Two sports authors will be participating in Local Authors Night at Barnes & Noble in Schaumburg (590 E. Golf Road) on Thursday, Nov. 30 from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. This is a great opportunity to get a personalized gift for the runner or cyclist on your holiday shopping list.

David Johnsen, author of "Biking Illinois: 60 Great Road Trips and Trail Rides," has been bicycling, photographing, and writing about roads and trails in Illinois and across America for many years. He has pedaled over 12,000 miles since 2000, chronicling his adventures at www.djrider.com.

One of the first people to ride the entire 500-mile Grand Illinois Trail, Johnsen is a member of the League of Illinois Bicyclists, the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation and the Adventure Cycling Association. When he isn't riding, Johnsen is a freelance copywriter in Chicago.

Marlin Keesler's "Our Life on the Run: A Story of Running 50 Marathons in 50 States: A Family Quest" is a series of inspirational travel tales about the journeys of a family that evolved from merely waiting for Dad to cross the finish line, to a family that learned how to research and plan educational and cultural excursions in every state they visited.

From juggling work schedules and living within budget to learning the art of patience by flying stand-by, readers are able to relate to the Keesler travel adventures, pick up a tip or two, and even emulate them by setting a family goal.