Mile Three Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Coach Larry Weber | coachweber.org | Lacey, Washington
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Coach Larry Weber Follows Debut Book With Landmark Second Release: Mile Three
Here is the press release written for my second book, Mile Three.
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LACEY, Wash. — One week ago, Coach Larry Weber published his first book. In its first week, it ranked number one in the new releases category on Amazon.
On May 1, 2026, he will release his second, more comprehensive book.
Mile Three: How the Hardest Part Is What Builds the Best Kids arrives this week as the follow-up to Jesus on the Track, Weber's debut devotional for Christian athletes.
Where Jesus on the Track addressed the inner life of the athlete — how faith transforms the way a competitor handles suffering, failure, and hard days — Mile Three addresses something larger: what sustained aerobic training during adolescence actually does to the developing human brain, character, and soul, and why the evidence is more compelling than anyone has told parents and coaches.
The answer, Weber argues, has been hiding in plain sight for forty years.
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The Science Behind the Story
At the center of Mile Three is a Swedish conscription study tracking 1.9 million teenagers over four decades — one of the largest longitudinal studies of adolescent development ever conducted. Its findings are unambiguous: cardiovascular fitness developed during the teenage years produces measurable, lasting gains in cognitive performance, emotional regulation, and life outcomes well into adulthood.
Weber did not read about this in a research journal. He watched it happen across 15 seasons and 13 Washington State Cross Country Championships.
Mile Three makes the scientific and human case simultaneously — the forty-year Swedish study on one side, the stories of real teenagers on the other. Catelin King, who collapsed at mile two of the state championship race, had teammates who ran so far beyond themselves that they won the title by a single point.
Brendan Perez, who ran full speed into a stationary pole at the state meet, got up and finished with a personal record. Elizabeth Weber, who competed for four years on a cross-country scholarship while managing a serious congenital condition she never disclosed because she wanted to work through it herself.
These are not feel-good footnotes. They are the proof.
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Where Other Books Stop, Mile Three Begins
Where Atomic Habits reveals how small systems compound into extraordinary change, and where Angela Duckworth's Grit makes the scientific case for passion and perseverance, Mile Three delivers what parents and coaches have been waiting for: the field-tested playbook for developing that grit in real teenagers — not in theory, but on an actual cross-country course, in the dark, in the rain, at the moment when the finish line is nowhere in sight.
At the heart of the book is what Weber calls the Five Formations: Courage, Discipline, Resilience, Humility, and Unity. These are not motivational concepts. They are documented, measurable capacities that employers hire for, that military branches train for, and that the Swedish research confirms are forged most powerfully between the ages of fifteen and eighteen.
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Early Praise
"Mile Three is a masterpiece — filled with golden nuggets of knowledge, statistics, and hard-earned wisdom. I put everything else on hold until I finished reading it. I've read countless books and listened to podcasts on the X's and O's of distance running, many of which had value, but nothing compares to what Larry Weber has written here. I only wish Mile Three had been available when I first began coaching. It is a must-read for any coach and parent — new or veteran to cross-country — who wants to understand the true meaning of coaching, success, and how to bring out the very best in their athletes. The lessons extend far beyond cross country; they apply to life, leadership, and even the business world".
— Rick Becker, World Masters Record Holder, Distance Running
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"...Whether assisting an individual athlete or team, he's achieved phenomenal results. With him, though, it's not just about running great. He fosters the mental, physical, and spiritual sides that every person needs. The objective measure of his coaching success is his athletes' life successes. Countless individuals have achieved remarkable success thanks to Larry's mentorship. Great people learn from other great people. I highly recommend Larry's book."
— Bryan E. Hoddle, Head Coach, USA Paralympic Track and Field Team, Athens 2004; 34-Year Teacher and Coach, Known as the Soldiers Coach
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A Book for This Moment
Teenage anxiety, depression, and disconnection have reached crisis levels. Every major study points to the same underlying cause: young people are moving less, connecting less, and suffering more.
Mile Three does not respond to this crisis with alarm. It responds with a solution as old as the human body and as urgent as tomorrow morning's practice.
The book is written for parents who want to give their teenager something that lasts. For coaches who believe their work matters beyond the scoreboard. For athletes who are learning, one hard mile at a time, who they are becoming.
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A Mission Beyond the Manuscript
100% of Mile Three's net proceeds will go directly to youth running programs. Coach Weber will not benefit financially from any proceeds of this book.
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I did not write Mile Three to celebrate what his teams accomplished. I wrote it because the thing that made those teams possible belongs to every young person willing to show up and run.
Also by Coach Larry Weber: Jesus on the Track — available now on Amazon Kindle and soon in paperback due to demand.
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Mile Three is available on Amazon beginning May 1, 2026.
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The hardest part is not the finish line. The hardest part is what builds the best people.
Blessings,
Coach Weber
Philippians 4:13
Jesus on the Track is my first book. You can order it here on kindle at amazon: Amazon.com: JESUS ON THE TRACK: A Christian Athlete's Guide to Handling Hard Days, Building Mental Toughness, and Growing in Faith eBook : Weber, Larry: Kindle Store. I am working on a paperback too which is available by May 1, 2026.
Each team member can use their own copy of Jesus on the Track, allowing the entire team to participate in a seasonal devotion.