At thirty-six years old, twenty-one stone, and barely able to walk up a flight of stairs, Craig Sharp collapsed in a court waiting room.
The diagnosis that followed read like a warning: morbidly obese, pre-diabetic, asthmatic, and now the survivor of a stroke. Then, a year later, half-watching a marathon on television with a beer in hand, something shifted. He decided he was going to run one.
His first attempt lasted twelve minutes before he ended up in an ambulance.
At thirty-six years old, twenty-one stone, and barely able to walk up a flight of stairs, Craig Sharp collapsed in a court waiting room.
The diagnosis that followed read like a warning: morbidly obese, pre-diabetic, asthmatic, and now the survivor of a stroke. Then, a year later, half-watching a marathon on television with a beer in hand, something shifted. He decided he was going to run one.
His first attempt lasted twelve minutes before he ended up in an ambulance.
Twelve Minutes is the true story of what happened next: a decade of early mornings, ruined trainers, two more health scares, a relationship breakdown, a custody battle, and a doctor who told him flatly that his chances of ever finishing a marathon were practically zero. It is also the story of Boston, Chicago, London, Berlin, New York, and Tokyo, the six races that make up the Abbott World Marathon Majors, and the friendships, found family, and second chances built one mile at a time along the way to becoming a Six Star finisher.
This is not a book about being fast. It is a book about a man who was told his chances were practically zero, and who spent the next ten years proving otherwise. Honest, funny, and unflinching about the real cost of change, Twelve Minutes is for anyone who has ever looked at their own life and wondered if it is too late to start again.
It is not.
"I expected a book about running, but I found myself completely absorbed in the stories behind the miles. The mix of personal experience, marathon history, and practical insight is balanced perfectly, making it difficult to put down. Whether you're a seasoned marathoner or simply curious about the appeal of endurance running, this is a book you'll genuinely enjoy."
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"Whether you're training for your first 26.2 miles or your fiftieth, this book offers inspiration, perspective, and stories that will stay with you long after you've turned the final page. It's far more than a guide to marathon running, it's a thoughtful exploration of why ordinary people choose to take on extraordinary challenges. Honest, engaging, and deeply relatable."
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