26.2 Marathon Stories

by Switzer, Kathrine; Robinson, Roger

• ISBN13: 9781594863301
• ISBN10: 159486330X
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2006-04-18
• Publisher: Rodale Books

Summary

"Hot on the heels of the world's most popular independent athletic competition, authors Kathrine Switzer and Roger Robinson take the full measure of the marathon race - an epic distance that has immortalized heroes, ignited scandals and created a multi-billion-dollar shoe industry. In 26.2 informative and entertaining chapters, they trace the history of this solitary endurance feat and its current place in contemporary popular culture." "Incredible photography takes readers out on the road as marathoners from around the world prepare themselves for their 26.2 miles of glory. These powerful images capture the endless hours of practice, the grueling physical pace and the overwhelming rush of crossing the finish line."--BOOK JACKET.

Author Biography

KATHRINE SWITZER is best known for pioneering the official entrance of women into the marathon in the late 1960s. Winner of the 1974 New York City Marathon, she has finished 35 marathons. An Emmy Award-winning commentator who has covered important running events from the Boston and New York City marathons to the Olympics and Goodwill Games, she is the author of Running and Walking for Women Over 40.  She and her husband, Roger Robinson, split their time between Wellington, New Zealand, and New York.


ROGER ROBINSON, has represented both England and New Zealand in World Championships and has set marathon records for his age group in Boston, New York, Canberra, and Vancouver. He is a professor at Victoria University in New Zealand.

Table of Contents

Prelude to the Race	14	(8)
The Starting Line	22	(8)
Out of the Gate	30	(6)
Olympic Distance	36	(12)
Mapping the Course	48	(8)
Motivations	56	(6)
Heroes 1896--1956	62	(6)
Training	68	(8)
Running for Your Life	76	(10)
Joining the Race	86	(12)
The Pack	98	(6)
Sidelines	104	(14)
Halfway	118	(4)
Run the World	122	(24)
Gear	146	(10)
Ritual and Religion	156	(8)
Shortcuts	164	(6)
The Body in Question	170	(6)
The Story of a Word	176	(8)
Heroes 1956--1982	184	(6)
The Course and the Cause	190	(8)
The Agony	198	(6)
Time	204	(8)
Out of the Rift Valley	212	(8)
Souvenirs	220	(8)
Heroes 1982--2003	228	(6)
The Ecstasy	234	(10)
Index, Sources, Picture Credits, Acknowledgments	244