Athletics Books

The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner is told from the perspective of a working class young Englishman whose greatest ambition in life is subverting the system. Witty, insightful, cynical and yet innocent, Smith, gets sent to a correctional facility (Borstal) after being caught (hilariously) with the money he and a friend had robbed from a bakery. Smith's refusal to be untrue to himself - even though his honesty, it could be argued, does nothing to help him get along in life - is the point of the narrative. It's a story that I think appeals to male and female readers.

Alan Sillitoe wrote in the late fifties The loneliness of the long distance runner. It is about the filthy realities of life in a working class family. Smith is the long distance runner, representing Borstal Essex in the Borstal Blue Ribbon Prize Cup For Long Distance Cross Country Running (All England). Smith is an inmate in possession of a superior ability in long distance running. His tactics are : never be in a hurry during running and never let any of the other runners know you are in a hurry even if you are! He is the favorite of the governor because of this running ability. The governor of Borstal Essex depends on Smith for winning the cup. Smith, aged 17, is not willing to do this favor to the governor. In his race, carefully planned and executed, Smith allows another runner to win. He wants to hit the governor where it hurts a lot. The stakes are high and Smith knows beforehand the consequences. He is getting a rough time the last 6 months of his stay in Borstal. Sillitoe wrote a fine story and in fact he is a long distance runner too. During the fifties he started writing as an angry young man and recently he wrote a sequel of one of his most famous books Saturday Night and Sunday Morning, called Birthday. I recommend Sillitoe as a committed writer.

Luuk Oost

Stilltoe's Lonliness of the Long Distance Runner is a collection of thematically-linked short stories about life in post-WWII London. In this collection, the author's narrative voice is so authentic that the reader is transported into the minds of poverty-stricken young Londoners who are facing the grim realities of their future as factory workers, criminals or longshoreman. The stories helped launch the "Angry Young Man" genre of film and literature that emerged in the early 1960's. The title story was made into a movie, which time has transformed into a classic. This is a great book for students of postmodern literature as well as those who just like a well-crafted tale.

This is not my favorite Sillitoe book, but it's probably the most well known to the people of my demographic (the twenty year old white kid with a passing interest in music) and thank god for that. The title story employs Sillitoe's trade mark semi-stream of conscioucness writing style to smashing effect. It's neither too precious nor too light, but demonstrates how a controlled use of style can result in stunning emotional returns for the reader. This is moving stuff and it's heady stuff, but it's not self indulgent or smacking of "the woe is me i loved an arty girl" adolescent sentiment that sounds so attractive in a song but rarely makes good prose. Not that there are any kind of arty girls in the title s. but, you know, the feeling is across the board applicable to fiction dealing with boys and girls. Sillitoe is a strangely neglected writer, as Christopher Hitchens has recently remarked, though this probably has something to do with the fact that after writing two or three great books, he turned to writing obsessively about blind ham radio operators. Book after book came out, and I've read them, and each one features some variation on blindness or radios. He's king of the blind ham radio genre, but it's an odd title for such a great writer.

I purchased a well worn, musty smelling paperback edition of this book published in 1967 and thoroughly enjoyed the wonderful writing as well as the tactile sensation of thumbing my way through the cherished, yellowed pages. Brilliantly executed "tales of working class life and morals" are great to read--but none better than Chapter One about the Runner in the title. So well done, in fact, that my interest in the other stories quickly waned.

For reading pleasure, I highly recommend this collection. For runners, especially, Chapter One is worth the purchase price. Now I'm eager to see the Tom Courtenay movie version, which is apparently excellent, too.

this book has been a great insipiration for my decision to get fit.. I read it avidely and now that I finished I have a better idea of how to actually get myself trained for a triathlon, but really It helped me to change my point of view regarding my ability to excersise... Great book Sally!

This book was a bit dissapointing and hard to follow. The writing style was straining and I felt it was a big advertisement for Danskin. I'm a newcomer to triathlons but have extensive competitive athletic experience and as much as I tried to appreciate the advice, I felt bound and gagged by repeated Danskin references.

Even as a beginner, I found it too simple for what it claims to be, and not well written enough to hold it high on a virtue other than information given.

I am a beginner triathlete in every sense of the word. Although I have swam biked and ran before I had never done any competitively until my first Danskin triathlon. I bought this book after that and have gotten some really great tips and realized a lot of the things I was doing wrong. Great How to's on all three sports as well as nutrition, training and gear. I love it!!

I was not impressed. Even as a newcomer to triathlons, the book helped very little. It had some motivation, but there are far better books for that out there, and very little useful training advice.
My definate advice is not to get this book--- I still regret spending my money on this one.

Hi Folks,

I just finished this book that I got as a gift this past summer. It's written by Lance Armstrong's prior trainer/nutritionist, so right off the bat you know your not reading a book written by just any chum.

It can prove very useful book for both beginner and advanced athletes wanting to learn or solidify the fundamentals of good, sound dieting as and training concepts.

It's thorough - it covers the importance of heart-rate targeted training (he provides instructions on how to run 'field-tests' used by his company to find your training HR). He goes over macronutrients (their importance, roles, recommended daily ratios, good/bad carbs/fats). He goes over young, old, and pregnant athletes.

I've concluded that this book is better suited for endurance athletes. Sure, Carmichael helped train one of the best endurance athletes ever, but Carmichael does say that his nutritional formula (which varies depending on the time of the year, which divides into training periods) is roughly 65% carbs, 22% fat, 13% protein.

I'm mainly a strength athlete. In tracking the percentages of my daily macronutrients, I learned that I feel optimal when I get 20-25% of my day's worth of calories as protein. Likewise, optimal when I get around 20-25% of calories in fat. That leaves my carbs at about 50-60% of my day's calories. He argues that a higher carb diet better replenishes glycogen stores, aids muscle repair, and provides energy - but I feel mentally and physically better when I stick to my percentages (I tried his percentages, as well as other extreme percentages such as the one in the mostly fruitarian raw vegan diet). I don't know if this is because of my body type (a concept he does not discuss) or because of my type of training.

I also disagree with his view on carbs and feel that it is a bit incomplete. He categorizes carbs as empty carriers or nutritious. I think there are damaging carbs - I feel markedly worse after a snickers bar and feel it worsens my cardiovascular endurance. They also provoke a high glycemic response. This is an important concept that has helped me succeed athletically once I took it into account. Two other concepts not discussed are food alkalinity and their potential to promote bodily inflammation. I believe these are important concepts that DO make a difference in training.

The bottom line is that this guy has A LOT of experience in the field of athletic performance an nutrition (he himself was an elite athlete). He runs an athlete training company and, thus, trains a lot of top athletes. He has seen what works and doesn't. It's just that I think it's better suited for endurance athletes, and that it's a bit incomplete since it lacks discussion about body type (and possible resulting dietary alterations), glycemic index and load, as well as carbs that can potentially hinder your performance. (And not just because you could be eating something more nutritious in their place...but because they're bad for you!)

Beyond all that, the book contains a bunch of pages of cooking recipes (which I didn't look at, I'm happy with my cooking; maybe later), and advice on eating on the go. In a few parts of the book he pubs his PowerBar products, but it only caused chuckles and didn't degrade the quality of his advice.

Recommended read.

Learn how to keep your body perfectly fueled for any athletic endeavor. Charts will help you compare various health food products to help you make the right decisions for your diet.

Within 3 weeks of implementing the basic concepts I noticed a massive difference in my ability to train productively on successive days and that my soreness after long runs of 10-20 miles was drastically cut.

One of the great things about this book is that you can apply it's concepts in a macro or micro level pretty easilly, from grams to food groups to eating for specific training cycles.

The organization and layout could use some cleaning up, but the content makes up for it. It has plenty of sample diets, though it could use a little more.

Truly outstanding!

Well for starters let's say this book is a little technical and spread out. There is lots of information but it is spread out all over the place. That is the bad news. The organization is spread out in seventeen chapters over four parts. Some parts are more beneficial than others. The good news is that there is everything you need to know in this book about keeping your body fueled at the optimun level for a top performance, whatever you choice of exercise is. The best section is probably the part entitled "The Best Fuels for the Job." Within this section you can find your guide to carbohydrates, low carb diets, fats, proteins and other useful information about minerals and vitamins and fueling for performance before, during and after. There are charts to compare the different products(protein powders, energy drinks and recovery drinks) on the market for you to choose the one that best suits your needs. There are also many charts with comparisons of nutrients found in different foods to help you make a choice for which is best for your tastes. The training regimen is detailed with suggested meals and is just to linear for my tastes. I like to pick and choose so for me this book was too regimented. I bought this book when it first came out and have read it on and off since but have recently incorporated some of the receipes found in the back of the book into my lifestyle. Since I am more a free form cook, I use many of the ideas as a springboard for my own imagination in the kitchen. However there are several receipes that are great as is. The empahsis on nutrition and the benefits of certain foods is the books strong point and can benefit many people, even people who are not atheletes. If you are into health and are active in some type of endurance sport than this book will be of help you get the most out of your body. If you are sedentary and want to get off your duff this book might help you see you can still eat many of the foods you like(but others you will have to cut)as you begin to become more active. Overall this book can have a good effect on your lifestyle.

I chose this book because I trust Chris Carmichael's knowledge and experience with athletes. He is not trendy or strict, but instead realistic and straight-forward. He helps you design YOUR plan.

Easy recipes in the back, also!

This book takes a sane, low-key approach to triathloning. The author did his first one when he was about 45. Very well written, with detailed training plans and lots of interesting anecdotes. HIGHLY recommended

If you've been wanting to get into triathlon, but you don't know where to start, this book is full of programs for you to get started on.

I love this book because it gives you a normal everyday mojo's perspective on triathlons and duathlons. I recommend it to anyone who is a beginner.

I didn't realize how out of date this book was, or I would not have bought it. The book makes 80s-era references when it comes to diet, nutrition, and other books about fitness. He suggests that you'd better plan to spend a whole $45 dollars on a good pair of running shoes!

The author is readable, and his personal experiences are somewhat interesting. But although he is an M.D., there seems to be no scientific basis for his recommendations - it is all based on his personal experience.

NOTE: This review applies to the FIRST EDITION. I just found out there is a Second Edition. I will oder and review it forthwith.

I rated this book 4 stars because it is an old 5 star book.

First, this book is for rank beginners. If you say, "Gee, I want to try this cross-training thing called a triathlon . . .um, where do I start?", then this is the book for you.

Second, the book IS DATED. It was originally written in 1984 and updated in 1996. A lot has happened since then; distances have been standardized, new equipment and techniqes have evolved, advances in nutrition and kinesiology.

Now, my reivew.

This is a marvelous book in a lot of ways. If you have no clue how to get started, this book will help you a lot. Unlike some of the reviewers here, and as stated by the author, this is TRIATHLONING FOR ORDINDARY MORTALS. Dr. Jonas lays out a program of exercise that rank amatuers can accomplish. He presents this information in a way that you can directly apply without a coach. The object of the book, as stated on page 23:

"This book is for you if you an average recreational endurance athlete of modest ability who would like to do a triathlon of modest proportions [Olympic]. It is also for you if you are not yet 'average recreational endurance athlete of modest ability' but would like to become one, with the goal in mind of doing a triathlon of modest proportions'" . . .This book is not for you if your ambition is to do an 'Ironman' triathlon."

Phase One is a three month prelude to developing an aerobic base, to get you used to exercising. Phase Two is a six month program to get you sufficiently fit to train for a triathlon. Phase Three is a three month program to COMPLETE a triathlon.

The nutrition and equipment discussion in the book are dated. However, the advice he offers, such as going to a specialty shoe store to get fitted, is not.

As to counting minutes vs miles, in one of the previous reviews, the BEST way for an amateur to build thier aerobic capacity is over time. Miles work best for people who are already there and have advanced beyond what this book may teach. You need to practice technique and intervals and that is beyond this book. I reccommend the 12 week walk/run program offered by the British Columbia sports medicene group a replacement for the run program.

I really enjoyed reading this book 5 years ago and again now. Science and technology have moved on, but sage advice is still golden.

Poorly produced with a few radical concepts about sport-specific conditioning as it relates to golf. I doubt anybody on tour uses this stuff, just too funky.

Not easy to follow, but a few interesting exercises I have added to my routine. Some of the sections are just not adequate compared to other books/plans, for example, the aerobic/endurance section. Looks like it was thrown together over the weekend at Kinko's.

Thougt I was getting a fitness book. Found it to be much, much more. A mental toughness program that makes sense is the highlite for me. I have used most of the exercises now for about 10 weeks, and I have a MUCH bigger shoulder turn. Best of all, my knees and lower back have quit hurting. Happily shooting in single digits now after flirting with them for years...

I love the concept... that the swing was broken down into all of it's phases and the the exercises are designed to reinforce the muscle tone and muscle memory required for a better golf swing. However, the written directions are complex and the visual aids are of poor quality so it is possible to do the exercise wrong with out knowing it. I'm sure the video would be a great supplement to the book.

It's good information, but more than I'll ever need by a factor of 5. There is a very useful technique for scoring your game, so you have a record of exactly what happened on the course, and you know what to work on. But, there is just too much for me, a beginning golfer, and for my brother (I tried to pawn it off on him), who's a mid-level player. I wish I'd returned it.

When I qualified to run my first Boston Marathon I was given a copy of this book. I had never been to Boston prior to the race.

I used this book to write my plan on how I should run the race. Each mile the author describes the rich history or the area, runners and insight on how to run the race.

This is a must read for first time Boston Marathon runners!

This book humanized one of the most famous road races in the world. It was a delight to read and thoroughly entertaining.

I bought this book for me and my sister-in-law in 2003 when she and I decided to run the Boston Marathon for the first time. Yes, we were bandits as were around 5000 others who wanted to experience running a marathon in the premier marathon of them all. Because most bandits are not hardcore runners, it's a lifetime achievement that brings a level of pride and emotion that most people rarely experience in their lifetime.

I'm so glad I read this book. I was a lot like the author at the time I read it. I was a treadmill runner of around 3 miles every other day. After seeing the affect the NY Marathon had on a co-worker, I decided to run Boston. Through this book, the shared experience of running a marathon as a sub-amateur runner, and the struggle to put ones body in the shape necessary to run such a long distance with no prior experience was terrific. An added benefit, which made the process of running the race more rewarding, was the connection to the history of the race and events that occur along the way.

The overwhelming majority of running books are written to an audience of experienced runners. Thank you, Mr. Connelly, for writing this book for people like me and the 5000 or so other Boston Marathon bandits.

Never has a book captured the essence of not only running Boston, but mararthoning as 26 Miles to Boston has. The author's account of his run humanizes the event - and puts a face on the Boston Marathon like never before. In my mind any concerns with the runner's running status (non-qualified) are put to rest by the fact that the three greatest runners ever to run the Boston Marathon support the book with personal endorsements in the form of forewords. Also the Boston Athletic Association lends their own quote to the cover of the book further endorsing the author's account of the Boston Marathon. In my mind the Boston Marathon is the greatest race in the world. People come from all over the world to run in this event - some are qualified some are not. What makes it special is the fact that all are provided the opportunity to compete in the "Open" event. The Boston Marathon is not just for "elite" runners, but runners of all levels, nationalities and backgrounds. I love the way 26 Miles to Boston captured the special qualities of the race and intertwined the author's account and the champions' accounts of the race. I would recommend this book to all runners, marathoners and fans of the Boston Marathon, the elite and non-elite alike.

The author ran the race as a "bandit", a fact that you don't discover until you buy the book (it is not stated anywhere on the book cover, reviews, etc.) In fact, Amazon states: "About the Author ...MICHAEL CONNELLY competed in the 1996 Boston marathon." This is simply a false statement. Legitimately qualifying for Boston is an integral part of competing, and the author did not do that. He did not "compete" in the Boston marathon any more than I "competed" in the U.S. Open by playing golf as a tourist at Pebble Beach (a frequent U.S. Open site). This taints the entire book and made me (as someone who has legitimately qualified for Boston) feel cheated (I am going to request a refund from Amazon on the basis of false advertising).

Now, I recognize that the BAA has more or less allowed bandits to run the course over the years. As such, it might not have been that bad if the author had simply stated something along the following lines: he respects the talent and effort it takes to qualify and he recognizes that, since he has not done so, his participation is not the same as a legitimate qualifier, but he is nevertheless giving his experiences as a first time marathoner, not as someone who has properly trained and qualified for Boston. But, the author makes no such statement.

In fact, the author berates Marty Liquori for suggesting that bandits should not be allowed to run. Here's an excerpt from the book (p. 43):

"Listen Marty, you're our guest. So mind your manners, pick up your check, and watch the race. When I cross that finish line some twenty-six miles down the road, not with a number but with the storied history of the Boston Marathon in my blood, then I will consider myself qualified! (By the way, Marty, a little fun fact for you: You and I are tied with the same number of Boston Marathon championships.)"

Give me a break. This statement is not only completely obnoxious, it also embarrasingly demonstrates a complete ignorance of running, as Marty Liquori was a middle distance runner (and an outstanding one at that), not a marathoner. Here's fun fact for Michael: your claimed time of 4:30 (p. 237) was more than an hour slower that the qualifying standard for your age. (I guess, by Michael's logic, when I completed the 18th hole at Pebble Beach, I qualified for the U.S. Open.) If there was any doubt before, that should be enough for anyone to reject the book.

But wait, it gets even worse. After completing the course, the author states the following (p. 261):

"I had arrived home safe and sound. Twenty-four hours before, I had walked out of that door a different man. Now I was the proud owner of a Boston Marathon medal and all the physical and mental benefits that come with it."

That is a flat out lie (or the author is delusional), as everyone knows that only legitimate qualifiers (who finish) are given medals, and again is highly insulting to all legitimate qualifiers/finishers.

If anyone is still considering buying the book, there is one other thing that you should be aware of. A good part of the author's description of his "experience" in running the course involves describing how he faced excruciating pain and/or a nearly overwhelming urge to quit at numerous points in the race, but someone he managed to overcome those and keep going to the finish, and how he was suffering after the finish (e.g., "As I walked down the street, with two mylar blankers taped around me like capes, a well meaning girl offered me a PowerBar. I fel like saying 'I don't need a PowerBar. I need to be read my last rites!'")

First of all, after a while, this stuff just becomes constant whining. More importantly, all of this "pain and suffering" was likely due to insufficient training on the part of the author. Apparently, up to six months before the race, he had done essentially no running and not a whole lot of exercise of any type (p. 7). Then, in late October 1995, he had heart surgery and apparently nearly died (p. 11). He then starting limited training in about mid-November (p. 12). Plus, the winter in New England was particular severe that year (p. 43). How could he have possibly done the proper amount of training to run Boston in April 1996? It appears that the author simply had no business running the course and, thereby, "suffered" more than a properly trained runner. Yet, he never admits to his lack of proper training. (Note: he claims to have run 4:30, but he provides no evidence to support that claim.)

Again, this ties back to his being a bandit. As a bandit who had not properly trained, his "experience" is simply not representative of the experience of a properly trained, legitimate qualifier.

You wouldn't buy a book about running by Rosie Ruiz. Don't buy this one either.

I found the book very interesting and factual of how good prospective high school athletes can be ground up like chopped beef. The USA top division I coaches have a bad repretation for running and competing the good prospective Olympic athlete in the ground from European coaches. The book was exciting when the races were described and very dissappointing when the results of the biggest and last races of the year were not there because there were thirty-three pages missing in the book and of course at the dmost interesting part. Very dissappointing. WMW

at the end of the book i actually disliked Webb. it was a story about someone who was not patient enough and thougt of himself as above everyone, i actually think him running such great times as a highschooler hurt him,he did not give the coach at michigan a fair chance and found ways to make everything a drama. the part i did enjoy though was reading about the other people from michigan and the fact that chris lear is such a great writer and really connects with the reader.

In a space of several months in 2001, Alan Webb ran the fastest indoor mile by a U.S. high school athlete and then set a national high school record for the magical distance, breaking a mark that reigned supreme for 36 years by the legendary Jim Ryun.

Author Chris Lear takes the reader on the rocky journey Webb runs while carrying his fantastic prep record to the college ranks and beyond. In particular interest is how Webb deals with coaching legend Ron Warhurst at the University of Michigan.

The pressure on Webb from outside the confines of the college campus are chronicled without editorial comment from Lear. It is my feeling Webb comes across as a boorish teenage tennis player or figure skater that must have things his/her way and coaches last about as long as a pair of training shoes for an ultra-marathoner.

Webb's "team" that was around him when rewrote the prep record book seemingly derailed Warhurst's efforts before his star runner went on his first workout as a Wolverine. One must wonder if they had the best interest of Webb in mind or if dollar signs were circling that track.

There was the lure of professional money from shoe companies and race promoters who were certainly salivating at the chance to have the great American star wear its logo or compete on the domestic/international stage.

But the blame for being swayed by so many voices clearly falls on Webb. And if this tug-of-war would have been in a bigger profile collegiate sport, it would have been as big a national story as - for example - Maurice Clarett's public battles with the Ohio State brass and coaches from a few years ago.

Sometimes the biggest search for a young world-class athlete is for those who will provide good advice over what can be profitable today. For every Tiger Woods or John McEnroe - who used brief collegiate careers as a springboard to professional success - there are hundreds like Webb that want it all now, but end up with fleeting glimpses of brilliance.

Alan Webb in this story strikes me as more a baby than a runner who has ran under 4 minutes in the mile. He whines about being hurt and not getting trained right. Warhurst is one of the greatest american distance coaches, if you can't run under him don't run at all. Nate seemed more likeable and more of a team player than Webb did in this book. Being for Illionis I love how Webb lost to Don Sage in 1500 meter final. Towards the end of the book, you knew he was going to quit michigan, now granted Webb has become very big in the sport but for a while he struggled after leaving Michigan and going back to his old coach. Good Book, if you like Webb, you might change your view of him, Nate is awesome, so is Tim Broe

Chris Lear has done it again! Following an exellent debut with "Running With the Buffaloes" he comes back with "Sub 4:00" -- a great account of Alan Webb's first and only season at the University of Michigan.

Lear is the only guy out there writing about the collegiate running scene as most books in the running section at your bookstore revolve around training logs or how to run your first 10K. It's about time someone took a different path and I'm glad Lear has done so.

Webb's tumultuous season at UM is well-depicted. The tough workouts, the injuries, and most importantly, the hot and cold relationship Webb has with his collegiate coach. Webb is pulled in a couple of different directions, whether to turn pro and go back and train under his high school coach, where he had great success; or stay at UM where he has friends and training partners. After awhile one can tell where Webb is going to end up.

What makes Lear's books so good is he gets right into the action. Just like his first book, he has intimate access to the team, it's workouts, meetings, and private moments. He's with Webb in the residence halls, on solitary and team workouts, at the meets, and even on the road in his car. Lear isn't an outside observer, he's right there. Also, the main supporting character, Brannen, gets his fair share of coverage.

This isn't just a book for runners, but anyone interested in athletics, particularly college athletics and how the system works and how coaches are under pressure to win -- yes, even so-called minor sport track and field coaches.

I highly recommend this excellent book and hope Lear has more coming down the road.

I would definately reccommend this book to anyone who might have self esteem or self confidence issues. It was a very positive and uplifting read and written very well. It works on a story level while not coming off preachy but manages to convey many ideals as well as misconceptions one may have about taking a martial arts class.

I found this to be an inspiring story and one that dispelled a lot of myths about martial arts.

It is very easy to read and to associate with the main character, "Joey". Everyone has feelings of low self esteem some time in their life. This story shows how one very shy boy, along with the help of caring family and friends, overcomes his self doubt and finds it within himself to achieve his goal. He becomes a confident and self assured young man through the lessons he learned from Tae Kwon Do.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone in the same situation, or anyone curious about learning more about martial arts and the positive effects it can have on your life.

I first met Rory Kyle in 1976 at Valparaiso University and since I have not met a more disciplined or compassionate person. Rory as a young man was extremely confident and sure of himself. He left school, entered a prestigious accounting firm and had a stellar career there. A few years later he left to devote himself to his discipline. Tae Kwon Do.

Rory has the ability to master anything that he focuses on, his latest effort in writing this book is no exception. Bringing to the market a fictional story (perhaps loosely related to his personnel experiences?) is no exception. Rory brings to these pages the anxiety of parents who want their child to be happier, the confusion of childhood, as well as the pleasure of finding something to which you belong, and in time become part of.

Reading this book as a novel is a mistake, this is more of a life reference as to how to approach challenges and in turn conquer. If you are a parent with concerns your child that may be a bit awkward or shy, and you need a place to turn, this book will help you direct your childs energies, whether towards Tae Kwon Do or other programs, and become part of something.

I found Tae Kwon Do Man to be inspiring and very challenging, especially for young and old having low self esteem or just not much self confidence. Master Rory writes an easy to understand story of how the mind and body work together to develop a whole person. Master Rory shows that Joey's parents, instructor, best friend and girlfriend are all part of his life long maturation process. As a retired teacher and coach, I can think of several students that would have benefited from reading about Joey's life experiences. I have never taken Tae Kwon Do, but see its merits and benefits from this book. I highly recommend this book to adolescents and parents alike.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book from Master Kyle. Anyone young or not so young could benefit from this work concerning self esteem and confidence. I found it very inspirational.

We all know the story - 47 straight, but the way the author puts it all together is worth the money. It is a novel type book, not like Tales from the Sooner Sideline (Tales) or UNIVERSITY OF OKLAHOMA FOOTBALL: An Interactive Guide to the World of Sports (Sports By the Numbers) which talk about mini stories and are great OU books as well. Get all three for someone's gift.

I wish every football fan would read this book, but I am willing to bet that a majority of it's readership is full of people like me. Oklahomans who are fans and supporters of our Sooners. I have to admit, I doubt many Texas fans are going to rush out and buy this book, hell, they probably wouldn't read it if there was a free copy in the john, but they might use it for something else.

So right off the bat, I have to expose my bias on this book. How could I not love it? So it doesn't mean much for me to say things like, "Everybody will love this book, it speaks to all college football fans."

While this book does not hold universal appeal for all people, here is why I think it should. It has an underlying message that is positive and inspiring. A message that can be used by anyone, anywhere, and at anytime.

Being born and raised in Oklahoma, I of course became very familiar with the place and the people that live there. From an early age I began to realize that Oklahoma wasn't all that popular of a place. Even most of the kids I grew up with didn't have many good things to say about Oklahoma. They always wanted to be someplace else, and this always bothered me a great deal. In fact, that is one of the biggest problems my home state faces. Oklahoma isn't great enough to hold onto it's own people. I live in Southern California, which might as well be Hell to many OU fans after what the Trojans did to OU in the Orange Bowl. So even I became one of the traitors, in a way. I will always call Oklahoma home, I just live in Hermosa Beach. I'm an Okie, and proud of it.

I knew we didn't have any pro sports teams, no major cities that get mentioned in the same breath as "New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, Miami, Chicago, San Francisco, St. Louis, etc." Whenever the big news stations covered the weather, they never gave the weather in Oklahoma, we just kinda got looked over. After all, we are just the funny shaped flat state out in the middle of the country.

I very quickly realized that the only time my state popped up on national radar was when the University of Oklahoma's football team was involved. Of course, this became a source of pride for me and countless others. Oklahoma has no place comparing itself to other states in many ways, whether it be pro sports, big business, vacation hotspots, or just simply being a "popular" place to live and work. But when it comes to college football, we stand as proud as anyone, and we know that we deserve the right to do so.

What I didn't know as a kid, was that this was the plan all along. Years before I was born, the big wigs at OU and others around the state of Oklahoma wanted to use the University's football program as a source of pride for the state, and this was especially true when my home state was devastated by the depression and the great dust bowl.

The Sooners of Oklahoma at one time, won 47 straight football games, and this cemented their legacy as one of the all time greatest college football programs. The mission was truly accomplished, Oklahoma was on the map and everybody knew it.

This book covers a lot of ground in the history of OU football, all of it is exciting and interesting. I would think that anyone who is attracted to stories of victory, and overcoming great odds to succeed above all others, would love this book. It's not just about sports in my opinion. The reasons that Bud Wilkinson and his Sooner teams were so successful was because they displayed the attributes of champions. These attributes are universal to just about everything, business, family, sports, etc.

I am sure there will be some Negative Nancy's about this book, who can't help but bring up the numerous brushes with the law and the NCAA, that OU has had. All I have to say is, you're probably right, but if you're a fan of any major college football program and some of the not so major ones, then you have to right to criticize. People who live in glass houses shouldn't throw stones. That's what is said anyway.

I suggest you ignore all that stuff and focus on the inspiring message inside, don't let YOUR bias against Oklahoma, or it's University, or it's football team prevent you from enjoying a very fine tale of glory.

Maybe I knew too much of the story before I read it but there was more info about the players and coaches and the women they had than about football. I would have liked to read about the football games they won!!!

A great great football story, but disappointingly written. For starters, Jim Dent misses his audience. Recreated quotes reminisce made-for-grade school stories, yet hollow and stereotypical characters go on big-time drinking binges and grow 'harder than Chinese arithmetic' over the ladies. More disappointing is that one must read between the lines to discover what's most fascinating about 1940s/50s-era football - that the national champion was chosen BEFORE the bowl games (imagine THAT before BCS), that players played on both sides of the ball, that there were no designated field goal kickers, and heaps of other subtleties that have faded away as college football has 'grown.' Perhaps there was a rush to get this out while the 2000 Sooners team was STILL undefeated and national champions. It takes time to make a winner, I guess.

I try to read every college football book that I can get my hands on. I can honestly say that I have read few books written as poorly as this one. I was expecting much more considering the potential story lines involved in this subject. I simply did not enjoy this book because of the way it was written.

I found this book to be very helpful as I go through my next mid-life crisis. It was informative and laced with humor. Not much more I could ask for.Your First Triathlon

This book offers a good inital overview for those just starting in triathlons. Might be a bit basic for those who are already accomplished in the swimming, biking, and running. Liked the chapter that outlined what to expect in your first race - good pointers.

I read several books while preparing for my first sprint triathlon. This book and "Slow Fat Triathlete" were my two favorites. Neither is too technical, but full of helpful "newbie" info.

I was a little hesitant to buy this book after reading some of the reviews saying it was "too basic." I found it very helpful, esp the nutritional info. The training plan seems a little unrealistic -- its a 12 week plan that starts out with only 15 minute workouts. All in all, the book included a lot of valuable information that has helped me progress in my training for my first tri, but I wouldn't follow it word for word.

I did my first triathlon (sprint distance) in September after three months training, and I was lucky enough to have found this book towards the beginning of my training. Needless to say I am hooked and can't wait to do another one!!! The book did an amazing job of preparing me by arming me with the information I needed to train properly, learn new sports (I had never biked or swam seriously before), eat right, and avoid injury, and yet avoided getting too "hard core" (when you do your first triathlon you keep wondering whether or not you're crazy). Joe keeps it manageable. There is a scary overwhelmed feeling you can get when you start reading about some of the crazy training schedules and techniques out there -- and he really clears through all that and gets to the essentials you need to know to make it through your training and cross the finish line. For example, his race day prep chapter really helped me visualize what to expect on the big day. Also, I really liked his approach to gear -- you can really get sucked into buying a bunch of stuff -- and he emphasizes ways to work with stuff you already have (ex: your old mountain bike) until you're more experienced and can better select the right gear to invest in. Overall, I really liked his fun-first emphasis, while providing what is clearly well-researched and high quality information. Two thumbs up!