Having accomplished my "5 marathons in 5 countries" goal, I'm always on the lookout for races in interesting places. This is a compilation of race info, personal anecdotes and informational snippets from the first woman to run a marathon on each continent.
Synopsis: As I already wrote, this book gives information about "100+ Fantastic Runs Around the World". Races (not just marathons) are sorted into categories such as "Hit the Beach", "Eat, Drink and Be Merry", "Spiritual Experiences", and "Because It's There". The author gives insider information that will make the process (registration, training, packing gear, navigating race start areas, etc.) much easier if you ever do run any of these races. Even if not, it's interesting to imagine what it would be like to run some of these races, such as the Antarctica Marathon, The "Original" Bare Buns Fun Run (at a nudist park in Washington State), The New York Road Runners Empire State Building Run-Up or The Burro Days "World Championship" Pack Burro Race (29 or 15 miles, each competitor paired with an actual burro) in Colorado.
My Thoughts: How could I not enjoy this book? It made me dream of running in exotic locales, which is something I obviously love to do. The introduction to each section was interesting, as was the summary of each race, although some sections were very repetitive, such as when the author discusses the several Rock 'n' Roll Races held in various cities. My interest was peaked over the races that are on my dream list, such as the Marathon du Medoc (wine tastings along the way) and the Great Wall Marathon. Although I'm not likely to register for these races in the immediate future, I will keep this book in mind for some practical information about the races when that day comes.
rating: ***
read: June 2009
source: Kenton County (KY) Public Library
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