HOLIDAY MOTIVATION

Someone once told me, "Write about what you know."

So I did. And I do.

I have been a long distance runner for over 37 years, and I have been fortunate enough to run nearly 1,000 races, 57 marathons, and have remained relatively healthy, logging over 120,000 training miles. My favorite race on the planet is the Boston Marathon. It was there I ran my personal best time of 2:22:54, in 1983. I have run 16 Boston Marathons, and I devote a chapter to it in my book. This year, I crossed the finish line in a time of 3:04:21. As I celebrated at a nearby restaurant, after having taken my first gulp of Guinness, the concussion rang out. More about that in my next book, which I hope to publish in the spring of 2014.

The tragedy at the Boston Marathon created a solidarity between runners and those who support us that has been exemplified for over 100 years at the Boston Marathon.

My book, "Running Shorts: A Collection of Stories and Advice For Anyone Who Has Ever Laced Up a Pair of Running Shoes," www.runningshortsbook.com, celebrates the terrific sport we love. My 'Cast of Characters,' those who have shared my amazing journey on the roads, are described, and they, too, exemplify the true bond runners of all ages and abilities share.

Prior to 1972, runners were looked upon as strange creatures. The Running Boom changed all that. When you read my book, you will come away with true history of our sport.

By writing about what I know, I attempted to make my experiences your experiences.

Running through the seasons, irate drivers, snarling dogs and inconsiderate dog owners, favorite races, times of laughter and times of tears, along with some advice, based upon my experiences,

are all served up in my book, like a holiday turkey with all the trimmings.

If you like my blog, you'll love my book.

There's still plenty of time to fill the stocking of runner on your Christmas list.

Now, here's the good news. You can order my book from Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or lulu.com. But...if you order the book from my website, www.runningshortsbook.com, it'll cost you ONLY $11.00. No postage. No shipping costs. AND...for the ladies, I have a few "Each day is my personal best" T-shirts left, size Small only, so I'll toss in a free shirt as well.

It's a great deal on a book every runner is sure to enjoy.

So, thanks for being one of the over 70,000 folks who have read my blog. I plan to keep the blogs coming, along with my next book in 2014.

Happy Holidays, and happy, safe running to all!