Published on 12 January 2023
This started off as a book by a miserable fifty-nine-year-old: a knackered, demoralised runner on the verge of giving up his favourite sport for good. It ended up as a book by a vigorous, optimistic sixty-two-year-old, my life-long love-affair with running rekindled, looking forward to the future with an eagerness I hadn’t felt for years.
The journey of discovery that connected those two points will, I hope, inspire anyone who has felt their enjoyment of running threatened by age, or who fears that getting older necessarily means a greyer, more limited life.
This book tells a story of cold science and heart-warming resilience; of champions and also-rans; of sprinting centenarians and forty-something super-athletes barely touched by age. Its heroes are experts and enthusiasts – scientists, coaches, runners – from many countries, each with a different story to tell. What unites them is a single belief: that you don’t have to take growing old lying down.
Part memoir, part guide, part exploration of a little-known sporting culture, THE RACE AGAINST TIME is above all a book about hope, offering information and inspiration for older runners in roughly equal measure. It shows how timely adjustments to lifestyle and training can slow the progress of physiological decay, but also highlights a colourful array of inspiring role models, from all over the world. And its climax, at the World Masters Athletics championships, offers unexpectedly exhilarating proof that even the most unremarkable runners can continue to find joy and strength from their sport, whatever their age.
Writing this book has left me feeling rejuvenated. I hope that those who read it may end up feeling something similar.
What they’re saying:
“A hymn to the benefits of running, of being active, of the resilience of the human spirit, no matter your age. Inspirational” – Ben East, The Observer
“In The Race Against Time, Askwith touches upon something larger than simply running or sport – he helps us to see ourselves, and to question where we’re going, and how we want to face up to the frailties of being human. As always, he writes beautifully about his own efforts, his hopes and insecurities, leading the reader deep into a world both inspiring and moving” – Adharanand Finn, author of Running with the Kenyans and The Rise of the Ultra Runners
“Definitive” – Dave Middlemas, The Fellrunner
“Stunning” – Ken Stone, MastersTrack
“A wonderful book” – Euan Crumley, Athletics Weekly
“Brilliant” – Jo Pavey, five-time Olympian
“A superb, unputdownable account of what it is like still to be running well into your sixties.” – Jim White, The Oldie
“A particularly inspiring book for everyone, not just older runners. An excellent read” – George Findlay, Stride
“Richard is in fine form… raging against the dying of the light” – Matt Williams, William Hill Sports Book of the Year 2024
“A fantastic read” – Martin Hopkinson, Running At 40 Plus
Read more about it:
Read my article about late-life running in The Times (sorry about the paywall)
Read my article about it in Athletics Weekly (ditto – or read with a free trial…)
Hear more about it:
Listen to me discussing the book on the Way of the Runner podcast.
Listen to me discussing it on the Runner’s World UK podcast (or, if you prefer, watch the discussion on their vodcast).
Hear my discussion with Dan Duxbury at the 2023 Kendal Mountain Festival.
Get the book:
Buy THE RACE AGAINST TIME on Amazon
Buy THE RACE AGAINST TIME via uk.bookshop.org (supporting indie bookshops)
Buy THE RACE AGAINST TIME direct from the publisher
Buy the new paperback edition of THE RACE AGAINST TIME on Amazon.
Buy a signed copy of THE RACE AGAINST TIME directly from me (takes a little longer; cover price + p&p), in hardback or paperback.
richardaskwith.com 