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  • Can't Swim, Can't Ride, Can't Run

  • From Common Man to Ironman
  • By: Andy Holgate
  • Narrated by: Gregory St. John
  • Length: 7 hrs and 46 mins
  • 3.5 out of 5 stars (78 ratings)
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Can't Swim, Can't Ride, Can't Run cover art

Can't Swim, Can't Ride, Can't Run

By: Andy Holgate
Narrated by: Gregory St. John
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Summary

Shortlisted for Best New Writer of the Year - The British Sports Book Awards 2012

This book is both a lesson in true grit and determination, but its goal is one that is attainable. Andy isn't a sporting superstar, he holds down a nine-to-five job and all the pressures that go with it; he isn’t blessed with speed and talent; there are no multi-million pound sponsorship deals; yet this remarkable "common man" is inspiring in a way that some of today’s sporting superstars have forgotten how to be. You wouldn’t recognize Andy in the street, yet his story provides valuable lessons to us all: "Never give up" and "Anything is possible".

©2011 Andy Holgate (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

What listeners say about Can't Swim, Can't Ride, Can't Run

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 3.5 out of 5 stars
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  • 2.5 out of 5 stars
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Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
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    36
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  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Listen to the Sample before you buy PLEASE !!!!!

What could have made this a 4 or 5-star listening experience for you?

If Andy Holgate read it himself, or to be honest any other Brit.
Gregory St. John’s performance is absolutely appalling. In my opinion the Author should sue.

What did you like best about this story?

The Story it's self is a light hearted look at what the author went through to fulfill his goals, so as stories go its alright.

Would you be willing to try another one of Gregory St. John’s performances?

to be honest.........NO

You didn’t love this book--but did it have any redeeming qualities?

good honest down to earth story, I would consider the sequel as long as the narrator is changed

Any additional comments?

Americans attempting British accents tend to do it badly BEWARE

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7 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

READ the book! the narration will offend your ears

Would you say that listening to this book was time well-spent? Why or why not?

The time was painfully spent, much as I wanted to know the story I couldn't cope with the truly awful narration. If Gregory St. John had stuck to his own accent the experience would have been immeasurably improved. Not since Dick Van Dyke in Mary Poppins has the English language been so cruelly mistreated. If it were possible to give minus 'stars' for the narration I would have done so.

How could the performance have been better?

Silence!

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5 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars
  • MR
  • 29-07-13

STOP... listen before you buy

What would have made Can't Swim, Can't Ride, Can't Run better?

A better narrator. I wish I had read reviews, it is unlistenable.

What could Andy Holgate have done to make this a more enjoyable book for you?

Chosen a better narrator.

Would you be willing to try another one of Gregory St. John’s performances?

NO

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Annoyance.

Any additional comments?

This looked like it was going to be a really good book, but I couldn't get through 30 seconds with this narrator despite multiple tries.

I would like a refund for this, you literally can't listen to it.

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3 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Awful Narration

If this book wasn’t for you, who do you think might enjoy it more?

Someone that can zone out of the narration and listen to the story.
Someone who doesn't know the correct way to pronounce half the geography of England

What other book might you compare Can't Swim, Can't Ride, Can't Run to, and why?

Iron War, Life without Limits.

What didn’t you like about Gregory St. John’s performance?

Nothing its appalling and in need of an English lesson.

You didn’t love this book--but did it have any redeeming qualities?

The story its self was good and enjoyable

Any additional comments?

We need more English narrators

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2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

A great story poorly told

Where does Can't Swim, Can't Ride, Can't Run rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Honestly? Last.

What other book might you compare Can't Swim, Can't Ride, Can't Run to, and why?

From Fat Man to Green Man, because of the story. An out of shape ordinary man achieves a phenomenal feat.

Who might you have cast as narrator instead of Gregory St. John?

The narrator for Fat Man to Green Man. Gregory St. John is unlistenable

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No. I couldn't listen to it for more than 5 minutes.

Any additional comments?

Everyone was right. Listen to a sample before you buy! The story's great, I've read it. This narration may be ok for others, for me it was stilted, and just, well, awful.

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1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Couldn’t have been worse if narrated by a robot

I have read the book several times over the years, and the sequel, and thought I would treat myself to having someone else read it to me. I cannot believe how awful the narration of this book is - the narrator is worse than if a computer just read out the text. It has completely destroyed any hope I had of enjoying this book again.

Why on earth did they get this person to narrate? Probably paid a good amount as well for essentially doing a damn awful job.

I she. Only listened to the first few paragraphs and will consign it to the ‘only listen to when I’m deaf’ category.

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  • Overall
    3 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Great story but...

Great story but the narration.
Got place names miss pronounced, miss pronounced words, missed the flow of the writing, didn’t pre-read to get work out the rhythm and pace of the book.
Sentences seemingly finish in odd places but then the rest of the words are oddly added in.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Why have an American fake a poor English accent?

Who thought an American pretending to be English was a good idea to narrate this story? I gave up with the audio book as the fake accent and mispronounced words drove me bananas. The author deserved better than this, very poor. I bought the kindle version instead. I give the story 5 stars and would give the narration no stars if I could.

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

Dire narration, not a bad book.

Interesting book and story but sadly the narration is like a cross between judge Rinder and Alan Carr, flitting between the two mid work. Sadly the awful mispronunciation of even simple words is distracting.

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    4 out of 5 stars

Narrator is so bad it is funny

Good story, a lot cliches but honest. Difficult to get through with the constant pronunciation errors

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