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"A Race Like No Other"

512zvlyobkl__sx126_pc41100_sh20_Bill Littlefield reviews the enthusiastic writing of Liz Robbins in her new book, A Race Like No Other, a book dedicated to the New York Marathon and its participants. While many people may not understand the appeal of running 26.2 miles, those who are fans of the sport and have experienced the race themselves will find A Race Like No Other to be a great read. 

 Liz Robbins writes about the New York Marathon with all the energy and enthusiasm of a true believer. She admires the people who brought the race into existence almost forty years ago, and the people who have helped it grow, and the people who have won it. She also admires the many thousands of people who’ve run the race with no hope at all of finishing in the top ten thousand or so.
 
A Race Like No Other includes the stories of champions, of course, but Robbins is also partial to those who run and walk and run over the New York course to raise money for charities, or to honor relatives and friends, or, in some cases, as therapy. She’s even inclined to make excuses for the people who talk on cell phones while they’re running.
 
As a guy who’s only run recently when the alternative was to miss a plane and spend the night in an airport motel in a country where I didn’t know the language well enough to ask for a cup of coffee, I’m not likely to be the most appreciative audience for A Race Like No Other. My guess is that runners and fans of the sport will enjoy it thoroughly.

Headshot of Bill Littlefield

Bill Littlefield Host, Only A Game
Bill Littlefield was the host of Only A Game from 1993 until 2018.

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