Book description
In 1928 two extraordinary Englishmen competed in an unprecedented
event - a transcontinental road race across America that required them
to run an average of 40 miles for 80 consecutive days.
Despite being separated by class, education and age, Peter Gavuzzi
and Arthur Newton became close friends and formed a successful
business partnership as endurance athletes. They raced in 500-mile
relays, in 24-hour events, in snowshoes and against horses; and they
became the stars of a craze for endurance events that swept across
depression-era North America and the most famous long-distance runners
in the world.
However, history has forgotten these two men, and in Running for
Their Lives - in a story peopled with remarkable characters,
unimaginable feats and tragic twists of fate - they only now receive
the recognition they so richly deserve.
Mark Whitaker is a broadcaster and historian. After a first career as
an academic, during which he taught in both London and Tunis, he joined
the BBC in 1990. He was a reporter for BBC2's sports documentary series
On the Line
, and from 1994 to 2002 was a regular presenter of
File on 4
on Radio 4. He then became a founding partner of the independent
production company Square Dog Radio, which is named after a beloved
Bernese Mountain dog. To his great regret he recently had to give up
playing cricket. He lives in the West Yorkshire hills with his family
and their animals.
