The Olympic Marathon - Softcover

"Sprinkle liberal marathon doses of physiology, psychology, counseling, coaching, training, and research; then add the world's most authoritative statistics and most reliable history. The product that emerges is Professor David Martin and Roger Gynn's The Olympic Marathon, the most compelling, commanding volume ever published on this classic event." Stan Saplin Historical Editor Track & Field News "A truly great and inspirational work. More than any event, the marathon symbolizes the Olympic movement because the race, unlike any other Olympic event, had the same origins as the Olympic Games themselves. With love and respect, Martin and Gynn tell the story of the runners and their races. This book will be an inspiration to anyone who has ever thought about running a marathon. For those training for a marathon, follow this prescription: read one race account every day before running. Repeat as necessary." Tom Derderian Author of Boston Marathon: The First Century of the World's Premier Running Event "I expected a very good book, given the recognized prestige that David Martin enjoys among the athletic universe in the world, but the book bettered any expectations. It is a real jewel, both for the literature and the history of world athletics." Cesar Moreno Member, International Amateur Athletics Federation Council Technical director, 1968 Mexico City Olympics Marathon

This history aims to capture the excitement and drama from the past century of marathon races since its inception at the 1896 Olympics in Athens. The authors present the race from both a physiological and social perspective. They offer a detailed narrative of how each race was run, biographical details of the top finishers and a map with descriptions of the actual race course.