Honey, Do You Need a Ride? Confessions of a Fat Runner

This laugh-out-loud comedic memoir of life as an overweight runner moves along at a five-minute-per-mile pace. Jennifer Graham doesn€t run to lose weight €“ she runs for the joy of endorphins. But life€s not always easy when the blubber hits the road. She must endure not only her self-made exhaustion and lactic acid, but the bemused stares of neighbors, offers of car rides from strangers, and the disdain of the dominant strain of runner €“ those long, lean €œshirtless wonders.€

The challenges of being a fat runner, however, disappear faster than a pint of whisky-pecan ice cream when Graham€s marriage implodes and she finds herself a single mom with four children, two donkeys, and a really bad attitude. To cope, she registers for a half-marathon she ran 10 years ago, to see if she€s made any progress, or if she€s just been running in place. She is rejected by the big-name coaches she contacts, but finds grudging assistance in the spirit of the late Steve Prefontaine. €œYeah, I know he€s been dead 35 years; it€s a minor metaphysical challenge.€

Graham€s irreverent, hilarious, and brutally honest story will appeal to runners and non-runners alike, fat or thin. It€s fast-twitch meets slow witch, with an outcome that€s out of this world.

--- Praise for €œHoney, Do You Need a Ride?€ ---

€œJennifer writes like an old friend speaks, in a voice you know and love. Her descriptions of running heavy, whether with added weight or added burdens, make her experience universal to runners and non-runners alike. Her overcoming spirit makes you want to cheer for her, run with her, or eat a pint of ice cream with her! Ultimately, it€s not the size of the body but the size of the heart that counts. And this runner€s heart is huge.€
€"Kristin Armstrong, mother of three, Contributing Editor for Runner€s World, and author of Mile Markers: The 26.2 Most Important Reasons Why Women Run

€œHere€s to the mid-pack runners, the back-of-the-pack shufflers, the start-slowly-and-taper-off champions. Just remember: there€s a lot more of us than there are of them (those tall skinny Shirtless Wonders). And Jennifer Graham tells our story beautifully, with unflinching honesty and laugh-out-loud humor.€
€"John €œthe Penguin€ Bingham, author of The Courage to Start, No Need for Speed, and An Accidental Athlete

€œJennifer Graham might be surprised when the sinewy running tribe she longs to conform to becomes readers of her book, because you don€t have to be a €˜fat runner€ to enjoy this moving memoir. If you€ve ever fallen in love with running; if running is a constant companion; if running has been a lifeline through bad times, then you€ll identify with Graham€s story. Okay, maybe not the donkeys or the paranormal coaching, but when you€re done reading you€ll wish you could join Graham on a run, just so you can hear more.€
€"Kara Douglass Thom, author of Becoming an Ironman and Hot (Sweaty) Mamas: Five Secrets to Life as a Fit Mom

€œJennifer Graham is the hilarious, pee-your-pants running partner you wish you had. She€ll make you want to move to Boston just to pound out a few miles alongside her and slam down a ginormous hot-fudge sundae with her post-run. If you love running, laughing, eating, and reading in equal measure, you€ll love this book.€
€"Eileen Button, author of The Waiting Place: Learning to Appreciate Life€s Little Delays

€œJennifer Graham may think she€s different from the skinny Shirtless Wonders she sees trotting at a faster pace, but she€s not. She knows that running, like a good book, can help you to live, and she€s every bit as serious, dedicated, and impressive as the folks at the front of the pack. She may, however, be funnier and more fun than most of them.€
€"Rachel Toor, author of Personal Record: A Love Affair with Running