Overview

Amateur ultra-distance runner Robin Harvie ran his first marathon after a bet. He has never broken a record and has never won a single race in his life. Like most people, his courtship with long-distance running was graduala leisurely pastime that became more alluring with every completed mile. In The Lure of Long Distances Harvie elegantly blends the history of running legends with memoir to explore where simply putting one foot in front of the other can lead. His feats culminate in an effort to run the toughest footrace in the worlda non-stop 152-mile-long race of mythological proportions from Athens to Sparta. With every mile he discovers the possibility that resides in his legs, is surprised by his own reckless inhibition, and is awed by the beauty of motion. Through the scorching heat of the desert and into the darkest hours of the morning, The Lure of Long Distances taps into the attraction to long-distance running. Why do we do it, and who has done it before? Do we run to escape the routine of everyday life, or are we motivated by the promise of returning home? This is a story for anyone who has ever laced up a pair of sneakers in search of release, of how an ordinary man took on the remarkable to find out what running is really made of.

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9781610390200

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Reviews

Dean Karnazes, ultramarathoner and New York Times bestselling author Every runner has a story, and Robin Harvie's is one of the most remarkable I've ever encountered. [ The Lure of Long Distances ] is brilliantly written, deeply emotional, raw and honest. Robin scrapes away the superficial dermis and offers a rare glimpse into the mindset and motivation of a long-distance runner. Joyce Carol Oates An astonishing memoir. It will make all who are drawn to running feel stirrings of true excitement. Philip Hoare An intensely personal journey, woven with philosophy, history, and pain. Robin Harvie's debut is by turns compulsive, challenging, and ultimately rewarding. Guardian (UK) , April 17, 2011 A paean to the transformative effect of pushing your body way beyond your imagined limits.... There is much to enjoy in this erudite, literary memoir. Independent (UK) , April 17, 2011 Where the book truly excels is in its depiction of Harvie's internal landscape. He largely shuns training tips and inspirational advice in favor of a true memoirist's tone, exploring the reasons why he runs - grief, ambition, boredom - with an almost brutal honesty. These passages are as moving as they are illuminating.... This is a memoir for anyone who has ever dreamed about reaching the outer limits of what they're capable of.

"Dean Karnazes, ultramarathoner and New York Times bestselling author ""Every runner has a story, and Robin Harvie's is one of the most remarkable I've ever encountered. [The Lure of Long Distances] is brilliantly written, deeply emotional, raw and honest. Robin scrapes away the superficial dermis and offers a rare glimpse into the mindset and motivation of a long-distance runner."" Joyce Carol Oates ""An astonishing memoir. It will make all who are drawn to running feel stirrings of true excitement."" Philip Hoare ""An intensely personal journey, woven with philosophy, history, and pain. Robin Harvie's debut is by turns compulsive, challenging, and ultimately rewarding."" Guardian (UK), April 17, 2011""A paean to the transformative effect of pushing your body way beyond your imagined limits... There is much to enjoy in this erudite, literary memoir."""

<p>Dean Karnazes, ultramarathoner and New York Times bestselling author<br> Every runner has a story, and Robin Harvie's is one of the most remarkable I've ever encountered. [ The Lure of Long Distances ] is brilliantly written, deeply emotional, raw and honest. Robin scrapes away the superficial dermis and offers a rare glimpse into the mindset and motivation of a long-distance runner. <br>Joyce Carol Oates<br> An astonishing memoir. It will make all who are drawn to running feel stirrings of true excitement. <br>Philip Hoare<br> An intensely personal journey, woven with philosophy, history, and pain. Robin Harvie's debut is by turns compulsive, challenging, and ultimately rewarding. <p> Guardian (UK), April 17, 2011 A paean to the transformative effect of pushing your body way beyond your imagined limits.... There is much to enjoy in this erudite, literary memoir. <br> Independent (UK), April 17, 2011 Where the book truly excels is in its depiction of Harvie's internaln

<p> Every runner has a story, and Robin Harvie's is one of the most remarkable I've ever encountered. [ The Lure of Long Distances ] is brilliantly written, deeply emotional, raw and honest. Robin scrapes away the superficial dermis and offers a rare glimpse into the mindset and motivation of a long-distance runner. --Dean Karnazes, ultramarathoner and New York Times bestselling author<br><br> An astonishing memoir. It will make all who are drawn to running feel stirrings of true excitement. --Joyce Carol Oates<br><br> An intensely personal journey, woven with philosophy, history, and pain. Robin Harvie's debut is by turns compulsive, challenging, and ultimately rewarding. --Philip Hoare

Author Information

p class=""BM-TXT""Robin Harvie ran his first marathon in 2000 after a bet. When he realized he couldn't run 26.2 miles in under 3 hours 12 minutes, despite years of trying, he decided instead to see how far he could run before keeling over. In preparation for the toughest and oldest footrace on earth he ran 6,000 miles in one year, including the Round Rotherham 50 mile ultra, the Sri Chinmoy Transcendental 100 kilometer ultra marathon, in which he came fourth, and the 72 mile Bob Graham Round in the Lake District. He lives in London.

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