John Hanc

Leaving a life marked by crippling setbacks and his father's doubt, in 1967 a twenty-something doctor from India arrived in America with only five dollars and the desire to claim his American dream. The journey still awaiting Dr. Arun K. Singh would be unparalleled. Faced with an entirely new culture, racism, and the lasting effects of disabling childhood injuries, through hard work and perseverance he overcame all odds. Now having performed over 15,000 open heart surgeries, more than nearly every surgeon in history, Dr. Singh reflects on his most memorable patients and his incredible personal life. Shared for the first time, these intimate and uplifting accounts, along with photos, will have you cheering for the underdog and appreciating the enduring determination of the human spirit.

Growing up in Santa Monica, California, Julie Weiss would do almost anything for love. She drank, she quit school, she stole-and she ended up a mother in her teens. Years later, overweight and depressed, she put one foot in front of another and found a new road beckoning. Running gave her the answers she was looking for. Julie's loving, larger-than-life father, her biggest critic during her wayward years, became her biggest fan as his now-fit and healthy daughter began to run marathons. When he died suddenly of pancreatic cancer, she decided to turn her new pursuit into a purpose and, in his memory, embarked on an incredible endeavor to raise money and hope in the fight against pancreatic cancer. In 2012-13, Julie-a/k/a, the Marathon Goddess-ran 52 marathons in 52 weeks. Along the way she was featured in a major documentary film, Spirit of the Marathon II, appeared on national television and attracted a passionate social media following, as she logged the miles of each of her 52 marathons in honor of individuals lost to or fighting pancreatic cancer, ultimately raising over a half million dollars for the cause. It's a story of resilience, perseverance, endurance-and romance: Julie's turbulent early life; the rekindling of a father's love extinguished too soon; her epic year traveling to far-flung races and places; not to mention her relationship with coach David Levine. After a rocky road, their underlying love emerged, culminating with a finish line marriage proposal. It all adds up to make "The Miles and Trials of a Marathon Goddess" a riveting, humorous, poignant and ultimately uplifting book, for runners and non-runners alike.

A Harvard Health Publications book From a top wellness coach and a Harvard Medical School professor, comes this revolutionary book that will show you how to identify and decode your nine most basic emotional needs-and coach yourself to a calmer, healthier, and happier life. The more you thrive, the better your brain functions, and you're able to perform at the best level. Your health improves. You enjoy life more. When you're thriving, your stress level is down, your confidence is up, and the internal frenzy is tamed by a poised, self-assured mind. But if you're like the majority of Americans, you may be, in psychological terms, languishing rather than flourishing-surviving instead of thriving. For many, feeling overwhelmed and out of balance has become normal, a consequence of overlooking basic emotional needs. The key to reaching a happy, healthy state is by tapping into, not tuning out, your distinct emotions, and listening to the inner monologue inside your mind. Organize Your Emotions, Optimize Your Life combines the worlds of self-help, psychology, and medical science to guide you to a place of self-management and control. This insightful, approachable book will teach you how to identify, decode, and assess the nine most basic emotions that rule your brain and to recognize each of these voices and act accordingly to achieve a wide range of goals-from weight loss to career management. Coach your brain to gain deeper insight of your individual needs and live life to your maximum potential.

Travis Macy summited glacial peaks in the French Alps, rappelled into vast limestone caves in China, and ran through parched deserts in Utah. Most famously, he won one of the country's marquee ultra-distance events: Leadman, a high-altitude series of super-long-distance races, culminating with a 100-mile mountain biking race and a 100-mile trail run. Macy accomplished it without exceptional strength, speed, or flexibility, and without high-tech performance labs or performance-enhancing drugs. His secret? A precise and particular outlook he calls the "Ultra Mindset," principles for daily life that are neither mysterious nor the sole province of ascetics or elite athletes: embrace fear, rewrite stories we tell ourselves, and master the art of seeking help, among others. By applying the principles such as "It's All Good Mental Training," "When you have no choice, anything is possible," and "Never quit...except when you should quit" to other areas of life, anyone can find success that otherwise would have seemed impossible. Coauthored with award-winning running writer and journalist John Hanc, The Ultra Mindset blends exciting personal memoir with actionable, research-based advice. Dramatic stories of Macy's far-flung experiences in the professional endurance-racing world lead into relevant mindset principles, reflective self-assessments, mind- and body-enhancing workouts and activities, and compelling case studies. Macy's stories keep the pages turning as you forge your own winning outlook for success in business, sports, and life.

Founded in 1887 and celebrating its 125th anniversary in 2012, the Boston Athletic Association is one of the oldest sports organizations in America. It’s best known today for its signature annual event, the Boston Marathon, which is the third-largest marathon and attracts tens of thousands of participants and worldwide media coverage. But the B. A. A. has also been amazingly prescient in anticipating what would become one of the major social trends of the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries: the modern fitness movement. Consider some of the B. A. A.’s firsts: Nine out of the fourteen members of the US team participating in the modern Olympic Games in Athens (1896) were B. A. A. athletes. The B. A. A. launched the first US marathon, the Boston Marathon, in 1897. The B. A. A. pioneered and actively promoted many of today’s popular sports, including football and water polo. The original B. A. A. club house, in the historic Back Bay section of Boston, is the precursor of today’s health club. Still, the B. A. A. story is not simply one of athletic achievements and firsts. It’s also the dramatic story of people and the times in which they lived—a social history that unfolds in nineteenth-century Boston but takes readers around the world, up to the present, and includes a large and international cast of characters. A wonderfully illustrated history,The B. A. A. at 125 highlights the Boston Athletic Association’s important role in American sports history.

Part memoir, part sports adventure, Not Dead Yet tells the inspirational story of Phil Southerland's battle with Type 1 diabetes and how from diagnosis to sheer determination, he beat all odds and turned his diagnosis and his passion for cycling into a platform. From leading a Race Across America to managing a world-class cycling program, Southerland's journey on and off the bike has helped changed the way the world views diabetes. When Phil Southerland was seven-months-old, he lost ten pounds in a week, his body was limp and his breathing slowed to what his mother called a "death rattle." Rushing him to the ER, she was informed that tiny Phil displayed the youngest case of diabetes on record in the world at that time. Blindness, kidney failure and death were all predicted for him by age twenty-five. Decades later, not only is Phil alive and well but as the founder of Team Type 1, he and his team of championship cyclists -- many of them diabetics--have become health and fitness role models for people the world over. Together, they took on some of the most challenging endurance events in the world, including winning the Race Across America--a grueling 3,000-mile endurance competition--twice. Today, Phil continues to lead Team Type 1 as CEO. Not Dead Yet is Phil's powerful story: his account of his relationship with his mother, and how she struggled to keep him alive; growing up quickly in the New-Old South of the 1990s, learning at the tender age of 6 years old how to check his glucose and give himself injections; of how he fulfilled his dream of becoming a professional athlete using his team and the bike as a platform, inspiring thousands of individuals and families around the world who are battling diabetes to not just chase, but catch, their dreams.

Jones Beach opened inauspiciously amidst a howling sandstorm on August 4, 1929. In the years since, it has attracted 500 million visitors and become hallowed ground to generations of New Yorkers. Today Jones Beach evokes cherished memories of long-spent youth, old friends, and departed loved ones. In this evocative illustrated book, author John Hanc explores the traditions, institutions, controversies, and characters of this beloved seaside resort, now a state historic landmark.

Running For Dummies is for everyone with a desire to run. If you’re a reforming couch potato, it helps ease you into a healthier lifestyle. If you have Olympic aspirations, take a look at different ways to improve your training. This easy-to-understand guide is also for those who want to: Lose weightDecrease blood pressureLive longerRelieve stressBoost creativityFind a fun way to exercise Find dependable guidance for buying running shoes. Explore ways to maximize your training program. Discover the races you’ll enjoy running. Coauthored by the “World’s Fastest Woman” and World Record holder Florence (Flo-Jo) Griffith Joyner, Running For Dummies has world-class advice on these topics and many more: Nutrition and weight lossHitting your strideSpeed trainingReaching your peakThe day of the raceMarathon trainingIdentifying and treating injuriesCross-training and treadmill trainingRunning for kids and seniors Run around the block or around town. Tired of pavement? Run through the woods. Keep track of your personal progress in handy running logs in the back of the book. Improve your health, feel good about yourself, and have fun! With several million runners on the road today, you’ll find a lot of company, encouragement, and friends benefiting from this healthy and fun activity.