Around the British Isles in 80 Races

HERE'S the challenge, to run around the British Isles in 80 races in a calendar year. That was the task facing journalist and runner Dave King, who decided to spend 2007 in search of races the length and breadth of these fair isles to seek out the characters and culture of the sport. In a light-hearted and whimsical read, which Dave describes as a bit like "Alan Whicker with running shoes", he sets about on his grand tour beginning with a two kilometre race in Derbyshire at three minutes to midnight on New Year's Eve. There are a few fireworks and some rain to a low-key start to this madcap adventure which takes in races as grand as the London Marathon and the Great North Run, historical events such as the Braemar Highland Games and the Blaydon Races, fearsome sounding challenges like The Grizzly and The Terminator to the downright weird such as Race The Train in Wales and the Chiquita Bananaman Run, when Dave dressed up as a banana to be chased by hundreds of runners. Dave raced with inmates inside a prison, went hashing through flooded fields at night, raced with a dog, climbed bone-jarring mountains and ran through icy-cold rivers on a journey which took in races in England, Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Scotland and Wales. The journey finished just where it began, in Derbyshire 12 months later for the 2km run on New Year's Eve. It is a fascinating, funny and touching account of his travels, unearthing many of the characters for whom running is not just a sport - it is a way of life.