BOOK REVIEW – My Year of Running Dangerously: A Dad, a Daughter, and a Ridiculous Plan

To continue my book reviews, since I have more than enough time to “read” these days, I loved this book.  It’s not the first running book I have read.  I’m not sure why I’m drawn to book about running.  I’ve read several.   Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen was one of my favorites.  I think the sub-title says it all.

I like memoirs and true adventure books, so I guess this book fits into that category. Kinda, sorta.  Is running a 50 mile race an adventure?

This book was just good.  It was real.  It wasn’t deep or overly moving.  It wasn’t pretentious.  It isn’t going to win a book award.  But it was exactly what it should have been.  It was good and I enjoyed every minute of his play by play of life, training, and the 50 mile race.   If he wrote a sequel, in as much detail about his next race, I’d read it.

I don’t know why I like these books, and it seems so corny to call it inspirational; but if by inspirational you mean it inspires action, then it was inspirational; because in the middle of this book, I started training for a half-marathon.  I’m only one week in, but despite sickness, I still on track.

I truly miss running.  I had never run more than a mile before I turned 30, but strap a heart rate monitor on me and let me play and suddenly, I’m running.

I ran one half-marathon and want to run another one.  Learning to run again with all of the challenges post-pregnancy brings is going to be the challenge.  Yes, at some point I have post a serious TMI about the post-pregnancy body.  Seriously, pregnancy and delivery were nothing compared to this.

I’m a devoted Galloway Method runner.  I’ll walk-run any distance I try.  I don’t have a competitive bone in my body, and I am probably a bit of a rebel when it comes to doing things that might be impressive.  ‘Ahh, you think you are so fast and so cool and want to run ahead of me.  Go for it.  I’ll show you just how slow and relaxed I can be.’  Sure, chalk it up to laziness or fear of failure.  I won’t argue with you.  But I will never impress with my speed or how hard I push myself.  I love running because I’ve found a way for it not to be that hard. I’ve found a method that’s more about tracking time and numbers than about speed.  I’ve found something that works for me.