The term “jogging” had barely penetrated the public consciousness. Writing became my full-time job, writing about running only rarely, because nobody cared about that sport in the 1960s. I quit Kiwanis to work as a freelance artist and writer, but quickly realized it was easier to make a living as a writer than an artist. Simultaneously I was working out at the University of Chicago’s Stagg Field after work and doing long runs on the Chicago lakefront, practically the only one running along that 18-mile stretch at the time. My first job was as an editorial assistant for The Kiwanis Magazine in Chicago. This was true after I got out of college too. I started running as a sophomore when I went out for the U-High track team, so my writing slightly predated my running. At U-High (the Laboratory School of the University of Chicago), I did a regular comic strip for the student newspaper and also wrote for that paper. Philip Neri grade school on the Great South Side of Chicago.

In sixth grade, I created a comic book called “Captain Zoom” and passed it around to my classmates at St. I also loved comic books and comic strips, particularly Terry and the Pirates by Milton Caniff. I had dual talents in both art and writing, not to mention running. Which came first: running or writing? Can you talk a bit about how you began to do each? Writing came first. I hope you will find his words as inspiring as I do!

Higdon, a phenomenal writer and runner, about both of his life-long careers. I was honored to be able to interview Mr. The 4th edition of his bestselling book, Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide: Advice, Plans, and Programs for Half and Full Marathons just came out this fall. One name kept coming up over and over again: Hal Higdon. As I wrote Write-A-Thon, I read every marathon book I could get my hands on. Despite having failed the presidential fitness test every single year in grade school, I have become an avid exerciser and regularly run as part of my daily exercise regimen. Several close friends have trained for and run half-marathons and marathons. When I wrote Write-A-Thon, I was inspired by marathon running.

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