Marathon Man – Book Excerpt

5 min read

Hello friend! Today’s post would be of particular interest to runners! Author Alan Corcoran ran 35 marathons in 35 consecutive days! That is an achievement and I am honored to host him on the blog today to share about his book, Marathon Man.


Get to know the author: Alan

Welcome to Armed with A Book, Alan! Tell me and my readers a bit about yourself!

My name is Alan Corcoran. I’m an Irish endurance adventure athlete. Competing as an Irish international track and field athlete as a teenager, I switched to ultra-endurance at twenty, after my dad suffered a stroke. Through my resilience challenges, I’ve since fundraised €45,000 for stroke and cancer charities. I’m the first person to run a lap of Ireland – 35 marathons in 35 consecutive days. On my second attempt, I became the first person to swim the length of Ireland – a 500-kilometre sea swim.

What inspired you to write this book?

I know the power a book or documentary film can have. Comedian Eddie Izzard ran 43 marathons in 51 days, raising £250,000 for Sports Relief. This accomplishment was brought to my attention by a TV documentary series – ‘Eddie Iz Running’. It’s a pivotal part of my running story. An adventure book similarly planted the seed for my 500-kilomtere sea swim. Rather than only being encouraged to pursue my dreams, I wanted to do the encouraging by sharing my own story. I hope my ‘Marathon Man’ book inspires and gives the reader a few giggles along the way.

How long did it take you to write this book, from the first idea to the last edit?

The process took me roughly eighteen months, from typing the first words to publishing.

What makes your story unique?

Reedsy awarded ‘Marathon Man’ a five-star review. The book critic was well-read in running books and described my book as “definitely different.” Many books in the genre are fixated on a do or die message. I reflect on quitting being a route for growth. My run was personal, triggered by my dad suffering a stroke, which is not a topic I’ve come across in similar titles. Although I’ve read many British and American tales of adventure, my story is uniquely Irish in setting and the way I tell my story. One five-star Amazon reviewer said it’s “A fantastic read told only in a way that an Irishman could tell a story!”

Who would enjoy your book?

Indeed, runners, but IndieReader said my story is “for runners and non-runners alike” when they awarded it a 4.5/5 rating. The World of Nonfiction Books said that ‘Marathon Man’ is “an entertaining and uplifting read, especially if you need the motivation to accomplish a goal.” Kirkus Reviews said there’s a “sense of humour throughout”, and it’s “A charming, detailed running account that should appeal to fans of endurance stories.”

What’s something you hope readers to take away from it?

The overarching message is that life is often too short, and we should do our best to stop to smell the roses. We will have moments of tragedy, like my dad’s stroke, but we can overcome our circumstances.

The other main message is that you may be surprised with what you’re capable of accomplishing. I signed up to run 35 marathons in 35 consecutive days – a 1,500-kilometre lap of Ireland. I hadn’t run a marathon when I signed up with an eight-month deadline. I hadn’t even run a half-marathon. With a dream and a plan, you can do a lot.

Do you have a favourite quote or scene in the book that you find yourself going back to?

Some days it was ballerina slippers, graceful efficiency; some days it was boxing gloves, biting down on the gumshield, swinging wild fists.


Marathon Man

MARATHON MAN is an uplifting story of an extraordinary achievement – all the more inspiring given that the author was an inexperienced long-distance runner and only 20 when embarking on his mission to run 35 marathons in 35 consecutive days. Alan Corcoran’s response to the shock of his dad’s stroke, was to get active, create positive from negative and raise money for charity. Alan faced many obstacles along the road – beyond the sheer physical endurance challenge of running 1,500 kilometres around Ireland’s coast. He candidly submerges the reader into his world with an endearingly light touch, showing how you can achieve your objectives through sheer perseverance. Alan’s Irish humour, positivity and pure determination shine through this new sports memoir. This motivational story will show you that you can succeed whatever your challenge.

Content Notes: None declared by the author.

Book Excerpt from
Marathon Man

Where the Adventures Begin

The sense of exploration and taking on challenges without a safety net seemed to be part of my nature from the jump, metaphorically and literally. 

My mother recalls that before I had even turned one, or could walk, she was baffled, repeatedly finding me smiling on the bedroom floor, even though only moments before she had securely placed me in my cot surrounded by high guard rails on all sides. This was before the days of cot cameras, so Mam made do with secretly peeping around the corner of the door, unbeknown to the reckless adventurer in the cot. To her dismay, I somehow managed to clamber my tiny body onto the edge of the railing of the cot, precariously balancing my torso on it for a split second. Before my mother could react, I threw caution to the wind, as I lumped myself like a sack of spuds onto the floor, landing any which way gravity took me. That was the mystery solved and an indication of things to come for a child that was prone to giving himself a bump or 10.

Once I got on my feet, I had ants in my pants. I was an instant runner, an easily distracted explorer and a right pain in the arse for any adult given the impossible responsibility to keep an eye on me. My reputation was so bad that my older relatives and their friends wouldn’t risk taking me out for a walk a second time. ‘Fool me once …’ and all that. I was there one second and out of sight the next. 

After a few scenarios like this, I can’t blame my parents for playing it safe. Still, I was horrified to see some of my cruel toddler photos recently. There I was in one of those oppressive harnesses, being walked like an excited puppy by my brother. My mam tells me it was essential and completely justified, for my own sake and for the benefit of everyone else’s nerves. My inquisitive nature, lack of any self-preservation instinct and speed off the mark, must have tested the hearts of the adults around me.


Interested? Marathon Man is available at Amazon and Audible. Add it to your shelf on Goodreads.

Thank you so much for hanging out with us today! Connect with Alan on his websiteTwitter, Instagram and Facebook. You can also check out all of Alan’s reviews, podcasts and media on this linktree page.


If you are an indie author and would like to do a book excerpt, check out my work with me page for details. Check out other book excerpts here.

Cover Photo on Unsplash

Enjoyed this post? Get everything delivered right to your mailbox. 📫

Kriti K Written by:

I am Kriti, an avid reader and collector of books. I bring you my thoughts on known and hidden gems of the book world and creators in all domains.

Be First to Comment

What are your thoughts about this post? I would love to hear from you. :) Comments are moderated.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.