Fun on the Run
A Scholastic Peek at the New York City Marathon
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
One often hears the word “mechanics” meaning workers
who
Deal closely with machines or tools or engines old
and new.
In marathons, however, the machines have human shape
With moving parts, skin, limbs and hearts. No need
for electrical tape.
Mechanics help describe a runner’s action as they
move;
Mechanics help a runner get efficient, “in the
groove.”
The easier the movement flows, the more one’s energy
Can feed quick speed or power; that’s called good
efficiency.
Let’s not forget the music of the heavens: it’s the
weather!
If rain, it might roll in on thunderous wing and
ruffled feather;
If snow, it floats down cold and white, transported
by the air;
If calm prevails (neither sleet nor hail) one calls
the weather “fair.”
Of course, the weather also can be strangely very
warm,
For even in November, when one might expect a storm
Some days are warm and toasty, almost roasty, with a
sun
That seems to have forgot that summertime has long
been done.
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Book Details
About the Book
This captivating little book will please both child
and adult as it combines rhymed verse with original, hand-drawn illustrations
to evoke a gleeful primer on the world’s premier marathon and its many careers.
Inspired by the humanitarian and historical impact of the New York City
Marathon, the Seussical verse and pen-and-ink drawings mark this as an
unprecedented treatment of professional sport; parents may read it aloud to
children, teenagers may reference it for career ideas, and anyone at all can take
it as a tiny little tour through the sights and sounds of a famous event in New
York City.
Many readers will recognize favorite marathon
moments and historical grace-notes, but they will also giggle at the cartoons
and appreciate the highlighting of the unsung “un-running” careers, from
engineer to musician, that fortify the city’s greatest November party, an
apolitical convention in the season of politics, and an exemplar of productive
international relationships.
The New York City Marathon, founded by Fred Lebow
and today shaped by the technical brilliance of race director Alan Steinfeld,
is orchestrated by the New York Road Runners, the largest running organization
in the world. Its website is www.nyrrc.org.
Visit, and enjoy!
About the Author
A scholarly advocate for healthful recreation and a
nationally ranked triathlete and road runner, the author has written and
cartooned on topics ranging from nutrition to education. A graduate of
Dartmouth and S.U.N.Y. Stony Brook, this Manhattan resident extols imaginative
literature that invites children (and adults!) into the creative world of
physical activity.
The author, a former staff member of the New York
City Marathon’s organizer, sees the great race as a vehicle for people of all
ages to learn about the various occupations it encompasses. Inspired by the
children’s books Dr. Seuss, she offers this book as an original opportunity to
spark children’s imaginations and to tickle adults’ perceptions of work and
play.