Once A Skier

Although it seems RJ is into romance books, I suggest something with more substance. Most serious athletes have read this book already, but in case you haven't, here is a quick summary of the classic, Once A Skier.

Benabas Jonesus is an elite collegiate cross country skier at the largest university in Canada, Lakehead University. He is a long distance sprinter specializing in the popular 50km event, with blood so thick with red red cells and hemoglobin, Benabas Jonesus rarely needs to breath. After writing a petition for the benefit of his team mates to allow the use of hoodie-vests and spandex in competition, Benabus is suspended from the university and so finds his solace in even higher than the 10,000m Lakehead campus - the great Russian Alps. Under the strenuous training of his coach, 1924 gold freestyle ski gold medalist Ivan Oleg Bernachov, Benabas Jonesus prepares for the Lakehead annual invitational 50km race. But because he is banned from the meet, his ingenious coach prepares for him a fake beard and sunglasses to disguise him as a Finnish skier competing from a nonexistent Finnish university.

Jonesus, who has always dreamed of skiing a sub 4 hour 50k, finishes his last workout before the race - 60 laps of a mountain at race pace. Combined with his steady intake of protein and iced tea, Jonesus finally believes he is ready to sub 4 hours. The night before the big race, Benabas hikes around the mountain one last time chanting uncontrollably and summoning orbs that will hold his demons during the race and allow him to race through the pain.

After spending more than 6 hours warming up, Jonesus is finally ready to unleash the inner beast. He ends up beating his old rival, Waltonian in a record time of 3:52.00.00.

This really is a cult classic, if you haven't read it yet, be sure to add it to your summer list.

Play it Cool,
DC