April 2023 - Recovering Decathlete

Like running, reading is one of my favorite activities, and I try to get in at least 15 minutes each day. My books of choice tend to be something informative or inspirational, but I’ve been known to dabble outside of those lines occasionally. I have no idea how many books I’ve read in my adult life, but I would venture it’s in the hundreds. It wasn’t until 2017 that I started tracking the books I read each year and writing the start and end dates on the inside cover (of the books I own) so I can refer back once I’m fully senile (I’m currently at about 50%).

For the past few years, I’ve cycled in quite a few memoirs about running, and have three short ones to highlight below. Each of these books interested me for different reasons, and they are all quick reads. None of the three authors are professional runners, and they are quite a diverse crew from very different backgrounds, countries and lifestyles. While I wouldn’t say any of these books are fantastic, they were all interesting and I didn’t feel like I wasted my time in reading them.

“The Runner” by Markus Torgeby

It took me 8 days to read this 179 pager by and about Markus Torgeby, a Swedish man who moved into the forest at 20 years old. He lived in a tent in the woods for four years and basically ran to get everywhere, taking odd jobs here and there to make ends meet. The book starts during his youth, and carries you into his early adulthood to where he is today.

There are multiple aspects to his story, flowing through his competitive running years, a mother with Multiple Sclerosis, training in Tanzania and ultimately settling down with a family. It was an interesting look inside a life lived in a very different part of the world, and it had some inspirational aspects – notably him living completely unplugged from the modern world and being immersed in nature. I can’t say that there is anything that I will be doing differently in my own life as a result of reading this book, but it was a quick and enjoyable read nevertheless.

“Spirit Run” by Noé Álvarez

It took me 14 days to get through this 215 page memoir from 2020, and I had similar take aways from “The Runner”. The author is the son of working-class Mexican immigrants and spent his upbringing in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. He was driven by the desire to escape the same fate as his parents, whose lives were centered around their work in fruit-packing plants.

After receiving a full scholarship to a local college, Noé struggles with the coursework and decides to drop out and join a group trip called the Peace and Dignity Journeys. It is a relay-run of sorts that starts in Canada and ends in Mexico, covering 6,000 miles through North America. The goal of the run is one of healing for Indigenous Peoples, and is inspired by a prophecy to unite Native people after centuries of colonization.

The book is primarily a diary of Noé’s, chronicling the many challenges that he encounters along the incredibly demanding trip. His many reflections are interesting to read and the journey itself seems amazing and wildly difficult – if not outright dangerous. I won’t tell you how far he makes it, so you’ll have to read it yourself. Another quick, easy and enjoyable read, that ends with him settling in the Boston area – how about that!

“What I Talk About When I Talk About Running” by Haruki Murakami

Prior to getting the book, I had heard it referenced a few times in various podcasts. I learned that Haruki is a successful author originally from Japan, and this book was a somewhat well known commentary on his many years of running. Due to hearing about this book a few times, I had high hopes that it was going to be stellar. On the cover, Sports Illustrated was quoted as calling it “A brilliant meditation”. Maybe it’s because I don’t (yet??) meditate, but I was a bit let down by the book, after the bit of hype.

I think I was mostly into it because he lived in Cambridge, MA for large parts of the book, and referenced areas that I have been many times and could relate to. Other than that, it somewhat meandered through various parts of his life, including random runs and races that he did throughout his adulthood. There was one moment that I laughed out loud, which was about his solo run in the reverse route of the original marathon in Greece. The temperature during the run was excruciating and he had dreams about how amazing something would taste after he finished the run. In response he had the fantastic line of “nothing in the real world is a beautiful as the illusions of a person about to lose consciousness.” I thought it was a hell of a line, but otherwise just casually enjoyed the 174-page book and finished it in 10 days.

I wouldn’t dissuade someone from reading the book, but also wouldn’t heavily promote it as an excellent read. It would be a good choice for someone who wants a memoir that is easy to read and chronicles a person’s commitment and discipline to running.

Coming Up

I’ll continue to throw together some simple reviews, along with (possibly) some more in depth take-aways from books that have a big impact on me. I just finished an incredible book about the Ice Man, and will likely put together some reflections from that and things that I’ve started doing differently. Stay tuned for more and please let me know your thoughts!

I imagine that to many of you, the name Beau Miles may not be unfamiliar. For those who have heard of him, and especially if you have watched any of his videos, there is a very high likelihood that he has left an impression on you. He’s a charismatic Aussie storyteller who makes incredible videos that are both very enjoyable and provide a healthy dose of inspiration – at least, that is true for me.

I was first introduced to Beau through his video about running a marathon, one mile every hour. The general synopsis is that he challenges himself to run one mile at the beginning of each hour (he does a 5k to start), and in between running, he tackles all sorts of random projects that he’s wanted to do for a while, but hasn’t. Before starting out, he creates his list of things to do (most of which take between 15-45 minutes, and then crosses them off afterwards). Some of the items he tackles are planting trees, hanging pictures, making a table, fixing shoes, and many more. The video is incredibly motivating, and I’ve even flirted with the idea myself – but as of this writing, I have not made any real attempts.

He has a host of other videos about various adventures, and they include fantastic videography and great narration by Beau himself. A self-dubbed Backyard Adventurer, his chronicles are all things that are all accessible from his backyard, and his no-frills and educational approach are well worthy of a watch. Some of the more enjoyable videos include walking 90km (just shy of 60 miles) to work, kayaking to work (over the course of 4 days) and eating nothing but canned beans for 40 days. He also has a whole series about repurposing “junk” (a huge theme throughout his videos) to make such things as an office, a cabin and a paddle.

It’s hard to pin down what I appreciate most about Beau, but I can comfortably say I would be thrilled to have a friend like him in my life. He seems incredibly down to earth, adventurous, caring, thoughtful and shockingly resourceful. There is an abundance of knowledge that he possesses and an incredible mindset, that has compelled me to think differently about many things, and to think about emulating the joy that he appears to embody.

My Junk Cabin

One thing that I HAVE actually done that was inspired by Beau was to make my own version of a shed from (mostly) repurposed wood and materials that I was able to find. I did have to buy the interior framing, but otherwise virtually everything else is repurposed. It’s pretty noticeable that Beau’s “Junk Cabin” is truly from all sorts of different pieces of wood, and mine would be much harder to tell. I was fortunate to have access to a good amount of extra siding that was left over from previous construction projects, which helps to disguise my cabin from the truth. It was the second cabin/shed/structure that I have made, but there was something a little extra special about the aspect of reusing material instead of just buying all new stuff.

Backyard Adventurer

While I have not yet read his book, I think I’ve watched all of his videos (a few times over). His initial videos feature an incredible sea kayaking trip around the southern tip of Africa, which feels inaccessible for a number of reasons. From there, the majority of his videos are in his home country of Australia and have grown to be even more local to the area around his town. He talks about this progression in his videos, and about how shift from looking for local adventures instead of thinking he has to travel around the world to accomplish them. A largely relatable part of Beau’s story is that he is married with two young children and is not jet-setting around doing things that are not accessible to the vast majority of people.

The current series that he has been releasing is called the 12 Days of Newness, where in he does 12 new things that he has never done before. Once again there is a wild range of first-time experiences from getting a haircut at a barbershop to kayaking in the snow. It continues his theme of focusing on local things that are accessible, with a goal of reflecting on the experience, and taking on a new “challenge”. If you are motivated, he has published 11 out of the 12 videos as of this post, so you can catch up before the final one airs!

His videos, outlook on life and sense of adventure are very refreshing and have absolutely created a stir in me to think differently about my own experiences and doing more than I think I can. He seems driven from a very genuine and positive place, and is clearly on to something special. I am incredibly inspired by his way of living and his ability to see the value in other people’s junk.

This is cool and all, but what does it have to do with running?

You know… that’s a great question you’ve asked. I’ve mentioned a few of Beau’s videos that feature him running around in various places, and what I really enjoy about them is that it changes the focus of the run. Beau uses running as the outlet to do some adventurous escapades. Whether he is running across the Australian Alps, along an old train line or in the mountains in search of a friend’s lost wallet, he’s not focused on any of the typical metrics. It’s not about going his pace, elevation or setting any type of personal record, but rather about being outside and having fun. That aspect of running is enormously appealing to me, and one that I don’t see often enough.

Final Sentiments

If you have found yourself looking for a greater sense of adventure or love beautiful cinematography or are interested in sustainability, then I highly recommend checking out Beau’s channel. If you like one of his videos, you will like them all. There are similar themes that thread through all of his content, but they each feel fresh and authentic. While there are so many wonderful videos of his (which are also relatively short) my favorite may be about his wheelbarrow walk with his daughter. It’s so simple and lovely and beautiful, and I can almost guarantee it will be worth a watch.

Rapid Fire Running Memoir Reviews