“In order to win you’ve got to avoid losing first”
— Dick Doobey, football coach at fictitious Southern University
Since I started writing reviews, first for the Burlington Runners Times newsletter then here at Monumental Effort, one book that has been recommended to me on occasion is Once a Runner by John L. Parker Jr. I purchased this book several months ago but had not gotten around to reading it until just recently. I now wish I would have read the cult classic years ago.
Of the dozens of books on running that I have read over the years, only a handful of them have been works of fiction. Once a Runner is by far the most enjoyable and well-written fictional story of the lot. From the very first chapter I was captivated by Parker’s almost lyrical prose as he describes the quiet track and stadium through the eyes of the young athlete.
Later, as the reader is introduced to the story’s setting and characters -the Southern University campus in Florida and its varsity teams- the author treats us to some more entertaining narrative as he compares and contrasts the various athletes in the different track and field disciplines. Of the weight men he writes: “These specimens made their particular way in the world by heaving sixteen-pound iron balls great distances, tossing fibreglass plates out of vision, whipping sharpened aluminum shafts to the horizon. They were the heavy artillery of old.”
Parker calls the distance runners the “serene messengers, gliding along wooded trails and mountain paths, their spiritual ancestors kept their own solitary counsel for long hours.” Finally, Parker calls the sprinters and jumpers “high-strung, either giddy with success or mired in swamp funk. They were the manic-depressives of the track world.”
The novel’s main character is Quenton Cassidy. Well-liked by all his peers, Quenton is the captain of the track team and on the verge of becoming a world-class miler. Not only is Quenton a talented runner, he is also quite comical and usually at the core of the amusing games and banter amongst the students of Doobey Hall where the athletes reside. The reader accompanies the runners through their gruelling workouts, the cross-country season and the indoor track meets.
Cassidy’s times keep improving and his competitive fires burning hotter than ever when controversy rears its ugly head. Upset over imposed rules by the athletic director and football coach, Quenton drafts a petition protesting the rules. Although the petition was signed by many athletes from all teams, Cassidy becomes the fall-guy and is suspended from competition for the remainder of the school year. This ruling prompts Quenton to quit school and to retreat to a cabin in the woods. Under the tutelage of Olympic gold medalist and close friend Bruce Denton (the self-proclaimed famous American clock-cleaner), Cassidy turns all of his attention and effort to his training and a quest to run a sub-four minute mile.
Will Quenton ever have a chance to “let loose his demons and just wail on” and compete again? Click on the book cover and order your copy to find out.
Parker’s personal running credentials are quite impressive to say the least. As a member of the University of Florida’s track team, Parker set the school record in the mile and was even the conference champion. In 1972 he competed at the Munich Olympics alongside his teammates Frank Shorter and Jeff Galloway. His extensive experience was quite evident throughout the book and in my opinion, certainly gave a lot of credibility to the novel.
Original book cover
Although sequels are generally not as good as the original, upon completing this book I felt compelled to order myself a copy of the follow-up to Once a Runner. This sequel was written three decades after Once a Runner was first published. Once a Runner had even been out of print for many years. According to Amazon, it was one of the most sought-after out-of-print books in the United States in 2007.
Look for a review of John L. Parker Jr’s “Again to Cartage” on M.E. in the future.
If you have read “Once a Runner” and would like to send us a comment, please do so by using the form below. Also, feel free to recommend any book with inspiring stories of determination and perseverance.
Gotta run,
Vince
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
OAR is THE best running book ever. Period.
I have a tattered 20 year old copy that I still pull out and read parts if not all annually. I’ve often wondered if I would find it as good if I’d come to running through ultras first instead of track. The ‘workout’ chapter is the only inspiration ever needed.
The sequel is worth reading, but doesn’t come close.
Thanks for the comment, Derrick. Vince actually came at this book from the perspective of an ultra runner and he seems to love it. I may have to give this book a read, as everyone I know who’s read it really loves it.
Yeah, I don’t have a track background whatsover and still enjoyed the novel. Derrick is absolutely correct regarding the workout chapter. Even if these athletes only race a mile, their training programs are “monumental”!
Gotta run,
Vince
I just finished “Once a Runner” last week. Even though I am not a road or track runner the book really grabbed me. I was inspired by the dedication and passion the fictional runners demonstrated and thought the author did a great job putting in to words the emotion that lies behind running. I too was surprised by the athletes training programs. Think I should up my miledge!