The Miles and Trials of a Marathon Goddess: 52 Weeks, 52 Marathons

Growing up in Santa Monica, California, Julie Weiss would do almost anything for love. She drank, she quit school, she stole—and she ended up a mother in her teens. Years later, overweight and depressed, she put one foot in front of another and found a new road beckoning. Running gave her the answers she was looking for. Julie's loving, larger-than-life father, her biggest critic during her wayward years, became her biggest fan as his now-fit and healthy daughter began to run marathons. When he died suddenly of pancreatic cancer, she decided to turn her new pursuit into a purpose and, in his memory, embarked on an incredible endeavor to raise money and hope in the fight against pancreatic cancer. In 2012-13, Julie—a/k/a, the Marathon Goddess—ran 52 marathons in 52 weeks. Along the way she was featured in a major documentary film, Spirit of the Marathon II, appeared on national television and attracted a passionate social media following, as she logged the miles of each of her 52 marathons in honor of individuals lost to or fighting pancreatic cancer, ultimately raising over a half million dollars for the cause. It's a story of resilience, perseverance, endurance—and romance: Julie's turbulent early life; the rekindling of a father's love extinguished too soon; her epic year traveling to far-flung races and places; not to mention her relationship with coach David Levine. After a rocky road, their underlying love emerged, culminating with a finish line marriage proposal. It all adds up to make "The Miles and Trials of a Marathon Goddess" a riveting, humorous, poignant and ultimately uplifting book, for runners and non-runners alike.