Saturday, November 12, 2011

Weekend Reading: Marathon

Remember weekend reading? I don't know why I stopped it--I still read a ton of running books and have plenty to write about. So, without further ado, weekend reading will begin again, to be published approximately whenever I feel like it.

I thought I'd start the feature back up with a little fiction. Marathon, by Hal Higdon, is not to be confused with Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide, also by Higdon. Marathon is a fictional novel based in a fictional city (which seems very similar to Chicago), and follows several characters directing, competing in, and writing about a big-city marathon. Much of the novel follows the race director, Peter, as he hammers out the details of the race. He juggles problems which include keeping his big sponsor, bad weather, and a new love interest, TV reporter Christine.

Marathon also follows some minor characters as well as an unnamed celebrity, supposedly "bigger than Oprah" (fame-wise, not size-wise). I thought for his first go at fiction, Higdon did a pretty nice job with characterization and plot, juggling multiple characters and story lines without losing the reader. There are definitely some problems and it's not one I'd read again, but overall it's an entertaining book. If you're interested in how big-city marathons work and want to learn about them in an entertaining way, this would probably be a good choice.

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