Author from Houston, TX Publishes Autobiographical Journey of an Olympic Athlete

November 5, 2014 - "Olympus and Beyond: (A Story of Life, Sport, and Love on Four Continents)," a new book by Allan Lawrence, has been released by Dorrance Publishing Co., Inc.

"Olympus and Beyond" by Allan Lawrence is the story of sport (running) told against the backdrop of the bigger human story of atmosphere, emotions, and relationships from the beginning, where a young Australian boy watched a newsreel and saw an American Naval Ensign become the first human in history to exceed 15' in the pole vault in Madison Square Garden. He vowed that one day he would compete in Madison Square Garden and break a world record. True to his word, seventeen years later, almost to the day, he succeeds, although in a different event.

This is the fascinating tale of a young boy's rise in the athletic field and his coming to the United States, where he won several NCAA titles (both individual and team), and won All-American selection ten times, while winning AAU titles in cross-country, indoor, and track running.

He struggled along the way with citizenship and health issues, but his determination and persistence allowed him to overcome these obstacles. Allan Lawrence is a true competitor.

About the Author:
Allan Lawrence, a 1956 Olympic Bronze Medalist from Australia, has co-authored three successful books on running: The Self-Coached Runner, The Self-Coached Runner II, and Running and Racing after 35. All three books were published by Little, Brown and Company.

He is a former world indoor record holder at both 2 miles and 3 miles and was US Master of the Year in 1980.

The author lives in Houston, Texas, where he is president of Endurance Fitness Consultants and continues to actively coach runners. His main hobbies are reading and gardening.

"Olympus and Beyond" is a 448-page paperback with a retail price of $35.00. The ISBN is 978-1-4809-1001-0. It was published by Dorrance Publishing Co., Inc of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. For more information, or to request a review copy, please go to our virtual pressroom at www.dorrancepressroom.com or our online bookstore at www.dorrancebookstore.com.