Thursday 15 March 2012

Cannonball read #11: And then the vulture eats you by John L. Parker J. (editor)

One of the very few good things about being ill is getting the chance to read a lot. How much of what you're reading you understand while running a fever is up to discussion, but just having finished the inventively titled "And then the vulture eats you" by John L. Parker J. (editor), I feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and it's not just because of the fever.

Essentially a collection of short stories written by ultra marathon runners, the book covers this wide world of 6 day races, adventure runs, grueling 100-mile races and more. Being more of an adventure runner myself, in it to experience the world around me, I naturally thought that kind of story was the most riveting. That's not to say that the rest of the stories were bad. Written more often than not with humour, the whole book kept me entertained for the three hours that it took me to read. Still, my favourite stories have to be "Road Warriors", about a group of friends running through Indiana and "Le Grizz". This is the kind of feat that appeals to me, to run for days with friends, absorbing the scenery, or to run through a nature reserve.

The only flaw I could possibly find with this book (apart from its appalling cover) would be that it wouldn't be for everyone. You have to either be an ultra runner or interested in people who push their limits to appreciate what the writers go through. Otherwise it is just too easy to call them crazy and put the book down. But if you'd like a peek inside an ultra marathon runner's head, this book will give you plenty.

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