Book info

• Title Running Crazy
• Author Helen Summer
• Year 2012
• Genre Sports

The 100 Marathon Club, also known as the Hell's Angels of Running and Running Sluts (running one race whilst thinking of another) is growing in number every year. This is a club with no prejudices and only one prerequisite for membership - the completion of 100 marathons. It is full of colourful, contrasting characters with idiosyncratic personalities and diverse lifestyles. They make up a gargantuan melting pot of humanity linked by one common desire - to run... and run... and run. But who would want to run 100 marathons or more? And why? How do they find the time, the money, the energy? Are they crazy? Find out by reading their stories. Some will make you laugh, others will make you cry, some may even inspire you to run a marathon. Believe it or not, these are ordinary, everyday people like you. Although when you have finished laughing and crying, you may still not be sure whether they are crazy or passionate. But you - as they do when they run - will have a lot of fun along the way.

Thoughts

A while back, I tried a bit of running and became really interested in people who had written books about running. I don’t run anymore and now going through my long, long to-be-read list, I’ve got a few of these sporty books to catch up on. This one is a dash through the world of the 100 Marathon Club, people who have run a hundred marathons. Author Helen Summer talks to a variety of different people who are part of the club, from all walks of life. I wasn’t sure this was going to be of interest to me anymore as a non-runner, but actually it was fascinating to read just how different the people are who join this club, their reasons, their lives, how it affects their loved ones.

I was in two minds about the style, Summer added a lot of reactionary comments which sometimes felt like a good way to structure the stories but other times felt a bit mean-spirited. It’s all in jest, I’m sure, but that’s just how it felt sometimes to me. Mostly, though, a good book, well written, with interesting featured athletes.

Rating: 3 / 5