Anyhow. This book is a collection of stories that Kardong wrote for various running magazines over the years. In the process he ran all of the races listed here and his articles are both humorous and inspiring. Here's a list with links:
The Bix 7, is a 7-mile run attached to a jazz festival in Davenport Iowa. Bix Beiderbecke was born there and became a famous jazz musician, dying in NYC at the age of 28. In 1971 a couple visiting jazz bands played and informal jam session at Bix's grave, thus starting the jazz festival. In 1975 a 7-mile race was added. In 1979 the race director started inviting big-time running names to participate, and then it took off. It's now a huge jazz and running weekend, complete with night-time sprints and relay races up and down Brady Street hill.
The Capital Challenge -- a 3-mile run in Washington DC with lots of funny rules, names and red tape.
Le Grizz ultramarathon (50 miles in montana grizzly country, in this case). Kardong won it in 1987, and the article he wrote about it made it very popular.
Empire State Building Run-Up A run up 186 floors (1575 steps). Evidently, the hardest part is the 20 foot sprint from the sidewalk outside the building to the narrow door of the stairs. It's hard to pass on the stairs, so the initial sprint is important. Kardong says he watched King Kong for inspiration. The winner makes it up in around 13 minutes.
Alaska Midnight Sun Run. I think it's a 10K in Fairbanks. There is also a Midnight Marathon in Anchorage.
The Dipsea Race. This is the oldest cross country race in America. It was started between two runners on a bet of who could make it the 8 miles from Mill Valley in the bay area to Stinson Beach first. The course was completely open and contestants had to choose among myriad trails up and down 1200 foot hills and in and out of trees and bushes and rocks. The weather itself changes along the course, with fog, rain, and sunshine possible on a single race. It is also a handicap race. Depending on age and gender, runners get up to 23 minutes of head start. First runner to the beach wins. A 10-year old girl won it recently.
Pikes Peak Marathon. 7815 ft elevation gain to 14110 ft. It took Kardong 3 hours to make it to the top. Altitude sickness is a serious possibility.
Grand Canyon Rim-To-Rim-To-Rim (R2R2R) Run -- a 41 mile ultra. Took Kardong 11 hours. It's a mile down and up, twice.
Klondike Trail Relay. 100 miles, 10 members, pretty good hills. Along the yukon gold rush trail from Klondike to Whitehorse.
Medoc Marathon. Run in the famous Bordeaux wine region in France. Red wine at all aid stations except mile 24, which has oysters and white wine. Contestants dress up as cavemen, windmills, mickey and minnie mouse, catwoman, killer bees, rabbits, Sebastian Coe playing an accordian, etc. Division winners receive their weight in wine. 1000 of the entrants run a post marathon 8k the following day to loosen up and plunder local estates of their fine wines yet again. Let's go.
Leadville 100. This is the only one that Kardong didn't actually run, though it is his life goal to run one. This one even has a wikipedia entry. Sounds like fun. Where can I sign up?
There were also a couple good articles on Steve Prefontaine and John Kelly.