Staying the Course recounts the stunning race that made him a celebrity and the difficult years that followed, including his recovery from a near-fatal farm accident, his subsequent addiction to painkillers, and a very public arrest for forging prescriptions. His story of overcoming extreme obstacles speaks to anyone who loves competition, who has survived catastrophe, or who has pursued a seemingly impossible goal. Honest and engaging, Beardsley recalls his rise from Minnesota small-town kid and mediocre runner to celebrated athlete. He gives an exhilarating description of the Boston race and its unexpected obstacles: he was accosted by a fan, sideswiped by a bus, hobbled by a charley horse, and derailed by a motorcycle cop. He also writes with great candor of his retirement from marathoning to run a dairy farm, the accidents that followed, his addiction, the humiliation of his arrest, and his struggle to sobriety.
Never self-pitying, Staying the Course is inspirational, demonstrating just how much can be endured no matter how long and arduous the race-and the value of what is learned along the way.
Dick Beardsley is a professional speaker, fishing guide, and radio announcer. He broke numerous marathon records, and still holds the records for Grandma's marathon in Duluth and the Napa Valley Marathon.
Maureen Anderson is a writer and award-winning radio journalist.