If you’re anything like me, every once in a while you daydream about what it would be like to be a pro runner. I always used to think it would make running completely different, but this book showcased for me that we have far more in common with the pros than we think. Keira takes you on her personal journey of running, from college days, to years off, all the way to her perforce in the 2024 Olympic Marathon Trails. Her journey is full of relatable moments and her style of writing feels like a close friend telling you about their hardships and big wins. I laughed out loud when hearing her describe in the first chapter sitting in the shower after a race as I too often sit in the shower after a hard run. Her story allowed me to recognize we all struggle with similar battles, no matter the pace or status of our running. Keira has been in every state a runner can be from high performing to long breaks with no running at all, so no matter where you’re at in your own journey you can find a connection point.
She not only takes you on her personal running journey but also leaves several bits of wisdom from her own experiences that anyone can apply to their own lives. I loved hearing her philosophy on goal setting, the need to set small goals that build to big goals over time. This keeps from big goals being too daunting to even try and also allows for curiosity on what we can achieve. There’s a wonderful dialectic in running that we can celebrate intensely meeting a small or big goal and also in the same moment dream of what could be ahead if we pushed just a little harder.
I also throughly enjoyer her focus on finding community in running. Throughout the book the Keira focuses on the people she’s met while training and how her community has supported her journey. My favorite part of being a run coach at Charm City Run is connecting with the local running community. If you’ve not yet found your local running community this story will push you to go from solo runner to pack runner. Personally, I enjoy running much more now with coaching and weekly pub runs at Charm City Run than when I was always training on my own. There’s something magical about running along side someone and chasing a goal or just sharing about your day.
If you need inspiration to challenge yourself or just keep going with your running journey when it’s hard this is the book for you. I also highly recommend the audiobook (which is how I read this book) since it’s read by the author which really brings the story to life. Grab some headphones and bring this motivating story with you on your next run!
Next month: Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike by Phil Knight