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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
cangelop's review against another edition
4.0
One very interesting story written with a gripping style.
nerdyrev's review against another edition
3.0
John Tarrant may not be a name that immediate comes to mind when one thinks of runners, but his addition to the sport is very important. It was a different time and there were different rules for racing, namely one had to belong to a racing club which was mainly for the rich. "Regular Joes" were not allowed. John Tarrant was one of those Joes. Declined every time he applied to the racing club, he set out to prove that the race officials were wrong for what they were doing. He would show up with his brother in a long coat and hat, having changed into his racing clothes in back alleys or having snuck into the changing rooms, he would throw off his hat and coat and jump into the race uninvited, jumping to the front of the pack. It is a fantastic story for runners and his story is an inspiration.
The reason for the three stars is I was jumping between 3 and 4. I did not know who Tarrant was, so being introduced to him in this book was a fantastic ride. There were some really slow parts though, especially in the beginning. As much as Tarrant's back story is important, it made for a dragging start to a wonderful narrative. Once the racing stories started, I felt the book really started to take off as well. Not only Tarrant's love for racing shown through, but the love for his family was also there. If it weren't for some of the slower parts, this would be one of my favorite books on running.
The reason for the three stars is I was jumping between 3 and 4. I did not know who Tarrant was, so being introduced to him in this book was a fantastic ride. There were some really slow parts though, especially in the beginning. As much as Tarrant's back story is important, it made for a dragging start to a wonderful narrative. Once the racing stories started, I felt the book really started to take off as well. Not only Tarrant's love for racing shown through, but the love for his family was also there. If it weren't for some of the slower parts, this would be one of my favorite books on running.