Fireside Reads

By Laura Clark

This is the time of year where it is not only acceptable, but even encouraged, to trade a long run on a cold, stormy day for a cozy fire, a warm drink and a fluffy blanket. Exchange physical running for mental inspiration with the following suggestions inspired by the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present and Future.

The Past – George Santayana famously said, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” It is vital to know not only where your footsteps are leading you but also where they have come from.

“The Tigerbelles: Olympic Legends from Tennessee State” by Aimee Alley Card, 2024. Another beating-the-odds sports story, but with a difference. Through interviews and memoirs, Aimee traces the remarkable journey of the Tigerbelles, an all-black underfunded women’s track and field team from Tennessee State. Accepted on sports scholarships, these athletes viewed their education as an opportunity to flee the Deep South. When the Nashville lunch counter sit-ins began, these young women were forced to choose between jeopardizing their college careers or joining in. They chose instead to focus on the 1960 Rome Olympics and demonstrate to the world what young black women were capable of.

That was only the beginning as women campaigned to run longer. Read “Long Run to Glory: The Story of the Greatest Marathon in Olympic History and the Women Who Made It Happen” by Stephen Lane, 2023. In 1984, four of the greatest marathoners joined forces. Individually, they were all primed to win the inaugural women’s Olympic Marathon in Los Angeles. Collectively, they were focused on proving once and for all that women can run longer distances. Experience this historic event when the author offers a compelling play-by-play interwoven with extensive background to help you appreciate how these women paved the way for us all. Earlier pioneer Bobbi Gibbs’s wistful comment, “I would have liked to run in the Olympics,” lends perspective to all the behind-the-scenes promoting Join Benoit Samuelson, Greta Waitz, Ingrid Kristiansen and Rosa Mota had to do to create this historic playing field.

In the more recent past, explore these next two exposés. “Choosing to Run: A Memoir” by Des Linden, 2023. Another inspirational coming-from-behind story, join Des as she leads you mile-by-mile through her 2018 Boston victory, where she broke the 33-year American women’s drought. Intertwining each running section are personal reflection chapters detailing her rise as a poverty-stricken high school outsider and her ultimate refusal to participate with coach Alberto Salazar’s drug-laden Nike Oregon Project.

Also, a condemnation is “The Longest Race: Inside the Secret World of Abuse, Doping, and Deception on Nike’s Elite Running Team” by Kara Goucher, 2023. Kara delves more deeply into athlete manipulation by becoming a crusader for female athletes and providing key information to get Alberto Salazer banned from Olympic coaching.

The Present – Say you have never run, or need to press restart or simply need some encouragement, then open “Slow AF Running Club: The Ultimate Guide for Anyone Who Wants to Run” by Martinus Evans, 2023. Martinus’ dedication says it all: this book is for “anybody who has felt they are too fat, too slow, too old, or too (fill in the blank) to become a runner.” And blessedly, it is not about losing weight or getting faster or switching your identity. Instead, it’s about being comfortable with the body you are in. Martinus’ irreverent style and folksy approach, along with bulleted checklists and targeted questions, makes it seem as if he is chatting with you personally. As a nontraditional overweight, Black athlete in a white-dominated sport, he has “been there, done that” and imparts a wealth of experience and advice for back-of-the packers – rarely mentioned in more conventional guides.

And now for the fun part… “Beer Hiking New York State: The Tastiest Way to Discover the Empire State” by Jason Friedman and Philip Vondra, 2023. The New Paltz authors, despite being co-hosts of the podcast The Pain Cave, have obviously learned that there is no pain without gain, or in this case, beer. In fact, their book is double-indexed so that you can search by either hike or craft brewery! So, if you need a reward after a strenuous outing, you can locate a nearby brewery. Conversely, if for some reason you feel a need to justify your search for a specific beer, you will have a standby hike. Each trail boasts an extensive physical and historical description, followed by detailed step-by-step directions, guaranteeing you will not get lost. Brewery offerings are similarly described, with particular attention to rating the selected beer.

The Future – Crystal ball, anyone? If I had to predict, I would say the future lies with the inclusivity issues currently in the forefront. It also seems as if more folks are interested in family-friendly and low-key events, with an emphasis on adventure, rather than minutes per mile.

“When Good Trails Go Bad: Planning, Surviving & Being Rescued from Your Worst Day on the Trail” by Stephen Littlewood, 2022. Adventure is a lot of fun – until suddenly, it isn’t. The author, a retired US Marine and lead evaluator for the National Association for Search and Rescue, points out how things go wrong, who will be coming to help, and what you can do to help those searching for you. While you may have heedlessly dashed off into the woods, you can expect your rescue team to be more thorough. They must round up volunteers, interview folks who may know your route, departure time and ability level, and determine if canine or air support may be needed. While some accidents are unavoidable, to prevent having this scenario played out for your benefit, follow the simple hacks that are outlined.

“Born To Run 2: The Ultimate Training Guide” by Christopher McDougall and Eric Orton, 2022. This is not so much a sequel, but an expansion of Christopher’s “run free” program, with chapters dedicated to seven key themes: food, fitness, form, focus, footwear, fun, and family. Most telling, and realistically, the majority of runners are wearing minimalist shoes and not treading barefoot, with naked feet showing up mostly in the form portions. The emphasis is more on communal running, as experienced in Native American running cultures, and teams like the Tigerbelles. There are hints for running with your dogs and kids, and, yes, an extensive recipe section. A fitting homage to Micah True, El Caballo and his running tenets, “You start with Easy, because if that’s all you get, that ain’t so bad. Then work on Light, make it effortless.”

Enjoy that fire, then get out and run, hike, bike or ski!

Laura Clark (snowshoegal133@gmail.com) of Saratoga Springs is an avid trail runner, ultramarathoner, snowshoer and cross-country skier. She is a children’s librarian at the Saratoga Springs Public Library.