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re: 2024 SEC Outdoor Track and Field Champions - Arkansas men, LSU women - Congrats!
Posted on 5/9/24 at 5:24 pm to Leto II
Posted on 5/9/24 at 5:24 pm to Leto II
For my fellow track geeks, especially the distance guys, I assume you’ve read Once A Runner by John L. Parker. It’s a fictional but basically autobiographical novel about the Florida Gator track program in the 60s, portrayed in the book as Southeastern University.
Has composite characters based on Frank Shorter, Kiwi John Walker, the first man to break 3:50 in the mile, and others of the era. The author’s character does a workout of sixty 440s (modern day 400m). Of course that’s insane and not advisable, but it’s pretty entertaining for those of us who have done a brutal interval workout. It’s a fun book if you’re a running/track geek but any sports fan would appreciate it, I think.
Once A Runner
Has composite characters based on Frank Shorter, Kiwi John Walker, the first man to break 3:50 in the mile, and others of the era. The author’s character does a workout of sixty 440s (modern day 400m). Of course that’s insane and not advisable, but it’s pretty entertaining for those of us who have done a brutal interval workout. It’s a fun book if you’re a running/track geek but any sports fan would appreciate it, I think.
Once A Runner
2
Posted on 5/9/24 at 5:35 pm to KingOfTheWorld
Great book. It’s a slow read at first but it really picks up! It really nails the life of a college distance runner, IMO
Have you read the sequel and prequel he finally wrote?
Again to Carthage and Raicing the Rain
Have you read the sequel and prequel he finally wrote?
Again to Carthage and Raicing the Rain
This post was edited on 5/9/24 at 5:37 pm
Posted on 5/9/24 at 7:16 pm to KingOfTheWorld
quote:
For my fellow track geeks, especially the distance guys, I assume you’ve read Once A Runner by John L. Parker. It’s a fictional but basically autobiographical novel about the Florida Gator track program in the 60s, portrayed in the book as Southeastern University.
I'm old enough to remember those guys that were in the Florida Track club in the early '70s. Such a cool singlet with the orange on it. As far as distance runners go those guys were as good as anybody in the country as a group.
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