The Purple Runner, as far as running-themed novels go, is one of the top three or four stories that speak to serious runners in the language that is accurate and captures the essence of daily training and the runner’s life. – Christopher Kelsall
P.J. (Paul) Christman has given us a new book, one many of you have been waiting for.
In his previous Novel, The Purple Runner – think late 1970s – a mysterious American runner with a disfigured face is seen bolting over the Hampstead Heath north of London, England. At story’s end, the Runner (never identified) wins the Greater London Marathon. For the first time in human history, the classic marathon 26.2-mile distance is finished under two hours. Yet on completing the course, he continues running, disappearing into the maze of city streets and avenues.
Many have wondered what ever became of him.
Fast forward perhaps thirteen years to 1993 and the unfolding story in this sequel novel, Pedals of Gold. Now over forty, Coos Charletaigne (his adopted pseudonym) has had reconstructive facial surgery in California, then discovers new residence in an abandoned mine in the mountains above Boulder, Colorado.
Although still maintaining a high level of fitness, Coos disguises his current ability and former competitive history, while riding with an international array of 40-plus-year-old cyclists, all talented, all accomplished.
The sequel to The Purple Runner takes you for a ride.
I, of course, asked for a huge excerpt. Here’s the most I could pry out of him from Pedals of Gold:
I never intended to stay in Boulder; but then neither do most upon first arrival. It’s a gradual attachment brought about by the relaxed pace of life, conversations in the sun on Pearl Street, the hundreds of cyclists and runners gliding by almost any residence. A little oasis in a sea of aggressiveness; a pearl hidden on the recesses of a rolling, arid plain abutted by the Flatirons, those 800-foot-high monoliths projecting upwards to signal the beginning of the Rockies.
Paul knows Boulder. And its people.
This might be a good time – you know, eggnog season – to get The Purple Runner, if you don’t already have a copy. Maybe buy the two books together.
Just look at this Amazon review.
Bill T8 5.0 out of 5 stars A classic that transcends the world of running. Verified Purchase.
This is a fascinating, well-written novel that transports the reader into a different time and space, and offers rare insight into both the world of running and human nature. Once I started it, I couldn’t stop.
I’m not a runner, but had heard of this novel some time ago, and decided to buy a copy for a runner friend. I ended up reading it, too. And I’m glad I did!
After reading The Purple Runner, I began to understand why those guys and gals are cranking out miles at 5:00 in the morning or in the afternoon heat and respecting them more for it. But the novel is about more than running. The stories of the exquisitely drawn characters–their hopes, their dreams, their flaws–pull you in, and the secrets that are revealed keep you turning the pages. At the end of each chapter, I found myself wondering what would happen in the next chapter.
One of the things I like most about The Purple Runner was that it captures its settings perfectly. You feel like you are with the runners as they top hills in New Zealand or cross the heaths of London.
It’s also beautifully written, a rarity in today’s publishing environment, when so much schlock is being shoveled onto the public.
I highly recommend The Purple Runner to everyone, but it would seem to be an essential read if you’re a runner … or know someone who is.
Or was.