Philippa Cates is
no stranger to the mental and physical challenges of running, and has written a
book about this wonderfully exhausting pastime. The Marathon celebrates this fantastic achievement, but also
highlights in a comedic way the potential pitfalls of taking part.
Philippa feels
that runners can become very single-minded during their training, even turning
down social events because "I've got a long run in the morning." But
sometimes temptation can get in the way. She says: “A couple of years ago, I
was given one of the comedy grown-up I-Spy
books and I thought that I could apply this humour to marathon running. So,
while I was training for the Virgin London Marathon in 2017, and struggling to
keep myself going, I thought: what if a runner was presented with a number of
temptations along the way. How would they overcome them?”
Philippa was
emboldened to continue when she misplaced her MP3 player. She continues: “I was
bereft! Often music can be a lifeline to a marathon runner, so for a while I
felt like a boat without a paddle, and then I realised that the silence was a
golden opportunity. That's when I started drafting The Marathon in my head."
The Marathon is a cheeky, but family-friendly satirical short
rhyming story accompanied by playful illustrations from the hugely talented
artist come Jack Sparrow impersonator, Terry Cooper. The story follows our
hero, Runner, as he takes on the gruelling business of training for and running
a marathon. Not a natural athlete, and with a weakness for cake and
socialising, Runner faces many distractions along the way. But will he complete
his challenge?
The book has
been endorsed by Leanne Davies, founder of Run Mummy Run. She says: "This
book is great fun! It is what training for a marathon is really like. The Marathon strikes a chord with the
Run Mummy Run community."
Echoing the
spirit of some of the most popular twenty-first century children’s picture
books, this satirical spoof book is a clever hybrid between adult and
children's book, and you don't need to be a runner to enjoy it. It’s a fun book
for all the family with a slight anarchic twist.
The Marathon is available to purchase now at https://philippa-cates.my-online.store/ or via Philippa's website at www.philippacates.com.
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