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God on the Starting Line: The Triumph of a Catholic School Running Team and Its Jewish Coach
 
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God on the Starting Line: The Triumph of a Catholic School Running Team and Its Jewish Coach (Paperback)

~ Marc Bloom (Author)
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)

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God on the Starting Line: The Triumph of a Catholic School Running Team and Its Jewish Coach + Harriers: The Making of a Championship Cross Country Team + Running with the Buffaloes: A Season Inside with Mark Wetmore, Adam Goucher, and the University of Colorado Men's Cross-Country Team
Price For All Three: $27.32

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

"It captures the deeper joy of watching young athletes embrace unfashionable ideals of commitment, sacrifice, courage, and faith."-Sports Illustrated

"Marc Bloom coaches as every coach in the sport should. I recommend this book without reservation. Read it, commit it to memory, and you will be better for it."-American Track & Field

"At its core a spiritual book. It will inspire the reader who values small works of goodness and the courage to face big challenges."-Jewish Book World

"More than a story of different religions, Jewish and Catholic, meeting on the cross-country course. There is an even more eternal struggle: old versus new. Bloom preaches the value of pain, hard work, suffering, and delayed gratification. His cross-country kids are, well, kids. They want to have fun, chase girls, and enjoy the loosey-goosey life. In Bloom's inspiring tale, both coach and kids learn surprising lessons from each other."-Amby Burfoot, executive editor of Runner's World

Marc Bloom, an observant Jew, winds up the coach of a local Catholic high school cross-country team. The common ground he finds between the two faiths helps to propel his team to a state championship.

Marc Bloom, an award-winning journalist, is a features writer for The New York Times and a contributing editor of Runner's World.



About the Author

Marc Bloom, an award-winning journalist, is a features writer for The New York Times and Contributing Editor of Runner's World.

Product Details

  • Paperback: 240 pages
  • Publisher: Breakaway Books (November 1, 2007)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 1891369741
  • ISBN-13: 978-1891369742
  • Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 5.9 x 0.8 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #150,102 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

10 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
4.5 out of 5 stars (10 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars from a SRHS insider, September 18, 2004
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As principal of St. Rose High School I held my breath as I read Coach Blooms book - hoped we'd fair OK, I guess. I read the book in one sitting and ran the gamut of emotions as I laughed, cried and visualized these boys and their coach. I spent many years, when my son ran cross country: driving, waiting, cheering and feeling his pain. Any parent whose child is a runner (or not!) will connect with this well written story of compatable faiths, boys, their families, Coach Bloom's family and most important the bond created by and between a talented coach and evolving teenage boys. I appreciated Marc Bloom when he coached for SRHS, knew his value as a coach and as a writer; I thank him deeply for sharing his insight with this inspiring book.
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars An Inspirational, Energetic, Honest read...., November 24, 2004
This exciting, warm, funny book will make every reader laugh, think, cry, and wonder. You DO NOT have to be a runner to appreciate Marc Bloom's story. It is a HUMAN tale. It is an HONEST and open book that will leave a lasting impression on your heart and mind.
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5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyable book for runners and coaches alike., May 17, 2005
By J. Enright (Sewell NJ) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
God on the Starting Line is an excellent non-fiction book about a NJ high school cross-country team and its coach. Bloom's smooth writing style brings out the joys and heartaches experienced by cross-country coaches and runners everywhere. I have coached x-c at two different Catholic high schools (in NJ and PA)and Bloom's honest description of the day-to-day experiences is very accurate. Bloom makes the reader feel a part of this team and his descriptions are both brutally honest, yet thoughtful for each team member. His race descriptions and training methods can be appreciated by runners, coaches and fans of distance running. Highly recommended!
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Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Thoughtful look into high school coaching
I appreciated the honesty of this book. As a coach myself I felt the Marc Bloom put a lot of my experiences into words. Read more
Published 11 months ago by Matt Brass

3.0 out of 5 stars Worth reading but not worth buying
This is not a "bad" book but it is definitely not a good one either. If you have an expectation about learning something useful or interesting about God, Catholic schools,... Read more
Published 11 months ago by Robert Hurlburt

4.0 out of 5 stars Over a Trail of Special Understanding
Author Marc Bloom captures a special quality of cross-country through his chronicle of coaching a team that may have been small in numbers, but rich in faith, from start to... Read more
Published 14 months ago by Mr. Richard D. Coreno

5.0 out of 5 stars A Wonderful Story!
This is a wonderful story that would certainly make a great movie. It definitely has all the elements necessary: a main plot and little side stories that are very important to... Read more
Published 20 months ago by Mike Sivilli

4.0 out of 5 stars Moving Tribute To an Underappreciated Sport
Cross-country is the Rodney Dangerfield of sports in many high schools, overshadowed by the soccer craze and derided as a fall-back for those unable to make the cut in the glamour... Read more
Published on April 25, 2006 by Kevin Joseph

5.0 out of 5 stars Bloom's Quest to Make Small School Champs with Interfaith Twist
This a very personal real story of an expert on Track and Field (Bloom) and empty nester with a desire to coach the pure running sport of Cross-Country. Read more
Published on September 22, 2005 by Daniel Hurley

5.0 out of 5 stars A Winner!!!!
Marc Bloom has finally written the book every high school cross country coach and runner has dreamed of writing. He chronicles one of his seasons as the coach of the St. Read more
Published on January 2, 2005 by Michael DENNISUK

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