IS "ONCE A RUNNER" WORTH READING ?

Yes Read It. No, Dont read it.

True story. 2:25 marathoner in early 80s read this book. Was so inspired he ran 100+ miles a week for 10 weeks - then ran Twin Cities in 2:19 - qualifying for the Olympic Trials. No other running related book has that kind of power.

Not, as others have observed, great writing or a great story, but perfectly adequate in both areas, I felt. I thought it was certainly worth reading through once, though I don't think I repeated it.

I've noticed that a lot of the real OAR "junkies" I knew had their prime running years in the '90s, and for them the book may have been helpful in correcting the "do as little as possible" ethos that was circulating then. (Well, NTITAI maybe the scaling back started in the '80s.) For those who were running in the '70s, the book seems like more of an enjoyable nostalgia trip that need not be read over and over--they were living it.

If you read it but once, you'll probably be able to sell it for at least as much as you paid, so no real loss there.

It's excellent but not quite as good as Juggernauts - The Making of A Runner and A Team in The First American Running Boom by Steve Adkisson

www.juggernautsthebook.com

I just thought it reads like a bad made for TV movie.

worth reading if you have free time. it's not literature, but it is motivational.

I'm reading "The Perfect Mile" book now.. It's okay, but I'm a little underwhelmed.

I'll sell you my copy for $12, that's a bargain :o)

A journalism major should know that it is '80s, not 80's.

John Kennedy Toole RIP wrote:

I majored in journalism and have read enough of everything from the classics to comic books and porn over the past 30 years.

It is not the best writing in the world, but Parker does an excellent job of capturing the inside of a runner's head. The competition descriptions are very well done. I ran for a D1 school in the early 80's, and although I wasn't an All-American, I certainly was exposed to the scene enough to validate the authenticity of Parker's take on things.

It is a fun read, I just hope all that you've heard about the book hasn't create unrealistic expectations. Definitely worth your time.

Thanks hater!

TeeHeeHee wrote:Many of the more radical queer theorists and activists oppose gay marriage as vigorously as does the moral majority, because extension of the right merely reifies the institution of marriage and the normativity attributed to monogamy and hetero-normative lifestyle.

This is why I'm so glad I don't live in a college town anymore. They're too small for left-of-center people like myself to avoid those that are truly full of shit.

I never read "Once A Runner" until about three years ago. It made me feel like I was 20 years old again. Save it until you've forgotten what running in college felt like.

If you really have a copy you're selling for twelve bucks, I'll take you up on that. I already have a copy, but would like another to give as a gift.

Read!

i will buy it, I dont have a copy.

how about selling on ebay?

once a runner is by far the best running book ever and it is also one of my favorite books of all time. its not only a great running story but john l parker is an excellent writer. i love his writing. even Again To Carthage was excellently written but just not nearly as good a story and didn't give tons of insight into running and describe running perfectly as once a runner does.

if you are at all interested in running you should read Once A Runner not only because it is THE best running book ever written but even outside of just the running genre its an incredibly good book.

Kerrigan wrote:

This thread is like going on "Rainbows-unite.com" and asking "what's the big deal with gay marriage?" Think the sample might be a weee bit contaminated?

You have to be kidding me....If you are a runner, the sample you want comes from runners. Why would you ask non runners what they thought about OAR if you're a runner and thinking about getting it? Asking non runners would be the contamination based on the scenerio.

Now if he wasnt a runner, then yes the sample would be contaminated as you put it.

P.N. nailed it. Before much new running literature was circulating and pre-Internet it was the bible, and for us 90s runners helped us shed the 30 MPW BS that coaches were spouting.

Now there are a lot more options, but at the time it was the bible. And Parker's descriptions of the actual runs and races are unparalleled.

I've read it four times.

Many of us ... I'd say most of us .. that have read this

book ... have passed through it ... participating in it ....

truely being One of the Runners .. in the saga...

I do not have to change my name ... none of us need to ....

I am Cassidy ... and I did run the race ...

But, I did not race against a phenom from down under ...

and did not run a sub 4 minute mile ....

But I did run on the team of a small school .... in fact one in

Eugene, Oregon in 72. We won state cross country champs and

went on to win District to ....

You know the story ... in fact ... you have the same story ...

We went to Pensacola, Florida .... and lined up with 300 other small

college runners ... and dang blasted man ... we won the thing ....

just like you did ....

You know the story ... and you have the story .... you are the story ...

Once a Runner is the story of ALL of us who call ourselves

Runner ...

The book was written by one of our Mates .. a great chap ... who did

what we all have done ... or dreamed to do.

Read the book .... it is sort of like the Bible of Runners.

Cassidy