by Paul Howard
Greystone Books, $19.95, 267 pages
Too often books about marathons focus on the pack leaders. Eat Sleep Ride is the story of Paul Howard, who from the beginning of the Tour Divide would be one of the last to cross the finish line. He braves bears, Badlands, and big breakfasts in his pursuit of the Lantern Rouge, which awaits the last place finisher. His travails in the marathon bike race from Canada to Mexico, detailing those he meets, the messages to the family he leaves behind, and the challenges he meets on the way to the southern border of the United States are very well detailed.
Unlike a lot of the more inspirational sports books, this one truly inspires to get one off the couch. Howard has a lot of fun on the way down, and shows that people really can participate in major sporting events; it’s not the goal that counts but the journey there. Or simply that you get off the couch and on the trail. This is an incredible book, and definitely should find itself on the reading list of every potential athlete, especially those that want to participate but just can’t find what inspires them; this book will inspire them.