Running the Dream

One Summer Living, Training, and Racing with a Team of World-Class Runners Half My Age

Matt Fitzgerald

• Publisher: Pegasus Books
• Year: 2020
• eBook ISBN:
  9781643135151
• Print ISBN:
  9781643135144

Thebestselling author of 80/20Running and How Bad Do You Want It? reveals his inspiring and surprising journey to see just how fast he can go. Matt Fitzgerald has beenrunning(and writing aboutrunning) for most of his adult life. But, like many passionate amateur runners, he never felt he was quite fulfilling his potential. If he followsthetraining, nutrition, and lifestyle of an elite runner, just how fast could he go? In his mid-forties, Matt at last hasthefreedom to do nothing but train, if only for the span of one summer. Thetime is now. He convincesthecoach of Northern Arizona Elite, one ofthecountry's premier professionalrunningteams, to let him train with a roster of national champions and Olympic hopefuls intherunningmecca of Flagstaff, Arizona, leading in totheChicago Marathon.Theresults completely redefined Matt's notion of what is possible, not only for himself but for any runner. Filled with a vibrant cast of characters, rigorous and quad-torching training, and a large dose of self-deprecating humor, Matt's gripping account of his "fake pro runner" experience allows us to partake in the dreamof havingthe chance to go alltheway. Yet forthegifted young runners Matt trains with, it's not adreambut concrete reality, andtheir individual stories enrich this inspiring narrative. RunningtheDream pulls us into the rarified world of professional running in a way we can all relate to, regardless of speed, and to take away pieces of one man's amazing journey to try to achieve our own potential.

Table of contents

• Cover
• Title Page
• Dedication
• Epigraph
• July
• August
• September
• October
• Retirement
• Photographs
• About the Author
• Copyright