The Race of the Century
The Battle to Break the Four-Minute Mile
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The Race of the Century
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Narrated by:
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Patrick Lawlor
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By:
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Neal Bascomb
About this listen
Highly acclaimed author Neal Bascomb brings his peerless research and fast-paced narrative style to a young adult adaptation of one of his most successful adult books of all time, The Perfect Mile, an inspiring and moving story of three men racing to achieve the impossible -- the perfect four-minute mile.
There was a time when running the mile in four minutes was believed to be beyond the limits of human foot speed. In 1952, after suffering defeat at the Helsinki Olympics, three world-class runners each set out to break this barrier: Roger Bannister was a young English medical student who epitomized the ideal of the amateur; John Landy the privileged son of a genteel Australian family; and Wes Santee the swaggering American, a Kansas farm boy and natural athlete.
Spanning three continents and defying the odds, these athletes' collective quest captivated the world. Neal Bascomb's bestselling adult account adapted for young adults delivers a breathtaking story of unlikely heroes and leaves us with a lasting portrait of the twilight years of the golden age of sport.
©2022 Neal Bascomb (P)2022 Scholastic IncListeners also enjoyed...
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-
Story4 out of 5 stars 94
Three-time Ironman finisher Amy Snyder takes the wraps off the best kept secret in the sports world, the Race Across America (RAAM), a bicycle race like no other. Unlike its famous cousin the Tour de France, RAAM is much crazier, more gothic, and even savage: Once the gun goes off the clock doesn't stop, and the first rider to complete the prescribed 3,000-mile route is the victor. In Hell on Two Wheels, Snyder follows a group of athletes before, during, and after the 2009 RAAM.
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3 out of 5 stars
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A documentary of the toughest bike race
- By James on 12-19-13
By: Amy Snyder
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Two Hours
- The Quest to Run the Impossible Marathon
- By: Ed Caesar
- Narrated by: Fajer Al-Kaisi
- Length: 7 hrs and 10 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 88
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 78
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 78
Two hours to cover 26 miles and 385 yards. Its running's Everest, a feat once seen as impossible for the human body. Now we can glimpse the mountaintop. The sub-two-hour marathon requires an exceptional feat of speed, mental strength, and endurance. The pioneer will have to endure more, live braver, plan better, and be luckier than any who has run before. Ed Caesar takes us into the world of elite runners: the greatest marathoners on Earth.
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5 out of 5 stars
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I liked it!
- By Amazon Customer on 05-07-16
By: Ed Caesar
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The Comeback
- Greg LeMond, the True King of American Cycling, and a Legendary Tour de France
- By: Daniel de Vise
- Narrated by: Pete Cross
- Length: 12 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 351
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 310
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Story5 out of 5 stars 312
Greg LeMond stunned the sporting world by becoming the first American to win the Tour de France in 1986, defeating French cycling legend Bernard Hinault. Nine months later, LeMond lay in a hospital bed, his career as a bicycle racer seemingly over. And yet, barely two years after this crisis, LeMond mounted a comeback. In 1989, he once again won the Tour - by a narrow margin of eight seconds. It remains the closest Tour de France in history. The Comeback chronicles the life of this great American athlete, from his roots in Nevada and California to the heights of global fame.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Good book. Flawed reading.
- By david savage on 07-23-18
By: Daniel de Vise
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14 Minutes
- A Running Legend's Life and Death and Life
- By: Alberto Salazar, John Brant
- Narrated by: Danny Pardo
- Length: 10 hrs and 39 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 76
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Performance3.5 out of 5 stars 61
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Story4 out of 5 stars 60
14 Minutes is the memoir of Alberto Salazar, the most accomplished, charismatic, and controversial marathoner in history. The narrative follows Alberto's boyhood in New England, his rise to stardom at the University of Oregon, his dramatic victories in the New York City and Boston Marathons, his long malaise due to injuries, which resulted in a near-suicidal depression; his resurgence due to intense spiritual experiences and discipline; his close alliance with Phil Knight and the Nike corporation; and describes his numerous near-death experiences.
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2 out of 5 stars
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Terrible and Distracting Narration
- By Mark on 06-04-14
By: Alberto Salazar, and others
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26 Marathons
- What I Learned About Faith, Identity, Running, and Life from My Marathon Career
- By: Meb Keflezighi, Scott Douglas
- Narrated by: Holter Graham
- Length: 6 hrs and 49 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 980
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 847
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Story5 out of 5 stars 844
When Meb Keflezighi - the first person in history to win both the Boston and New York City marathons as well as an Olympic marathon medal - ran his final marathon in New York in 2017, it marked the end of an extraordinary distance-running career. Meb's last marathon was also his 26th, and each of those marathons has come with its own unique challenges, rewards, and outcomes. In 26 Marathons, Meb takes listeners on those legendary races, along every hill, bend, and unexpected turn of events that made each marathon an exceptional learning experience, and a fascinating story.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Another Great Book by Meb!
- By jda9ball on 04-16-19
By: Meb Keflezighi, and others
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A Life Without Limits
- A World Champion's Journey
- By: Chrissie Wellington, Lance Armstrong - foreward
- Narrated by: Polly Lee, Chrissie Wellington
- Length: 9 hrs and 54 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 994
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 864
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 863
In 2007, Chrissie Wellington shocked the triathlon world by winning the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii. As a newcomer to the sport and a complete unknown to the press, Chrissie's win shook up the sport. A LIFE WITHOUT LIMITS is the story of her rise to the top, a journey that has taken her around the world, from a childhood in England, to the mountains of Nepal, to the oceans of New Zealand, and the trails of Argentina, and first across the finish line.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Chrissie winning, on repeat
- By Mona on 03-13-13
By: Chrissie Wellington, and others
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To Be a Runner
- How Racing Up Mountains, Running with the Bulls, or Just Taking On a 5-K Makes You a Better Person (and the World a Better Place)
- By: Martin Dugard
- Narrated by: Bernard Setaro Clark
- Length: 5 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 141
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 121
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 121
With an exuberant mix of passion, insight, instruction, and humor, best-selling author - and lifelong runner - Martin Dugard takes a journey through the world of running to illustrate how the sport helps us fulfill that universal desire to be the best possible version of ourselves each and every time we lace up our shoes. To Be a Runner represents a new way to write about running by bridging the chasm between the two categories of running books: how-to and personal narrative.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Feels like a great run does
- By Aleksandar on 05-11-15
By: Martin Dugard
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Major Taylor
- The Inspiring Story of a Black Cyclist and the Men Who Helped Him Achieve Worldwide Fame
- By: Conrad Kerber, Terry Kerber
- Narrated by: Barrie Buckner
- Length: 15 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 66
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Performance3.5 out of 5 stars 61
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 62
In the wake of the Tour de France’s fallen heroes, the story of one of history’s most legendary cyclists provides a much-needed antidote. In 1907 the world’s most popular athlete was not Cy Young or Ty Cobb. Rather, he was a black bicycle racer named "Major” Taylor. In his day, Taylor became a spiritual and athletic idol. He was the fastest man in America and a champion who prevailed over unspeakable cruelty. The men who aided him were among the most colorful to emerge from the era.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Great book terrible narrator
- By B. P. H. on 10-31-18
By: Conrad Kerber, and others
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You Are an Ironman
- How Six Weekend Warriors Chased Their Dream of Finishing the World's Toughest Triathlon
- By: Jacques Steinberg
- Narrated by: Kirby Heyborne
- Length: 11 hrs and 35 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4 out of 5 stars 599
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Performance4 out of 5 stars 515
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Story4 out of 5 stars 517
As he did so masterfully in his New York Times best seller The Gatekeepers, Jacques Steinberg creates a compelling portrait of people obsessed with reaching a life-defining goal. In this instance, the target is an Ironman triathlon---a 2.4-mile open-water swim followed by a 112-mile bike ride, then finally a 26-mile marathon run, all of which must be completed in no more than seventeen hours. Steinberg focuses not on the professional who live off the prize money and sponsorships, but on a handful of triathletes who regard the sport as a hobby.
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3 out of 5 stars
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Eh
- By PS on 02-08-13
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My Life on the Run
- The Wit, Wisdom, and Insights of a Road Racing Icon
- By: Bart Yasso, Amby Burfoot - foreword
- Narrated by: Steven Roy Grimsley
- Length: 6 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 202
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 178
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 176
My Life on the Run chronicles the heatstroke and frostbite, heartache and triumphs he's experienced while competing in more than 1,000 competitive races on all seven continents. With the wit and wisdom of a seasoned insider, Yasso tells runners what they need to know to navigate the logistics of running in an unfamiliar country. He also offers practical guidance, such as 5-K, 10-K, half-marathon, and marathon training schedules, including his innovative technique known as the Yasso 800s for beginner, intermediate, and advanced runners.
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3 out of 5 stars
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A fair running book, but there's better out there
- By Mark on 05-20-15
By: Bart Yasso, and others
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The Dirtiest Race in History
- Ben Johnson, Carl Lewis and the 1988 Olympic 100M Final
- By: Richard Moore
- Narrated by: Traber Burns
- Length: 10 hrs and 28 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 63
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 53
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 53
The 1988 Seoul Olympics played host to what has been described by some as the dirtiest race of all time, by others as the greatest. The final of the men's 100 metres at those Olympics is certainly the most infamous in the history of athletics, and more indelibly etched into the consciousness of the sport, the Olympics, and a global audience of millions, than any other athletics event before or since.
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5 out of 5 stars
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Great story
- By sosnows8 on 07-08-20
By: Richard Moore
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Chasing Excellence: A Story About Building the World's Fittest Athletes
- By: Ben Bergeron
- Narrated by: Ben Bergeron
- Length: 3 hrs and 58 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall5 out of 5 stars 2,095
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Performance5 out of 5 stars 1,798
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Story5 out of 5 stars 1,789
CrossFit trainer Ben Bergeron has helped build the world's fittest athletes, but he's not like other coaches. He believes that greatness is not for the elite few; that winning is a result, not a goal; and that character, not talent, is what makes a true champion. His powerful philosophy can help anyone excel at all aspects of life. Using the dramatic competition between the top contenders at the 2016 Reebok CrossFit Games® as a background, Ben explores the step-by-step process of achieving excellence and the unique set of positive character traits necessary for leveling up to world-class. The mindset and methodology that have produced some of the greatest athletes in the world's most grueling sport can work equally well for golfers, lawyers, artists, entrepreneurs - anyone who's willing to commit totally to becoming better than the best.
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4 out of 5 stars
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Great if you love crossfit, good if you don't
- By Will Sanderson on 08-06-18
By: Ben Bergeron
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Run to Overcome
- The Inspiring Story of an American Champion's Long-Distance Quest to Achieve a Big Dream
- By: Meb Keflezighi, Dick Patrick
- Narrated by: Jon Gauger
- Length: 6 hrs and 5 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 207
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 180
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 182
Meb Keflezighi is all about hope and second chances—starting with his very survival. The child of a small African country ravaged by a brutal war, Meb arrived in America with nothing but the clothes on his back, speaking no English and never having raced a mile. So how did he end up an A student, one of the most celebrated and respected athletes of his generation, and winner of the 2009 New York City Marathon?
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4 out of 5 stars
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You gotta love Meb! - but...
- By CynK on 01-29-13
By: Meb Keflezighi, and others
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My Year of Running Dangerously
- By: Tom Foreman
- Narrated by: Tom Foreman
- Length: 6 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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Overall4.5 out of 5 stars 3,119
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Performance4.5 out of 5 stars 2,813
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Story4.5 out of 5 stars 2,797
As a journalist whose career spans three decades, CNN correspondent Tom Foreman has reported from the heart of war zones, riots, and natural disasters. He has interviewed serial killers and been in the line of fire. But the most terrifying moment of his life didn't occur on the job - it occurred at home, when his 18-year-old daughter asked, "How would you feel about running a marathon with me?"
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4 out of 5 stars
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ESPECIALLY Good for Those of Us Who Don't Run!
- By Gillian on 04-12-16
By: Tom Foreman
What listeners say about The Race of the Century
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance1 out of 5 stars
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Story3 out of 5 stars
- Anonymous User
- 02-05-23
spend your money on The Perfect Mile instead
waste of money...basically a cut down version of the perfect mile, only the performance is terrible by this narrator compared to the perfect mile...pronunciation is awful, expected much better out of neal bascomb
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