This is an older book published in 2014. I live on a small Caribbean island and spend a lot of time in airports travelling to just about anywhere. On one such trip, I was hanging out waiting for my mid morning flight home and I realised that as the flight should be boarding that I was not only at the wrong gate but also in the wrong terminal. I was then faced with trying to make it from terminal D to B as quickly as possible, because there are only a few flights a day and the chances of me getting another seat on a different flight were slim to none. Long story short, I made the flight but I was utterly horrified with how little I could run. Even when there was an “emergency” like trying to make a flight, I could barely run for more than a minute.
Shortly afterwards I saw this book reviewed and it tells the story of the author learning to become a runner (and completing marathons). I really enjoyed the tone of the book and the author does not sugarcoat the ups and downs of running, the false starts and the injuries. She goes into great detail on how difficult the mental side of long distance running is. I picked up this book with the vague idea that I should learn to run and be able to run for five minutes without stopping (for the next time I almost miss a flight!). The author does give great tips on getting started and what clothing is and isn’t essential. The author is also very honest about having down periods where she no longer runs. I found that it was an uplifting story overall, a real mind over matter challenge. The author spends a lot of the early portion of the book thinking she’s not a runner because she doesn’t think she looks a svelte as other runners or as effortless as others. I think that’s exactly my mindset as well so it really resonated with me.
Ms. Heminsley has written another book about learning to swim (long distances) I’d like to read that as well as I enjoyed the humourous down to earth writing.
And in the meantime, I’ll keep increasing the amount I can run on the treadmill by 30 seconds each time, who knows, I might make my 5 minute goal one day?!!
