Bøger af Richard Askwith

LONGLISTED FOR THE WILLIAM HILL SPORTS BOOK OF THE YEAR AWARDSHORTLISTED FOR THE CROSS SPORTS BOOK AWARDS BIOGRAPHY OF THE YEAR The definitive biography of one of the greatest, most extraordinary runners and Olympic heroes of all time, from the author of running classic Feet in the Clouds.

Part diary of a year running through the Northamptonshire countryside, part exploration of why we love to run without limits, this book is an account of running in a forgotten, rural way, observing wildlife and celebrating the joys of nature.

Nearly 10 years after its first publication, Aurum are re-issuing this classic running book which has defined a genre. It includes an introduction from bestselling author Robert Macfarlane and an epilogue from Richard Askwith. The concept of fell-running is simple: its a sport that involves running over mountains sometimes one, sometimes many. Its also immensely demanding. While running uphill is a stamina-sapping slog, running pell-mell down the other side requires the agility and even recklessness of a mountain goat. And theres the weather to contend with. It may make the sports pages only rarely, but in areas like the Lake District and Snowdonia fell-running is the basis of a whole culture indeed, race organisers sometimes have to turn competitors away so that fragile mountain uplands are not irrevocably damaged by too many thundering feet. Fixtures like the annual Ben Nevis and Snowdon races attract runners from all over Britain, and beyond. Others, such as the Wasdale and Ennerdale fell runs in the Lakeland valleys gruelling marathons of more than 20 miles remain truly local events for which the whole community turns out, with many of the runners back on the same fells the next day tending sheep. Now, Richard Askwith explores the world of fell-running in the only legitimate way: by donning his Ron Hill vest and studded shoes to spend a season running as many of the great fell races as he can, from Borrowdale to Ben Nevis: an arduous schedule that tests the very limits of ones stamina and courage. Over the months he also meets the greats of fell-running like the remarkable Joss Naylor, who to celebrate his fiftieth birthday ran all 214 major Lakeland fells in a single week; Billy Bland, the combative Borrowdale man whose astounding records still stand for many of the top races; and Bill Teasdale, a hero of the sports earlier, professional days, whom he tracks down to his tiny cottage in the northern Lakes. And ultimately Askwiths obsession drives him to attempt the ultimate challenge: the Bob Graham Round a non-stop circuit of 42 of the Lake Districts highest peaks to be completed within 24 hours. This is a portrait of one of the few sports to have remained utterly true to its roots in which the point is not fame or fortune but to run the ancient, wild landscape, and to be a hero, if at all, within ones own valley. Feet in the Clouds is a chronicle of a masochistic but admirable sporting obsession, an insight into one of the oldest extreme sports, and a lyrical tribute to Britains mountains and the men and women who live among them.

'In The Race Against Time, Askwith touches upon something larger than simply running or sport - he helps us to see ourselves ... Both inspiring and moving' - Adharanand Finn, author of Running with the KenyansA quest for the secrets of happy, healthy whole-life running, and how runners can keep enjoying their sport, whatever their ageWhat do you do when the sport that has been your lifeline to physical and mental well-being starts to slip away from you?Richard Askwith, a life-long running enthusiast, was sunk in mid-life despair. Plagued by injuries and demoralised by failing strength and speed, he was on the point of giving up for good. Then he came across the remarkable world of late-life athletics, and resolved to find out more.The result is a thrilling, life-affirming quest for the secrets of the happy few who keep on running all through life's later decades, culminating in a life-changing adventure at the World Masters Athletics Championships. It's a resounding message of hope for any runner who has felt their joy in their sport being undermined by age.Colourful, informative and inspiring, The Race Against Time is a story of cold science and heart-warming resilience; of champions and also-rans; of sprinting centenarians and forty-something super-athletes barely touched by age. Its heroes are experts and enthusiasts - scientists, coaches, runners - from many countries, each with a different story to tell. What unites them is a single belief: that you don't have to take growing old lying down.This is a book for anyone who has ever felt the healing power of running. It is both a very personal account of one man's journey from despair to hope, and an exhilarating guide, explaining how timely adjustments to lifestyle and training can slow the progress of physiological decay, while sheer human spirit can, if you are lucky, keep you running happily and healthily, all the way into extreme old age.

Their mission: to crush - yet again - the "subhuman Slavs". In the background are forces - sexism, class hatred, nationalism - whose shadows darken today's world too. In the foreground are eccentric aristocrats, socialite spies, daredevil jockeys - and a race so brutal that some consider merely taking part in it a sign of insanity.

Provocations is a ground-breaking new series of short polemics composed by some of the most intriguing voices in contemporary culture and edited by Yasmin Alibhai-Brown. Sharp, intelligent and controversial, Provocations provides insightful contributions to the most vital discussions in society today.