Wednesday, July 8, 2009

The NonRunner's Marathon Guide for Women


Yet another not-on-the-list book that I simply had to read. We found this book in a small, quaint, enviable bookstore in Missoula, Montana--the kind of place that makes me want to live in the bookstore itself. I love little shops like that, but I always want to buy everything I see that is of interest. Sometimes I fool myself into thinking I will actually remember the names of all the books I've seen that I want to buy. Yet I know this never happens. When I'm looking for the book weeks or months later, I become that silly book-lover who wonders what the title of "that book that has stripes on the cover" was, again. So when I picked up the NonRunner's Marathon Guide, I knew I didn't want to forget it. It was perfect for me.

I rationalized buying this new book--I could have found it used somewhere or borrowed it from the library--with these thoughts:

1. I'm making a contribution to a LOCAL, small, privately-owned bookshop.

2. It was perfect for me.

3. I'm so going to run that marathon someday.

4. No sales tax in Montana!

5. The cover is shiny.

6. The book feels good in my hands.

7. I barely bought any souvenirs on this trip.

8. The trip was almost over, and I still had cash on hand (or my husband did--same thing).

9. If I don't buy this book now, I'll never remember the name of it to look up later.

10. If I don't buy this book now, I'll buy a different running book later on that will not appeal to me as much.

All that to say, this is a funny yet inspiring look at the marathon for people who never thought they could run a marathon! I loved it. I let my neighbor+running partner Joanna borrow and read it. She loved it. Read it if you're a runner, or if you want to maybe, sort of, kind of, be a runner. Someday.