Once A Runner by John L. Parker

Image from amazon.com

Technically this book doesn't get released until April 7. But I'm awesome so I got a copy early. :-D

I heard about this book from @SteveRunner over at Phedippations podcast last Fall while training for my marathon. He said that he has a 1st edition copy and no one will be able to pry that book out of his hands. He raved about it so much that I looked for it online. Found that it's an out-of-print book and is very expensive to buy!

Then on the next episode he had said that someone told him that a new edition was being release and it's currently available at Fleet Feet stores. Well, I knew I was heading down to St. Louis in October where the stores are much easier to get to (as opposed to here where the closest is Chicago). I went in and there were like 5 hardback copies sitting right there on the front table. I grabbed one.

I started reading it but it didn't catch on to me. I came back to DeKalb and tried reading it some more, thinking this will be GREAT motivation for me and my marathon training. Well, even after a few chapters I still didn't get it. It sat on my nightstand, not picked up for WEEKS.

During my mother's surgery, I took another book with me and read that thing while waiting; start to finish. Now THAT was a book I got into. So I knew I hadn't lost my love of reading. But I knew I wouldn't finish even half Once A Runner book in the 5 hours.

Finally, I decided that I *must* finish this book. I eventually got halfway through it and it finally started to click. Ahhh, I get it!! I'm starting to understand how he writes now; I'm starting to feel the characters; I started to see the point of the book/story. Still, I could only read a chapter a night though.

I attended a running group get-together and 2 people were talking about the book. I told them I own it and am about 75% of the way through it. They were asking me how I liked it and I hated to disappoint them but I told them that I am not liking it. They were shocked of course but it was the truth. We all have heard so many runners proclaim that this the most awesome book and OMG you MUST read it, blah blah blah. So hearing a runner say that they didn't like it, must have been something else.

But then I read a blog. And it wasn't just any blog. It was from an Editor of Runner's World Magazine. He agreed with me! Well, not me per se, but with my views of the book. I felt validated!! And some of the commenters felt the same way. One also mentioned how the book sat on their nightstand! It wasn't just me!

I did eventually finish it. And to be honest, I don't know how I feel about reading his other book Again to Carthage. I might borrow it but we'll see if I buy it. I read UltraMarathon Man by Dean Karnazes and that was a book I could get into! I'm looking forward to reading his 50/50 book one day.

But I will end with some nice things to say about it: The author did explain very accurately about the experiences of a runner and how they feel during the run, what's going on in their mind, pushing their body to the extremes, their lungs burning, muscles screaming. What should be a 4 minute fast mile took forever to read and the author wrote about each lap but that's exactly what goes on in a runner's mind. A fast run could feel like forever if your muscles are telling you to stop torturing them! There was a little bit of a love story mixed it but it was so unimportant, I wonder if it was really even needed? To answer my own question: maybe to make the characters feel more human but it was a very poorly written relationship that I felt nothing for them, together or separate.

As with everything, take my review with a grain of salt. :-)

Run Update: I did in fact run tonight but it was just 3 miles, on the treadmill at the YMCA. I heard & felt a weird pop in my right knee and then pain. I also felt this same pain in the same knee while walking in my hallway on Tuesday night. My leg actually buckled and I said outloud "What the f*ck was that?" A little worried but I'll still run Thursday and see how it goes. Nothing to get too concerned about it just yet.

Categories: aches and pains, books