The Lola Papers: Marathons, Misadventures, and How I Became a Serious Runner

"Amy Marxkors' The Lola Papers are amazingly insightful and thought-provoking."--John L. Parker, Jr., author of Once A Runner and Again to Carthage

A simple request for training advice turned into a year of high-intensity coaching, unexpected adventure, unlikely friendships, and the realization that life, like the marathon, isn't about the finish line. Through the journal of Lola, a nom de plume created to embody the spirit of all runners, Amy Marxkors chronicles her journey of self discovery as she decides to find out just how good she could be if she really tried. Humorous and endearingly candid, The Lola Papers reveals the universal truths and profound humanity hidden in the miles, showing that sometimes the greatest gift in life is getting more than what you bargained for.

Each chapter in The Lola Papers serves a twofold purpose. On the topmost level, it is the direct account of a specific running experience--a training run, a blown workout, a solitary trail, or a grueling race. On a deeper level that reaches beyond running and into the soul of humanity, Lola's stories are a reflection of the struggles and emotions of life, the supreme test of endurance. Dedication. Fatigue. Failure. Victory. Monotony. Adventure. Sorrow. Joy. Redemption. And the unshakeable determination to keep on going.

The Lola Papers uses the sport of distance running as a lens to examine self, relationships, and the world around us.