Weekly Reads: The Terrible and Wonderful Reasons Why I Run Long Distances

Almost everyone knows of The Oatmeal blog, and nearly every runner does as well with the explosion of his comics "Running Your First Marathon" and "The Blerch" and the race series that has come from the blerch. So being an avid blog reader and runner, I had to get my hands on a copy of The Terrible and Wonderful Reasons Why I Run Long Distances. It did not disappoint. There were some familiar cartoons from the blog, and there were new comics I hadn't seen before, but familiar LOLZ all around. This would make an awesome gift for an running fiend, and is great for non-runners to read to better understand their insane running sibling/partner/friend/etc./etc.

And bonus: The book comes with two stickers for your car. Since I had my library's copy, I didn't take them, although I really really really really wanted to.

My rating: 4.5 stars

Summary from goodreads:

"All runners wonder, at some point or another, why we do what we do. Mr. Inman's explanation is the best I've ever seen. And the funniest. Because he is clinically insane."
-Mark Remy, editor at large, Runner's World, author of The Runner's Rule Book

"He runs. He sweats. He heaves. He hates it. He loves it. He runs so hard his toenails fall off. He asks himself, why? Why do I do this? Here, gorgeously, bravely, hilariously, is Matt's deeply honest answer."
-Robert Krulwich, NPR

"Finally! A voice that sings with the Blerches of angels!"
-Christopher McDougall, author of Born to Run