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Title details for The Long Run by Matthew Long - Available

The Long Run

One Man's Attempt to Regain his Athletic Career-and His Life-by Running the New York City Marathon

by Matthew Long
Charles Butler
Audiobook
1 of 1 copy available
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1 of 1 copy available
New York City firefighter’s emotional and inspiring memoir of learning to run again after a debilitating accident, based on the wildly popular March 2009 piece in Runner’s World.
On the morning of December 22, 2005, Matt Long was cycling to work in the early morning when he was struck by and sucked under a 20-ton bus making an illegal turn. The injuries he sustained pushed him within inches of his life. Miraculously, more than 40 operations and months later, Matt was able to start his recovery. In spite of the severity of his injuries, Matt found the psychological consequences of the accident nearly as hard to process. He would no longer be able to compete at the highest level.
In the 18 months before the accident, he had competed in more than 20 events including several triathlons and marathons and had qualified for running’s most prestigious race, the Boston Marathon. After the accident, his doctor told him he’d be lucky if he could even walk without a cane.
The Long Run is an emotional and incredibly honest story about Matt’s determination to fight through fear, despair, loneliness, and intense physical and psychological pain to regain the life he once had. The book chronicles Matt’s road to recovery as he teaches himself to walk again and, a mere three years later, to run in the 2008 New York City Marathon—a gimpy seven-and-a-half hour journey through the five boroughs. “Running saved my life,” Matt says, and his embrace of the running community and insistence on competing in the marathon has inspired many, turning him into a symbol of hope and recovery for untold numbers of others.

  • Creators

  • Publisher

  • Release date

    October 12, 2010

  • Formats

    • OverDrive Listen audiobook

      • ISBN: 9780307877512
      • File size: 249632 KB
      • Duration: 08:40:03

  • Languages

    • English

  • Reviews

    • AudioFile Magazine
      Matthew Long's turning point came on a December morning in 2005, when a horrific accident changed his life. Listeners will hear about how the New York firefighter and marathon runner was literally hit by a bus on his way to work, an accident that resulted in the possibility that he might not walk again, let alone run. Rather than give up, he set his sights on the 2008 NYC Marathon, using the same grit and courage that propels firefighters into burning buildings to effect his recovery. While Matthew Del Negro doesn't have the classic Brooklyn accent, his delivery of Long's amazing comeback is fully engaging. His voice credibly expresses Long's many emotions--from the frustrations of coping with his injuries to the rigors of running 26.2 miles. Non-runners will want to start, runners will want to add distance to their workouts, and all will be inspired as they root for Long. M.B. (c) AudioFile 2011, Portland, Maine
    • Publisher's Weekly

      October 18, 2010
      When Long, a New York City firefighter with East Harlem's Ladder Company 43, was crushed by a bus while riding his bike to work one winter's day, he was transformed from a man who ran marathons to a man who might never walk again. Having recently completed the 2005 New York City Marathon, in just over three hours, Long was training for Boston. "Each day I was up and out, sometimes early, sometimes late, but always looking for something new to do. And one more finish line to cross." After the accident, and a prognosis he didn't want to hear (a slim margin for survival; likely paralysis), Long endured 40 operations and spent five months in the hospital, never taking his mind off the finish line at the end of the 2008 NYC Marathon. Completing the marathon after his recovery at 42 years of age was a major accomplishment, and it motivated him to begin speaking publicly, and to create the "I Will" foundation to help people recover from traumatic life-altering illnesses or injuries. Like Long himself, his memoir is full of the heartfelt can-do attitude sure to appeal to the Iron Man in everyone.

Formats

  • OverDrive Listen audiobook

subjects

Languages

  • English

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