Book Review: The Coolest Race on Earth
The Coolest Race on Earth may be the coolest read on earth.
This is a story about runners by a runner that may well explain to non-runners the allure of going out for a 26.2 mile run: It’s because you want to and not because you have to.

_thecoolestAs the book’s subtitle suggests, mud, madmen, glaciers, and grannies at the Antarctica Marathon are at the heart of an engaging read detailing the brief history of the marathon transitioning from an elite runners’ domain to something that the everyman can (and should) put on their “bucket list” of cool things to do. Author John Hanc explores the history of how running marathons transformed from an act of athletic prowess to an actual functional and exciting way to see the world step by step and 26.2 miles at a time. The essence of the book is captured in the unique stories of the characters whose efforts created a grueling, but strangely appealing, marathon and the indelible group of runners who trained exclusively to run the ice and rocks on the underside of the world.

This is a book worth the read if for no other reason than to realize that your friends perhaps are not the craziest runners in the world and that cold-weather runs here do not really hold a candle to trudging somewhere the penguins fear to tread.
The Coolest Race on Earth is published by Chicago Review Press and retails for $25.95 in paperback.

Good book, ten toes up.

About the Reviewer

Peter Estabrooks is a personal trainer, marathoner, and ultra runner based in Calgary, Alberta. He is always willing to entertain your questions, share in your adventures, and increase your core stability at www.petesclass.com.