Book Reviews Archives - 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!

My reflections from “Endure” by Alex Hutchinson

If you haven’t heard of Alex Hutchinson’s book, it’s a fascinating one that’s worth a read. I recently read it and found myself talking about it with many people. While that doesn’t guarantee it will spark your interest, hopefully you learn some interesting things from my reflections below. The fundamental basis of “Endure” is whether our athletic limits are based on physical or mental barriers. It is filled with an amazing amount of data and insights that pull you back and forth between the two viewpoints. Spoiler alert: there is still no clear answer.

My favorite things learned

This book was overloaded with information – almost a miniature textbook. I’ve read and listened to a good amount of information about similar things and these stood out the most for me.

Roger Bannister’s sub-4 minute mile didn’t exactly open the flood gates

If you’ve read almost any motivational book, you may have heard the story of Roger Bannister breaking the 4 minute mile. The basic synopsis is that people thought it was impossible and that it would never happen. In 1954, Bannister did “the impossible” and on the heels of that, hundreds did it within the following year. Once other people knew it was possible, they no longer had the mental barrier in place and could push themselves harder.

What Hutchinson states is that in actuality John Landy, “was the only other person to join the sub-four club within a year of Bannister’s run”. Only four others followed suit in the year after that. Instead of taking only a year for 300 runners to run sub-four, it took until 1979 (25 years later) for that to happen. Given how many times I had heard the former, it was quite a shock to read that. It doesn’t discredit the impact that Bannister had, but instead deflates much of the exaggeration that is out there.

Our muscles don’t produce lactic acid

This is yet another “tale as old as time“. Having run track from middle school through college, I have heard about lactic acid build-up in legs for a LOOOOONG time. It turns out that lactic acid is a hangover from the early 1800s from Swedish chemist Jöns Jacob Berzelius. He was the first to draw the connection between muscle fatigue and the lactic acid that was found in hunted stags. In actuality, it is lactate that is found in our muscles. The book elaborated more on this, but it was surprising to me, given how commonplace it is for runners and coaches alike to cite lactic acid build up.

Heatstroke and dehydration are mutually exclusive

I spoke with my wife about this, and she didn’t seem too surprised. My take on her reaction: either she’s a genius or I’m not very intelligent (likely both). Regardless, this was pretty shocking to me. One example that was used was the story of Alberto Salazar’s 1978 Falmouth Road race compared to his 1982 Boston Marathon (the “Duel in the Sun”). In the former, he had heatstroke but wasn’t dehydrated and in the latter the opposite happened. In both races, he was rushed to the medical tent and he was even read his last rites after Falmouth.

I have always assumed that the two were connected, mostly because I had never done any real research to know the difference. What I learned in “Endure” is that dehydration is a greater concern in long races and heatstroke is most common in shorter races. The big difference is your body temperature, which is primarily determined by your “metabolic rate” – how hot your engine is running. There are more fascinating details in the book, which is another reason to pick it up if that peaks your interest.

Icing may actually have no effect

Again, I was confronted with something that I understood to be a fact, only for that to be dispelled once again. After citing a few studies where athletes were tested for actual muscle fatigue after spending time in various temperature baths, no scientific proof was found. What is woven throughout this book in multiple ways is the impact of belief that something works. Icing is no different. For people who believed they felt better, then there was no reason to stop the practice. For those who don’t like ice baths, there was no compelling reason to start.

I’ve heard a lot about a Dutchman named Wim Hof who has entire courses on ice baths (among other things) and I’ve been intrigued to learn more. His name has come up in countless podcasts that I’ve listened to and I recently picked up his book. I’ll be sure to review his book once I finish.

What sets apart Kenyan runners from the rest of us

Kenyans have appeared to dominate distance running for as long as I can remember. There are a number of explanations that you hear: living at elevation and physical giftedness among them. What Hutchinson talks about is more focused on the mentality of Kenyan runners. In training sessions, they often run as hard as possible with the lead pack until they can no longer keep up and start jogging. Western runners tend to have a more measured approach, running within their perceived capacities so they can finish strong. Despite the obvious differences in the two approaches, the latter does not tend to produce any breakthrough performances. Without leaving it all on the line, runners/athletes/people will find it much harder to surprise themselves with big improvements and unexpected results.

I can’t say that I totally relate with this notion, but I did have somewhat of a breakthrough performance in Philly during my last marathon. After following my first “legit” training cycle, I thought I was in reach to get a Boston qualifying time (~3:05) so I went for it. I was aiming to run around 7 minute mile pace, and did so for the majority of the run. The lactate (not lactic acid) in my legs got the better of me around mile 23, but I was still able to take more than 30 minutes off my previous personal record.

So should I read this book or not?

I am personally very happy that I read this book and found so many things in it to be fascinating. Ultimately Hutchinson does not have a definitive answer to what limits our performance, but the back and forth is very thought-provoking. I always find books that help with personal growth to be among my favorites, and I would add this one to my list. My hope is that you find this brief reflection to be helpful in deciding to either pick this book up or leave it where it is. Stay tuned for more book reviews in the future!

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