What I’m Reading

I have a reading problem. I can never read just one book at a time. This disorder began when I first started reading chapter books, say age 25. No actually, when I was 7, I would carry around a stack of books – Little House on the Prairie, Stuart Little, Ramona the Pest – and read a bit of them each at a time. While I no longer carry around a stack, I am always in the middle of a few books at once. Usually one non-fiction, one fiction and one related to running/triathlons/training or spiritual growth.

Here are some titles I’ve read recently or am currently reading:

Sports/Fitness:

I am getting ready to start this book, so can’t give it a personal thumbs up/down. Ken just finished it and found it inspiring and interesting. It is an account of six non-elite individuals training to complete the ultimate of endurance events, the Ironman.

Personal Growth/Spirit:

The worn copy I have of this book is from 1955 and was handed down to me. This “journal” type book is timeless and offers simple words of wisdom on marriage, love, solitude and finding happiness.

I’ve long been a fan of Kristin Armstrong’s blog on Runners World. I think she is a gifted writer who uses running as a gateway to discussing other topics such as parenting, friendships, gratitude, stress and taking risks. A great book to have on your bedside table or to give to a runner friend.

Novel:

I love reading books about other cultures, and I’ve always had a particular fascination with India. This book also involves another of my passions – adoption. It compares Indian and American cultures while giving insight into the emotional depth of motherhood and the undying bonds between parents and their children.

I just started this book and cannot put it down. It takes place in both present day Minnesota and World War II Germany. It is a story of one woman’s experience during the war, but also delves into the lasting effects of trauma and how it impacts interpersonal relationships.

Non-Fiction:

This was a tough book to get through. Very graphic at times. I was drawn to this story because I could not understand how it was possible for a victim of a kidnapping to be held captive and never discovered for 18 years, especially when probation officers visited the kidnapper’s home over 50 times. I was also fascinated by the intense, dysfunctional and confusing relationship that a victim can develop with his/her perpetrator/abductor.

Professional Development:

I have just started working in the field of international adoption. This book is an informative and eye opening read about the process of adopting from China. The author also discusses the complex historical issues that have led to girls being considered dispensable in China and why so many baby girls are abandoned each year.

Read any good books lately? I never have a hard time finding good stuff, mostly because I take recommendations from other people. So pass along your favorites.  I want to read Steve Jobs soon. Anyone read it?

Are you a member of a book club? I used to be for several years. I got tired of feeling obligated to read a certain book each month, so I took a break.

Do you usually read more than one book at a time? I usually have two.

Would you rather watch television or read? I love my TV, especially when I’m tired. For me, it can be the ultimate mindless escape. But, reading challenges my mind and I am never happier than when I have a hot bath, a cup of tea and a book I can't put down.

SUAR

“Long May You Run” Book Review

When author, Chris Cooper, offered to send me his book to read and review, I was tentative. Although I’m an avid reader, sitting down with a book has become a luxury lately given time constraints. Plus, I have read so many running-related books in the past couple of years, I wondered what this one could have to offer that would be new and different.

Yet, this book, written in 2010, was new and different. It is a glossy-covered coffee-table-style book that is a compilation of about 100 one to two page essays. Beyond the typical headings as “Good Running Tunes” and “Good Books on Nutrition,” were the less expected subjects as “Donate Your Old Running Shoes, ” “Avoid Dog Bites,” and “You Can Finish last and Still Win This Race” (referring to a “prediction race” where the winner is not necessarily the first runner across the finish line but the one one whose actual finishing time comes closest to his or her predicted finishing time.).

What I like most about the book is it is easy to pick up and flip through. It’s not meant to be read start to finish. One of my favorite essays is entitled “You Know You’re a Runner When…” that includes such clever markers as:

• You use “easy run” and “five miles” in the same sentence
• Your calf muscles are bigger than your biceps

While I did learn some things from this book like how to run tangents and the best women-only races, this is not a book about paces, training and schedules. It is a broad look at running that speaks to both the experienced competitor and the recreational middle distance runner.

The hard cover book retails for $24.00, while the Kindle version is $10.99. If you want the book, I recommend the hard back version that you can pick up and look through. This would be the perfect gift for the newer runner in your life who is anxious to learn more about the ins and outs of the sport.

Brian Sell, U.S. Olympic marathoner, wrote the forward for this book and sums it up well: “This book is a great source of motivation, facts, tips and stories that can help in your quest for your next big marathon – or just get you out the door on your way to another memorable run.” 

Have you read/heard of “Long May You Run”?

What’s the best running book you’ve come across lately and why?

Happy reading!

SUAR

Running on Empty Book Review and Giveaway

Running on Empty: An Ultramarathoner’s Story of Love, Loss, and a Record-Setting Run Across America by Marshall Ulrich.

I read it in the bath:

I read it on the pot:

I read it fast because it grabbed hold and didn’t let me go until the final pages of appendices when I learned how much diarrhea Ulrich had (not sure of the exact number of episodes, but it started at day 44 probably due to antibiotics for an infected toe), and how many calories he ate per day (8,000-10,000).

Before the book even begins, you know the ending. The statistics are right there on the front cover: 117  Marathons, 52 Days, 52 Years Old.

There is no question - the task was completed and the author has lived to tell the tale.

What is left to uncover are the gory details of  injury, self doubt, unconscionable fatigue and self discovery found within this 295 page memoir. Undoubtedly, no one completes a solo 3,000 plus mile  run across the United States and doesn’t have a few stories to tell of craps taken in corn fields, pre-packaged foods eaten on the run and moments when it all could have, but did not, come to a screeching halt.

What sucked me into Ulrich’s story was surprisingly not that he was able to run the distance. As you get to know the character, “Marsh,” throughout the first few chapters of this book, you recognize that  he is  a force to be reckoned with, someone who would never back down unless he literally ran himself dead into the ground. We also realize early on that Ulrich is running from life in the same moment that he is embracing it. He runs to cope with his grief about his dying wife, he runs to forget that his relationships with his children are failing. He runs sometimes because he does not know what else to do.

Hands down the best part of this book is Ulrich’s no holds bar candidness. As a reader, you go on this transcontinental journey with Ulrich. As a fellow runner you feel his pain as he runs through injury and mentally struggles to merely put one foot in front of the other. He seldom paints the picture of a euphoric runner out on the open road. Conversely, we get to know the Ulrich who grapples with and overcomes the extreme mental challenges that accompany running long distances. His advice and his lessons are universal. One does not have to be running 70 miles per day to benefit from his wisdom. I’m taking this list with me to Boston.

The Marshall Law:

1. Expect a journey and a battle.
2. Focus on the present and set intermediate goals.
3. Don’t dwell on the negative.
4. Transcend the physical.
5. Accept your fate.
6. Have confidence that you will succeed.
7. Know that there will be an end.
8. Suffering is okay.
9. Be kind to yourself.
10. Quitting is not an option.

Ulrich is honest. He is real. He does not sugar coat. To me, his story of  determination, setbacks and eventual success is analogous to daily life. It is not meant to be easy. You will fail. You will endure incredible hardship. People will let you down. You will let yourself down. These are all inevitable truths. The real living, however, occurs when we learn to move through these challenges with grace and courage. When we fight back against the challenge even when we doubt we have the energy or tenacity to do so.

Ultimately, Ulrich has a good sense of humor. I got this email from him the other day after he somehow found his book listed as one of my “must haves” for the month of March:

I told him I blame the dog more than the kids. But, sometimes if it’s a real juicy one, I just take credit.

Want a copy of this book? I’ve got one to give away courtesy of Marshall and TLC Book Tours.

To enter, simply leave me a comment about why you want to read the book. What intrigues you? Are you looking to be inspired? Ever crapped in a cornfield?

I’ll pick a winner upon my return home from Boston (on or around April 22). This will not be random. I’d like to pick a winner based on why they want to read the book.

Good luck!

SUAR

Fine print:

• TLC Book Tours provided the giveaway book as well as the book sent to me. I did not pay any thing for them.
• The winner will be chosen by me on or around 4/22

Book Review: Breaking Stride

A couple of weeks ago author Stephen Paske sent me his book to read and review. It’s called “Breaking Stride” (2006)and is a fictional account of two high school cross country runners competing for the state title. The summary on the back of the book reads,

“On a late July evening, two runners tear by each other in the middle of Elm Creek Nature Reserve. Their eyes meet. In the cold stare of the enemy comes the sudden realization that the State Title is no longer a certainty. Each runner had thought nobody else could possibly be training with the same ferocity. They thought wrong. Now an inevitable confrontation looms.”

If this sounds dramatic, it is. Written with seriousness and intensity, Paske has created two competing characters who believe in puking their way to the finish line every time.

An all-state runner in high school and a college competitor, Paske himself has always had a love of running.  More recently he coached high school track/field and cross country and took his team to several championships. His passion for and knowledge of the sport is evident in his writing.  Full of vivid and gut-wrenching descriptions of what it feels like to push beyond one’s physical limits, the book draws in any runner who has had these puke threshold experiences.

Paske has undoubtedly undergone these physiological challenges himself. A little researching done on his website reveals that he ran a 10K in 32:03 in 1998. His fastest mile is 4:23 in 1996. Dude is amazing!

Here Paske describes the main character’s quest to run a sub 15 minute 5K (three consecutive 4:48 miles):

“Fiery acid ravaged his legs. The lungs and heart increased productivity to meet the escalating demand. Due to their training, they adjusted. Accustomed to torment, Rod’s body attained a point of survivable homeostasis.”

For me, these descriptions were the best part of the book. Even if we’re not shooting for elite times in a race, we all know the feeling of our bodies breaking down and pushing on anyway.

After the reading the book my guess is that Paske’s target audience is 12-18 year olds and possibly those of college age. The writing is basic and the storyline is easy to follow. The lessons learned in the book would be relevant to any teenager faced with doing the right thing versus winning. There are not many novels written about the cross country or track runner, so this would be a great and informative read for anyone who runs in high school/college.

*Immaturity Alert* Because I love all things flatulence, one of my favorite quotes in the book describes a character’s experience during a race when he has just been cussed at by another competitor- “Words didn’t bother me. I just cut him off, farted, and let him fester in the stench.” I could SO relate. I do this ALL THE TIME in races. Don’t let the running skirt fool you.

Overall, I enjoyed the book for its subject matter. A point of criticism is that, IMHO, Paske occasionally writes too melodramatically and overuses  metaphors. The 112 pages of this short book are loaded with figurative expressions such as, “calves rippling like cooled waters,” “the weeping willow trees hung like mops of hair,” and, “the heat made him as loose as a brothel." (my personal favorite). One gets the sense that Paske is sometimes over-trying to be deep and literary.

“Breaking Stride” can be purchased at the author’s website. Also on this site you can download a copy of the book for FREE! Donations are appreciated.

Don’t forget my SCAPE giveaway!