Overview

"""A Race Like No Other"" is a narrative based on the November 4, 2007 race, but it is timeless in its themes. Acclaimed ""New York Times"" sportswriter Liz Robbins captures the enormity of the New York City Marathon through the prism of five representative athletes and the experiences that brought them to the starting line: one male and one female professional runner from overseas, both of whom have won this race previously; a recovering alcoholic and mother of three who was in jail last Marathon Sunday; a cancer survivor running for charity to follow a growing trend; and, a first-timer who wants to check a marathon off the list of life goals.Woven into the narrative will be supporting characters: fixtures like 65-year-old Tucker Andersen, who has run the five-borough race every year since 1976, and John Codiglia, police chief of the 10th precinct, who entertains runners with his bullhorn as he stands on Central Park South near the finish. Flashes of history will amplify the present and provide insight into the neighborhoods and the people who have made the race into the phenomenon it is today: the race's charismatic founder, Fred Lebow; Grete Waitz, the Norwegian-born runner who won it a record nine times; Vic Navarra, a retired firefighter who has directed the start in Staten Island for three decades and is dying of cancer; and, Mary Wittenberg, the chief executive of the New York Road Runners Association, who has vaulted the organisation to international prominence."

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9780061373138

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Reviews

One of the great pleasures of running the Marathon for me was being among the masses of people. Thousand of personal stories drive runners to compete in New York each year. With the touch of a gifted storyteller, Liz Robbins brings to life the faces in the crowd, and draws the reader right into this amazing race. -- Grete Waitz, nine-time winner of the New York City Marathon

Lace up your sneakers and take a run like no other. Liz Robbins has written a poignant, fast-paced profile of a world-class event that is more than just a sports story. It's a rare view behind the city scenes and an inspirational look into the souls of athletes - from the pros to the plodders - revealing why they are so driven and yet so human. A heart-pounding read from start to finish. --Jeremy Schaap, New York Times bestselling author of Cinderella Man and Triumph

One of the great pleasures of running the Marathon for me was being among the masses of people. Thousand of personal stories drive runners to compete in New York each year. With the touch of a gifted storyteller, Liz Robbins brings to life the faces in the crowd, and draws the reader right into this amazing race. --Christine Brennan, USA Today columnist, author of Best Seat in the House

Whether you have run the New York City Marathon or not, or even any marathon, you will likely be inspired and encouraged by the stories in A Race Like No Other. --Boulder Daily Camera An engrossing, edifying and moving chronicle of a day in the life of the marathon and its participants....[Robbins] is a master of her craft: she deftly combines historical fact with creative interpretation, statistics and time-splits with detailed description....A Race Like No Other is a satisfying read for many reasons, not least because Robbins' writing is fluid and engaging, and she offers an unprecedented inside look at the storied event. --BookPage Robbins, a sportswriter for The New York Times, has packed her book with scrumptious details...If the written word still has any force, then this book could take on talismanic power, like the medal or the Mylar cape that every finisher receives. --New York Times Book Review Robbins's absorbing book...finds its stride....A Race Like No Other gets closer to this marathon than an avenue railbird, and it leaves impressions not fleeting, but lasting. --Sports Illustrated I found this fabulous history of the New York City Marathon fascinating because Robbins brings to life the incredible pressures runners are under, as well as explaining their training methods and introducing us to their intense rivalries and friendships....Whether you're a runner or a couch potato, this will make you at the very least want to watch the marathon, armed with a sense of what each and every mile means to the thousands of competitors who run them. --Penthouse One of the world's great races finally has its own biography, and it's as wacky, entertaining, and beguiling as the Big Apple itself. If you had no interest in 'running New York' beforehand, this book will definitely change your mind. --John L. Parker, author of Once a Runner and Again to Carthage If you can't make the trek from Fort Wadsworth to Central Park, and can't get there to watch it in person, this new account of the world's biggest marathon is the next best source of inspiration. --The Advocate This book brings the race alive, detailing the running of the 2007 Marathon through the stories of the runners themselves...You won't stop reading 'til they've crossed the finish line. --Best Health Magazine Robbins, a sportswriter for The New York Times, has packed her book with scrumptious details If the written word still has any force, then this book could take on talismanic power, like the medal or the Mylar cape that every finisher receives. --New York Times Book Review Robbins s absorbing book...finds its stride....A Race Like No Other gets closer to this marathon than an avenue railbird, and it leaves impressions not fleeting, but lasting. --Sports Illustrated I found this fabulous history of the New York City Marathon fascinating because Robbins brings to life the incredible pressures runners are under, as well as explaining their training methods and introducing us to their intense rivalries and friendships .Whether you re a runner or a couch potato, this will make you at the very least want to watch the marathon, armed with a sense of what each and every mile means to the thousands of competitors who run them. --Penthouse This book brings the race alive, detailing the running of the 2007 Marathon through the stories of the runners themselves...You won t stop reading til they ve crossed the finish line. --Best Health Magazine Robbins, who covers sports for the New York Times, offers a vivid, winning portrait of the New York City Marathon, now the largest in the world with nearly 40,000 participants. Taking the 2007 race mile by mile, Robbins profiles each of the principal elite runners, including their training regimens and personal stories; describes each mile s particular features; limns a large cast of supporting characters, from an aid-station volunteer to a gospel choir that performs inspirational music for the marathoners on the eighth mile; and gives an good overview of how the event is organized. Along the way, Robbins conveys an intimate sense of the physical demands the race places on the body, all the while building suspense-though we know the winners-that s the equal of a good action movie. A quality piece of journalism from start to finish. --Booklist (starred review) If you can t make the trek from Fort Wadsworth to Central Park, and can t get there to watch it in person, this new account of the world s biggest marathon is the next best source of inspiration. --The Advocate An engrossing, edifying and moving chronicle of a day in the life of the marathon and its participants. [Robbins] is a master of her craft: she deftly combines historical fact with creative interpretation, statistics and time-splits with detailed description .A Race Like No Other is a satisfying read for many reasons, not least because Robbins writing is fluid and engaging, and she offers an unprecedented inside look at the storied event. --BookPage Whether you have run the New York City Marathon or not, or even any marathon, you will likely be inspired and encouraged by the stories in A Race Like No Other. --Boulder Daily Camera Lace up your sneakers and take a run like no other. Liz Robbins has written a poignant, fast-paced profile of a world-class event that is more than just a sports story. It s a rare view behind the city scenes and an inspirational look into the souls of athletes from the pros to the plodders revealing why they are so driven and yet so human. A heart-pounding read from start to finish. --Sally Jenkins, Washington Post columnist, author of The Real All-Americans and co-author of the New York Times bestselling It's Not About the Bike One of the great pleasures of running the Marathon for me was being among the masses of people. Thousand of personal stories drive runners to compete in New York each year. With the touch of a gifted storyteller, Liz Robbins brings to life the faces in the crowd, and draws the reader right into this amazing race. --Grete Waitz, nine-time winner of the New York City Marathon One of the world s great races finally has its own biography, and it s as wacky, entertaining, and beguiling as the Big Apple itself. If you had no interest in running New York beforehand, this book will definitely change your mind. --John L. Parker, author of Once a Runner and Again to Carthage Lace up your sneakers and take a run like no other. Liz Robbins has written a poignant, fast-paced profile of a world-class event that is more than just a sports story. It's a rare view behind the city scenes and an inspirational look into the souls of athletes - from the pros to the plodders - revealing why they are so driven and yet so human. A heart-pounding read from start to finish. --Sally Jenkins, Washington Post columnist, author of The Real All-Americans and co-author of the New York Times bestselling It's Not About the Bike One of the great pleasures of running the Marathon for me was being among the masses of people. Thousand of personal stories drive runners to compete in New York each year. With the touch of a gifted storyteller, Liz Robbins brings to life the faces in the crowd, and draws the reader right into this amazing race. --Grete Waitz, nine-time winner of the New York City Marathon Robbins, who covers sports for the New York Times, offers a vivid, winning portrait of the New York City Marathon, now the largest in the world with nearly 40,000 participants. Taking the 2007 race mile by mile, Robbins profiles each of the principal elite runners, including their training regimens and personal stories; describes each mile's particular features; limns a large cast of supporting characters, from an aid-station volunteer to a gospel choir that performs inspirational music for the marathoners on the eighth mile; and gives an good overview of how the event is organized. Along the way, Robbins conveys an intimate sense of the physical demands the race places on the body, all the while building suspense-though we know the winners-that's the equal of a good action movie. A quality piece of journalism from start to finish. --Booklist (starred review)

Author Information

A sportswriter for seventeen years--the last nine at the New York Times--Liz Robbins has covered marathons, the Olympics, tennis, and the NBA. She lives in New York City and frequents the running trails of Central Park.

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