26.2 Marathon Stories

Over one million people will run in an organized marathon this year. And fifty million will be standing along the sidelines, cheering them on. From London and Berlin to Los Angeles and Beijing, the same challenge will be issued and the same distance conquered 26.2 miles. Hot on the heels of the world's fastest-growing independent athletic competition, authors Kathrine Switzer and Roger Robinson take the full measure of the marathon race an epic distance that has immortalized heroes, ignited scandals and created a multi-billion-dollar shoe industry. In twenty-six informative and entertaining chapters, they trace the history of this solitary endurance feat and its current place in contemporary popular culture. Hundreds of intimate photographs many never published before take readers out on the road as marathoners from around the world prepare themselves for their 26.2 miles of glory. These powerful images, along with personal reminiscences from many well-known marathoners, capture the endless hours of practice, the grueling physical pace and the overwhelming rush of crossing the finish line. For anyone who has ever run a marathon or dreamed of doing so, 26.2 is the ultimate tribute. And the ultimate inspiration.