The i-Run team says
In "Too Big to Run", Vincent Machet delivers an autobiographical account in which he highlights his ability to reconcile his obesity with his passion for running.
Summary:
Vincent Machet is 52 years old and weighs 150 kilos. Since adolescence, he has nurtured an irresistible passion for running. Regardless of his weight, his shape, or the obstacles life throws in his way ? no matter the judgment of others or the difficulty of the challenge to be met ? Vincent Machet runs.
He runs on asphalt. He runs on trails. He runs at his own pace, from Marseille to Cassis, the New York marathon, or trails in the Alps. He runs, even though he may not seem built for it. "But I am not yet satisfied. I want more. I have, in any case, accepted being fat. To be who I am," he acknowledges today.
An autobiographical and adventure tale, this book traces the poignant journey of a sensitive, funny, and generous man. An extraordinary hero who asserts the right not to be like everyone else, but to do what he loves ? the right to imperfection, the right to slowness, the right to failure, the right to inclusion, the right to be too big to run but never to bow his head. A testimony that will resonate with each of us.
A book to combat preconceived ideas
Whether he runs at the back of the pack, at altitude or along the Mediterranean coast, on an athletics track or in the hills of Sept?mes-les-Vallons where he now lives, Vincent Machet narrates with sincerity and skill his journey towards self-acceptance. For running is both a beautiful escape and a distorting mirror, which he first used to escape an oppressive family climate before employing it to better accept the reflection it cast back at him. And to better himself.
Alongside him, the reader embarks on an initiatory journey that takes him from Provence to Mont Blanc, through New York and some of the world's most beautiful running events. Of course, while he is far from the best, Vincent reminds us how performance is an abstract and personal notion, which everyone can approach in their own way by setting their own goals. While we don?t all have the same limits, we all love to push them.
Faced with the judgment of others and his own relentlessness to achieve feats conceived both for his healing and to dismantle prejudices, Vincent Machet tells his story without concessions, even when the going gets tough. In the world of running, his sharp mind, authentic language, and determination distinguish him more than his silhouette. For many years, he has gathered around him a loyal community that follows him on social media and during his races. Proof that we can all be touched and, in one way or another, identify with his story.
Authors' Presentation:
A trained graphic designer, Vincent Machet is the son of a mountain-loving printer and a mother suffering from depression and morbid obesity.
Married and a family man, this book is also a testimony for his loved ones. "Beyond these snapshots, I have a duty to pass on. I want to tell them who I am, to make them understand why I became like this, to let them know why I am fat," he says with emotion.
Written with the help of former journalist and senior reporter at L??quipe, R?my Fi?r?.
Key points of the book "Too Big to Run" by ?ditions Mons
- Autobiography of a running enthusiast who fights against preconceived ideas
- Journeys alongside an amateur who asserts the right not to be like everyone else
- Stories from races on all types of courses and in several countries
- 144 pages
- Dimensions: 14 x 19 cm
- Authors: Vincent Machet in collaboration with R?my Fi?r?
- ?ditions Mons
