Duel in the Sun: The Story of Alberto Salazar, Dick Beardsley, and America's Greatest Marathon

The 1982 Boston Marathon was great theater: Two American runners, Alberto Salazar, a celebrated champion, and Dick Beardsley, a gutsy underdog, going at each other for just under 2 hours and 9 minutes. Neither man broke. The race merely came to a thrilling, shattering end, exacting such an enormous toll that neither man ever ran as well again. Beardsley, the most innocent of men, descended into felony drug addiction, and Salazar, the toughest of men, fell prey to depression. Exquisitely written and rich with human drama, John Brant's Duel in the Sun brilliantly captures the mythic character of the most thrilling American marathon ever run—and the powerful forces of fate that drove these two athletes in the years afterward.

John Brant re-creates the tense drama of the 1982 Boston Marathon--and the powerful forces of fate that drove these two athletes in the years afterwards
"One was a humble farm boy from Minnesota. The other was the most electrifying distance runner of his time. In 1982, they battled stride for stride for more than two hours in the most thrilling Boston Maraton ever run. Then the drama really began. . . ." Thus John Brant sets the stage for the epic race that took place 23 years ago between Alberto Salazar and Dick Beardsley. Since Beardsley was only 26 and Salazar 23 at the time, everyone assumed that this would be the start of a long and glorious rivalry.

Instead Beardsley soon began a descent into drug addiction that brought him perilously close to dying. Salazar's decline was more gradual, his vigor slowly giving way to baffling symptoms that left him completely exhausted. Brant's portraits of the painkiller-addicted Beardsley and the depression-plagued Salazar are at once sensitive and hair-raising. The supporting characters are also richly drawn, from Alberto's father, Jose Salazar, a towering presence with a fascinating history and a former close friend of Fidel Castro, to Bill Squires, Beardsley's coach, a Casey Stengel-like figure whose oddball goofiness masks an encyclopedic knowledge of distance running. This elegantly written story is riveting nonfiction at its very best.

the 1982 Boston Marathon Was Great Theater: Two American Runners, Alberto Salazar, A Celebrated Champion, And Dick Beardsley, A Gutsy Underdog, Going At Each Other For Just Under 2 Hours And 9 Minutes. Neither Man Broke. The Race Merely Came To A Thrilling, Shattering End, Exacting Such An Enormous Toll That Neither Man Ever Ran As Well Again. Beardsley, The Most Innocent Of Men, Descended Into Felony Drug Addiction, And Salazar, The Toughest Of Men, Fell Prey To Depression. Exquisitely Written And Rich With Human Drama, duel In The Sun Brilliantly Captures The Mythic Character Of The Most Thrilling American Marathon Ever Run—and The Powerful Forces Of Fate That Drove These Two Athletes In The Years Afterward.

An account of the 1982 Boston Marathon traces the dramatic competition between its top two contenders, discussing how Salazar's and Beardsley's triumphs gave way to their respective battles with depression and painkiller addiction Monday, April 19, Patriots' Day, broke warm and blue over Boston, perfect for just about anything except running 26.2 miles.