The award-winning biologist chronicles his experiences with long-distance running.Heinrich has two main passions: biology and running. In his latest book, similar in spirit to Why We Run (2001), he takes us back to his childhood in the woods of Maine, where his love for both began. After moving to the U.S. from Germany, running provided the author with an in to American society, allowing him to forge friendships with other running enthusiasts. Heinrich discusses his educational pursuits in the field of biology and his career as a professor at the University of California and the University of Vermont. Through his scientific research, he writes, the author became aware of similarities between humans and other animals. Throughout the book, he examines many of his theories, including concepts related to speed and endurance, temperature regulation, and the effects of body rejuvenation, exercise, and aging. Heinrich switches gears frequently, weaving details about his professional research and published works into accounts of his successful career as a runner. At age 39, Heinrich won his first marathon. Beginning with his first victory, he longed for more, aiming to increase his speed and endurance with each passing race. Heinrich went on to compete in numerous ultramarathon events, and though he experienced setbacks, like any runner or athlete, he also set numerous records. In 1986, he appeared on the front cover of Running Times, which featured an "unreal headline" that read, "Ultra-Fast: At Age 45, Bern Heinrich Is the Best Runner in America at Four Different Distances." Of course, as time has passed, the effects of aging have forced him to pace himself more efficiently. Fittingly, at age 80, Heinrich's most-recent race (and last, according to him) was a 50K trail race, which offered him the opportunity to combine his love of running and nature.Passionate meditations on the pleasures and pains of a lifetime of running, with greatest appeal to fellow runners.

Biologist Heinrich (Why We Run) delivers a powerful reflection on his decades of competitive running that-s nicely colored by an exploration of the effects of aging on the human body. Heinrich spent his childhood in a cabin in the woods of northern Germany, where his family subsisted on berries, nuts, and mice, and later moved to rural Maine, where cross-country running became his -entry into American society.- In adulthood, he balanced his passions for science and running, beating his own records on the campuses where he taught. Along the way, Heinrich explores the science behind running, covering metabolism, temperature regulation, and endurance, and finds parallels in the natural world. Studies of moths and bees, for example, show that their breathing is -synchronized with their blood flow pattern,- something Heinrich became conscious of in his long-distance running when his -unlabored- strides matched his breathing. In evocative prose, Heinrich treats readers to precise explanations of such diverse subjects as the physiology of tree frogs and the life cycle of the -suicide tree- of Central America. Heinrich-s keen observations and unique story will keep readers hooked. Agent: Sandra Dijkstra, Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency. (July)