In the middle to late 1950s, I lived in the Brewster Projects that were infested with gang activities. In order to survive being beat up, you were encouraged to participate or be a part of a gang. There were two things I was good at; fighting was one, and running was the other. Both got me out of some tough situations. The Brewster Project recreation center was right in the area of the Brewster's twelve-story apartment buildings populated by a gang called the Russians. I spent a lot of time at the center, which was a short distance from my house. I learned to swim there, took boxing there, even learned to ice skate there. The Russians was to many to fight; running was my best option until I joined the baby Russians. The school I attended was in the area of the gang called the Angels. I eventually found myself being a part of both gangs. Running and ducking allowed me to escape being found out until my family moved out of the area. Running kept me out of more trouble than fighting. The story is based on my ability to avoid potential deadly situations.

An Essential Book for Runners of All Abilities All of the Author's Proceeds Go to Shoes4Africa to Support the Construction of Children's Hospitals in Kenya Kenya has produced the greatest concentration of world-class runners, and fellow athletes have long been intrigued by their remarkable success. Toby Tanser has devoted much of his professional career living and training among Kenyan runners in order to better understand the unique status of East African athletes. In More Fire: How to Run the Kenyan Way, the author builds upon the success of his acclaimed Train Hard, Win Easy, the first book to provide insights into the Kenyan "magic" that so many runners and coaches had sought. Instead of special foods or secret techniques, Tanser found that Kenyan runners simply trained incredibly hard, much harder than anyone had realized. By adapting their training regime--which includes three workouts a day--and following their example, runners, whether novices or champions, are able to improve both their performance and enjoyment in running. For those training for a marathon or any other distance race, this book is both practical and inspirational. Divided into four parts, the book begins with a description of running in Kenya, the landscape, the physical conditions, and the people; the second part concentrates on details of Kenyan training camps, training methods, and their typical training diet; the third profiles individual runners and coaches from the past and present, with each explaining their approach to running so that readers can gain further insight into their methods. The book ends with a discussion on how the reader can adapt Kenyan training practices for their own running requirements. More Fire: How to Run the Kenyan Way is essential reading for runners of all levels and experience.

An elite, competitive runner gives advice on every aspect of the New York City marathon, from how to enter and where to stay, to the best training guides and non-runners' spectator guides.

A foxhunt saboteur and demonstrator who served time in jail; a former 60-a-day smoker and drug user; a man whose choices almost broke apart his marriage-author Toby Estler knows what real transformation is all about: looking for, discovering, and learning from the opportunities in everything that life brings. His style is so honest, entertaining, and uplifting that, on first reading, you will want to keep reading Running Home straight through to the finish line, before returning again and again to experience the inspiration of the moving meditations.Each chapter in this book offers you opportunities for: .Discovering how to carry the inspiration and joy from running or other sport deeper into your personal and professional life..Enhancing your running efficiency..Finding creative solutions to challenges in any area of your life..Establishing, nurturing, and deepening your relationship with the very best of who you are..Enjoying the peace and calm of your workouts throughout your entire day..Experiencing deeper spiritual awareness, authenticity, and wholeness

A young Catholic man meets a beautiful Protestant nurse from Belfast and the two team up with a friend to train and race a greyhound.

Ben Kimball, a long-time trail runner, provides profiles of fifty-one great trail runs in western Massachusetts. Geographically, this book covers the area between the Quabbin Reservoir and upstate New York, including the Pioneer Valley and Berkshire areas as well as portions of the Taconic Highlands. Elevations range from the lowlands of the Connecticut River and Housatonic River valleys to the state's highest point at the top of Mount Greylock. The trails profiled represent a range of locations within the region as well as a range of difficulty levels and terrain types. There are options for everyone, from the beginner to the experienced trail runner looking for new options. Each run receives a two-page treatment that includes an informative trail description and a trail map, along with a scannable QR code to download each map to your smartphone. This book will appeal to the entire running community of Massachusetts and the surrounding region, including the Pioneer Valley along the Connecticut River, communities along the Housatonic River corridor in the Berkshires, the many running clubs in the Boston area, and seasonal vacationers.