Liz Robbins (1)

A Race Like No Other describes in great detail the 2007 New York City Marathon. The author expertly captures the essence of the race and provides the reader with a rare vicarious treat of what is like to run one of the greatest marathons on the planet. The book focuses primarily on a few key players to illustrate the impact of the marathon from multiple perspectives.

The story was not without flaws. Just as the action was heating up and you couldn't wait for the next mile the author interjected a bit of race history. The information was interesting and it certainly belonged in this story, but I do question the placement of some of these factoids. On occasion, the ill-placed historical tid-bits broke up the pacing and gave this reader an excuse to put the book down and come back to it later. A few editorial adjustments and this book would have five star potential.

There is clearly something magical about this race and after reading this book I think I will be adding the New York City Marathon to the bucket list. Recommended reading for runners and non-runners alike.… (mehr)