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!