Honey, Do You Need a Ride? Confessions of a Fat Runner

Honey, Do You Need a Ride? Confessions of a Fat Runner

This laugh-out-loud comedic memoir of life as an overweight runner moves along at a five-minute-per-mile pace. Jennifer Graham doesnâ‚¬t run to lose weight â‚¬â€œ she runs for the joy of endorphins. But lifeâ‚¬s not always easy when the blubber hits the road. She must endure not only her self-made exhaustion and lactic acid, but the bemused stares of neighbors, offers of car rides from strangers, and the disdain of the dominant strain of runner â‚¬â€œ those long, lean â‚¬Å“shirtless wonders.â‚¬Â

The challenges of being a fat runner, however, disappear faster than a pint of whisky-pecan ice cream when Grahamâ‚¬s marriage implodes and she finds herself a single mom with four children, two donkeys, and a really bad attitude. To cope, she registers for a half-marathon she ran 10 years ago, to see if sheâ‚¬s made any progress, or if sheâ‚¬s just been running in place. She is rejected by the big-name coaches she contacts, but finds grudging assistance in the spirit of the late Steve Prefontaine. â‚¬Å“Yeah, I know heâ‚¬s been dead 35 years; itâ‚¬s a minor metaphysical challenge.â‚¬Â

Grahamâ‚¬s irreverent, hilarious, and brutally honest story will appeal to runners and non-runners alike, fat or thin. Itâ‚¬s fast-twitch meets slow witch, with an outcome thatâ‚¬s out of this world.

--- Praise for â‚¬Å“Honey, Do You Need a Ride?â‚¬Â ---

â‚¬Å“Jennifer writes like an old friend speaks, in a voice you know and love. Her descriptions of running heavy, whether with added weight or added burdens, make her experience universal to runners and non-runners alike. Her overcoming spirit makes you want to cheer for her, run with her, or eat a pint of ice cream with her! Ultimately, itâ‚¬s not the size of the body but the size of the heart that counts. And this runnerâ‚¬s heart is huge.â‚¬Â
â‚¬"Kristin Armstrong, mother of three, Contributing Editor for Runnerâ‚¬s World, and author of Mile Markers: The 26.2 Most Important Reasons Why Women Run

â‚¬Å“Hereâ‚¬s to the mid-pack runners, the back-of-the-pack shufflers, the start-slowly-and-taper-off champions. Just remember: thereâ‚¬s a lot more of us than there are of them (those tall skinny Shirtless Wonders). And Jennifer Graham tells our story beautifully, with unflinching honesty and laugh-out-loud humor.â‚¬Â
â‚¬"John â‚¬Å“the Penguinâ‚¬Â Bingham, author of The Courage to Start, No Need for Speed, and An Accidental Athlete

â‚¬Å“Jennifer Graham might be surprised when the sinewy running tribe she longs to conform to becomes readers of her book, because you donâ‚¬t have to be a â‚¬Ëœfat runnerâ‚¬ to enjoy this moving memoir. If youâ‚¬ve ever fallen in love with running; if running is a constant companion; if running has been a lifeline through bad times, then youâ‚¬ll identify with Grahamâ‚¬s story. Okay, maybe not the donkeys or the paranormal coaching, but when youâ‚¬re done reading youâ‚¬ll wish you could join Graham on a run, just so you can hear more.â‚¬Â
â‚¬"Kara Douglass Thom, author of Becoming an Ironman and Hot (Sweaty) Mamas: Five Secrets to Life as a Fit Mom

â‚¬Å“Jennifer Graham is the hilarious, pee-your-pants running partner you wish you had. Sheâ‚¬ll make you want to move to Boston just to pound out a few miles alongside her and slam down a ginormous hot-fudge sundae with her post-run. If you love running, laughing, eating, and reading in equal measure, youâ‚¬ll love this book.â‚¬Â
â‚¬"Eileen Button, author of The Waiting Place: Learning to Appreciate Lifeâ‚¬s Little Delays

â‚¬Å“Jennifer Graham may think sheâ‚¬s different from the skinny Shirtless Wonders she sees trotting at a faster pace, but sheâ‚¬s not. She knows that running, like a good book, can help you to live, and sheâ‚¬s every bit as serious, dedicated, and impressive as the folks at the front of the pack. She may, however, be funnier and more fun than most of them.â‚¬Â
â‚¬"Rachel Toor, author of Personal Record: A Love Affair with Running
Country USA
Manufacturer Breakaway Books
Binding Kindle Edition
ReleaseDate 2012-09-05
Format Kindle eBook

Country	USA
Manufacturer	Breakaway Books
Binding	Kindle Edition
ReleaseDate	2012-09-05
Format	Kindle eBook

Honey, Do You Need a Ride? Confessions of a Fat Runner

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