“Whatever you can do, or dream you can, begin it…Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it.” ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

VICKY: So I get this book in the mail. It’s from Bart Yasso. Autographed by the author with a message that reads: “Vicky, never limit where running can take you.”

GRANT: You felt special didn’t you?

VICKY: I did.

GRANT: That lasted up until you called me didn’t it?

VICKY: Yup.

GRANT: Sorry Vic. It’s not like I asked him to write the same thing in both our books.

VICKY: I know buddy but listen, you really have to work on mastering the art of silence when it comes to women sometimes. Just let us swim in our blissful ignorance and thoughts of self-importance.

GRANT: Yes, I know. But the positive of this is that we both got a great book from a renowned runner. How often can you say that a running icon sent YOU a book?

VICKY: True and what a book it is!  I had no idea what to expect when I first started reading this book. First of all, I had no idea he was with Runner’s World.

GRANT: Yes, I know…our competitors.

VICKY: Well, the running community is pretty friendly so even though they’re another running magazine, I like to think of them as our cousins, not our competitors.

GRANT: You’re so peace and love!

VICKY: Yes, yes I am Mr. Boland. I believe everyone should just get along because fighting only makes you weak.

GRANT: Speaking of fighting. Mr. Yasso had quite the fight on his hands after his attempt to reach the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro.

VICKY: This is Chapter 1 of the book. Crazy. It completely freaked me out but made me want to read more.

GRANT: Just goes to show you how such a positive experience can go so wrong.

VICKY: Yeah but imagine being in his shoes. All he wanted to do was reach the highest peak on the African continent but instead, he suffers from Bell’s palsy.

GRANT: It’s pretty wild and when he got back to the U.S. he was diagnosed with Lyme Disease, which he’d contracted while trail running.

VICKY: When you read this part of the book, you feel as though he’ll never run again because his body is completely shut down from the disease. Next thing you know, a month after his diagnosis, he’s on a bike and training to be a pacer at the Chicago Marathon, which is 13 weeks away. The incredible part of this is that he finishes the marathon in 2:59:30!

GRANT: His journey back from this disease is remarkable and quite simply an inspiration. No wonder they’ve dubbed him the “Mayor of Running”. That much drive and determination can’t be fabricated. This man is built from the stuff most of us can only dream of.

VICKY: His book is about setting goals, not limits. I loved it.

GRANT: I enjoyed the book too. In particular, I really appreciated his last chapter of “Must-Do Races Near and Abroad”.  You just know that he’s run them all and his opinion matters. Canadians will be happy to know that he names the Royal Victoria Marathon (Vancouver Island, British Columbia) as the Most Regal.

VICKY: Yes, and personally, I appreciate that he mentions the Around the Bay, which is the Oldest Race in North America right here in Hamilton, Ontario.

GRANT: I thought of you guys when I read that. Speaking of which, are you running the Around the Bay next year? You know I’m going to be there because it fits perfectly in my training for the Ottawa Marathon.

VICKY: If I can remain injury free and not catch some  bizarre flu virus that will attack my heart muscle again, I’ll be there!

GRANT: Wicked! Better make our pasta dinner reservations now…

Title:

“If children have the ability to ignore all odds and percentages, then maybe we can all learn from them. When you think about it, what other choice is there but to hope? We have two options, medically and emotionally: give up, or Fight Like Hell.” ~ Lance Armstrong

VICKY: I became a Tour de France addict this year.  Every morning, I had a ritual of turning on the television and having the Tour be my background music at work. It was great!

GRANT: I love the Tour and I am a big fan of cycling.

VICKY: Actually, I was never into cycling until this year. I wanted an alternative to running so I would put less stress on my joints.

GRANT: Cross-training is definitely the best way to get a stronger body. Plus you guys live out in the country so you have amazing roads to bike on right in your backyard.

VICKY: Yeah, we’re very fortunate to live out in the country. Hey you know what? After I read this book, it got me thinking about just how strong the human body actually is.

GRANT: That, it certainly is and Lance proves that on every page of his book.

VICKY: He’s definitely got guts. A bit macho and cocky at times but I can overlook that when you think about all that he’s done for cancer awareness and research.

GRANT: I’ve always thought Lance was a pretty impressive guy. I have some opinions about the present conundrum he finds himself in with the whole doping scandal.

VICKY: But you’ll refrain from sharing them in this forum. Right?

GRANT: Right.  I don’t want to get sued.  :)

VICKY: Ok here’s what I liked most about this book. It was honest. Sometimes I was reading a chapter and felt like I was right there with him. Like that part where they drive and fly to different cities to get the best possible treatment plan. I swear I was sweating just reading it because they were working against the clock with every visit to a different doctor.

GRANT: I thought his mom was pretty cool too. She was there every step of the way for him. You can tell they have a strong bond.

VICKY: I agree. She was by far his biggest cheerleader. Not get all Oprah on you or nothing but what’s the one lesson you learned from this book?

GRANT: Loyalty is all that matters to Lance. Don’t cross Lance people.

VICKY: True. And the one lesson I learned from this book is that if you fight, you have a chance. It was inspiring to read about his fight against cancer against all odds.

GRANT: Cancer takes no prisoners Vic. That’s why we need to find a cure.

VICKY: I agree but because we don’t have a cure yet, that’s why we need to also support organizations that help cancer patients and their families through this difficult time. In fact, you and I are doing our part on that front.

GRANT: We certainly are. On Saturday, you, Shawn, Harmony and I are running the Run for the Toad.

VICKY: Yes we are! 25K trail run my friend. My ankle doesn’t feel great but I don’t care, I’m going to be finishing that race no matter what because on Saturday, I’m running for my dad. He passed away from cancer this summer and this race is very personal for me. You folks can read our post on the Running for a Reason blog.

GRANT: We set out to raise $2500 for the Wellwood Resource Centre of Hamilton, which is a great non-profit in your city that’s helping people live well with cancer.

VICKY: We have raised $2064 so far.

GRANT: I just finished a great great book.

VICKY: Oh yeah, which one was it?

GRANT: Feet in the Clouds: A Tale of Fell-Running and Obsession by Richard Askwith.  It is an amazing book written by a runner/journalist from London who takes on the hills of England and explores the unique culture of Fell Running.

VICKY: What’s “Fell Running”?

GRANT: It is a fascinatingly unique type of running that originated in Northern Britain.  It is also known as mountain running or hill running and it is a crazy sport where people run straight up and then straight down a hill or mountain.  Some of the greatest are either famous for their speed of ascents and others are known as “the crazies” for their descents.  It’s difficult to finish a season healthy.

VICKY: That sounds really cool.  So, you know me, I Googled it!  I found this really cool video of Fell Running in Scotland. Check it out:  Fell Running.

GRANT: The really neat part of the book is the autobiographical aspect as much of the book revolves around the author’s obsession with completing the “Bob Graham Round” which is a 42 peak challenge that runners try to complete in under 24 hours.

VICKY: Now that sounds like a challenge. I LOVE these 24 hour challenge races!

GRANT: Yes, and then some.  It’s 128 kilometers long and over 8 kilometers in altitude plus the orienteering challenge.   This book will hook you.

VICKY: I should read this.  It’s very timely as you and I have registered for the “Run for the Toad” 25K trail race.  That’s my first major trail race and a huge challenge both physically and emotionally.

GRANT: More to follow in future posts about our Toad adventure!  For now, just read the book.  It will inspire you for the Toad training.

VICKY: Readers, you have noticed we haven’t written too much recently.

GRANT: We’ve been travelling with work quite a bit.

VICKY: Circumstances which allowed us to run into Brock Skywalker, one of iRun’s Runner Makeover guinea pigs, at the Edmonton airport in Alberta.

GRANT: I told Brock he must be a real celebrity now if people are recognizing him at airports.  He was on his way to the Goodlife Marathon in Toronto where he set a new PB.  Check out his blog for the race report.

VICKY: Brock is not the only celebrity you’ve met over the last couple of weeks now is it Mr. Boland?

GRANT: No, as a matter of fact about a week ago I sat down with Malcolm Anderson, author of The Messengers, at a coffee shop in Kingston, Ontario.  Below is the transcript of our conversation.

MALCOLM: How do you have a transcript of our conversation when you didn’t record it or take notes??

GRANT: MALCOLM, as a writer you should understand the concept of artistic license.  What I’m doing is recreating the conversation.

MALCOLM: Seems a bit shady.

GRANT: Well, how did you write the many dozens of interviews that you included in your book?

MALCOLM: I take very detailed notes, almost verbatim.  Because of the work that I do at my job I have a lot of experience taking notes.  For the book I did many of the interviews over the phone and a lot in person at different marathon events.

GRANT: Who was the most impressive?

MALCOLM: Wow, well, there were so many and so many of the stories are just mindblowing, but probably Horst Priesler – 1710 marathons.

GRANT: You’ve done a few marathons yourself.   What were your favorites?

MALCOLM: Comrades would be one.

GRANT: You did Comrades???

MALCOLM: Yes.

GRANT: AMAZING!

MALCOLM: And the Brathay Windermere 10 in 10.

GRANT: What is that?

MALCOLM: It’s 10 marathons over 10 days in England.

GRANT: Ridiculous.  I had no idea you ran that.   How about a favorite book you could recommend?

MALCOLM: “Feet in the Clouds” about Fell Running in England.

GRANT: No way!  I’m reading that book right now.  It’s amazing.  I want to convince Vicky to blog about it.  And now the big question…. you must be dreaming about 100 marathons.  Is that your goal?

MALCOLM: Well, maybe, um, we’ll see.

GRANT: Well that’s it folks, that’s my interview with Malcolm Anderson.

VICKY: You should definetly take notes next time.  I’m not just saying that.  I paid good money to learn this important lesson in university

GRANT: I’ll think about it.  It was great having coffee with him.  He’s just a humble guy who loves to tell stories and he is genuinely and sincerely amazed by the people he’s been able to meet while he was writing the book.  He knows EVERYBODY there is to know from the famous, like Jeff Galloway and Hal Higdon right down to the quiet and simple person who just loves to run and has no interest in fame.

VICKY: Yes, this really came through in the book too.  He really cares about the subject and the people and it is why the book is so meticulous and well crafted. I truly enjoyed reading it.

GRANT: By the way, look for our review of  The Messengers in the current edition of iRun.

VICKY: Have a look back here soon for our next book selection!

VICKY: What have you been enjoying most about The Messengers?

GRANT: For me it is the characters.  There are some amazing characters and anecdotes in this book.  I love getting to know such a quirky and unique group of individuals.

VICKY: Personal faves?

GRANT: One has got to be Mad Dog Wallace.  Mad Dog has run over 350 marathons in over 106 countries (a world record).

VICKY: He’s also run in all 13 provinces and territories in Canada as well.   I can relate and appreciate that.  In my other blog, Words and Grapes, I am reading selections of books from all the provinces and territories.  It’s a work in progress but at least I’m doing my part to recognize and promote CanLit classics

GRANT: I can’t believe you just plugged your own blog on here!  That is so bold Vickster.

VICKY: I know.  Let me plug another blog to make up for it.

GRANT: Who’s?

VICKY: Mad Dog’s!  He’s been writing a regularly updated blog since 1997 back when the internet was just lines of strings connected to cups with people yelling into them, then typed up by monkeys and powered by windmills.  It starts with a description of the Antarctica Marathon.  Its witty and very very impressive.

GRANT: Yes, 1997 is pretty old.  You were barely born.  The running shoe had just been invented.  Hard to believe he was writing a blog then.

VICKY: I wonder what it will be like in another 15 years: this internet thing.

GRANT: Probably passee I assume.  Everyone will have gone back to reading books and using the yellow pages.

Title:

Author: Malcolm Anderson

Publishers: The Experience Publishers

Pages: 296

Price: $17.80 Canada / $17.50 US

“The marathon is widely known as the ultimate test of athletic endurance, 26.2 miles of running, a grueling and punishing event that tests the limits of one’s resolve to overcome fear with sheer guts and determination.”  ~ Steve Edwards

VICKY: Did you know that there are more people who have climbed Mount Everest than have run 100 marathons?

GRANT: What? No way.

VICKY: I kid you not my friend. In fact, this is what inspired Malcolm Anderson to write our new iRun, iRead book club pick:  The Messengers.

GRANT: Let me Google this book and see what the publisher says about it:

“This book starts with the basic question: Why do people choose to run 100 marathons or more? Answering this question unfolds a rich tapestry of responses and details that provide a window into the soul of the long distance runner. The author conducted interviews with over one hundred and twenty of these amazing individuals from around the world, including Canada, United States, South Africa, United Kingdom, Ireland, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, and several European countries.”

VICKY: Interesting topic eh?

GRANT: Totally.  Of course, as usual, I will be done reading it by the time you get to Chapter 5.

VICKY: Come on buddy, give me some credit here!  Like some runners and eaters, there are also some slow readers in this world and I’m one of them.  Besides, I should get through this one pretty quickly since the chapters are short.  I get bored and distracted when they’re too long.

GRANT: Let me have a look…(the sound of pages flipping)…oh yeah, you’re right.

VICKY: Of course I’m right but thanks for saying so.  It’s like music to my ears

GRANT: Argh!  You women and you’re need to be right all the time!

VICKY: Yup.  What say you brother?

GRANT: I say after flipping through this quickly, I see the average paragraph is 7 to 10 lines.

VICKY: I’ve read the first 3 chapters and it’s really interesting.  The author goes straight to the point in every paragraph and you can tell he’s done a ton of research into the subject matter.  Clearly, he’s passionate about running.

GRANT: We’ve been pretty lucky so far in our book selections in that most of the authors have some sort of personal connection to the topic.

VICKY: I know and I can’t wait to see what the author’s connection will be in this one.

GRANT: I wonder if he’s run 100 marathons…

VICKY: I don’t know but I think we should just read and see!

GRANT: Let’s do it!

GRANT: THIS NEW RUNNING PRODUCT IS AMAZING!!!!!!

VICKY: What is it…  and why are you yelling?

GRANT: I’M LISTENING TO MUSIC WHILE WE ARE TALKING.  I BOUGHT THIS THING CALLED “ONE GOOD EARBUD“.  IT’S INCREDIBLE.  IT’S THE GREATEST INVENTION EVER!!!!!

VICKY: What’s so good about it?

GRANT: IT’S LIKE REGULAR HEADPHONES, BUT THERE IS ONLY ONE OF THEM.  ONE EARPHONE, BUT WITH STEREO SOUND.  THE SOUND IS INCREDIBLE…. BUT YOU CAN STILL HEAR OUT OF THE OTHER EAR.  IT IS GREAT FOR RUNNING.  IT INCREASES YOUR SAFETY.  YOU ARE MORE AWARE OF YOUR SURROUNDINGS….

VICKY: And you are really annoying to talk to!

GRANT: PROBABLY, BUT SERIOUSLY THIS IS THE BEST RUNNING PRODUCT I HAVE EVER SEEN.  I WOULD ALSO CONSIDER IT IF I WAS BIKING.  THE BEST THING ABOUT IT IS THAT YOU NEVER HAVE HEADPHONES TANGLED UP ANYMORE.  I HATE THAT.  ”ONE GOOD EARBUD“.  CHECK IT OUT!

VICKY: Sounds pretty cool, but what does this have to do with reading?  This is supposed to be a blog about reading, not shameless plugs for products.

GRANT: NO SHAMELESS PLUGS.  I AM IN NO WAY AFFILIATED WITH “ONE GOOD EARBUD’.  I JUST THINK IT IS AN INCREDIBLE PRODUCT THAT EVERYONE WHO HAS AN iPOD SHOULD TRY… AND THIS IS ABOUT READING.  I JUST DOWNLOADED “OMNIVORE’S DILEMMA” ON AUDIOBOOK.  I WILL TAKE IT OUT FOR THE LONG RUN THIS WEEKEND.  I WOULD LIKE TO REPEAT AGAIN…. “ONE GOOD EARBUD“.  I LOVE IT!!!!

VICKY: We are finished the amazing book on Terry Fox.  I am both happy and sad at the same time.  How are you feeling?

GRANT: I also have mixed emotions because it was so well written that it made you want to keep on reading forever.  Let’s not dwell on it, instead, we invite you all to read our final review of the book in the next edition of iRun magazine.

VICKY: Great.  What are we doing in the meantime?

GRANT: I’ve been reading the classic, “Once a Runner” by John L. Parker.

VICKY:  That sounds familiar.  Is it fiction or non fiction?

GRANT: It’s fiction.  It’s about a track and field runner at a university in Florida.  It’s kind of a cult classic.  The book was self published in 1978.  That was back when self publishing was very rare and difficult.

VICKY: I bet. Self publishing is still a challenging way to get your book out there nowadays.  So, did you enjoy it?

GRANT:  Very much.  At first I had some issues with the book.  It is always difficult to read a work of fiction after reading non fiction for a long time.  You are like, this isn’t real, he’s making it up!  And I have a few problems with the prose style and characterization, but on the whole it won me over because the plot is novel.

VICKY: We should have done a blog series on it!

GRANT: Yeah, I thought about that, but there isn’t that much to say.  It’s a story.  It’s enjoyable.  It’s over.  And now I’m on to the next one.

VICKY: Next one?

GRANT: Yeah, he wrote a sequel years later called “Again to Carthage”.  I’m part way through that one.

VICKY: Enjoy!  Now should we talk about what our next book selection will be.  Any thoughts.

GRANT:  I dunno.  Maybe…nah, let’s wait.

VICKY:  You’re right.  Let’s leave it for the next post.

GRANT: In the meantime, can we ask that our previous contest winners, Sylvie, Regan and anyone else we forgot please email us at irunbookclub@gmail.com we need to reach you.  Thanks!

Oscar Pistorius - The fastest man on no legs

VICKY: How’s the book going?

GRANT: Almost done.  I am reading the tragic/beautiful ending.

VICKY: Really? You’re already near the end?  I’ve been reading the part about Rick Hansen.

GRANT: Yeah, that is cool eh.  I guess I didn’t know how close they were until I started reading this book.

VICKY: Right.  Their relationship is really interesting.  I wish we knew more about it.  That would make a great book!

GRANT: Is there a book about some of those great athletes with disabilities and their remarkable accomplishments?

VICKY: I’m not sure but if there isn’t, there should be.

GRANT: For sure.  Think of all the amazing successes.  One of my favorites is Jim Abbott, who was a one armed pitcher for the California Angels (my favorite team) in the early 90s.  He pitched a no hitter.  After he threw the ball he would have to switch his glove to his other hand so he could be ready to catch the ball.

VICKY: That’s amazing! Unfortunately, I’ve never heard of him but then again, I was about 11 years old in 1990.  One of my personal favorites is Toronto Transit Union member and friend of the iRun family Rick Ball. He’s phenomenal and right up there with my favourite Paralympian, Chantal Petitclerc.

GRANT: Of course. Rick is the world’s fastest single-leg amputees marathon runner with a finish time of 2:57:47.  Check out his new blog.  In addition to raising money for cancer, I think changing the perception of the persons with disabilities is perhaps the greatest legacy that Terry Fox left the world.

VICKY: He certainly did. He made people realize that there’s life after cancer and you can still accomplish extraordinary things. He also showed anyone who is living with a disability that anything is possible. Something that many able bodied persons tend to forget.

GRANT: Rick Ball himself has credited Terry Fox with reshaping the way we see disabled individuals and the way they see themselves.

VICKY: If you didn’t catch it at the time, you should read Sonia Mendes’ article on Noella Klawitter, a visually impaired Paralympian.

GRANT: And you Ms. Ringuette had better hurry up and finish the book.  By the way, I want to write more about Rick Hansen, his role in Terry’s life and his Man in Motion tour.

VICKY: Absolutely.  But I don’t want to read too fast. This book is like a vintage bottle of red wine. I want to sip it slowly and savour the experience for as long as I can. Plus I want to write about cancer research and the part about Terry’s journey through his treatments. I’ve been thinking about this part of the book a lot lately.

GRANT: It really bothered you eh?

VICKY: Yeah. It did. It’s like I was right there with him and it was really difficult to read.

GRANT: I know what you mean. Let’s talk about it in our next post. For now, we’ll leave you with a blast from the past.  A short but great CBC video from the months after Terry’s death.  You’ll recognize some faces such as Rick Hansen and other courageous individuals like this young girl with Cerebral Palsy.

VICKY: Oh and we hope you’re still enjoying the book.

VICKY: So, my amazing BF ran the half marathon this past weekend in Hamilton. It was an absolutely spectacular day for runners. I’m talking blue skies, light breeze and the smooth pavement of the Red Hill.

GRANT: I must admit, the weather was pretty wonderful in Ottawa too. I went for a run for the first time in months. This bulging disc is really annoying me. Anyways, did anyone catch your eye at the Hamilton Marathon? Besides your BF…

VICKY: Actually, this one guy was running in his military uniform and carrying a huge backpack. The man was running a half marathon with a full bag of military gear on his back! It was pretty freaking inspiring to say the least.

GRANT: I bet you my Garmin that guy wasn’t looking for pity when he was running with all that weight on his shoulders.

VICKY: No pity party there my friend. He was hardcore à la Terry Fox. Speaking of which, I just finished reading the part about when he finds out he has cancer and his leg has to be amputated.

GRANT: No side order of pity there, no ma’am.  Check out this passage from page 32, which I think sums it up pretty well:

“He didn’t want sympathy or pity. He wouldn’t sulk or become depressed. He was so successful at thinking positively that when he had visitors he would cheer them up. They usually left feeling better than they had when they walked in.”

VICKY: That’s awesome. I’d flagged that passage too. I have no patience for people who send out daily invitations to their pity parties.

GRANT: Argh! Don’t get me started. I hate these people who go on Facebook and Twitter and go on and on about all the awful things happening to them. Most of the time, they’re exaggerating or out right lying because they’re addicted to the pity they get from their “friends”.  Hey loser, nobody gives a shit!

VICKY: The fact of the matter is everyone faces challenges in life because life isn’t meant to be easy or to be taken for granted. So, if you feel the need to turn to Facebook or Twitter every time you’re feeling shitty, then you’re a pity wh@&*. Terry Fox was clear in his message: no pity for me. Instead, he sat in his hospital room and thought to himself, what can I do with one leg?

GRANT: I loved that part where his basketball coach Terri Fleming gives him a copy of Runner’s World and he read that story about Dick Traum who had run the New York City Marathon as an above-the-knee-amputee.

VICKY: These guys are awesome. Seriously, who sits in a hospital bed with one leg and starts to think about something like running the NYC Marathon or even crazier, running across Canada. Most people these days can’t even find the motivation to run across the street. Brutal.

GRANT: I know. I mean really people, think about it. You complaining about your husband leaving the toilet seat up? Nobody gives a shit.

VICKY: Oh and nobody gives a shit whether you failed your math exam or that you eat your emotions with a pound of chocolate or ice cream every night. Seriously people, start thinking positively. Start thinking of something else you could be doing instead of sitting there feeling sorry for yourselves.

GRANT: Go for a run. Soon you’ll find you won’t focus on your problems and you’ll start smiling again!

VICKY: Cheesy but true.

GRANT: Because at the end of the day, even though the people around you might fuel your incessant need to get attention by tweeting or putting up on Facebook everything that’s happening in your life, nobody gives a shit. That’s the bottom line.

VICKY: Hey listen to my new favourite running song about one of my favourite movies based on one of my favourite books. It’ll make you smile!