A Race Like No Other - by Liz Robbins (Paperback)

About the Book

In a mile-by-mile account of the most popular marathon in the world, "New York Times" sportswriter Robbins captures the enormity of the New York City event by interweaving the stories of a handful of participants both professional and amateur.

Book Synopsis

"Gets closer to this marathon than an avenue railbird, and it leaves impressions not fleeting, but lasting."

--Sports Illustrated

The New York City Marathon is considered one of the nation's--and the world's--premier sporting events. A reporter for the New York Times, Liz Robbins brings the color, the history, the electricity of this remarkable annual competition alive in A Race Like No Other. Centering her narrative around the fabled 2007 running, Robbins captures all the intensity of the grand event, following the runners--both professional and amateur--along 26.2 grueling miles through the streets of New York, from the starting line at the Verrazano Narrows Bridge to the finish line in Central Park, and offering fascinating portraits of marathon legends like the race's charismatic founder, the late Fred Lebow, and nine-time champion Grete Waitz. The Wall Street Journal raves: "Robbins nails the race, painting a broad, impressionistic portrait of what I consider New York's greatest day." No other book captures the excitement of the New York City Marathon like A Race Like No Other.

From the Back Cover

The New York City Marathon: 26.2 grueling miles across five bridges and through five distinct boroughs, accompanied by the cheers of two million fans and propelled by the unique motivation that churns inside every participant.

New York Times reporter Liz Robbins brings the famed New York City Marathon to life, capturing the day's festivities mile by mile. She tells the stories of the determined competitors--from their friendships and rivalries to their adversity and redemption--through the prism of the unforgettable 2007 race. Infused with rich history of the event's legends and its colorful neighborhood characters, A Race Like No Other provides a curbside seat to the first Sunday in November, breathlessly carrying the reader from the start on the towering Verrazano-Narrows Bridge to the triumphant finish line in Central Park.

Review Quotes

"Lace up your sneakers and take a run like no other. Liz Robbins has written a poignant, fast-paced profile of a world-class event that is more than just a sports story. It's a rare view behind the city scenes and an inspirational look into the souls of athletes - from the pros to the plodders - revealing why they are so driven and yet so human. A heart-pounding read from start to finish." - Sally Jenkins, Washington Post columnist, author of The Real All-Americans and co-author of the New York Times bestselling It's Not About the Bike
"One of the great pleasures of running the Marathon for me was being among the masses of people. Thousand of personal stories drive runners to compete in New York each year. With the touch of a gifted storyteller, Liz Robbins brings to life the faces in the crowd, and draws the reader right into this amazing race." - Christine Brennan, USA Today columnist, author of Best Seat in the House
"Lace up your sneakers and take a run like no other. Liz Robbins has written a poignant, fast-paced profile of a world-class event that is more than just a sports story. It's a rare view behind the city scenes and an inspirational look into the souls of athletes - from the pros to the plodders - revealing why they are so driven and yet so human. A heart-pounding read from start to finish." - Jeremy Schaap, New York Times bestselling author of Cinderella Man and Triumph
"One of the great pleasures of running the Marathon for me was being among the masses of people. Thousand of personal stories drive runners to compete in New York each year. With the touch of a gifted storyteller, Liz Robbins brings to life the faces in the crowd, and draws the reader right into this amazing race." - Grete Waitz, nine-time winner of the New York City Marathon
"One of the world's great races finally has its own biography, and it's as wacky, entertaining, and beguiling as the Big Apple itself. If you had no interest in 'running New York' beforehand, this book will definitely change your mind." - John L. Parker, author of Once a Runner and Again to Carthage
"This book brings the race alive, detailing the running of the 2007 Marathon through the stories of the runners themselves...You won't stop reading 'til they've crossed the finish line." - Best Health Magazine
"Robbins, who covers sports for the New York Times, offers a vivid, winning portrait of the New York City Marathon, now the largest in the world with nearly 40,000 participants. Taking the 2007 race mile by mile, Robbins profiles each of the principal elite runners, including their training regimens and personal stories; describes each mile's particular features; limns a large cast of supporting characters, from an aid-station volunteer to a gospel choir that performs inspirational music for the marathoners on the eighth mile; and gives an good overview of how the event is organized. Along the way, Robbins conveys an intimate sense of the physical demands the race places on the body, all the while building suspense-though we know the winners-that's the equal of a good action movie. A quality piece of journalism from start to finish."" - Booklist (starred review)
"A Race Like No Other provides a wealth of colorful detail about the marathon's history, its volunteers and the millions of spectators who line the streets of New York and 'turn the Marathon into the largest annual tailgate party that not even college football, NFL, or NASCAR can top.'" - New York Post
"Robbins, a sportswriter for The New York Times, has packed her book with scrumptious details...If the written word still has any force, then this book could take on talismanic power, like the medal or the Mylar cape that every finisher receives." - New York Times Book Review
"Robbins's absorbing book...finds its stride....A Race Like No Other gets closer to this marathon than an avenue railbird, and it leaves impressions not fleeting, but lasting." - Sports Illustrated
"Robbins, a longtime New York Times sportswriter, offers a broad and loving look of the 39-year-old event through the prism of the 2007 race...The book so seamlessly interweaves the micro and macro stories of the New York marathon that it may require two reads to catch every amusing detail.... Robbins nails the race, painting a broad, impressionistic portrait of what I consider New York's greatest day." - Wall Street Journal
"I found this fabulous history of the New York City Marathon fascinating because Robbins brings to life the incredible pressures runners are under, as well as explaining their training methods and introducing us to their intense rivalries and friendships....Whether you're a runner or a couch potato, this will make you at the very least want to watch the marathon, armed with a sense of what each and every mile means to the thousands of competitors who run them." - Penthouse
"If you can't make the trek from Fort Wadsworth to Central Park, and can't get there to watch it in person, this new account of the world's biggest marathon is the next best source of inspiration." - The Advocate
"Whether you have run the New York City Marathon or not, or even any marathon, you will likely be inspired and encouraged by the stories in A Race Like No Other." - Boulder Daily Camera
"An engrossing, edifying and moving chronicle of a day in the life of the marathon and its participants....[Robbins] is a master of her craft: she deftly combines historical fact with creative interpretation, statistics and time-splits with detailed description....A Race Like No Other is a satisfying read for many reasons, not least because Robbins' writing is fluid and engaging, and she offers an unprecedented inside look at the storied event." - BookPage