I gotta chuckle when I saw the sponsored links found on the Amazon.com page for this book. AT Cross (the pen company) and cross stitch references popped up. Not exactly the same kind of cross as in "cross country" but a typical computer generated "clueless" mistake. Now, if Arthur Lydiard had written some books on cross stitch that would be a different story.
Chris Lear spent the entire cross country season with the University of Colorado Buffaloes, from opening practice session through to the end of the season NCAA championships. The training miles, the meets, and events outside of the practice sessions interwine to become the story of the season. There are highs and lows. There is drama and tragedy. Life goes on, the team keeps on running.
Cross country is one unique sport where individualism is desired and teamwork is rewarded. As one who has run on several teams in high school and college, Chris has captured the essence of cross country.
The success of the Buffaloes is partly due to the training methodology of the coach, Mark Wetmore. He has built his system upon the work of the great New Zealand coach, Arthur Lydiard. For those on the inside of running, the Lydiard way is not an easy path to success (there are "no" easy roads) but one that if followed, will bring success. It emphasizes building your aerobic capacity. Physiologically, the methodology is sound. As scientific as the methodology is, it needs to be applied with the skill of an artist. The body is a wonderful thing. Get 10-15 healthy bodies together on a team and the coaching experience can be a challenge. However, the moments of success are rewarding.
You get to live these moments with Chris and the Buffaloes. This is a book well worth the time to read.
Enjoy!
