"Run, Rima!" - Paperback

by Carol Pechler (Author)

"Impossible at my age" says 59-year-old Rima when her granddaughter begs her to run San Francisco's exciting Bay to Breakers race. Relenting, Rima discovers her own attraction to distance running. She learns that her 17-year-old Sofie shows a promising future in cross-country running - if she can bring her grades up sufficiently to stay in the varsity sport. Rima agrees to join her to train for a marathon. They encounter physical and mental challenges; they experience strong camaraderie and even a new romance. All the while, they learn details of how to run long distance. And Rima learns about the astonishing growing participation of older runners in marathons, all 26.2 miles in length. Performance anxiety builds as Rima and Sofie prepare for their big race. Even so, their growing appreciation for this "moving meditation" generalizes out to other aspects of their lives.

Author Biography

Carol Hodson Pechler started distance running at age 59. She says, "I ran away from the abyss of 60" after noticing her standing leg shaking in the morning as she stood to put the other leg into her pants. She wondered if such an old body could still build muscles, one accustomed to sitting at a desk writing university lesson plans and academic articles. A friend invited her to take a short run. Then, later, becoming a distance runner herself, she came to believe that "any couch potato can become a marathon finisher." She investigated expert reports about running, but wondered, "where's the advice for seniors?" The lack of information stimulated her to write this novel about an older woman, a woman who accidentally discovers the world of distance running, and how entering this world affects her life.