A Closer Look at.. The Gift: A Runner's Story

Although there are a large number running books dealing with training, nutrition, biography, and history, there is a much smaller supply of fictional books dealing with running. Running fiction by necessity must fit into a small niche market as many non-runners will have a hard time understanding the motivation behind countless hours of training for little reward. Writers face the challenge of trying to capture the essence of competitive running while avoiding some of the cliches common to sports fiction. While books such as John Parker's 1978 classic Once a Runner are able to do this quite well, few fictional running books have been published recently. Paul Maurer's novel The Gift: A Runner's Story (PCM and Lulu Publishing, 2006, $14.99) thus fills this void by providing a simple yet poignant story that is able to blend aspects of the sport's past with the present.

The story's protagonist, Brett Rodgers, is a talented runner from Massachusetts who has largely underachieved during his collegiate career due largely to alcohol abuse that begins following the death of his father who was also his long-time coach and mentor. The story begins as the 26 year-old Brett arrives at the University of Milwaukee where he is trying to start over again and finally finish his master's degree in exercise physiology. We learn that he has qualified for the Olympic Trials in the 5000 meters, and although he has exhausted his collegiate eligibility, the coach agrees to allow him to train with the team. As the story continues, he becomes close friends with several of the members of the team while also developing a relationship with a girl named Marie, and the reader is able to follow his training and maturation as the trials approach.

One of the unique qualities of this novel is its ability to combine elements of US running history with allusions to the present. The title itself is derived from the famous Steve Prefontaine quote "To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the Gift," and the presence of Prefontaine's legend is a theme that runs throughout the book. At the same time, Brett's recognition of the many running shoe brands based upon their logos and his job selling modern running apparel in the local running store are experiences more relevant to the sport today. At one point, while he is at the Olympic Trials, Brett describes being "interviewed by some "Weldon' dude from a running website" alluding to Weldon Johnson, one of the founders of the website letsrun.com. It is the inclusion of details such as these that the present-day running enthusiast can appreciate, and helps the book to bring out this theme of the continuing influence of the sport of running's past on its present.

In addition, Maurer presents a series of experiences and characters that most runners can easily relate to. His descriptions of the conversations that teammates can have on long-runs, which are at times humorous and at other times thoughtful, as well as his descriptions of the strains of training, are quite accurate. He describes Brett's "constant tug of war...between reason and fitness-or its mirror image of obsession and burnout," and how at the Olympic Trials, "Miles and hours...would be boiled down to less than fourteen minutes on a steaming oval track." These are feelings that many runners have experienced at one time or another in their careers. Further, Maurer's characters such as Coach Wickers, a former discus thrower who though tough, has become a respected distance coach, Tony, a running store owner whose own career was cut short by an achilles injury, Brett's nemesis "The Kid," his teammates, and even Brett's girlfriend Marie share qualities that many runners can relate to.

This book does an excellent job trying to explain exactly why people run, while also showing the growth of this character and how running helps him in his attempt to mend his life and come to terms with his family and his past. Maurer has produced a modern running novel that retains elements of the sports history without becoming overly sentimental. This book provides an excellent read for any runner, and helps to capture why we run.

Editor note: Elaine Binkley recently graduated as a one of two Valectorians from Denison University where she has earned NCAA Division III All American honors twice in cross-country. She has been named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All- America(R) Women's Track & Field/Cross Country first team as selected by the College Sports Information Directors of America in 2005 and 2006. Elaine also earned All State honors in Cross Country and Track at Bishop Watterson High School.

The RUNOHIO's Book Review - A Closer Look at - explores various running books and is a regular column in RUNOHIO. - To have your book considered for reviewed, please send a copy to: Matt McGowan, c/ o RUNOHIO, 330 Spellman Street, Granville, OH 43023

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