“Hell On Two Wheels” Tops Cycling Books

San Diego author’s “Hell on Two Wheels” takes readers inside the 3,000 mile Race Across America.

When Amy Snyder first pitched the idea of writing a book about long-distance bike racers, the response was quick and to the point.

“If it’s not written by Lance Armstrong”, a publicist told her, “you don’t stand a chance.”

Last week, Snyder’s book “Hell on Two Wheels” was released and quickly became the No. 1 cycling book on Amazon.com.

Synder, who has called La Jolla home for the past six years, is a first-time author and she says every day is a new adventure in her life thanks to her new book.

“In the first 24 hours it became the No. 1 book in Amazon’s cycling category,” Synder said. “And it was No. 767 overall. I was just astounded by that — to break 1,000 on the first day was just crazy.”

Snyder’s journey to writing a book on an endurance sport is a bit unconventional. It was only after she retired in 2005 that she took part in her first Ironman Triathlon. At age 45, Snyder found that experience “taught me a lot about myself, failure … it taught me that being vulnerable and asking for help is OK.”

Read more: La Jolla Light

FILED UNDER: News TAGS: Books / Kona 2011 / race across america