Once a Runner (by John Parker Jr) is definitely my favorite running book, and one of my favorite fictional books. It is basically a manual for competitive runners, and I think that it should be required reading for any freshman college runner that competes in the NCAA. Based on my experiences, there are plenty of teams that do "encourage" their freshmen to read it. I wrote a review of it a couple of years ago (review link), but I haven't been able to get a new copy for the past 4 or 5 years. I used to have two copies, but I lent them out and never saw them again. I've seen it go for upwards of $50-$100 on Amazon, and for over $200 at Barnes and Noble...thankfully, it is going to be printed again next year when the sequel is published. A few weeks ago I got to meet the author after a local race (http://news.runtowin.com/2007/08/01/john-l-parker-jr-speaks-at-maine-running-company.html) and he read the first chapter of the new book. Once I can pick up a new copy for $10 or $20, I'll be getting it again. Now that I'm not in college I should be able to keep better track of it this time. This book is so enmeshed in the running culture that a graphics design student made a trailer to a movie of the book: http://news.runtowin.com/2007/08/08/once-a-runner-movie-trailer.html

Modified: I made the link live in the next post, so just skip this one.

Probably much less depressing than the book I've been reading, The Things They Carried.

I read chapters from that for a Secondary Ed. Lit. class. Very tough book in terms of the emotional stuff.

After looking around online and only finding this book available at around $180, I downloaded and printed out the copy linked here. Read the whole thing yesterday. I'll never be that kind of runner, but wow, it's a great story. Very inspirational and a fun read. Thanks for the tip here!

I spent six months attempting to find an affordable copy of this book. Amazingly, one day on a my commute home from work I spot a book sitting on a seat in an empty train car. Before I fliipped the book over I thought "wouldnt it be something if this is the book I have been looking for?". I couldn't believe my eyes when I turned it over and saw that it was in fact "once a Runner". I thought about returning the book to the lost and found but it was just so strange that I thought that the book must have been meant to be mine. I immediately started reading the book and enjoyed it thoroughly.

I was just searching for the sequel's title, and I stumbled into some tough news about the author. I hope he's feeling better soon.

He is doing really well; he gets out of the hospital on Monday and will begin rehabbing. Apparently, he contracted a virus that attacked his heart (as opposed to getting a heart attack) so the doctor's were all surprised that he managed to survive. (news article) The new book is called "Again to Carthage"; he read the first chapter a couple of months ago when he spoke at Maine Running Company. I'm looking forward to the publication so that I can pick up a copy of both books.

Great--I'm happy to hear that he's on his way back to health. It was really a great book to read, especially for us runners. Even after a week, I still have "Fur Elise" running through my head at least once a day. Can't wait for the sequel.

Well, if you can't wait, then he's donating all of the proceeds from an ebay auction to the caring bridge site. You can get an advanced copy of the sequel: http://news.runtowin.com/2007/10/17/want-an-advance-copy-of-again-to-carthage.html 6 days left. Bids are currently up to $311.

So glad you guys were posting about this book! My favorite running book and in my Top 10 books overall - its so amazing. Glad you got to read it Carl! CHapter 17 is my go-to for inspiration. Hope you liked Tim O'Brian <sp?> Carl- I've read 5 of his books- he's a great writer. Thanks for the info on the new book and all the other links Blaine!</sp?>