Idle Feet Do the Devil's Work

Book excerpt: Idle Feet Do the Devil’s Work is an entertaining mix of facts, fiction, and opinions, all written with Ray’s unique blend of curmudgeonly candor and humor. Ray takes a wide-ranging look at why so many people risk sore knees and smelly shoes in order to cross one more finish line, maybe, if they’re lucky, just a little faster than they ever have before. Inside these pages, Ray covers a dizzying array of topics, including guiding a blind runner at the Boston Marathon in 2013 and the triumphant return to Hopkinton in 2014 after the bombing, a runner who sells his ‘sole’ to the devil, what your race trophies are talking about when you’re not listening, marathon pacing tips and a marathon training secret you won’t get anywhere else, and much more. See why Runner’s World called Ray a “New England running fixture” and why Mrs. Marble (Ray’s kindergarten teacher) said Ray “enjoys explaining his ideas at great length.”