The Long Run

One Man's Attempt to Regain his Athletic Career-and His Life-by Running the New York City Marathon

By: Matthew Long, Charles Butler

Narrated by: Matthew Del Negro

Length: 8 hrs and 40 mins

Publisher's summary

On the morning of December 22, 2005, New York City firefighter Matt Long was cycling to work when he was struck by and sucked under a 20-ton bus making an illegal turn. The injuries he sustained pushed him within inches of death. Miraculously, after five months in the hospital and more than 40 operations, Matt was able to start his recovery.

In addition to his physical injuries, Matt found the psychological consequences of the accident nearly as hard to process. In the 18 months before the accident, he had competed in more than 20 premier athletic events and had qualified for running's most prestigious race, the Boston Marathon. After the accident, one doctor told him he'd be lucky if he could even walk without a cane.

The Long Run is the emotional and incredibly honest story of Matt's determination to fight through fear, despair, loneliness, and intense physical and psychological pain to regain the life he once had. It chronicles Matt's road to recovery as he teaches himself to walk again and, a mere three years later, to run in the 2008 New York City Marathon.

©2010 Matthew Long (P)2010 Random House Audio

Beyond Inspirational

This story will make you laugh and cry, but most importantly it will inspire you and give you the perspective and push you need to accomplish whatever challenge you are facing.

Incredible

What made the experience of listening to The Long Run the most enjoyable?

The narration was good, the story incredible!

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Long Run?

I like the fact that Mathew Long didn't cover the fact that at times he had a bad attitude about the situation he found himself in but he eventually found his way. We are not all positive thinkers all of the time as the experts like to tell us to be.

Did you have an extreme reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?

I cried at the marathon. What an achievement.

Not just a book about running.....

Where does The Long Run rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Easily, among the top 3.

What was one of the most memorable moments of The Long Run?

There are so many to recall. Probably the final chapters where Matt Long describes his experience running the NY Marathon.

Which character – as performed by Matthew Del Negro – was your favorite?

Matthew Long

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Absolutely

Any additional comments?

Being a new runner, this book transformed my outlook toward running. Here I was with my niggling injuries and doubts, and then you had Matt Long, going through what he did, and not just recovering from his accident, but pushing through all obstacles and actually completing the NY marathon and the Ironman. Pure grit !!

This story is going to stay with me for the rest of my life!

Like so many other people, I too found myself struggling with the level of “arrogance” of this book ….

I use quotes because what is said is not arrogance but just visceral honesty!

I fully own that had I read this book it would likely have never been finished!

Primarily it was completed because the author was the one telling the story, his voice that embody this amazing machine that came back from a point in time that was so dire was what made me keep going and listening even though it took me a really long time to finish this book.

There were times where I turned off the Audible because I just couldn’t listen to another chapter at that time!

Everyone has a story, this story is pretty incredible and the real gift you gave yourself is to listen to the epilogue that’s the best part of this entire book in my opinion!

Just hang in there - maybe like myself you have never even completed a 5K let us alone a marathon or qualified for a marathon or even completed an Iron Man!!

The mere verbal articulation of such a feat is enough to send you like myself running to the nearest rock!

That said let me be the first to say my fat ass doesn’t run!

At the most minimal level no one who actually reads this book could ever not just feel overwhelmingly grateful to not have had to take this long run and have mad respect for an athlete who despite under comprehensible odds… Is an Iron Man!

Riveting and Inspiring

I purchased this because I am a beginning runner and I wanted some inspiration before my first 5K. To listen to Matt's story and what he endured and overcame was incredibly inspiring. I was riveted the entire time, when my device died I nearly had a panic attack because I had to wait for the battery to charge before I could continue listening to Matt's story. He is an incredible person, the story is awe inspiring and entirely worth the credit. You need to know about this human being!

The Inspiration From This Book Is Monumental!

This is a read that will provide so much inspiration for anyone that chooses to go on an amazing journey!

Motivational!

Who was your favorite character and why?

Matty Long - He is amazing and full of inspiration.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

Stop complaining & get moving!

Any additional comments?

Don't read this if you want to stay a couch potato. This motivated me to sign up for a marathon, so look out if you listen to it. The possibilities are endless.

Incredible Story

I really felt the author poured his soul into writing this. You couldn't help be moved by the end of this book. I'm running my first marathon at age 34 in a few weeks and I'll be thinking of Matt's story as I trudge thru my first experience with the marathon struggles.

Loved it!

It makes me want to start training again... If he can do it, so can I!

This will inspire you to run

listened to this book while training for a marathon it was the perfect story to help get through those hard days.