Review of the Book, Beatrice and Virgil//Whiskey Row Marathon in Two Days!

Yann Marrtel really knows how to touch ones soul. I’m writing this book right after reading the final pages of the book.

The first half of the book had me wondering where it was going and if it was just a jumbled mess that had no rhyme or reason, but after reading more carefully I discovered how thoughtful it really is and how deep it touches one.

Since reading Frankl, Man’s Search For Meaning, I thought I could not be touched by the Holocaust in the same way, but boy was I ever wrong. The final pages are so powerful that I feel it would not be right to give away the most important part of the book.

Stick with this book and enjoy it even as it haunts your soul. This is not an easy read, nor will you feel good when you put it down, but you will be changed. I think I will find myself checking this book out again or even buying it because it is something you should not lose sight of, especially as a Soldier.

I one to think that any Soldier worth his salt is against war, because of what it does to people, and this will drive that point home so clearly. We need to understand what horror can be portrayed and how easily. And even in all this we need to know that as long as we have a why, we can somehow find a way to make it through any situation.

I feel fresh and ready for the marathon.  If my back holds up I should be able to post about a 3:30 despite this difficult course.  I love how they say it is the nations toughest marathon.  Compared to trail 50K's this is nothing.  The hardest thing about this is the fact that I will be leaving home at 0300 to get there by 0500 to pick up my race packet and be ready for the 0600 starting gun.  I'm really happy that I'll be done by 1000 and have the rest of the day to myself.  I have to be right back to work on Sunday at 0545. 

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Got me a nice 8 mile run in today in 1:04:51, but when I push it I really feel my back tighten up and give me trouble. I don't know what to do about it?

I found the elevation profile for Whiskey Row, and as you can see it is not that bad.  The toughest marathon my ass.  Also, I'll probably sign up for Mt. Lemmon later this year, and even though it is a constant up hill marathon, I think I will have done worse.