Running with the Buffaloes: A Season Inside With Mark Wetmore, Adam Goucher, And The University Of Colorado Men's Cross Country Team by Chris Lear

Running with the Buffaloes: A Season with Mark Wetmore, Adam Goucher, and The University of Colorado Men's Cross Country Team by Chris Lear is my latest read.  This one is quite different from what I usually read, but one I enjoyed immensely.  While not a runner myself, my son is.  Because of his love of running, I love to know all about it.  And this story of the 1998 cross country season for the University of Colorado men's team is one for the ages.  While this book is obviously about the running, it is about so much more.  This novel tells of teamwork, leadership, toughness, courage, grief, and persistence.  We learn about work ethic in the training of Adam Goucher and his teammates.  We learn about trust as each of the runners follow the plan of Coach Mark Wetmore.  And we see what can be accomplished after unspeakable tragedy by having faith in those who surround you.  Whether you are a fan of running or not, Running with the Buffaloes is a story that will have you cheering for this group of runners from starting line to finish line.  

From Amazon:

Top five Best Books About Running, Runner's World Magazine

Top three Best Books About Running, readers of Runner's World Magazine (December 2009)

In RUNNING WITH THE BUFFALOES, writer Chris Lear follows the University of Colorado cross-country team through an unforgettable NCAA season. Allowed unparalleled access to team practices, private moments, and the mind of Mark Wetmore--one of the country's most renowned and controversial coaches--Lear provides a riveting look inside the triumphs and heartaches of a perennial national contender and the men who will stop at nothing to achieve excellence. The Buffaloes' 1998 season held great promise, with Olympic hopeful Adam Goucher poised for his first-ever NCAA cross-country title, and the University of Colorado shooting for its first-ever national team title. But in the rigorous world of top-level collegiate sports, blind misfortune can sabotage the dreams of individuals and teams alike. In a season plagued by injury and the tragic loss of a teammate, the Buffaloes were tested as never before. What these men managed to achieve in the face of such adversity is the stuff of legend and glory.
With passion and suspense, Lear captures the lives of these young men and offers a glimpse of what drives a gifted runner like Adam Goucher and a great coach like Mark Wetmore. Like Lance Armstrong's It's Not About the Bike, RUNNING WITH THE BUFFALOES is at once a glowing celebration of a sport and an inspiration to anyone who has ever had the courage to beat the odds and follow a dream.