Monday, January 17, 2011

Charlie Spedding - From last to first

Markus Roessel for mzungo.org

I try to read every running book I can get my hands on. The last one was a special one. Originally it was released in 2009 but unfortunately i just got it a couple of weeks ago.

Biographies or training books is what you usually find when searching for running related books. Charlie Spedding combines both genres in his very own direct way.

Outsiders to the running sport will ask themselves where the beauty of a running book lies. If there is one book that can transfer the feeling and pain of a race or training than you do not have to look further than “From last to first”. Charlie describes everything that the life of a distance runner in the eighties involved and gives ideas to runners nowadays. A step back could be a stride forward for some athletes. As he asks after analyzing nowadays performances with the provided possibilities of U.K athletes coming up to the 2012 Olympics “…So why, why, why, are today’s best British runners running slower times then we did twenty or thirty years ago?”

Beside wining the Houston and London Marathons, Charlie himself won a bronze medal at the Los Angeles Olympic Marathon and fulfilled his childhood dream. The book starts with his biggest achievement (L.A. Olympics) and catches the reader straight away with a “on point” writing style. The physical and mental intense of a important championship race has never been better described. The first chapter glues the book to your hands and the next 13 chapters (e.g. Chapter 6 - “The Beer Drinker’s Guide to Sports Psychology”) do not disappoint you in any way.

Training and racing stories of old-school running greats , personal setbacks, thoughts, perspectives and injuries– this book covers everything that the “blue collar” runner needs to know and wants to read.

Thank you Charlie Spedding – Great book!

The book is available at www.charliespedding.com
 
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