26 Miles to Boston: The Boston Marathon Experience from Hopkinton to Copley Square [Paperback]

Michael Connelly (Author), John Kelly (Foreword), Bill Rodgers (Foreword), Uta Pippig (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2003

26 MILES TO BOSTON slips squarely into the running shoes and minds of the athletes as they traverse the 26-mile, 385-yard course of America's most venerated long-distance race.
From suburban Hopkinton, Massachusetts, to the center of metropolitan Boston, here are the mile-by-mile sights and sounds experienced by the runners. Interwoven throughout is the colorful history of the men and women of manifold skills who have competed in this preeminent event over the span of more than a century.
Profusely illustrated with photographs and maps, 26 MILES TO BOSTON is a book for anyone who's ever wondered what it might be like to run the Boston Marathon.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"26 MILES TO BOSTON offers a unique look at the event and what it means to runners and the Boston community as it has never before been chronicled."
--Boston Athletic Association

"26 MILES TO BOSTON puts you in the race. Through each chapter, mile after mile, my imagery and heart rate moved along the Boston Marathon course as if I were actually back on it."
--Jean Driscoll, Seven-Time Women's Wheelchair Champion

From the Back Cover

26 Miles to Boston is a colorful and moving portrait of what it feels like to run the Boston Marathon - and it puts readers squarely into the running shoes of anyone who has attempted the world's most prestigious long-distance race.
From the suburban town of Hopkinton to the center of metropolitan Boston, here are the mile-by-mile sights and sounds that confront the runners, and firsthand accounts - including the author's - of the pain and exhaustion they endure as they battle both the elements and the course's demanding terrain.
Here also is a rich and inspiring history of the marathon and of the men and women of varying skills and abilities whose own struggles, small victories, and personal triumphs have colored this magnificent event.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Lyons Press; 1st edition (March 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1585748285
• ISBN-13: 978-1585748280
• Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.7 x 9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (24 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #642,814 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

43 of 48 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars In defense, sort of, of bandits . . . December 1, 1999

By Christopher C. Smith

Format:Hardcover

I read this book as someone looking forward to doing his first Boston Marathon (20th overall) next April. I can't imagine a better introduction to subject. It is rich in history, anecdote and illustration. And its mile by mile "feel" for the course brings the event alive. I suspect it is the closest thing to a definitive book on the subject. But particularly I want to address the criticism (in one of these reviews) that it is written by a participant who didn't qualify for the event -- i.e., a "bandit." I agree (with the critic) that achieving a qualifying time is an important part of the experience. Doing a 3:42 marathon in Portland (Ore.), after my most diligent training ever, brought me my greatest thrill as a runner (at age 65!). But as a first-time marathoner, Michael Connelly conveys a delightful naivete and sense of wonder that by definition a "qualifying" marathoner couldn't. I found myself particularly looking forward to the italicized paragraphs begun with his initials "MPC:". Secondly, whether the Boston Athletic Association or any of the official runners likes it or not, "bandits" constitute a regular part of the landscape. It seems significant that the BAA, on the book's jacket, offers an endorsement of "26 Miles to Boston." One more thought: Three-time winner Uta Pippig of Germany, quoted throughout, comes across as such a classy, wonderful athlete and human being that her spirit ought to be bottled.

84 of 106 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Warning: False Advertising, Insulting -- You'll Feel Cheated February 18, 2005

By Boston_Qualifier

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

The author ran the race as a "bandit", a fact that you don't discover until you buy the book (it is not stated anywhere on the book cover, reviews, etc.) In fact, Amazon states: "About the Author ...MICHAEL CONNELLY competed in the 1996 Boston marathon." This is simply a false statement. Legitimately qualifying for Boston is an integral part of competing, and the author did not do that. He did not "compete" in the Boston marathon any more than I "competed" in the U.S. Open by playing golf as a tourist at Pebble Beach (a frequent U.S. Open site). This taints the entire book and made me (as someone who has legitimately qualified for Boston) feel cheated (I am going to request a refund from Amazon on the basis of false advertising).

Now, I recognize that the BAA has more or less allowed bandits to run the course over the years. As such, it might not have been that bad if the author had simply stated something along the following lines: he respects the talent and effort it takes to qualify and he recognizes that, since he has not done so, his participation is not the same as a legitimate qualifier, but he is nevertheless giving his experiences as a first time marathoner, not as someone who has properly trained and qualified for Boston. But, the author makes no such statement.

In fact, the author berates Marty Liquori for suggesting that bandits should not be allowed to run. Here's an excerpt from the book (p. 43):

"Listen Marty, you're our guest. So mind your manners, pick up your check, and watch the race. When I cross that finish line some twenty-six miles down the road, not with a number but with the storied history of the Boston Marathon in my blood, then I will consider myself qualified!... (By the way, Marty, a little fun fact for you: You and I are tied with the same number of Boston Marathon championships.)"

Give me a break. This statement is not only completely obnoxious, it also embarrasingly demonstrates a complete ignorance of running, as Marty Liquori was a middle distance runner (and an outstanding one at that), not a marathoner. Here's fun fact for Michael: your claimed time of 4:30 (p. 237) was more than an hour slower that the qualifying standard for your age. (I guess, by Michael's logic, when I completed the 18th hole at Pebble Beach, I qualified for the U.S. Open.) If there was any doubt before, that should be enough for anyone to reject the book.

But wait, it gets even worse. After completing the course, the author states the following (p. 261):

"I had arrived home safe and sound. Twenty-four hours before, I had walked out of that door a different man. Now I was the proud owner of a Boston Marathon medal and all the physical and mental benefits that come with it."

That is a flat out lie (or the author is delusional), as everyone knows that only legitimate qualifiers (who finish) are given medals, and again is highly insulting to all legitimate qualifiers/finishers.

If anyone is still considering buying the book, there is one other thing that you should be aware of. A good part of the author's description of his "experience" in running the course involves describing how he faced excruciating pain and/or a nearly overwhelming urge to quit at numerous points in the race, but someone he managed to overcome those and keep going to the finish, and how he was suffering after the finish (e.g., "As I walked down the street, with two mylar blankers taped around me like capes, a well meaning girl offered me a PowerBar. I fel like saying 'I don't need a PowerBar. I need to be read my last rites!'")

First of all, after a while, this stuff just becomes constant whining. More importantly, all of this "pain and suffering" was likely due to insufficient training on the part of the author. Apparently, up to six months before the race, he had done essentially no running and not a whole lot of exercise of any type (p. 7). Then, in late October 1995, he had heart surgery and apparently nearly died (p. 11). He then starting limited training in about mid-November (p. 12). Plus, the winter in New England was particular severe that year (p. 43). How could he have possibly done the proper amount of training to run Boston in April 1996? It appears that the author simply had no business running the course and, thereby, "suffered" more than a properly trained runner. Yet, he never admits to his lack of proper training. (Note: he claims to have run 4:30, but he provides no evidence to support that claim.)

Again, this ties back to his being a bandit. As a bandit who had not properly trained, his "experience" is simply not representative of the experience of a properly trained, legitimate qualifier.

You wouldn't buy a book about running by Rosie Ruiz. Don't buy this one either. Read more ›

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars 26 Miles To Boston - The Boston Marathon Experienced From Hopkinton to Copley Square April 4, 2008

By Alan

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

When I qualified to run my first Boston Marathon I was given a copy of this book. I had never been to Boston prior to the race.

I used this book to write my plan on how I should run the race. Each mile the author describes the rich history or the area, runners and insight on how to run the race.

This is a must read for first time Boston Marathon runners!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Fun Book to Read September 12, 2009

By Y. Jessup

Format:Paperback

A quick read. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, especially historical happenings during the Boston Marathon races on a mile by mile basis. I wish I would have purchased and read the book prior to running this race, (twice)=D

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A must read before you run Boston April 26, 2010

By Kevin Sheen

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I just ran the 114th Boston Marathon, and I can tell you that my experience was much enriched by having read this book.

The author takes you through the course mile by mile - talking through the landmarks, history and even technical discussions of the course itself. I have to say that after reading the book, I felt even more honored to participate in the race (and a little nervous). The author does a wonderful job of capturing how this just isn't a race, it's an event that stretches through over a century of history - not only of the course, but of distance running itself.

Reading it before hand, made the course more alive and familiar to me while I ran it. Recognizing the landmarks and knowing the history behind each one gave me something to look forward to each mile (and in the later miles keep my mind off the suffering). And finally, it gave me a sense for the spirit of the event itself and the personal stories that are inextricably linked each year to it.

I did read a few reviews that admonished the author for running as a bandit, I respect that perspective and don't condone bandit'ing the race.

However, the author's real value in this book isn't his running prowess (as he readily admits time and time again). Rather, it's the hard work and research he obviously invested to bring all of this history to the reader. I can't think of a better way to personalize the 'data' than to relate it to an actual running of the course. True, it would be ideal if the author was also an elite runner who had qualified - but barring that intersection, I think it would have been a shame to not have this author share his research in the way that he did. That's what I believe the review should be rated on.

Hope you found this helpful.... I strongly recommend this book and think it should almost be a required reading for anyone signing up to run Boston.

You'll be happy you read it!

Kevin Read more ›