Rating: 
Summary: A disappointment
Review: Perhaps my hopes were too high, but I found the very numerous typographical and grammatical errors throughout the book to be beyond distracting. While some of the information presented was interesting and inspiring, the overall "insight" the book provides is extremely limited. Additionally, it is poorly written. I'm sorry I purchased it.
Rating: 
Summary: Not Just One of Those "Runner Books"
Review: Recomended by one of my crazed runner friends who told me "this book would be different," I decided to give "Running with the Buffaloes" a shot. And, after indulgding myself in just the first few pages, it was apparent that he was indeed correct. Lear does a superb job of capturing the readers attention and drawing them into the world of the Buffaloes. The subject afterall is running, nothing close to brain surgery, and if writen about by an unskilled author, can get old fast. (ie the traditional "he ran, he got sore, he ran some more, got really sore, and then finished running ") What Lear ads is drama through his use of the protaginist, mainly Goucher. He makes his characters relatable which in turn means he holds the readers attention. And, although to the average joe, every term used may not be apprent, everyone can understand the trials and tribulations and the peaks and valleys in the everydays of running with the buffaloes. A must read!
Rating:
Summary: a fascinating look into a top cross country team
Review: Running With the Buffaloes chronicles the 1998 season of the University of Colorado Men's Cross Country team. As a former collegiate cross country runner (NAIA Division II), I am very interested in any book that focuses on cross country, and the fact that this is of an elite squad filled with interesting men makes the reading all the more entertaining. While the subject of the book is the entire team, Chris Lear focuses the most on Coach Mark Wetmore and Senior Adam Goucher. Chris Lear follows the team from their arrival on campus for preseason practice all the way through injuries and tragedy up through the NCAA National Championship meet. Adam Goucher is the elite runner of the men's squad. He placed second at nationals as a freshman and has spent the next two years trying unsuccessfully to win the race. This season is his last chance at winning the National Meet and is one of his last chances to ensure financial security through running (winning the National Championship will all but ensure major sponsorship so that he can be paid to continue running at the elite level). While Goucher trains with the team, he also trains at a higher level than the cross country team, so much of his training is by himself because of the intensity of training. We see Goucher progress through the season, tested by Wetmore's high mileage training and by the high cost this training is taking on his body as the season wears on. Mark Wetmore is the coach of the Colorado Cross Country team, and ever since he first started coaching at Colorado, he has preached a high intensity, high mileage regimen for his men. He trains them hard so that when it comes time to race he knows that their bodies are capable of what they will have to do. He is tough, but effective. He demands discipline as there are many who want to be in contention for the National title, but they must be willing to put in the work. While Goucher and Wetmore are given extra attention, Chris Lear gives sufficient time to the other runners on the squad. We get to get a glimpse of who these men are and their personalities start to shine through. The season starts with so much promise, but injuries start getting in the way, and late in the season one of the runners dies in a biking accident. Lear shows how everything affects the team and how they deal with the season and the loss of a friend. I don't know if Running With the Buffaloes would be interesting to everyone, but I found this book to be fascinating. It gives a very good look into an elite collegiate squad, and for anyone interested in running or just reading a very interesting story that happens to deal with sport in general and cross country in specific, this is the book to read.
Rating:
Summary: a fascinating look into a top cross country team
Review: Running With the Buffaloes chronicles the 1998 season of the University of Colorado Men's Cross Country team. As a former collegiate cross country runner (NAIA Division II), I am very interested in any book that focuses on cross country, and the fact that this is of an elite squad filled with interesting men makes the reading all the more entertaining. While the subject of the book is the entire team, Chris Lear focuses the most on Coach Mark Wetmore and Senior Adam Goucher. Chris Lear follows the team from their arrival on campus for preseason practice all the way through injuries and tragedy up through the NCAA National Championship meet. Adam Goucher is the elite runner of the men's squad. He placed second at nationals as a freshman and has spent the next two years trying unsuccessfully to win the race. This season is his last chance at winning the National Meet and is one of his last chances to ensure financial security through running (winning the National Championship will all but ensure major sponsorship so that he can be paid to continue running at the elite level). While Goucher trains with the team, he also trains at a higher level than the cross country team, so much of his training is by himself because of the intensity of training. We see Goucher progress through the season, tested by Wetmore's high mileage training and by the high cost this training is taking on his body as the season wears on. Mark Wetmore is the coach of the Colorado Cross Country team, and ever since he first started coaching at Colorado, he has preached a high intensity, high mileage regimen for his men. He trains them hard so that when it comes time to race he knows that their bodies are capable of what they will have to do. He is tough, but effective. He demands discipline as there are many who want to be in contention for the National title, but they must be willing to put in the work. While Goucher and Wetmore are given extra attention, Chris Lear gives sufficient time to the other runners on the squad. We get to get a glimpse of who these men are and their personalities start to shine through. The season starts with so much promise, but injuries start getting in the way, and late in the season one of the runners dies in a biking accident. Lear shows how everything affects the team and how they deal with the season and the loss of a friend. I don't know if Running With the Buffaloes would be interesting to everyone, but I found this book to be fascinating. It gives a very good look into an elite collegiate squad, and for anyone interested in running or just reading a very interesting story that happens to deal with sport in general and cross country in specific, this is the book to read.
Rating:
Summary: Insights on the grueling, competitive sport
Review: Sports fans will relish Running With The Buffaloes, an insider's survey of the University of Colorado men's cross country team, which represents the journalist author's season of access to the best cross country team in America. Insights on the grueling competitive sport include personal as well as team player experiences.
Rating:
Summary: No other book captures running like this!
Review: The reviews speak for themselves. This book is simply incredible. If you are a runner, you can't pass this book over.
Rating:
Summary: Just can't put it down!
Review: This book is a must for any runner. You're really missing out if you don't read this amazing piece by Lear. Mark Wetmore is a genius, and you feel like you're one of his runners, feeling their pain through triumph and trials!
Rating:
Summary: Just can't put it down!
Review: This book is a must for any runner. You're really missing out if you don't read this amazing piece by Lear. Mark Wetmore is a genius, and you feel like you're one of his runners, feeling their pain through triumph and trials!
Rating: 
Summary: I'm being generous with 4 stars...
Review: This book was very good at a runners point of veiw. From someone else's point of veiw, they would say this book is very poorly written. 1st off-- The title...Shouldn't it be 'A season inside the University of Colorado Mens Cross Country Team with Mark Wetmore and Adam Goucher'? I think that makes a little more sense don't you? 2nd-- This book has several spelling, grammer, and punctuation errors where i would expect not to be there considering this book was published; and for it to be published it had to be edited and read by many people. I mean look at the title. 3rd-- If your looking for a book to read where the author "shows" and not tells the story, this is not the right book for you. Yes, Lear does have some very descriptive parts, but the chapters where I wanted more...I didn't get more. 4th-- The author writes Mark Wetmore talking to his team and he points out some kid... In my mind I was like,"Who's this guy? Is he on the team? If so, why is he only mentioned once in the entire book?" Leave that kid out of the story! It will solve some confusion. On the other hand this book is really great for a runner to kick back and learn a few things. I think it'd be great for every runner out there to read this, but not a college proffesor who has only ran a mile once or twice to pass his/her phys. ed class in high school.
Rating:
Summary: Better than Once a Runner
Review: This has got to be the most inspiring running book I've ever read. Anyone who's ever spent time on a college or high school cross country team will immediately identify with the struggle a team faces to make it through a long season. Grippingly written and extremely detailed, it is the most realistic account of running and competing at a high level I've ever seen. Where Once a Runner got bogged down in the philosophy and zen-like aspects of training and racing, Run With the Buffs keeps things moving wihtout sacrificing detail. This book made me wish I'd gone to Colorado just so I could have had the experience of running with this team. Coach Wetmore ought to send it out to all prospective recruits.
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