Press release here. Sounds like a great event, and a good place to get the runner in your life a sweet Christmas present:
Hal Higdon, a writer and runner for a half century, will make a stop in Asheville on Tuesday, Dec. 8, for a presentation and book-signing sponsored by the Asheville Track Club. The event, free and open to the public, takes place at 7 p.m. at DoubleTree Biltmore, 115 Hendersonville Rd., Asheville.
A contributor to the magazine, Runner’s World, for longer than any other writer–his first article appeared in that publication’s second issue in 1966–Higdon is the author of 35 books, including a just-released novel, Marathon. Written in the tradition of Arthur Hailey’s bestsellers, Hotel and Airport, Marathon follows the challenges of a race director in the 72 hours leading up to a major marathon. The novel was officially released on Oct. 11, the same day as the Bank of America Chicago Marathon.
“With all of the training books on the market, someone finally has written a novel that captures the essence of the marathon,” said Amby Burfoot about the book. Burfoot is editor at large of Runner’s World and winner of the 1968 Boston Marathon.
In addition to Marathon, Higdon will also have copies of his children’s book, Run, Dogs, Run!, and his best-selling Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide, for sale at the event.
With articles that have appeared in publications from Sports Illustrated to Playboy to National Geographic, Higdon is best known as a writer of non-fiction. (Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide has sold more than a quarter-million copies.) Although technically this is Higdon’s first novel, he has written fiction before for children. The Horse That Played Center Field was made into an animated film by ABC-Television.
“I’ve always wanted to write an adult novel,” said Higdon. “But busy with other projects, I just never found time. It finally reached the point where I had this idea threatening to explode within my head, and I just had to let it out.”
Higdon ran eight times in the Olympic Trials and won four world masters championships. One of the founders of the Road Runners Club of America (RRCA), Higdon also was a finalist in NASA’s Journalist-in-Space program to ride the space shuttle. He has served as training consultant for the Chicago Marathon and Chicago Area Runners Association and also answers questions on his Virtual Training Bulletin Board, offering interactive training programs through TrainingPeaks.
At the American Society of Journalist and Author’s annual meeting in 2003, the Society gave Higdon its Career Achievement Award, the highest honor given to writer members.
For more information about the Dec. 8 event, contact Asheville Track Club publicist Kathi Petersen, at kpcommunications@charter.net or (828) 712-1286. For an extended bio of Higdon, visit www.halhigdon.com/biography/bio.htm. To learn more about the other books Higdon has penned, go to www.halhigdon.com/books/bookorder.htm. Visit to some of Higdon’s training articles, such as “Make Every Run Easier,” “Prevent Beginner Running Injuries,” and “Training: The Master Plan.”