About
Tim Durant is a senior executive with a New England based software company and an on-again off-again triathlete. His first exposure to triathlons was in 1985, while based at Pearl Harbor serving in the United States Navy. Most recently he completed the Timberman 70.3 half ironman in New Hampshire. During the past 20 years he has had a wide range of education/work/life experience. He served in The United States Navy, received his BS and Masters degrees, assisted with running the fitness and recreation for Desert Storm troops in Bahrain, sold hip replacements and has helped build and run several high tech companies. Tim lives with his wife, three children and their two dogs in Massachusetts.
Learning to Breathe Fire: The Rise of CrossFit and the Primal Future of Fitness
Description
<p><b>The absorbing, definitive account of CrossFit's origins, its explosive grassroots growth, and its emergence as a global phenomenon.</b><br /> <br />One of the most illuminating books ever on a sports subculture, <i>Learning to Breathe Fire </i>combines vivid sports writing with a thoughtful meditation on what it means to be human. In the book, veteran journalist J.C. Herz explains the science of maximum effort, why the modern gym fails an obese society, and the psychic rewards of ending up on the floor feeling as though you're about to die. <br /> <br />The story traces CrossFit’s rise, from a single underground gym in Santa Cruz to its adoption as the workout of choice for elite special forces, firefighters and cops, to its popularity as the go-to fitness routine for regular Joes and Janes. Especially riveting is Herz’s description of The CrossFit Games, which begin as an informal throw-down on a California ranch and evolve into a televised global proving ground for the fittest men and women on Earth, as well as hundreds of thousands of lesser mortals. <br /> <br />In her portrayal of the sport's star athletes, its passionate coaches and its “chief armorer,” Rogue Fitness, Herz powerfully evokes the uniqueness of a fitness culture that cultivates primal fierceness in average people. And in the shared ordeal of an all-consuming workout, she unearths the ritual intensity that's been with us since humans invented sports, showing us how, on a deep level, we're all tribal hunters and first responders, waiting for the signal to go all-out. </p>
Story Behind The Book
I have skied on the snowy cap of Mauna Kea, been thumped by the pounding surf of the North Shore, climbed up the face of the Ko’olau mountains, gone sky diving over the Wai’anae mountains, been scuba diving off the reefs of Cocoa Head, run the Honolulu Marathon and participated in a variety of triathlons and races across Oahu. To this day, my most memorable, motivating and inspirational time in Hawaii was watching the men and woman race in The Ironman World Championship.
There are hundreds of novels dramatizing many great sports. My hope is that this story can show the greatness of triathlons, a glimpse of human nature and strength of the human spirit.
Everyone has a dream. Not everyone has the courage to act on it.
Reviews
"Delve into Tim Durant's inspiring new novel, as it captures the sweat and struggle, exhaustion and exuberance inherent in the swim, bike and run." Triathlete Magazine<br />"Written in a fast-paced, breathless style, dynamic action scenes move the story forward with gusto—readers can almost hear highly charged background music during key moments." Kirkus Review<br />“Know Regrets takes you on a mental and physical roller coaster that we all feel when chasing something important.” Karen Smyers - Ironman Champion
