The Looniness of the Long Distance Runner

Out-of-shape and hammered more often than not, Russell Taylor, nearing 40, begins training for the NYC marathon as something of a midlife crisis. His journey from the treadmill in North London to the mountains of Wales to the Brooklyn-Queens Expressway illuminates the meaning of the egalitarian race, the only sport where any weekend jogger can run with world-class champions. For everyone who has contemplated running the marathon or watched from the sidelines feeling an uneasy mix of envy and gratitude, this comical and inspiring account will change their understanding of the legendary race.