About the Holiday
Do you love to run, or do you find yourself thinking, “I really should take up running.” Then today is for you! Established to allow serious runners to recommit to their sport and to encourage those on the fence to jump down and join in, Global Running Day provides the inspiration to embrace this healthy lifestyle. Celebrated in 139 countries and with 184,583 people pledged to run (as of this writing), Global Running Day inspires people of all ages to take to the road, track, or trails and enjoy the exhilaration of running. To learn more about the day visit the Global Running Day website!
The Wildest Race Ever: The Story of the 1904 Olympic Marathon
By Meghan McCarthy
On August 30, 1904 at the World’s Fair in St. Louis, Missouri, the first United States Olympic Marathon took place even though torrential rainstorms had washed away the original route. On the morning of the race thirty-two racers faced an unfamiliar, more difficult route. Some of these racers were:
Fred Lorz, a Boston bricklayer; John Lorden, the winner of the 1903 Boston Marathon; Sam Mellor from New York and the winner of two major marathons; Felix Carvajal, a mailman from Cuba; Arthur Newton; Albert Corey; Len Tau, a long-distance running messenger from South Africa; William Garcia, the “greatest long-distance runner on the Pacific Coast”; and Thomas Hicks, who had only trained on flat terrain and was not ready for hilly St. Louis. There were also racers from countries all over the world.
Copyright Meghan McCarthy, 2016, courtesy of simonandschuster.com.
The racers waited in 90-degree heat at the starting line for the signal. When the pistol shot rang out, they took off. The early leader was Fred Lorz. As the racers took to the hills outside the stadium so did cars full of reporters, judges, and doctors. Some spectators rode along side them on bicycles. All these vehicles stirred up so much dust that the runners choked on it.
Copyright Meghan McCarthy, 2016, courtesy of simonandschuster.com.
At mile two, Sam Mellor and Fred Lorz were in the lead with Thomas Hicks only a little behind, but at mile 9 Lorz suffered terrible cramps and was driven away in a car. Now Albert Corey and William Garcia were neck and neck, and Hicks was catching up!
Felix Carvajal was also in the mix. He ran and ran—but he also stopped and stopped. He loved talking to the spectators that cheered him on. It gave him an opportunity to practice his English! Arthur Newton, Sam Mellor, and Thomas Hicks exchanged the lead several times. Everyone wondered which of them would come out on top.
Copyright Meghan McCarthy, 2016, courtesy of simonandschuster.com.
Meanwhile Len Tau was being chased by an angry dog that forced him a mile off course. Felix Carvajal also got distracted—not by a dog, but by an apple orchard! After running so far and talking to so many people, he settled down under a tree to satisfy his hunger. Soon, Mellor began suffering cramps and was suddenly out of the race.
Hicks, suffering unbearable thirst in the staggering heat, began begging his trainers for water. They refused, instead giving him a concoction of strychnine and egg whites. Meanwhile who should appear out of the dust but Fred Lorz! He ran through the tape at the finish line and was declared the winner! But was he really? When the officials discovered that Lorz had cheated, cheers turned to boos, and Lorz was banned from racing for life.
Copyright Meghan McCarthy, 2016, courtesy of simonandschuster.com.
Hicks, sluggish and confused, somehow kept running, buoyed by the cheering crowds. He pushed himself to run harder and harder until he broke through the tape. He collapsed on the ground just as he was declared the winner. He was rushed to the hospital, but was well enough to accept his award an hour later.
What happened to the other runners? All except one crossed the finish line. These racers may have been very different, but each one accomplished an astounding feat: They competed side by side in the “killer marathon” of 1904 while upholding the Olympic spirit.
Copyright Meghan McCarthy, 2016, courtesy of simonandschuster.com.
With wit and suspense,Meghan McCarthy brings the story of the 1904 marathon to life for kids used to paved, well-marked routes, energizing sports drinks, supportive running shoes, and comfortable running clothes. Perhaps the only similarities to today’s races and yesteryear’s are the start and finish line and the cheering crowds! McCarthy’s inclusion of the humorous and the near-disastrous will keep readers’ hearts racing until the very end, when the topsy-turvy finish is revealed!
McCarthy illustrates The Wildest Race Ever with verve and comic flourishes that well-represent this extraordinary Olympics event. Kids will giggle and gasp when they learn what happens to the racers – and even a couple of spectators – during the race.
The Wildest Race Ever is a must-read for sports and history enthusiasts as well as for any child who loves a good story.
Ages 4 – 9
Simon & Schuster, 2016 | ISBN 978-1481406390
Global Running Day Activity
Sassy Shoe Laces
Did you know that having cool shoelaces makes you run faster? Well…that might not be exactly true, but you will definitely look good no matter what you’re doing if you make some unique laces for your shoes.
Supplies
- Shoelaces in any color
- Fabric paint or markers
Directions
- With the fabric paint or markers make dots, stripes, or any designs you like. You can even paint fish or flowers!
- Enjoy them on your run!
celebratepicturebooks.com 