“Reading All in Stride illustrates the power of perseverance and commitment with a focused target. It makes you feel like you are on a journey with Shadrack and Elvin. They take great pride in serving the country that gave them the opportunity to be the best version of themselves. Their journey is about hope, faith, hard work, and the pursuit of excellence and the American Dream.”
— MEB KEFLEZIGHI, four-time Olympian, silver medalist in the 2004 Athens Olympic Games in the marathon, and winner of the Boston and New York City Marathons
“All in Stride is a powerfully written account of pursuing the American Dream—that rough road that rides more like an obstacle course, but consists of perseverance meeting opportunity to build the ultimate American hero. On every page, you’ll find yourself cheerleading, empathizing, crying, or heeding wise advice.”
— DEENA KASTOR, Olympic medalist in the marathon, New York Times bestselling author of Let Your Mind Run
The inspiring stories of distance runners Elvin Kibet and Shadrack Kipchirchir and their determination to build meaningful lives as new American citizens.
Professional distance runners Elvin Kibet and Shadrack Kipchirchir grew up in rural Kenyan villages. Though their lives began in poverty, both were driven to reach their full potential, to gain an education and make a difference. And they would find their way to do just that through the high-pressure world of distance running.
In All in Stride, Johanna Garton tells the gripping and inspiring stories of Elvin and Shadrack. Beginning with their upbringing in Kenya, Garton follows the runners through their journeys to the United States, competing for Division One universities, their romance during college, and ultimately their service as U.S. soldiers and professional runners.
More than just a running story, All in Stride takes readers behind the scenes to explore the difficulties Elvin and Shadrack faced, including adjusting to an entirely new culture in the U.S., bigotry and intolerance, the stresses and joys of global competitions like the Olympics, joining the U.S. Army’s World Class Athlete Program, and discovering the ever-changing landscape of what it means to be an American.
Woven through the narrative is the story of Samantha Schultz, who competed in the sport of modern pentathlon for the U.S. Army. Sammy’s journey involved several obstacles including poor coaching, overtraining, the intense pressure to make the Olympic team and a dive into disordered eating, a condition that plagues so many young female athletes.
***CLICK ABOVE TO WATCH THE EXTENDED BOOK TRAILER***
Edge of the Map is equal parts climbing history, love story and riveting mystery.
- Vanessa O’Brien, First American & British woman to summit K2
The next must-read.
-REI’s Uncommon Path magazine
An absorbing, unputdownable book about an intrepid climber and pioneer in high-altitude mountaineering. - Library Journal
Powerful and moving...a story of human endurance taken to its limits.
- Foreword Reviews
Garton's research is impressive and should broaden the book's appeal far beyond those familiar with its subject. Expect demand...where fans of Jon Krakauer's now classic Into Thin Air are to be found. - Booklist
A fascinating tribute that is riveting and heartrending.
- Jenni Lowe-Anker, author
An eloquent, fast-paced narrative.
- Mark Stevens, author of The Allison Coil Mystery Series
Gripping and powerfully written.
- Luis Benitez, mountain guide
A dramatic and inspiring adventure story based on the lives of trailblazing mountaineer Christine Boskoff and her partner Charlie Fowler. Edge of the Map traces Christine’s life as a high-altitude climber and mountain guide - from a two-day climbing course while a Lockheed engineer in Atlanta to her remarkable leadership of Seattle’s Mountain Madness guiding company following Scott Fischer’s death on Mount Everest in 1996. She was a rarity at the time - a woman leading otherwise all-male expeditions.
Despite challenges both personal and professional, Christine persevered to find freedom and a balance with nature on the earth’s wildest peaks. And, in legendary Colorado rock climber Fowler, she discovered her perfect partner. Edge of the Map captures each step of the pair’s story, culminating in their disappearance among the remote peaks of western China and the desperate search to find them which gripped the world.
It’s likely you either have to be naive or crazy to drag your family to live a year in China. Maybe both. Johanna Garton fits the bill perfectly, with a wonderful optimism and willingness to try that ends up putting her family of four well outside the familiar confines of Denver, Colorado, and even outside the relatively comfortable expat outposts of Beijing and Shanghai. Framed through the stories of their two adopted children, Garton and her husband return with them to the land of their birth and try to trace the stories of their earliest days while diving headlong into the crazy and complex challenges that come with living as expats in the Middle Kingdom. It’s a story filled with honesty and warmth, one well worth the time to read.
- Greg Rhodes, Author, Expat in China: A Family Adventure and Expat in China: The Chengdu Blues