Finding the Wheel's Hub: Tales and Thoughts from the Endurance Athletic Lifestyle

Tinley, a legendary triathlete (the only three-time winner of the Ironman World Series) is also known as a wry observer of the sport. This collection of essays from Triathlete magazine, Triathlon Today and Inside Triathlon is not a training manual and has no organizing principle except Tinley's belief that ``sports should not be a metaphor for life. It should be a huge textbook about learning to be a human being on the Planet Earth.'' The views include often provocative short takes on such topics such as prerace carbo-loading parties and ``the ten strangest things I`ve ever seen while racing'' (number five was having to come to a stop for a herd of sheep in New Zealand). Though occasionally a little woolly on their own, despite Tinley's high-energy California persona (and occasional sexist comments, even though he states strong support for women triathletes), these minimally edited ruminations provide detailed and funny insights into this grueling sport's quirky world. (June)