A few weeks ago I interviewed Ironman triathlete and ultramarathoner Donald Buraglio. Donald is the author of one of the most popular running blogs on the web – Running and Rambling. In case you didn’t know by now, he also has a book that just came out called The Running Life.
While I love reading about running, I normally don’t jump on the next running book when it hits the shelves. It has to be special. So I took a look at The Running Life and was impressed. The book is a compilation of short essays that appeared in the newspaper column that Donald and his co-author write every other week.
They range from instructional articles on training, public health issues, human interest stories, light-hearted observations (humor!), and occasional nonsense (more humor!). There are plenty of training books out there, but this book provides the human element that seems to be missing from the “Running” section at Barnes & Noble.
The introduction is titled “Don’t Run!” and some of my favorite chapter titles include:
- Fountain of Youth
- World’s Hardest Course
- Snot Rocket Science
- Let’s Talk About Sex
- Get Your Drink On
While I haven’t read much of the book yet, I’ve read a lot of Running & Rambling so I know the writing will be inspiring. Amby Burfoot, 1968 Boston Marathon winner and Editor at Large of Runner’s World had this to say:
“Their love of running shines through every page of what they write… Whether you are an experienced runner, a novice, or even a non-runner this compilation of articles will inspire.”
This post isn’t actually a book review (I haven’t read the entire book), but rather it’s a give-away. That’s right – I have an extra copy of The Running Life that I want to give away to a Strength Running reader!
I hope you’re interested because I’m allowing up to three entries. Here’s how to win a copy of the book:
- Simply leave a comment on this post. No extra credit for witty or unusually intelligent comments, but you will win brownie points! A comment counts as one entry (no duplicate comments).
- For another entry, you can do one of two things: follow me on Twitter and spread the word by tweeting the contest announcement, or link to this post on your blog or website. If you don’t have Twitter, share this contest with your friends on Facebook.
- For the maximum of three entries, do all three! Comment, tweet/Facebook, and link. A trifecta of awesome.
‘Tis the Season for Running Safety
Last week, I was running through a cross-walk, I had the walk light, and almost got crushed by a landscaping truck. It scared the shit out of me and served as a good reminder that safety on the roads can’t be taken for granted.
I’ve known runners who’ve been hit by cars and been stuck in a wheelchair for months. I was almost run off the road while I was cycling last year. We can all promote running safety by wearing reflective clothing, obeying traffic laws, and even avoiding the roads during rush hour to hit the trails.
But accidents happen.
That’s why I wear a Road ID when I run. Because you never know what might happen and I like being proactive about my running safety. Having identification on you is really important in case something terrible happens to you while you’re out running, cycling, or just walking to the subway.
Just in time for the holidays, Road ID is having a pretty good sale – especially since their stuff is inexpensive to start. They’re offering several discounts on your entire order over the next month (and they progressively go down in value):
- Use promo code pcSAVE15 during 11/17 – 11/28 to save 15%
- Use promo code pcSAVE10 during 11/28 – 12/7 to save 10%
- Use promo code pcSAVE5 during 12/8 – 12/25 to save 5%
The biggest discount code will be over by the end of this week, so shop now for the most savings. Road ID makes a lot of different types of products and they make pretty cool Christmas gifts.
Have a great Thanksgiving!
