Stretched out on my sofa, nursing a very painful torn meniscus that has seen me pull out of 2 marathons and one half marathon this winter season, guess what I’m reading?
One of my Christmas presents from my sister.
”Fifty places to run before you die.”
Talk about rubbing salt into the wound!
The text and photos of the 50 places to run – many of them in the US, but sadly none in India (where I live) – are enticing, to put it mildly.
There are temptations a plenty for an older runner like myself, who came to running late in life and is desperate to see/do/run/enjoy as much as possible – pause to curse the dratted torn meniscus…
Expert runners and athletes have picked their favourite places to run, and so they describe the courses with insider knowledge and affection. Many categories of runs are covered – marathons, ultras, 10ks and simple scenic trails. Since I want to start trail running, those are the photos over which I have lingered the most, just wishing I were fit enough to run in beautiful mountainous terrain.
This is a collective work, and each chapter ends with an “If you go” section, that includes tips on when to go, where to stay, and gives links to the race websites.
Personal favourites in the book, that made me dream the most?
The Big Five Marathon in our beloved South Africa.
The Antarctica Marathon – just because.
The Wall Marathon in China.
Such a great gift, and one that will keep me dreaming for as long as I’m fit enough to lace up my running shoes.
A shiny new year is as good as any time to dream and plan exciting adventures, so why not get hold of this lovely-looking book and set your 2020 goals?
Here’s the link, below, to order the book: