Once a Runner
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Once a Runner is a novel by American author John L. Parker Jr. and published in 1998 by Cedarwinds (0915297019) and was first published in 1978. In Once a Runner, Parker attempts to illustrate the hard work and dedication that is required of an elite runner. Since its publication, the novel has become a cult classic for competitive runners of all abilities.
 |
This article or section needs to be updated. Parts of this article or section have been identified as no longer being up to date. Please update the article to reflect recent events, and remove this template when finished. |
 |
A follow-up story, Again to Carthage, is set to be released.
Contents |
[edit] Plot summary
Quenton Cassidy is a collegiate runner at fictional Southeastern University. He is a well-rounded distance runner who specializes in the mile. Throughout his college career, he learns to overcome the obstacles that elite runners face. The difference with this book is that it is a Catcher In the Rye sort of novel - with all the quality character development, insight into emotions and angst of a young man not so normal as you may think. It's a look into the physical training and mental development elite runners endure but also a look into the difference between these people and the rest of the world. As the quote"What is the Secret" - "Miles of Trials, Trials of Miles" is conveyed throughout, we learn there is no secret about training - its about the sacrifices made in life and living. But more importantly - these athletes are real people, with real life experiences and this book is about humanity really, not just running.
To define a runner is impossible, but Once a Runner is the first step in trying to understand the inner workings of the serious collegiate runner. Many runners use this running bible as a tool to allow outsiders to attempt to break down and understand how it is they work, and at the same time to inspire day after day of running. There is no better insight into the mind of a runner then John L. Parkers "Once a Runner"
This novel is no longer published or printed and copies can be very hard to find, and for very high prices. Many runners continue to petition publishers to pick up the book and continue its circulation.
[edit] Characters
- Quenton Cassidy – The protagonist of the book, Cassidy is an elite collegiate runner whose dedication to the sport forces him to choose to drop out of school and run under the coaching of Bruce Denton (see below).
- Bruce Denton – A fictional Olympic champion runner who becomes Cassidy's friend and coach.
- Jerry Mizner – Cassidy's best friend and teammate
- Andrea Cleland – Cassidy's girlfriend.
- Dick Doobey – The head football coach at Southeastern. He attempts to have Cassidy expelled from the school for disrupting loyalty among his athletes.
- John Walton – The world record holder for the mile, and the first person to run a time under 3 minutes and 50 seconds in the mile. His character is based on that of the famous miler John Walker. Cassidy's race against him is the novel's climactic moment.
[edit] Quotes
"The secret is this: there is no secret." - Cassidy's answer to various people asking the question 'how does he run so fast?'
"The Trial of Miles; Miles of Trials."
"It is simply that we can all be good boys and wear our letter sweaters around and get our little degrees and find some nice girl to settle, you know, down with...Or we can blaze! Become legends in our own time, strike fear in the heart of mediocre talent everywhere! We can scald dogs, put records out of reach! Make the stands gasp as we blow into an unearthly kick from three hundred yards out! We can become God's own messengers delivering the dreaded scrolls! We can race dark Satan himself till he wheezes fiery cinders down the back straightaway....They'll speak our names in hushed tones, 'those guys are animals' they'll say! We can lay it on the line, bust a gut, show them a clean pair of heels. We can sprint the turn on a spring breeze and feel the winter leave our feet! We can, by God, let our demons loose and just wail on!"
"And too there were questions: What did he eat? Did he believe in isometrics? Isotonics? Ice and heat? How about aerobics, est, ESP, STP? What did he have to say about yoga, yogurt, Yogi Berra? What was his pulse rate, his blood pressure, his time for 100-yard dash? What was the secret, they wanted to know; in a thousand different ways they wanted to know The Secret. And not one of them was prepared, truly prepared to believe that it had not so much to do with chemicals and zippy mental tricks as with that most unprofound and sometimes heart-rending process of removing, molecule by molecule, the very tough rubber that comprised the bottoms of his training shoes. The Trial of Miles, Miles of Trials. How could they be expected to understand that?"
"That quarter mile oval may be one of the few places in the world where the bastards can't screw you over, Quenton. That's because there's no place to hide out there. No way to fake it or charm your way through, no deals to be made. You know all that stuff. You've talked about it. It's why you became a miler. The question is whether you are prepared to live by it or whether it was just a bunch of words."
"Cassidy sought no euphoric interludes. They came, when they did, quite naturally and he was content to enjoy them privately. He ran not for crypto-religious reasons, but to win races, to cover ground fast. Not only to be better than his fellows, but better than himself. To be faster by a tenth of a second, by an inch, by two feet or two yards than he had been the week or year before. He sought to conquer the physical limitations placed upon him by a three-dimensional world (and if Time is the fourth dimension, that too was his province). If he could conquer the weakness, the cowardice in himself, he would not worry about the rest; it would come. Training was a rite of purification; from it came speed, strength. Racing was a rite of death; from it came knowledge. Such rites demand, if they are to be meaningful at all, a certain amount of time spent precisely on the Red Line, where you can lean over the manicured putting green at the edge of the precipice and see exactly nothing."
"Running to him was real, the way he did it the realest thing he knew. It was all joy and woe, hard as diamond; it made him weary beyond comprehension. But it also made him free."
"Quenton Cassidy was 6-2, his meager 167 pounds stretched across his frame in a manner dictated by the searing daily necessities of his special task. Beneath the tight skin, the smooth musculature glided with fluid ease, giving the impression of elastic, lightweight power; a featherless view of a young falcon. There were no inefficient corners or bulges; the form was sharply chisled as if from sand-worn driftwood, fluted with oblique angles and long, tapering ridges, thin products of his care. Even now, standing perfectly still in the early morning glow, inverted teardrop thighs and high bunched calves suggested only motion: smooth effortless speed."
