FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
A RACE LIKE NO OTHER:
26.2 Miles Through the Streets of New York
by Liz Robbins
HarperCollins
ON SALE TODAY
An exhilarating mile-by-mile account of the New York City Marathon,
bringing to life all the spectacle, drama, pain, and glory of the first
Sunday in November.
"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."
--The New York Times Book Review, Benjamin Cheever
"In her thrilling first book, Liz Robbins shows us clearly why the marathon
is the most punishing and fascinating discipline in sports. Far more than a
treacherously rigged golf course or a steep mountain, the marathon is the
sternest test of all. In A Race Like No Other, Robbins captures the majesty
and cruelty of this ancient challenge. To paraphrase that first marathoner,
Pheidippides, 'Rejoice! Robbins is victorious!'"
--Jeremy Schaap, New York Times bestselling author of Cinderella Man and
Triumph
"The New York City Marathon is one of the nation's premier sporting events,
and Liz Robbins reveals its unique story in riveting detail. A Race Like No
Other takes us on a wonderful journey through the streets of New York,
telling the compelling stories of people we know – and people we don't
know. It's a fun trip, all 26.2 miles of it."
--Christine Brennan, USA Today columnist, author of Best Seat in the House
"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 T imes 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
"A vivid, winning portrait of the New York City Marathon, now the largest
in the world with nearly 40,000 participants. "It's like a Cecil B. DeMille
movie because it's on such a huge, epic scale," said one former winner.
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]
"A Race Like No Other provides a wealth of colorful detail about the
marathon's history, its volunteers and the millions of spectators who line
the streets of New York and 'turn the Marathon into the largest annual
tailgate party that not even college football, NFL, or NASCAR can top.'"
--The New York Post
"With the lyricism and sensibility of a cinematographic poet, Robbins
glides through the 26 .2 miles of the 2007 New York City Marathon like an
Altman or Welles tracking shot. In her montage of human spirit, we
sweepingly survey the character of the landscape mile by mile, zooming in
to reveal the joy and suffering behind runners' strides, then back out to
establish context and associate culture and history. No artifice or
schmaltz-this is poetry for runners; pulsing and energizing in its
immediacy, and as raw and persistent as its subject. Welcome stylistic
departures, highly recommended for public libraries, where [it] will
inspire readers to lace up their running shoes."
--Library Journal
When 39,265 competitors thunder over the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge to begin
the 2007 New York City Marathon, they experience one of the most thrilling
moments in sports. But grueling challenges await them, as they cross five
towering bridges and five distinct boroughs, carried 26.2 miles by the
cheers of two million fans and by their own indomitable wills.
Acclaimed sportswriter Liz Robbins captures the enormity of the famed race
by interweaving the stories of a handful of professional and amateur
runners: former champion Hendrick Ramaala from South Africa; Great
Britain's world-record holder and new mother Paula Radcliffe; Latvian-born
two-time winner Jelena Prokopcuka; a young cancer survivor running his
first marathon; and a recovering alcoholic and mother of three who was in
jail the last marathon Sunday.
A quirky supporting cast includes the two men who have run every New York
City Marathon since 1976 and the many volunteers, fans, and musicians who
contribute to the day's festivities. Enlivening the history of the race
with stories of legends like the charismatic late founder, Fred Lebow, and
nine-time champion Grete Waitz, A Race Like No Other provides a curbside
seat to the inspirational spectacle that is the world's largest marathon.
The book's publication coincides with the 2008 New York City Marathon,
scheduled for November 2, 2008.
LIZ ROBBINS has been a sportswriter for sixteen years, the last eight at
The New York Times, covering Olympic track and field, tennis, and the
N.B.A. She lives in New York City, where she frequents the running trails
in Central Park.
To purchase a copy of A RACE LIKE NO OTHER, please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0061373133/serioussportscom
or visit any bookseller.
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