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  <id>6384374</id>
  <title><![CDATA[Once a Runner]]></title>
  <isbn><![CDATA[1441800905]]></isbn>
  <isbn13><![CDATA[9781441800909]]></isbn13>
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  <description><![CDATA[Once a Runner captures the essence of what it means to be a competitive runner; to devote your entire existence to a single-minded pursuit of excellence. It has become one of the most beloved sports novels ever written. Originally self-published in 1978 and sold at road races out of the trunk of the author’s car, reading the book became a rite of passage for many runners, and tattered copies were handed down like sacred texts from generation to generation.<br/><br/>Once a Runner is the story of Quenton Cassidy, a collegiate runner at fictional Southeastern University whose lifelong dream is to run a four-minute mile. He is less than a second away when the political and cultural turmoil of the Vietnam War era intrudes into the staid recesses of his school’s athletic department. After he becomes involved in an athletes’ protest, Cassidy is suspended from his track team.<br/>Under the tutelage of his friend and mentor, Bruce Denton, a graduate student and former Olympic gold medalist, Cassidy gives up his scholarship, his girlfriend, and possibly his future to withdraw to a monastic retreat in the countryside and begin training for the race of his life: a head-to-head match with the greatest miler in history.<br/>This audiobook is a rare insider’s account of the incredibly intense lives of elite distance runners; an inspiring, funny, and spot-on tale of one man’s quest to become a champion.]]></description>
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  <original_publication_year type="integer">1978</original_publication_year>
  <original_title>Once a Runner: A Novel</original_title>
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  <authors>
    <author>
    <id>2893037</id>
        <name><![CDATA[John L. Parker Jr]]></name>
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    <average_rating>4.00</average_rating>
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    <name><![CDATA[Matt]]></name>
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  <isbn>0915297019</isbn>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Once a Runner: A Novel]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>4.23</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>482</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[This is the inspirational cult classic that Runner's World (and many others) have called &quot;the best novel ever written about running&quot;.  <p>The Reno Gazette-Journal has also called it &quot;a book so good, people will steal it.&quot;  <p>How often do you hear about someone borrowing a friend's book, then later buying their own copy because they liked it so much? Or a book so treasured that it gets passed from friend to friend until it simply falls apart from so many readings? Once a Runner is such a book. It has become a cult classic and our all-time best seller. It's been acclaimed over the years by Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers, Alberto Salazar and many other top runners.   <p>Many regard the story of Quenton Cassidy's battle to the top as the most accurate portrayal yet written of the tiny universe of world class runners. And it's a great source of training inspiration and wisdom as well. Many readers say they learned more about running from this novel than from all the training books they have read.   <p>It has won Running magazine's award as the best book of the year, and has been highly acclaimed by Runner's World, Running Times, Racing South, and Track &amp; Field News, as well as by writers like Don Kardong, Kenny Moore Tom Jordan and Hal Higdon.</p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1978</published>
</book>

    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>3</votes>
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  <read_at></read_at>
  <date_added>Sun Jan 27 12:16:56 -0800 2008</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sun Jan 27 16:30:30 -0800 2008</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[One of my favorite novels.  Very funny at times.  This will really strike a chord for anyone who ran distance at the college level.  Parker gets everything down from the dinnertime antics to the pre-race jitters and the absolute strangeness that goes along with identifying yourself as a long distanc...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/13728788">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/13728788]]></url>
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</review>
      <review>
  <id>46421740</id>
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    <name><![CDATA[Dan]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Oakland, CA]]></location>
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  <isbn>0915297019</isbn>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Once a Runner: A Novel]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>4.14</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>614</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[This is the inspirational cult classic that Runner's World (and many others) have called &quot;the best novel ever written about running&quot;.  <p>The Reno Gazette-Journal has also called it &quot;a book so good, people will steal it.&quot;  <p>How often do you hear about someone borrowing a friend's book, then later buying their own copy because they liked it so much? Or a book so treasured that it gets passed from friend to friend until it simply falls apart from so many readings? Once a Runner is such a book. It has become a cult classic and our all-time best seller. It's been acclaimed over the years by Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers, Alberto Salazar and many other top runners.   <p>Many regard the story of Quenton Cassidy's battle to the top as the most accurate portrayal yet written of the tiny universe of world class runners. And it's a great source of training inspiration and wisdom as well. Many readers say they learned more about running from this novel than from all the training books they have read.   <p>It has won Running magazine's award as the best book of the year, and has been highly acclaimed by Runner's World, Running Times, Racing South, and Track &amp; Field News, as well as by writers like Don Kardong, Kenny Moore Tom Jordan and Hal Higdon.</p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1978</published>
</book>

    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>1</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>true</spoiler_flag>
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        <shelf name="read" />
          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[Any Self-Identifying Runner]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[Alex Voetsch]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Thu Sep 01 00:00:00 -0700 2005</read_at>
  <date_added>Sun Feb 15 10:54:52 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sun Feb 15 10:56:01 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count>2</read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Once A Runner – John L. Parker, Jr.<br/>Spring 2002, September 2005<br/><br/>“…Cassidy had a genuine desire to bring the younger runners along without resort to humbling daily comparisons. He was stronger than they were; he wanted them to know it, but not to dwell on it. There is time, he w...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/46421740">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/46421740]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/46421740]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>79620381</id>
    <user>
    <id>1648411</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Matthew]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[San Marcos, TX]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1648411-matthew]]></link>
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  <id type="integer">4016794</id>
  <isbn>1416597883</isbn>
  <isbn13>9781416597889</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">55</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Once a Runner: A Novel]]>
  </title>
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  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4016794.Once_a_Runner_A_Novel</link>
  <average_rating>3.84</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>128</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[<em>Once a Runner</em> captures the essence of what it means to be a competitive runner; to devote your entire existence to a single-minded pursuit of excellence. It has become one of the most beloved sports novels ever written.<p>Originally self-published in 1978 and sold at road races out of the trunk of the author's car, the book eventually found its way into the hands of high school, college, and postgraduate athletes all over the country. Reading it became a rite of passage on many teams, and tattered copies were handed down like sacred texts from generation to generation. It ranked as the number one most sought-after out-of-print book in the United States in 2007.<p><em>Once a Runner</em> is the story of Quenton Cassidy, a collegiate runner at fictional Southeastern University whose lifelong dream is to run a four-minute mile. He is less than a second away when the political and cultural turmoil of the Vietnam War era intrudes into the staid recesses of his school's athletic department. After he becomes involved in an athletes' protest, Cassidy is suspended from his track team.<p>Under the tutelage of his friend and mentor, Bruce Denton, a graduate student and former Olympic gold medalist, Cassidy gives up his scholarship, his girlfriend, and possibly his future to withdraw to a monastic retreat in the countryside and begin training for the race of his life: a head-to-head match with the greatest miler in history. This book is a rare insider's account of the incredibly intense lives of elite distance runners; an inspiring, funny, and spot-on tale of one man's quest to become a champion.</p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1978</published>
</book>

    <rating>3</rating>
  <votes>1</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
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  <read_at></read_at>
  <date_added>Wed Dec 02 03:46:46 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed Dec 02 04:03:37 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[The history of this book is more interesting than its contents.<br/><br/>The former Dallas Baptist University cross country runner who loaned it to me said it was a &quot;cult running book&quot;.  I was eager to see what type of book runners would form a hidden fan base around.<br/><br/>Unfortun...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/79620381">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/79620381]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/79620381]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>76562350</id>
    <user>
    <id>1685268</id>
    <name><![CDATA[David]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[The United States]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1685268-david]]></link>
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  <id type="integer">6384373</id>
  <isbn>1441800883</isbn>
  <isbn13>9781441800886</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">1</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Once a Runner]]>
  </title>
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  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6384373-once-a-runner</link>
  <average_rating>4.00</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>2</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[Once a Runner captures the essence of what it means to be a competitive runner; to devote your entire existence to a single-minded pursuit of excellence. It has become one of the most beloved sports novels ever written. Originally self-published in 1978 and sold at road races out of the trunk of the author’s car, reading the book became a rite of passage for many runners, and tattered copies were handed down like sacred texts from generation to generation.<br/><br/>Once a Runner is the story of Quenton Cassidy, a collegiate runner at fictional Southeastern University whose lifelong dream is to run a four-minute mile. He is less than a second away when the political and cultural turmoil of the Vietnam War era intrudes into the staid recesses of his school’s athletic department. After he becomes involved in an athletes’ protest, Cassidy is suspended from his track team.<br/>Under the tutelage of his friend and mentor, Bruce Denton, a graduate student and former Olympic gold medalist, Cassidy gives up his scholarship, his girlfriend, and possibly his future to withdraw to a monastic retreat in the countryside and begin training for the race of his life: a head-to-head match with the greatest miler in history.<br/>This audiobook is a rare insider’s account of the incredibly intense lives of elite distance runners; an inspiring, funny, and spot-on tale of one man’s quest to become a champion.]]>
  </description>
  <published>1978</published>
</book>

    <rating>4</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
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        <shelf name="read" />
          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Fri Oct 23 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Nov 03 02:30:29 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Nov 03 03:16:12 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[This book in its audioCD form was a birthday gift to me from my daughters.  As such, they didn't know anything about the hype that seems to go along with this book before giving it to me.  Additionally, although 7 years ago I was running about 8 miles every other day, I haven't been able to run sinc...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/76562350">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/76562350]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/76562350]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>69758993</id>
    <user>
    <id>138926</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Clint]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Thailand]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/138926-clint]]></link>
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  <isbn>0915297019</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780915297016</isbn13>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Once a Runner: A Novel]]>
  </title>
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  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/98250.Once_a_Runner_A_Novel</link>
  <average_rating>4.14</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>614</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[This is the inspirational cult classic that Runner's World (and many others) have called &quot;the best novel ever written about running&quot;.  <p>The Reno Gazette-Journal has also called it &quot;a book so good, people will steal it.&quot;  <p>How often do you hear about someone borrowing a friend's book, then later buying their own copy because they liked it so much? Or a book so treasured that it gets passed from friend to friend until it simply falls apart from so many readings? Once a Runner is such a book. It has become a cult classic and our all-time best seller. It's been acclaimed over the years by Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers, Alberto Salazar and many other top runners.   <p>Many regard the story of Quenton Cassidy's battle to the top as the most accurate portrayal yet written of the tiny universe of world class runners. And it's a great source of training inspiration and wisdom as well. Many readers say they learned more about running from this novel than from all the training books they have read.   <p>It has won Running magazine's award as the best book of the year, and has been highly acclaimed by Runner's World, Running Times, Racing South, and Track &amp; Field News, as well as by writers like Don Kardong, Kenny Moore Tom Jordan and Hal Higdon.</p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1978</published>
</book>

    <rating>1</rating>
  <votes>2</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
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            <shelf name="incredibly-fucking-awful" />
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  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2002</read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Sep 01 19:51:17 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Sep 01 19:59:03 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[How in the hell is the average rating for this book over 4 stars?  Oh yeah, I know, the only people who would read this book are runners and they don't really care about literary merit at all, they only care that the main character in the book is a runner.  Not that runners make bad writers (or read...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/69758993">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/69758993]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/69758993]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>59866319</id>
    <user>
    <id>1157884</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Elissa]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Portland, ME]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1157884-elissa]]></link>
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  <isbn>0915297019</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780915297016</isbn13>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Once a Runner: A Novel]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171408273m/98250.jpg</image_url>
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  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/98250.Once_a_Runner_A_Novel</link>
  <average_rating>4.14</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>614</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[This is the inspirational cult classic that Runner's World (and many others) have called &quot;the best novel ever written about running&quot;.  <p>The Reno Gazette-Journal has also called it &quot;a book so good, people will steal it.&quot;  <p>How often do you hear about someone borrowing a friend's book, then later buying their own copy because they liked it so much? Or a book so treasured that it gets passed from friend to friend until it simply falls apart from so many readings? Once a Runner is such a book. It has become a cult classic and our all-time best seller. It's been acclaimed over the years by Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers, Alberto Salazar and many other top runners.   <p>Many regard the story of Quenton Cassidy's battle to the top as the most accurate portrayal yet written of the tiny universe of world class runners. And it's a great source of training inspiration and wisdom as well. Many readers say they learned more about running from this novel than from all the training books they have read.   <p>It has won Running magazine's award as the best book of the year, and has been highly acclaimed by Runner's World, Running Times, Racing South, and Track &amp; Field News, as well as by writers like Don Kardong, Kenny Moore Tom Jordan and Hal Higdon.</p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1978</published>
</book>

    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
  <shelves>
        <shelf name="read" />
          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at></read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Jun 16 06:36:28 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Jun 16 06:43:47 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Despite being a work of fiction, Quenton Cassidy and his mentor capture the mentality of a distance runner perfectly. So much so that I had goosebumps and tears streaming down my face during the final pages of this book.<br/><br/>Many truths reside within the pages which describe what it means to ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/59866319">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/59866319]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/59866319]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
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    <id>2674867</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Lynn]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Salt Lake City, UT]]></location>
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  <id type="integer">4016794</id>
  <isbn>1416597883</isbn>
  <isbn13>9781416597889</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">55</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Once a Runner: A Novel]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1256069877m/4016794.jpg</image_url>
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  <average_rating>4.14</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>614</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[<em>Once a Runner</em> captures the essence of what it means to be a competitive runner; to devote your entire existence to a single-minded pursuit of excellence. It has become one of the most beloved sports novels ever written.<p>Originally self-published in 1978 and sold at road races out of the trunk of the author's car, the book eventually found its way into the hands of high school, college, and postgraduate athletes all over the country. Reading it became a rite of passage on many teams, and tattered copies were handed down like sacred texts from generation to generation. It ranked as the number one most sought-after out-of-print book in the United States in 2007.<p><em>Once a Runner</em> is the story of Quenton Cassidy, a collegiate runner at fictional Southeastern University whose lifelong dream is to run a four-minute mile. He is less than a second away when the political and cultural turmoil of the Vietnam War era intrudes into the staid recesses of his school's athletic department. After he becomes involved in an athletes' protest, Cassidy is suspended from his track team.<p>Under the tutelage of his friend and mentor, Bruce Denton, a graduate student and former Olympic gold medalist, Cassidy gives up his scholarship, his girlfriend, and possibly his future to withdraw to a monastic retreat in the countryside and begin training for the race of his life: a head-to-head match with the greatest miler in history. This book is a rare insider's account of the incredibly intense lives of elite distance runners; an inspiring, funny, and spot-on tale of one man's quest to become a champion.</p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1978</published>
</book>

    <rating>2</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
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          </shelves>
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  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Mon Dec 21 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Wed Dec 09 15:05:38 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Dec 21 12:32:20 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[First the good; the last chapter on the mile race was captivating.  It was hard to believe he wrote the rest of the book, which had that indulgent quality I hate so much in writers.  That is, those so enamored with their descriptive writing skills that the prose becomes insufferable.  The characters...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/80452917">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/80452917]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/80452917]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>60842117</id>
    <user>
    <id>1211674</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Dawn]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Mansfield, MA]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1211674-dawn]]></link>
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    <book>
  <id type="integer">98250</id>
  <isbn>0915297019</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780915297016</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">135</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Once a Runner: A Novel]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171408273m/98250.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171408273s/98250.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/98250.Once_a_Runner_A_Novel</link>
  <average_rating>4.14</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>614</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[This is the inspirational cult classic that Runner's World (and many others) have called &quot;the best novel ever written about running&quot;.  <p>The Reno Gazette-Journal has also called it &quot;a book so good, people will steal it.&quot;  <p>How often do you hear about someone borrowing a friend's book, then later buying their own copy because they liked it so much? Or a book so treasured that it gets passed from friend to friend until it simply falls apart from so many readings? Once a Runner is such a book. It has become a cult classic and our all-time best seller. It's been acclaimed over the years by Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers, Alberto Salazar and many other top runners.   <p>Many regard the story of Quenton Cassidy's battle to the top as the most accurate portrayal yet written of the tiny universe of world class runners. And it's a great source of training inspiration and wisdom as well. Many readers say they learned more about running from this novel than from all the training books they have read.   <p>It has won Running magazine's award as the best book of the year, and has been highly acclaimed by Runner's World, Running Times, Racing South, and Track &amp; Field News, as well as by writers like Don Kardong, Kenny Moore Tom Jordan and Hal Higdon.</p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1978</published>
</book>

    <rating>3</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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          </shelves>
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  <read_at>Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Jun 23 16:18:39 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Fri Jul 03 07:36:53 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Since I started running, and have been reading a lot of running magazines etc. I've heard a lot about this book.  However, it had been out of print for many years, and was hard to come by.  The author then wrote a sequel a couple of years ago, so this book was finally re-printed, and I was eager to ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/60842117">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/60842117]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/60842117]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>65561234</id>
    <user>
    <id>1003429</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Jenne]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Orem, UT]]></location>
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  <isbn>0915297019</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780915297016</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">135</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Once a Runner: A Novel]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171408273m/98250.jpg</image_url>
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  <average_rating>4.14</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>614</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[This is the inspirational cult classic that Runner's World (and many others) have called &quot;the best novel ever written about running&quot;.  <p>The Reno Gazette-Journal has also called it &quot;a book so good, people will steal it.&quot;  <p>How often do you hear about someone borrowing a friend's book, then later buying their own copy because they liked it so much? Or a book so treasured that it gets passed from friend to friend until it simply falls apart from so many readings? Once a Runner is such a book. It has become a cult classic and our all-time best seller. It's been acclaimed over the years by Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers, Alberto Salazar and many other top runners.   <p>Many regard the story of Quenton Cassidy's battle to the top as the most accurate portrayal yet written of the tiny universe of world class runners. And it's a great source of training inspiration and wisdom as well. Many readers say they learned more about running from this novel than from all the training books they have read.   <p>It has won Running magazine's award as the best book of the year, and has been highly acclaimed by Runner's World, Running Times, Racing South, and Track &amp; Field News, as well as by writers like Don Kardong, Kenny Moore Tom Jordan and Hal Higdon.</p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1978</published>
</book>

    <rating>3</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
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  <read_at>Mon Jun 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Jul 30 12:44:36 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Jul 30 13:04:23 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I think you have had to do some distance running(on any level)to appreciate this book. He writes like he has ADD, but this just how the mind works in a distance runner.(even a slow one like me)Once you become used to these quick shifts the book hooks you and you can't wait to see if Quenton Cassidy ...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/65561234">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/65561234]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/65561234]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>72958438</id>
    <user>
    <id>2790814</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Tim]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[The United States]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2790814-tim]]></link>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Once a Runner: A Novel]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171408273m/98250.jpg</image_url>
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  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/98250.Once_a_Runner_A_Novel</link>
  <average_rating>4.14</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>614</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[This is the inspirational cult classic that Runner's World (and many others) have called &quot;the best novel ever written about running&quot;.  <p>The Reno Gazette-Journal has also called it &quot;a book so good, people will steal it.&quot;  <p>How often do you hear about someone borrowing a friend's book, then later buying their own copy because they liked it so much? Or a book so treasured that it gets passed from friend to friend until it simply falls apart from so many readings? Once a Runner is such a book. It has become a cult classic and our all-time best seller. It's been acclaimed over the years by Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers, Alberto Salazar and many other top runners.   <p>Many regard the story of Quenton Cassidy's battle to the top as the most accurate portrayal yet written of the tiny universe of world class runners. And it's a great source of training inspiration and wisdom as well. Many readers say they learned more about running from this novel than from all the training books they have read.   <p>It has won Running magazine's award as the best book of the year, and has been highly acclaimed by Runner's World, Running Times, Racing South, and Track &amp; Field News, as well as by writers like Don Kardong, Kenny Moore Tom Jordan and Hal Higdon.</p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1978</published>
</book>

    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <read_at></read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Sep 29 20:36:46 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Oct 06 16:51:51 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[This book was out of print for years.  I used to see it referenced every once in awhile and treated with reverence, but there are so few books (novels) on the subject I didn't know how seriously to take it.  I once held a used paperback copy in my hands at the Smith Family bookstore in Eugene someti...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/72958438">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/72958438]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/72958438]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>77610488</id>
    <user>
    <id>2240776</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Jenny]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[West Milford, NJ]]></location>
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  <isbn>1416597883</isbn>
  <isbn13>9781416597889</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">55</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Once a Runner: A Novel]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1256069877m/4016794.jpg</image_url>
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  <average_rating>4.14</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>614</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[<em>Once a Runner</em> captures the essence of what it means to be a competitive runner; to devote your entire existence to a single-minded pursuit of excellence. It has become one of the most beloved sports novels ever written.<p>Originally self-published in 1978 and sold at road races out of the trunk of the author's car, the book eventually found its way into the hands of high school, college, and postgraduate athletes all over the country. Reading it became a rite of passage on many teams, and tattered copies were handed down like sacred texts from generation to generation. It ranked as the number one most sought-after out-of-print book in the United States in 2007.<p><em>Once a Runner</em> is the story of Quenton Cassidy, a collegiate runner at fictional Southeastern University whose lifelong dream is to run a four-minute mile. He is less than a second away when the political and cultural turmoil of the Vietnam War era intrudes into the staid recesses of his school's athletic department. After he becomes involved in an athletes' protest, Cassidy is suspended from his track team.<p>Under the tutelage of his friend and mentor, Bruce Denton, a graduate student and former Olympic gold medalist, Cassidy gives up his scholarship, his girlfriend, and possibly his future to withdraw to a monastic retreat in the countryside and begin training for the race of his life: a head-to-head match with the greatest miler in history. This book is a rare insider's account of the incredibly intense lives of elite distance runners; an inspiring, funny, and spot-on tale of one man's quest to become a champion.</p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1978</published>
</book>

    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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          </shelves>
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  <read_at>Tue Sep 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Nov 12 19:22:58 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Nov 12 19:55:08 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I loved this book and it has become an instant favorite.  Once a Runner is hailed as the greatest book of all time about running and I would have to agree with that sentiment.  It completely captures the complete dedication- both mental and physical- that is required to achieve any kind of success i...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/77610488">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/77610488]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/77610488]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>65521352</id>
    <user>
    <id>610674</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Jennifer]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Columbia, MO]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/610674-jennifer]]></link>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Once a Runner: A Novel]]>
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  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4016794.Once_a_Runner_A_Novel</link>
  <average_rating>4.14</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>614</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[<em>Once a Runner</em> captures the essence of what it means to be a competitive runner; to devote your entire existence to a single-minded pursuit of excellence. It has become one of the most beloved sports novels ever written.<p>Originally self-published in 1978 and sold at road races out of the trunk of the author's car, the book eventually found its way into the hands of high school, college, and postgraduate athletes all over the country. Reading it became a rite of passage on many teams, and tattered copies were handed down like sacred texts from generation to generation. It ranked as the number one most sought-after out-of-print book in the United States in 2007.<p><em>Once a Runner</em> is the story of Quenton Cassidy, a collegiate runner at fictional Southeastern University whose lifelong dream is to run a four-minute mile. He is less than a second away when the political and cultural turmoil of the Vietnam War era intrudes into the staid recesses of his school's athletic department. After he becomes involved in an athletes' protest, Cassidy is suspended from his track team.<p>Under the tutelage of his friend and mentor, Bruce Denton, a graduate student and former Olympic gold medalist, Cassidy gives up his scholarship, his girlfriend, and possibly his future to withdraw to a monastic retreat in the countryside and begin training for the race of his life: a head-to-head match with the greatest miler in history. This book is a rare insider's account of the incredibly intense lives of elite distance runners; an inspiring, funny, and spot-on tale of one man's quest to become a champion.</p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1978</published>
</book>

    <rating>3</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
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        <shelf name="read" />
          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Wed Jul 29 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Thu Jul 30 07:03:29 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Thu Jul 30 07:03:29 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[It's good to find out what all the fuss is about; however, said fuss would probably make more sense to me if I ran 20 miles a day and competed at high levels (instead of running 20 miles a fortnight and competing only with myself to stay upright).<br/><br/>It's a weird book to get into--the shifts i...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/65521352">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/65521352]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/65521352]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>77236531</id>
    <user>
    <id>1759283</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Brendan]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Atherton, CA]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1759283-brendan]]></link>
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  <isbn>1416597883</isbn>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Once a Runner: A Novel]]>
  </title>
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  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4016794.Once_a_Runner_A_Novel</link>
  <average_rating>4.14</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>614</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[<em>Once a Runner</em> captures the essence of what it means to be a competitive runner; to devote your entire existence to a single-minded pursuit of excellence. It has become one of the most beloved sports novels ever written.<p>Originally self-published in 1978 and sold at road races out of the trunk of the author's car, the book eventually found its way into the hands of high school, college, and postgraduate athletes all over the country. Reading it became a rite of passage on many teams, and tattered copies were handed down like sacred texts from generation to generation. It ranked as the number one most sought-after out-of-print book in the United States in 2007.<p><em>Once a Runner</em> is the story of Quenton Cassidy, a collegiate runner at fictional Southeastern University whose lifelong dream is to run a four-minute mile. He is less than a second away when the political and cultural turmoil of the Vietnam War era intrudes into the staid recesses of his school's athletic department. After he becomes involved in an athletes' protest, Cassidy is suspended from his track team.<p>Under the tutelage of his friend and mentor, Bruce Denton, a graduate student and former Olympic gold medalist, Cassidy gives up his scholarship, his girlfriend, and possibly his future to withdraw to a monastic retreat in the countryside and begin training for the race of his life: a head-to-head match with the greatest miler in history. This book is a rare insider's account of the incredibly intense lives of elite distance runners; an inspiring, funny, and spot-on tale of one man's quest to become a champion.</p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1978</published>
</book>

    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
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        <shelf name="read" />
          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Fri May 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Mon Nov 09 13:45:43 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Mon Nov 09 14:09:04 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[Without a doubt, this is the best book on running I have read.  As a former long-distance runner (all of high school, on and off during college)I rarely read books about running.  Often times I find other books to be written by poseurs or wanna-be runners that miss describing the true experience.  I...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/77236531">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/77236531]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/77236531]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>59447388</id>
    <user>
    <id>2330809</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Steve]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Washington, DC]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2330809-steve]]></link>
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  <id type="integer">98250</id>
  <isbn>0915297019</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780915297016</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">135</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Once a Runner: A Novel]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171408273m/98250.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171408273s/98250.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/98250.Once_a_Runner_A_Novel</link>
  <average_rating>4.14</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>614</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[This is the inspirational cult classic that Runner's World (and many others) have called &quot;the best novel ever written about running&quot;.  <p>The Reno Gazette-Journal has also called it &quot;a book so good, people will steal it.&quot;  <p>How often do you hear about someone borrowing a friend's book, then later buying their own copy because they liked it so much? Or a book so treasured that it gets passed from friend to friend until it simply falls apart from so many readings? Once a Runner is such a book. It has become a cult classic and our all-time best seller. It's been acclaimed over the years by Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers, Alberto Salazar and many other top runners.   <p>Many regard the story of Quenton Cassidy's battle to the top as the most accurate portrayal yet written of the tiny universe of world class runners. And it's a great source of training inspiration and wisdom as well. Many readers say they learned more about running from this novel than from all the training books they have read.   <p>It has won Running magazine's award as the best book of the year, and has been highly acclaimed by Runner's World, Running Times, Racing South, and Track &amp; Field News, as well as by writers like Don Kardong, Kenny Moore Tom Jordan and Hal Higdon.</p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1978</published>
</book>

    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>1</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
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  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Sat Jun 13 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Fri Jun 12 16:22:46 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sat Jun 13 15:11:52 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I have no idea how I missed this now-cult-classic when it came out.  I would have LOVED to have read it (and savored it) back when I was doing high mileage.  I have no idea if non-runners will enjoy it, but I found it hugely compelling and entertaining.  If you've ever kept a mileage log, logged hig...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/59447388">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/59447388]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/59447388]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>77652867</id>
    <user>
    <id>573734</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Kristyn]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Denver, CO]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/573734-kristyn]]></link>
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  <isbn>1416597883</isbn>
  <isbn13>9781416597889</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">55</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Once a Runner: A Novel]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1256069877m/4016794.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1256069877s/4016794.jpg</small_image_url>
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  <average_rating>4.14</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>614</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[<em>Once a Runner</em> captures the essence of what it means to be a competitive runner; to devote your entire existence to a single-minded pursuit of excellence. It has become one of the most beloved sports novels ever written.<p>Originally self-published in 1978 and sold at road races out of the trunk of the author's car, the book eventually found its way into the hands of high school, college, and postgraduate athletes all over the country. Reading it became a rite of passage on many teams, and tattered copies were handed down like sacred texts from generation to generation. It ranked as the number one most sought-after out-of-print book in the United States in 2007.<p><em>Once a Runner</em> is the story of Quenton Cassidy, a collegiate runner at fictional Southeastern University whose lifelong dream is to run a four-minute mile. He is less than a second away when the political and cultural turmoil of the Vietnam War era intrudes into the staid recesses of his school's athletic department. After he becomes involved in an athletes' protest, Cassidy is suspended from his track team.<p>Under the tutelage of his friend and mentor, Bruce Denton, a graduate student and former Olympic gold medalist, Cassidy gives up his scholarship, his girlfriend, and possibly his future to withdraw to a monastic retreat in the countryside and begin training for the race of his life: a head-to-head match with the greatest miler in history. This book is a rare insider's account of the incredibly intense lives of elite distance runners; an inspiring, funny, and spot-on tale of one man's quest to become a champion.</p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1978</published>
</book>

    <rating>2</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
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          </shelves>
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  <read_at>Fri Nov 13 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Fri Nov 13 09:54:25 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Fri Nov 13 13:59:15 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I had read an excerpt from this book in The Runner's Literary Companion years ago, so I thought the full book would be good.  Not even the subject matter could make me like it.  It's weird:  at times the prose is beautiful, but sadly, the characters come off as caricatures, the point of view is slop...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/77652867">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/77652867]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/77652867]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>77965877</id>
    <user>
    <id>64617</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Liz]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Takoma Park, MD]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/64617-liz]]></link>
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  <isbn>1416597883</isbn>
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  <text_reviews_count type="integer">55</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Once a Runner: A Novel]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1256069877m/4016794.jpg</image_url>
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  <average_rating>4.14</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>614</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[<em>Once a Runner</em> captures the essence of what it means to be a competitive runner; to devote your entire existence to a single-minded pursuit of excellence. It has become one of the most beloved sports novels ever written.<p>Originally self-published in 1978 and sold at road races out of the trunk of the author's car, the book eventually found its way into the hands of high school, college, and postgraduate athletes all over the country. Reading it became a rite of passage on many teams, and tattered copies were handed down like sacred texts from generation to generation. It ranked as the number one most sought-after out-of-print book in the United States in 2007.<p><em>Once a Runner</em> is the story of Quenton Cassidy, a collegiate runner at fictional Southeastern University whose lifelong dream is to run a four-minute mile. He is less than a second away when the political and cultural turmoil of the Vietnam War era intrudes into the staid recesses of his school's athletic department. After he becomes involved in an athletes' protest, Cassidy is suspended from his track team.<p>Under the tutelage of his friend and mentor, Bruce Denton, a graduate student and former Olympic gold medalist, Cassidy gives up his scholarship, his girlfriend, and possibly his future to withdraw to a monastic retreat in the countryside and begin training for the race of his life: a head-to-head match with the greatest miler in history. This book is a rare insider's account of the incredibly intense lives of elite distance runners; an inspiring, funny, and spot-on tale of one man's quest to become a champion.</p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1978</published>
</book>

    <rating>2</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
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          </shelves>
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  <read_at>Tue Dec 15 00:00:00 -0800 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Mon Nov 16 09:35:34 -0800 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed Dec 16 14:07:16 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I am a runner. However, the main character of this book once runs more miles in a single day than I yet have in a week, and his fast mile is half the time of mine. Did I mention he's an Olympic medalist? So while the theme of the isolation and discipline of running training and the thrill of a major...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/77965877">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/77965877]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/77965877]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>60498732</id>
    <user>
    <id>1229693</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Danette]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[The United States]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1229693-danette]]></link>
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    <book>
  <id type="integer">98250</id>
  <isbn>0915297019</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780915297016</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">135</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Once a Runner: A Novel]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171408273m/98250.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171408273s/98250.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/98250.Once_a_Runner_A_Novel</link>
  <average_rating>4.14</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>614</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[This is the inspirational cult classic that Runner's World (and many others) have called &quot;the best novel ever written about running&quot;.  <p>The Reno Gazette-Journal has also called it &quot;a book so good, people will steal it.&quot;  <p>How often do you hear about someone borrowing a friend's book, then later buying their own copy because they liked it so much? Or a book so treasured that it gets passed from friend to friend until it simply falls apart from so many readings? Once a Runner is such a book. It has become a cult classic and our all-time best seller. It's been acclaimed over the years by Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers, Alberto Salazar and many other top runners.   <p>Many regard the story of Quenton Cassidy's battle to the top as the most accurate portrayal yet written of the tiny universe of world class runners. And it's a great source of training inspiration and wisdom as well. Many readers say they learned more about running from this novel than from all the training books they have read.   <p>It has won Running magazine's award as the best book of the year, and has been highly acclaimed by Runner's World, Running Times, Racing South, and Track &amp; Field News, as well as by writers like Don Kardong, Kenny Moore Tom Jordan and Hal Higdon.</p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1978</published>
</book>

    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
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        <shelf name="read" />
          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Sun Jun 21 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Sun Jun 21 06:00:51 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sun Jun 21 06:05:00 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I didn't get as much out of this book as a competitive long distance runner would but I still thought it was a highly motivating story. Long distance runners who have read this book (my 14 year old son included) absolutely loved the book and understood it in a way I couldn't. Some reviews from anoth...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/60498732">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/60498732]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/60498732]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>57081393</id>
    <user>
    <id>1765332</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Maria]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[The United States]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1765332-maria]]></link>
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  <id type="integer">98250</id>
  <isbn>0915297019</isbn>
  <isbn13>9780915297016</isbn13>
  <text_reviews_count type="integer">135</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Once a Runner: A Novel]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171408273m/98250.jpg</image_url>
  <small_image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171408273s/98250.jpg</small_image_url>
  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/98250.Once_a_Runner_A_Novel</link>
  <average_rating>4.14</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>614</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[This is the inspirational cult classic that Runner's World (and many others) have called &quot;the best novel ever written about running&quot;.  <p>The Reno Gazette-Journal has also called it &quot;a book so good, people will steal it.&quot;  <p>How often do you hear about someone borrowing a friend's book, then later buying their own copy because they liked it so much? Or a book so treasured that it gets passed from friend to friend until it simply falls apart from so many readings? Once a Runner is such a book. It has become a cult classic and our all-time best seller. It's been acclaimed over the years by Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers, Alberto Salazar and many other top runners.   <p>Many regard the story of Quenton Cassidy's battle to the top as the most accurate portrayal yet written of the tiny universe of world class runners. And it's a great source of training inspiration and wisdom as well. Many readers say they learned more about running from this novel than from all the training books they have read.   <p>It has won Running magazine's award as the best book of the year, and has been highly acclaimed by Runner's World, Running Times, Racing South, and Track &amp; Field News, as well as by writers like Don Kardong, Kenny Moore Tom Jordan and Hal Higdon.</p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1978</published>
</book>

    <rating>2</rating>
  <votes>1</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
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        <shelf name="read" />
          </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Tue Aug 04 10:46:02 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Sat May 23 13:42:16 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Tue Aug 04 10:46:02 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[This was actually a really awful book. I was quite excited to dig into it after reading all the accolades: &quot;The best piece of running fiction around&quot;... &quot;There are parts of &quot;Once A Runner&quot; that are pure poetry&quot;... &quot;So inspiring it could be banned as a performance-e...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/57081393">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/57081393]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/57081393]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>54008421</id>
    <user>
    <id>1922261</id>
    <name><![CDATA[Asymmetrical]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Madison, WI]]></location>
    <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/1922261-asymmetrical]]></link>
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  <isbn>0915297019</isbn>
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  <title>
    <![CDATA[Once a Runner: A Novel]]>
  </title>
  <image_url>http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1171408273m/98250.jpg</image_url>
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  <link>http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/98250.Once_a_Runner_A_Novel</link>
  <average_rating>4.14</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>614</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[This is the inspirational cult classic that Runner's World (and many others) have called &quot;the best novel ever written about running&quot;.  <p>The Reno Gazette-Journal has also called it &quot;a book so good, people will steal it.&quot;  <p>How often do you hear about someone borrowing a friend's book, then later buying their own copy because they liked it so much? Or a book so treasured that it gets passed from friend to friend until it simply falls apart from so many readings? Once a Runner is such a book. It has become a cult classic and our all-time best seller. It's been acclaimed over the years by Frank Shorter, Bill Rodgers, Alberto Salazar and many other top runners.   <p>Many regard the story of Quenton Cassidy's battle to the top as the most accurate portrayal yet written of the tiny universe of world class runners. And it's a great source of training inspiration and wisdom as well. Many readers say they learned more about running from this novel than from all the training books they have read.   <p>It has won Running magazine's award as the best book of the year, and has been highly acclaimed by Runner's World, Running Times, Racing South, and Track &amp; Field News, as well as by writers like Don Kardong, Kenny Moore Tom Jordan and Hal Higdon.</p></p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1978</published>
</book>

    <rating>3</rating>
  <votes>0</votes>
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  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Sun Nov 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Sun Apr 26 08:30:07 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Sun Nov 08 17:31:39 -0800 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[To someone like me -- someone with widely ranging interests and abilities who isn't really “good” at anything – there's a horrible fascination in an all-out effort.  Being able to tot up a bunch of numbers, run a marathon, keep marriage and family stable, and do a thousand other commonplace th...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/54008421">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/54008421]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/54008421]]></link>
</review>
      <review>
  <id>53446399</id>
    <user>
    <id>71658</id>
    <name><![CDATA[AJ]]></name>
    <location><![CDATA[Brighton, MA]]></location>
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  <isbn>1416597883</isbn>
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  <text_reviews_count type="integer">55</text_reviews_count>
  <title>
    <![CDATA[Once a Runner: A Novel]]>
  </title>
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  <average_rating>4.14</average_rating>
  <ratings_count>614</ratings_count>
  <description>
    <![CDATA[<em>Once a Runner</em> captures the essence of what it means to be a competitive runner; to devote your entire existence to a single-minded pursuit of excellence. It has become one of the most beloved sports novels ever written.<p>Originally self-published in 1978 and sold at road races out of the trunk of the author's car, the book eventually found its way into the hands of high school, college, and postgraduate athletes all over the country. Reading it became a rite of passage on many teams, and tattered copies were handed down like sacred texts from generation to generation. It ranked as the number one most sought-after out-of-print book in the United States in 2007.<p><em>Once a Runner</em> is the story of Quenton Cassidy, a collegiate runner at fictional Southeastern University whose lifelong dream is to run a four-minute mile. He is less than a second away when the political and cultural turmoil of the Vietnam War era intrudes into the staid recesses of his school's athletic department. After he becomes involved in an athletes' protest, Cassidy is suspended from his track team.<p>Under the tutelage of his friend and mentor, Bruce Denton, a graduate student and former Olympic gold medalist, Cassidy gives up his scholarship, his girlfriend, and possibly his future to withdraw to a monastic retreat in the countryside and begin training for the race of his life: a head-to-head match with the greatest miler in history. This book is a rare insider's account of the incredibly intense lives of elite distance runners; an inspiring, funny, and spot-on tale of one man's quest to become a champion.</p></p></p>]]>
  </description>
  <published>1978</published>
</book>

    <rating>5</rating>
  <votes>1</votes>
  <spoiler_flag>false</spoiler_flag>
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      </shelves>
  <recommended_for><![CDATA[runners]]></recommended_for>
  <recommended_by><![CDATA[]]></recommended_by>
  <read_at>Wed Jun 10 00:00:00 -0700 2009</read_at>
  <date_added>Tue Apr 21 05:22:08 -0700 2009</date_added>
  <date_updated>Wed Jun 10 16:07:32 -0700 2009</date_updated>
  <read_count></read_count>
    <body><![CDATA[I have been hearing about this book from fellow runners for about three years now, and everybody (plus or minus a few) say the same thing - that it's the best book about running they've ever read. Unfortunately, it was out of print at the time. On Amazon and Ebay copies were selling at over 100$, an...<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/53446399">more...</a>]]></body>
    
  <url><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/53446399]]></url>
  <link><![CDATA[http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/53446399]]></link>
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