The historic 1928 "Bunion Derby" was a cross-country footrace from Los Angeles to New York City. In a supreme test of human endurance and fortitude, runners pounded the pavement for 84 straight days, covering more than 3,400 miles. Starting in Los Angeles, the competitors tracked the path of old Route 66 to Chicago. From there they followed a twisting 1,000-mile trail to New York City. That journey is the subject of this book.

While previous books and articles have been written about the race, most have concentrated on the promoter, C. C. "Cash and Carry" Pyle, his runners, or...