Beyond Fast, Sean Brosnan
Beyond Fast, Sean Brosnan
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Beyond Fast
How a Renegade Coach and His Unlikely High School Team Revolutionized Distance Running

Author: Sean Brosnan, Chris Lear, Andrew Greif

Narrator: Sean Brosnan, Aden Hakimi

Unabridged: 9 hr 43 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 09/02/2025


Synopsis

The true story of a high school cross country team that went from obscurity to becoming the fastest squad the country, and perhaps the world, has ever seen, called “inspiring and entertaining” (Jerry Schumacher) and “a deliciously rich tale” (Neal Bascomb).

When Sean Brosnan arrived at Newbury Park High School in 2016, their cross country team hadn’t so much as qualified for a California state championship in twenty-five years. Brosnan himself had never coached high schoolers, though he was no stranger to the sport. A collegiate All-American, he had spent years trying to chase his ambitions of becoming a professional runner, along the way learning from some of the most successful coaches in the country.

From day one at Newbury Park, Brosnan made a promise: Give me your total commitment and I’ll give you a state championship in four years. He did them one better: Brosnan’s runners would take an unprecedented three consecutive national championships, smashing records, winning Division I scholarships, and representing their country in the Olympics.

With expert insights and a deep love for the sport, Sean Brosnan’s Beyond Fast offers a riveting chronicle of that journey. Tracing Newbury Park’s early successes, their heartbreaking missteps, and the winding road that would lead them to running glory, he tells a story of guts, sacrifice, and determination. By turns heartbreaking and exhilarating, it reminds you that the only limits that matter are the ones you set for yourself.

About Sean Brosnan

Sean Brosnan is a two-time national high school coach of the year who built the Newbury Park High School distance squads into an award-winning national powerhouse. In addition to national championships, he led Newbury Park to boys state championships in 2018, 2019, and 2021 and a girls title in 2019. A native of Long Island, Brosnan broke into coaching as a volunteer at Queens University of Charlotte, where he helped coach athletes who won multiple NCAA individual titles. Brosnan lives in Big Bear, California, where he coaches a professional running team.

About Chris Lear

Chris Lear is the bestselling author of Running with the Buffaloes and Sub 4:00: Alan Webb and the Quest for the Fastest Mile. At Princeton University, Lear was a two-time cross-country captain and earned All-Ivy, All-East, and All-American honors on the track. In high school, Lear ran a 4:09 mile and was the New Jersey state champion in the 1,600 meters.

About Andrew Greif

Andrew Greif is a sports reporter at NBC News whose award-winning work has also appeared in the Los Angeles TimesGQ, and Runner’s World. Raised near Coos Bay, Oregon, the hometown of Steve Prefontaine, Greif competed on the track team at the University of Oregon.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Read Walk Repeat on July 12, 2025

This is a book for people who REALLY like or are interested in the world of distance running. I found the dedication and passion from the coach honourable and was cheering on the runners through their successes, but there was a whole lot of running specifics here that just didn’t hold my interest. I......more

Goodreads review by K.T. on August 10, 2025

Disclosure: I received a copy of Beyond Fast: How a Renegade Coach and His Unlikely High School Team Revolutionized Distance Running in exchange for my honest review. Sports success stories motivating others to dream big, set lofty goals, and put in the hard yards to achieve are such a joy to read—as......more

Goodreads review by Thomas on September 02, 2025

The author who grew up in a family with a history of runners, at the tender age of 5 years old begs his parents to let him run in a 5K and they let him. The author drifted away to other passions but eventually comes back to running with a push to build on his early surprising speed with efforts to c......more

Goodreads review by Michelle on May 15, 2025

** I received an advanced copy of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This book is scheduled to be published on September 2, 2025 in the US. ** This was such an interesting read as a sprinter transitioning into endurance running. I spent a lot of time in track sprinting and......more

Goodreads review by Paula on August 08, 2025

Full disclosure I received this book for free from Goodreads giveaways. I was expecting a underdog story and it was, but it was also very, very technical and detailed. To non runners it may be a little too much. Something that impressed me is how much of his coaching and technique is mental. The auth......more