The NonCyclist's Guide to the Century and Other Road Races $15.95
May 2009
Seal Press
Buy the book:
Amazon
Powells
E-mail me here to order an Autographed Copy of the Book .
Click here to to read the introduction to the book.
The Book:
After the success of The NonRunner's Guide I was looking for another way to torture myself for the sake of my readers' entertainment. Because the marathon training had jacked up my poor knees so badly I was hesitant to do anything that was going to further cement my need for prosthetics before the age of 35. Cycling seemed like a great fit because of its limited pavement-pounding (there was still pavement to be pounded in cycling, but most of the pavement was pounded by my hands and/or shoulders when I went flying off the bike and onto said pavement...)
I started off my cycling journey with the intention of simply riding a bunch and completely a 100-mile bike ride at the end, wherein I would once again be basked in the glory of a hard-earned finish line (I was so hoping that this would be one of the few finish lines I crossed without shedding any tears). But as I got more into the cycling world the more I realized that Century Rides (a 100-mile ride) were just a teensy tiny part of the cycling world. When I found out that some of the other parts could take me on a bike through Europe, on a pub crawl in my own city and to work I started to sense that maybe this sport was about more than just torturing myself. This was a revolutionary revelation. A sport that I didn't dread? Who woulda thunk it?
Just like during my marathon training I kept a journal throughout my cycling and have included these priceless insights in the book. Along with those witty glimpses into the mind of the laziest active person in the world, I've also included everything you need to know to get started on your journey to the Tour de France (or at least the Tour de Down to the local Mini Mart).
Although the title of the book mentions training for a Century Ride the book actually contains information and all sorts of cycling - from riding to work, to cycling vacations and short fun rides throughout the country.
You can go to Amazon.com and read sample pages of the book, to get an idea how side-splittingly funny and life-altering it really is. You can read more pages if you are signed in to your Amazon account, I believe.
And I think the sales department says it best, because that's what sales departments do, really:
Sales Blurb
Get off your butt, get into some spandex . . . and get back on your butt again! Dawn Dais, author of The Nonrunner’s Marathon Guide for Women, is back and ready to take new cyclists from the bike store floor to the finish line. Dawn covers everything that newbie racers need to know: selecting the race that’s best for you, choosing a bike that offers both performance and comfort, creating a training schedule (and sticking to it), getting to know the cycling community and actually participating in the big event, plus information on planning cycling vacations and more. With hilarious, true-life accounts of cross-training and crotch rashes, The Noncyclist's Guide to the Century and Other Road Races is a fun and informative guide that’s perfect for both athletes and non-athletes interested in getting their butts into gear.
Photoshoot Outtakes
My photographer friend, Dan Hood, took the front image of the book. Dan has a photography studio where he has taken many a photo. While he was busy snapping away pictures of my bike in different poses, I was busy looking at all the random stuff in his studio. Which led to this photo:
That's me holding a golden plunger, a bottle of beer and wearing a knight's helmet. Why this didn't make the cover of the book is beyond me.
Me:
My name is Dawn Dais and I am a writer and graphic designer from Sacramento, California. I wrote a book in 2007 about moving your butt (via marathoning) and then I moved my butt around the country to promote it.
Then in 2008 I embarked on another butt-moving adventure, this time on the back of a bike. Again, I chronicled my (mostly humorous) tales for the sake of others' entertainment and education. My new book, "The NonCyclist's Guide to the Century and Other Road Races" is out now and it's fully prepared to inspire you to greatness once again.
Random Cycling Pics
