Duel in the Sun: Alberto Salazar, Dick Beardsley, and America's Greatest Marathon

It arrived on time and in good condition.

This is a pretty exciting book on the greatest race in Boston Marathon history between two of America's (Salazar was a born in Cuba but has American citizenship)greatest distance runners of that time coming as the career of the great Bill Rodgers was just past peak but stil competetive. As the race did to the top finishers in the 83 Boston, the race was so competetive and intense, both competitors were never quite the same again physically as they were then. It's as if they each damaged part of their physiology that day made worse by the ever pleasing Beardsly's racing schedule. The style of the book is a bit challenging as alternate chapters flash between the race as flasback sections on the careers of both men, family life and even post race experiences flashing forward. I agree with many of the reviewers that the book would have been better served by starting with a bio on the runners up to the race date, providing the race story followed by the post race bios on both runners that sadly includes devastating injuries and health issues, particularly in Beardsly's case. I had already read Beardsly's personal bio on his life that includes the race and in "Duel in the Sun", Beardsly's historical segements are almost verbatim from his book. Thus, you wil enjoy the book better if you read Beardsly's book afterwards or skim through Beardsly's bio parts as presented in Duel if you already read Beardsly's book. The information on Salazar's unique physical issues were very revealing and provide a greater and appreciative pictures of the struggles he went through that finnaly obtained some relief capped by his famous 50 mile untra victoria in Africa. I had also hoped that there would be more pictures of the race and with more commentary from the competitors that stayed wiuth them longest, particularly, the very game Rodgers who was the last to let go on a very hot day. Well worth reading but I think it could have been better but hats off to Beardsly and Salazar for running one of the most competetive races of all time, gutting it all the way.

Like running a marathon, there are great highs and some steep lows in Duel in the Sun, but it is well worth the read.Author John Brant chronicles the lives of Alberto Salazar and Dick Beardsley before and after their epic stride-for-stride thriller in the 1982 Boston Marathon. It was a struggle between two athletes seemingly racing toward peak years of performing on the international stage. But the race took more out of each runner than anyone imagined.Salazar - perhaps the last great American distance runner - was a superstar on the track, grass and the roads and had the cockiness of Jimmy Connors while delivering a KO punch on his opponents like the young George Foreman. Beardsley was the "everyman's" runner, whose times at a variety of shorter distances paled to his competition, but was coming of age physically and financially in the long distances on the roads.The book is as much biography and history as much as a review of the race. At times it seems as if Brant is rushed in his writing, which is surprising since the text is a light 203 pages, with the photograph section in that count.But it is penned at a time when the running boom has long-since cooled, but raced when events like the Boston Marathon commanded front-page stories on sports pages and magazines, and oftentimes covered for hours on live regional or national TV.And perhaps the best lesson learned is not what happened during the cheers of the fans as Salazar and Beardsley matched strides to the tape, but how that two hour and nine minute journey impacted their lives after the finish line.

I remember watching this race on TV when I was in college and had no idea of the tragic aftermath that took place in the lives of these two world class athletes. I don’t believe there’s been an as exciting marathon ever since. If you’re a runner of any level, you’ll be able to relate to this story in someway. But there’s a deeper story here of the challenges each athlete experienced in the years following The Duel in the Sun. I really enjoyed this book.

Some readers have obviously struggled with the book's structure, but I actually think it adds greatly to the story. If the Author used a linear timeline, the book would fail in its ultimate goal: to demonstrate how the '82 Boston marathon ultimately was so much more than just a race to Beardsley and Salazar: in effect, that race (what it stood for and the ramifications of the race itself) serves to define these two guys.As I said, Duel in the Sun is two stories in one: it's the story of two men's lives. Of itself, this is interesting enough, because both Salazar and Beardsley make for great character studies. Their lives have contained more ups and downs than the Boston Marathon course itself, so as human interest, it works.But it's also the story of a race; a wonderful race that everyone who's ever competed in an endurance event can relate to. The narrative of the race itself is written with clear understanding of the runner. This guys gets it. He understands the marathon; he understands what it really means. And it shows.I think anyone seeking a greater understanding of not only the marathon, but of the human condition, will enjoy this book. It's written with a great deal of empathy and more than a little genuine insight. If I ever wanted to truly explain to someone the real meaning of endurance, I think I'd just loan them this book. Because John Brant captures it perfectly.

This is a great read and tells the story of Salazar and Beardsleys classic confrontation at the 1982 Boston Marathon. The writing is compelling and by mixing up the race with before and after history could have kept you guessing until the final chapter except for the fact that the front cover clearly displays Alberto Salazar with the victors wreath!If you want to learn about tips for your own marathon performance then this is not for you. However, if like me, you are interested in the history of running, then you will find this a neat little classic.

Excellent book. Finished it in two days. Very interesting and well written account of the 1982 Boston Marathon and the two men who battled to finish in first place and the traumas they faced thereafter. It was great to see the picture of Alberto and Dick in 2003 I think, both looking good. Highly recommended.

Quite relevant considering the Salazar affair. Alberto Salazar vs Dick Beardsley the battle of rivals. Working Class vs Cuban. Academic vs Tough as teak journeyman. Very good write up of the Boston Marathon.

Excellent portrayal of raw human achievement

I couldn't put it down. Nor could my dad, and he is not even a runner, The narrative switches to and from the life stories of the two atheletes and the race itself. It's nicely done.