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Archive for November, 2011

Nov 1

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Run! Book Review

Dean Karnazes is a ultramarathoner who runs crazy distances in places people rarely visit. I had no intention to be inspired by his adventurous but incomprehensive outdoor activities and accomplishments. Also, he seemed too superficial and immodest for a ultramarathoner to my liking (too many TV appearances, and who would pose half naked on a book cover!?) but I thought I’d read his experiences since I did not know what sort of stories he could tell. He was one of World’s 100 Most Influential People in 2010 by Time Magazine, after all.

I was wrong! He seems very laid-back and humble middle-aged son/father/husband who just loves to run. He is a non-fiction version of Forrest Gump, in terms of love of running. But I was right, in that he’s run crazy distances in some of the most remote places on earth. In some races, he had near-death experiences but he never stops, because that’s what he likes to do. He runs and that’s how he lives and supports his family. How fantastic is that!? I wish I had such talent and determination.

In Run! 26.2 Stories of Blisters and Bliss, he shares his stories about his races, family and everything about running in a non-pretentious fashion that makes everybody like him. There is no cockiness anywhere in the book that I was prepared to read and forget. One of the most memorable stories from the book is his experiences during the 4 Deserts, which a runner takes on 250km (or 155 miles) in seven days in four of the world’s most forbidden and unforgiving deserts: Atacama (Chile), Gobi (China), Sahara (Egypt) and Antarctica – a total of 1,000km. He writes about his suffering, hallucination, dehydration and all other possible consequences of running such race that one can think of. I didn’t understand why he put himself through such grave agonies. He is no Forrest Gump, in terms of intelligence: He has run Fortune 500 companies and start-ups. But as I read, I realized that is what he really likes to do. Simple as that. His next big endeavor is a plan to run a marathon in all countries in the world, starting November 2012. I wish him the best luck and keep running!

Nov 1

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The Perfect Mile Book Review

The Perfect MileA historic milestone was reached between the times when two Swedes (Gunder Hägg and Arne Andersson) kept renewing each other’s Mile world records and when the British dominated the Mile world records and races. 4-minute Mile was getting ever so close to conquer, but the barrier was so monumental that Hägg’s world record of 4:01.04 had not been broken for nine years, which is the longest gap between any two world records to-date since IAAF era started. Neal Bascomb’s The Perfect Mile took me back to the exciting time: The early 1950s, when many industrialized countries were starting to experience post-war modernism, though sports science and technologies were still in its infant stage.

Roger Bannister from the Great Britain, John Landy of Australia, and Wes Santee of the United States were the selected milers to take on this enormous challenge and the candidates to break the 4-minute barrier. Bascome introduced me to each miler in great detail, whom I had never heard of. Though I admire his talent and dedication of Bannister, I was hoping Landy would be the one to break the 4-minute barrier, because he was the front runner and the one who did not have the luxury of training in facilities or environments (physical and athletic) that both Bannister and Santee had. Landy did break Bannister’s 3:59.4 and set the world record of 3:58 a month and a half later. He was a little late to be the first miler to break the barrier. Landy seems to resemble Sebastian Coe’s running style, while Bannister is more like Steve Ovett, from what I read.

One thing I am surprised about these athletes is that all three dropped the competitive running to pursue their interests and passions soon after the barrier was broken. It seems to me it is such a waste of athletic talents; who knows they could have been much more celebrated athletes if they continued their racing. Today, the Mile record of 3:43.13 is held by Hicham El Guerrouj of Morocco, which was established in July, 1999 in Rome.

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