Great Running Events by James Knight
This book samples some of Australia’s most exciting running events. 21 chapters cover the City2Surf through to the multi-day Run Larapinta. Many races are described, there are comments from participants and a selection of high quality photographs.
There is, of course, a chapter on the Melbourne Marathon Festival. John Dobson Spartan S21, 47 times finisher, David Foskey S25, 47 time finisher and also Steve Moneghetti were interviewed. John and David describe their journeys from that first Frankston to Melbourne run to the current course that finishes at MCG. All three conclude the chapter with some thoughts and advice. In this chapter, James Knight recalls some of the most memorable Australian sporting events associated with the Melbourne Cricket Ground including Betty Cuthbert’s three gold medals in the 1956 Olympics, Kerryn McCann’s Commonwealth Games marathon gold medal and the feats of Shane Warne.
The City to Surf receives the attention it deserves as the event with the highest number of participants in Australia. The 240 kilometre Coast to Kosci event is restricted to 60 very carefully selected runners – mere mortals can read just why the selection criteria are so extreme.
Scattered through the book are comments and advice from running luminaries such as Rob de Castella (patron of the Spartans), Nikki Wynd (past AGM speaker and five times finisher of the Coast to Kosci) and Benita Willis (world cross country gold medallist).
Also scattered through the book are diversions such as thoughts on trekking to the Everest Base Camp or Grace Tame’s female record in the Bruny Island Ultra. It isn’t a dry textbook describing each event in tabular form but the descriptions are interspersed with entertaining sidetracks.
Great Running Events Australia is a handsome hardcover book of 240 pages that would be a valuable addition to the library of any runner, and would not be out of place on a coffee table.
ISBN: 9781922662293, available at book stores or online.
Disclaimer: Review written by David Foskey, who was sent a copy of the book but has received no other compensation.