event that runners of all abilities set as a
goal – if he or she can complete Boston, then that is one of the top
achievements one can complete. There is a lot of interesting history along the
course of this road race, and this race is chronicled in a terrific book by
Michael Connelly.
However,
there is an interesting twist to this book in that Connelly does not give a
chronological history of the race.
Instead, he follows the course from Hopkinton to Boston, with each
chapter covering one mile of the course.
The last two chapters cover the last 385 yards of the race (the extra
distance added to a marathon race) but in two different ways. One of the chapters tells of the stories of
exhaustion, exhilaration and agony that runners have once they view the finish
line. The other chapter on this portion is about the 2013 bombing and the
stories that runners, spectators, responders and race officials have about
those terrifying minutes.
In each
chapter, he describes the terrain, turns and atmosphere of the mile. The reader feels the agony of climbing
Heartbreak Hill on Mile 20, the ear-splitting screams of encouragement from the
women of Wellesley College on Mile 12 and the drop-off of 165 feet as the
runners move onto the town of Ashland in Mile 2. By describing these and other unique features
of the course, the reader feels like he or she is traveling along the course
and can imagine how the runners must feel while traversing that mile.
Of course,
the book wouldn’t be complete without stories about the runners themselves, and
there are plenty that are interspersed in each chapter along with the course
description. These stories cover the
entire 117 year history of the event and include some of the best-known runners from
Boston Marathon lore. There is seven-time champion Clarence Demar, whose story
of running is told in Mile 2. John “The
Elder” Kelley, one of the more popular runners to ever run the event, has a
very good story of trying to bait another runner when battling for the lead in
Mile 6.
The
thrilling finish in 1982 between Alberto Salazar and Dick Beardsley is also
replayed in Mile 6. Not every story told
necessarily takes place at that point on the course, but they all are woven
together in the chapters seamlessly. Readers will be able to still follow the course, but will at the same
time have their emotions tested as the stories are mixtures of joy, heartbreak,
sadness and redemption.
In short,
everything that makes a runner want to get out and put one foot in front of the
other is captured in this book and it makes for a terrific read for runners,
spectators or anyone who just is interested in this annual event.
Did I skim?
No
Pace of the book:
Very good. The format aided in making this a faster
read, although it wasn’t too fast with the insertion of personal stories in the
middle of the description of the terrain and makeup of the particular mile.
Do I recommend?
Yes. Whether the reader is a runner, is interested
in the history of the Boston Marathon or enjoys personal stories of triumph,
this book will be a fine choice.
Book Format Read:
E-book
(Nook)
Buying links:
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