David Chalfen’s new book offers plenty of anecdotes and insights from the past half century
David Chalfen has been involved in athletics since the 1970s as a 2:32 marathoner and coach with Highgate Harriers, Shaftesbury Barnet, and has worked with UK Sport and Sport England with the first book, Improve your marathon and half marathon runningenjoying good reviews.
His latest book is titled A few more rounds. a deep dive into a sharp end to running and training and packed with stories from a lifetime in the sport, he looks at the trends the running world has undergone and the people and events that have shaped it.
The foreword is written by Dave Bedford, former 10,000m world record holder, who gives the author his stamp of approval in the opening section of the book. There are also endorsements from athletes like Mara Yamauchi and Dan Robinson. We can confirm that the book is a very interesting read, especially if you have followed endurance running in the UK over the last 20-30 years or more.
However, this book is not just about British athletics. Chalfen is well-travelled and, among other things, once tried to organize a training camp. He knows Kenyan and Spanish long-distance running cultures in particular, and he talks about them extensively in the book.
He is also not afraid to write about the darker side of athletics. The book is mostly a love letter to running and his enthusiasm for the sport oozes from the pages, but he also describes the sport in warts. Sometimes the themes are so subtle that he has to refrain from naming the unnamed characters, although in some cases they are it is not difficult to develop.
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What’s more, the book is full of humor, and Chalfen celebrates his run in a self-deprecating way. Not surprisingly, there are many welcome references Athletics Weekly too.
The 196-page book was printed in the press and was also published shortly after the Paris Olympics.
To purchase a copy, visit RunCoach1to1.com where it is reasonably priced at £10.
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