CAN I RUN? ME?
Yes, yes, and yes! You can. For sure. This book is filled with stories of people struggling with self-doubt who put one foot forward and have never looked back. Your age, shape and speed don’t matter. Just take the first step and the rest will follow.
In these 88 short stories, people of widely differing backgrounds describe why, where, and how they run. From the beginner to the elite athlete, from the parent at home to the refugee, each story is uniquely personal. But they all share one thing in common – the enormously positive effect running has on their lives.
Every story is accompanied by a photograph of the writer.
These stories will inspire you, make you laugh and make you cry. They are as varied as the people who wrote them – people like Roger, Jerry, Jacquie and Camilla:
Roger Sawtell proved it is never too late to start.
“I am 93 and for 92 of those years I did not show any interest in running.”
Jerry Carey rebuilt her life through running.
“I was isolated, gaslighted, manipulated, psychologically conditioned and controlled 24/7. I wasn’t allowed access to my phone, friends, or family.”
Jacquie Millet and Camilla Langlands have broken extra-ordinary records.
“We have earned a Guinness World Record for the most marathons run together by a parent and child.”
If you are thinking about running but haven’t quite braved it yet, expect these stories to give you the urge to put your trainers on and head out of the door. If you are already a runner, expect echoes of your own experience and ideas for new ones.
The stories are organised into six broad themes:
- IT MAKES ME FEEL SO GOOD – Stories of wellbeing and joy.
- RUNNING JOURNEYS – Personal running histories, from getting going to achieving a goal.
- RACING TALES - From parkrun to ultra-marathon, these are all about races.
- RUNNING GOT ME THROUGH - Extra-ordinary, powerful accounts of overcoming adversity.
- THE COMPETITIVE SPIRIT - Winning medals or achieving records motivate this group.
- IT’S ABOUT OTHER PEOPLE TOO - Making new friends, finding love, raising funds for charity, guiding a blind runner, coaching and more all show that running is far from a solitary experience.
The section ‘Questions new runners ask’ answers 10 things new runners – or those thinking about running – often wonder about. It covers:
CAN I RUN?ME? (You can, definitely)
DOES IT MATTER WHAT I WEAR? (Only the very basics)
DO I NEED TO STRETCH AND WARM UP BEFORE I RUN? (For sure)
HOW FAST, FAR AND OFTEN SHOULD I RUN? (Less is more for beginners)
DO I NEED TO EAT OR DRINK? (Depends)
WILL I LOSE WEIGHT? (Probably – if you are sensible)
HOW CAN I FIND OTHER PEOPLE TO RUN WITH? (That’s easy)
AM I TOO OLD TO RUN? (NO!)
WILL I FEEL PAIN? (Maybe. There is good pain and bad pain.)
SHOULD I SET A GOAL? (It can help)
The authors are delighted to donate 100% of their revenue from sales of this book to THE RUNNING CHARITY who use running to improve the lives of homeless young people in the UK. This small but essential organisation saves and transforms lives – you can read about some of them in the book.
BUY NOW TO EXPERIENCE THE MOTIVATIONAL POWER OF “NORMAL” PEOPLE’S RUNNING STORIES AND SUPPORT THE RUNNING CHARITY WHEN YOU DO.
Jerry Lockspeiser is an entrepreneur, writer, and business consultant working in the for-profit and social enterprise sectors. He took up running in his mid-50s after increasingly frequent injuries put an end to his football days. He has run 23 marathons, including the six Abbott Marathon Majors. Pleased to have set a marathon PB age 65, he remains in awe of his co-author Andrew's superior speed and age grading. Jerry is a Director of Positive News, fellow of the RSA, contributor to Harpers Wine & Spirit and qualified RAC motorcycle instructor. This is his third book.
Andrew Roberts is a freelance graphic designer who also shoots short videos. Occasionally he dresses up as an extra on movies. Most days after sedentary work he runs around London. His race range is from one mile to half marathon, but he prefers a local 5k to big events that combine running with queuing. He holds the UK mile record for his age group in 2015. Andrew admits to enjoying running past fit looking younger folk like Jerry.
