Marathon Man: My 26.2-mile Journey from Unknown Grad Student to the Top of the Running World Hardcover – 2 April 2013

ok. but bill was never the best marathon runner in the world.

Bill Rodgers is one of the best marathoners in USA history. This book is about his amazing journey, from a college runner until becoming a top athlete. Bill's journey overlapped with the evolution of road running in the USA, from an uncommon sport for adults until its boom in the late 70's and early 80's. The book is very well written. It's funny and entertaining. Wisely, the author used most of the book to get Bill's journey until his first Boston marathon win. That is the best and most interesting part of the book. It's an amazing history of an amazing athlete. A book I think all runners will love to read. A worth reading for non runners as well.

In my humble opinion the best book ever written about running. Not only is it a great story about Bill Rodgers and his amazing journey but a great book if you want to get a real sense of what it was like to be a marathon runner in the 1970's and early 80's before big money and sponsorship entered into things. Bill Rodgers and his contemporaries just ran for the sheer love of running and bragging rights from winning a little race in some out of the way town, no money to be won at most a trophy. You get all the great stories from Bill's time running in the Boston marathon, New York, Japan, Europe and as I mentioned the little road races that he continued to run in small towns in hot or cold or rainy weekends. I've read the book three times already and I've made a vow to myself to read it at least once a year for the rest of my life. Yes it's that good!!

Having met Bill Rodgers after completing the 2011 Boston Marathon, I was most impressed with how he took the time to speak to me and made me feel special. Marathon Man complements my life experience and captures my perspective of this amazing athlete who presents himself in such a genuinely humble and gracious manner.A must read for running enthusiasts!

Rodgers autobiography, assisted by Mathew Shepatin, is written in a straight forward casual format as if Rodgers is speaking to you, making this a pleasure to read. The book starts with Bill's huge breakout 1975 Boston Marathon with step by step descriptions interwoven with flash backs of his early life at Wellesley, time with his mentor Ambry Burfoot, his post college poverty, service as a conscientious objector working in a hospital, trying to start a union and his startling retun to running with initial successes with peruodic and dramatic disappointments. His continued rise, including an amazing bronze medal at the World Cross-country championships when every great distance runner in the world was there, allows for the completion of his description of his course record that including stopping to tie his shoes and to drink water on at least 4 occasions. The latter portions of the book describe his Olympic trials qualifying in the marathon, a near miss in the 10,000 meters with a brilliant 28:04 and his injury plagued Montreal marathon that was left virtually untreated by trainers until Bill Squires came to his aid. The latter part of the book discusses his other great races including the Fukuoka marathon, demands to run so many races fueled by his record runs and demand for him personally, his start up business, his frustrations with U.S. amateur rules (AAU) and disappointment with the 1980 boycott. My only disappointment was the lack of any detailed description of his gallant 1984 Olympic trials race when past his peak, Boston Billy was still competing for a spot after 20 miles. Oddly, Bill couldn't remember being beaten by Shorter after 1980; however, there was a well publicized race in Shorter's old NY hometown in 1981 that made the cover of 'Runner Magazine' (bought and absorbed by Runners' World) where Shorter pulled it out. In that race, there is a wonderful picture that captures Rodgers perfectly, racing with just he and Shorter well into the race on a hot day, he's offering Shorter a cup of water while they are racing full tilt.

Excellent book about Rodgers and running in the 1970's. Shorter and Rodgers set off the running boom for the men, Joan and Grete for the women. I started running in 1977, and started paying more attention to the guys at the top. Rodgers was an icon by that time, and it was something to see a "regular" guy out there pounding the roads. All of us runners were doing the same thing - slower, of course, but I think with the same spirit that Frank and Bill had. I tip my hat to Rodgers for his attitude towards the guys that came before him - sort of "on the shoulders of giants" philosophy. I don't think that is seen much these days. I wish he had talked about running with Zatopek (THE MAN !) in Central Park - I saw a pic of Bill, Hersh (?), and Zatopek jogging along once, great shot.