In the Secret to Superhuman Strength, the author narrates the history of her life (and the world around her) through her athletic interests. As a young girl in the 1960s, there were limited athletic opportunities. However, there was the appeal of the comic book adds for superhuman strength. Alas, these did not pan out. However, running did prove to provide a great experience. The book continues passing through many fitness fads while also tying together the transcendentalists (especially Margaret Fuller) and the beat generation (especially Kerouac). The key historical events often happen in the background (with an occasional asterisk for "obsolete" items such as newspapers). She adopts skiing early with her family. She later moves to intense biking after being influenced by a partner. Karate and Yoga also play significant roles in her life.
