Every once and a while, a book comes along that rings all my bells--and then some. The Long Run is one of those books. Running. Distance running. Trail running, even. Grief. Loss. Meditation. Feminism. History. Feminist history. Memory. Writing. Literature. Books. Here's a book that manages, in the span of a few hundred pages, to talk about dactyls and iambs, trans rights, art history, the Ancients, and distance running without any piece of it feeling out of place. Yes, please, sign me up.

Catriona Menzies-Pike's parents died when she was twenty. After a decade of searching--for herself, perhaps, or for answers, or for ways to hide from, run from, bury the grief left in their absence--she found herself telling friends she would one day run a marathon. And one day, she did. But not before several shorter races, several half marathons, two failed attempts to start a marathon, and several months of research, study, and examination of the sport of running--particular of women's running.

"Stories of running are often like this, in that they're about something else. They are tales of shape-shifting, of the desire to shed one skin and sleep in another."

The Long Run is an account of all of that. Of racing and of failing to race. Of pushing through the wall. Of bonking and of feeling like your feet are made of air. Of transforming, almost without realizing it, from a person who disdains runners to a person who identifies as one. Of the women who paved the path before the female runners of today, of the struggles they faced, of the ways history has chosen to gloss over, put down, or otherwise ignore them. Of the empowerment of women's running movements today, and their failure to be intersectional in favor of being astonishingly pink. Of working out "how to run for long enough that being still would be a consolation."

It's hard for me to sum up exactly how much this book resonated with me. It's been a roller coaster of a year, emotionally, and though I have not lost both of my parents in one fell swoop (thank whatever gods may be), I've experience loss in new and challenging ways in recent months. I've come to terms with failures in the feminist movement, and yet found ways to embrace the label for myself. I've taken to running long distances--some might call them stupidly long distances--and realized, through injury and time off and time spent rebuilding some kind of mileage base, how much this sport means to me, not only as a runner, but as a woman.

"I wanted only to run for a long time," writes Menzies-Pink, "and to be soothed by the incomprehensible emotional shifts this produced." This, though.

The Long Run may not be for readers who do not share some love of the sport of running on its own merit. But for those who value the mind-clearing power of a good run (or, let's face it, a bad one) without truly understanding what calls them to tie up those overpriced shoes and hit the trails, Menzies-Pike's memoir is a heartfelt, powerful story of one woman's transformation into a runner, and the many ways running has changed her, wrapped up in a comprehensive feminist history of the sport. A++, would read again, etc. etc. etc.

The author shares her journey through grief; interweaving her story with anecdotes of running history. She's a talented writer--and the book is interesting. It didn't grab me as I hoped it would, but I did enjoy it and would recommend it to anyone who loves running.

My full review can be found on my blog: http://www.takinglongwayhome.com/2017/06/book-review-long-run-memoir-of-loss-and.html

A wonderful pairing of the history of marathon running, women's running, and the author's course through grief. An intersectional title, if ever I did see one.

I requested this book from Netgalley because I was looking for a memoir that focused on a woman turning to running when dealing with grief, thereby finding herself. I was expecting a memoir that was big on personal story and much less of an essay on the history of gender in running. But this memoir was big on essay and short on personal story - which although was still interesting, certainly didn't suck me in as I had hoped it would.

While Catriona obviously researched women in running - everything they have had to overcome, are still overcoming, and highlighted moments in history most of us don't know - she didn't open up to her readers the way one usually does in a memoir. Rather than feel like I know her better, or understand what even brought her to start running (marathon running at that!), I feel like I have a better appreciation for the history of running, and a much greater knowledge of the modern Olympic Games.

Catriona really glossed over anything that involved feelings and her past and jumped right into running, reminding us that all her friends and family couldn't believe that she had become a runner ... something that perhaps I would have also felt had she opened up about her journey in her 20s.

The best way I can articulate my feelings about this book was that I was expecting a memoir and got more of a dissertation paper. It certainly got better the more I read (and by better I mean that she let the reader in a little more), but it isn't something I think I will go back to for inspiration to get back on the long distance running road, nor a book I'll refer to when dealing with grief or bereavement.

2.5 star read.

This book took me too long to finish. I think her writing style is good, very honest and conversational, which I like. But this book is more a combination of nonfiction essays about women running throughout history with a little bit of her personal journey of running sprinkled throughout. Maybe I was hoping for more of a story about a woman runner. The history, although parts were interesting, was mostly mundane and boring. Just not what I really wanted to read. Just expect a history lesson if you decide to read it.

Despite my love of memoir, feminism, and running, I just couldn't get into this book. I think part of it was the length of the chapters, there weren't many good places to pause while reading.

While very well-written and thoroughly researched, it was not what I expected. I went into it thinking I was going to read a memoir but what I got was a thought-provoking thesis on women running in history, with the author's own experience as add-ins.

The historical aspect of women running in history was interesting. The common theme represented was that most descriptions associated with women running was do to fear and escape. There was even mention of a runner while training for a race (and not that long ago, I might add) getting stopped by the police because they assumed she only reason why she was running was because she was in trouble and/or being chased.

Cariona Menzies-Pike had an interesting story to tell. She was looking at running for a way to change her story, not for a reason to escape. Although she had plenty of reasons to want to escape. Even though she has completed marathons, she still has a hard time calling herself a runner. And mainly because she doesn't fit societies typical runner description or size, shape or speed. Although she breaks this stigma down throughout her memoir, the stigma still exists.

I could certainly relate to much of what she had to say about her own personal views on running. It's wonderful to see what women have accomplished in just a few short years in the world of running. There are a lot of female athletes out there to admire. And they don't have to just be fast in order to fall into this category. Thank you Catriona for shining a light on the averageness of the sport and the need to not fall into typical stereotypes. If you run, you a runner. Do it for you.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an Advanced Reader Copy in exchange for an honest review.

Wow wow wow... I don't think I even read the description when requesting this one from Netgalley. "LONG RUN" jumped out at me loud and clear. I knew it had to be about running, and as a runner (albeit with a four year break after the twins being born), I wanted to read it. ASAP. I do that with any books about running, swimming or cycling, preferably all three at once. So far so good. The writer has been through some horrible tragedies but through it all, she found something both therapeutic and enjoyable, running! There is a t-shirt out there that says "Running... It's cheaper than therapy!" After three full marathons (two involving interstate travel), eight half marathons, four triathlons, a handful of 5K and 10Ks, at least ten pair of Brooks Adrenalines size 7W (in case you are shopping for me), a Garmin watch, a used road bike from Craigslist, two drawers full of workout clothes, swim flippers/pull buoy/goggles, a treadmill, two iPod shuffles, and truckloads of Gatorade, I would have to argue. My co-pay is only $30 a pop lol...

The author has done her research on the history of the marathon and the participation of women in them. Each chapter discusses a various aspect of running and women with anecdotes of her personal life interspersed. I thought it was brilliant. There are a few sluggish spots, but overall the book was amazing.

At any rate, this book is a great read, maybe even if you're not a runner!

The Long Run sprints ahead of other books that I’ve read about running (which have been a lot). First of all – this is one of the only books that I’ve read about running that is female-centric – but not in the way that one might expect. Instead of being a shallow book of Pinterest self-help quotes, this book aims higher and hits the mark by delving into the psyche of women and for the reasons they run. It made me question why it was exactly that I began running a few years ago. It connects a lot of dots to running: the human psyche, feminism, culture, history and even literature. Reading this book made me realize that the author is a treasure trove of information on a myriad of topics and her ability to interrelate all of these ideas was skillfully done.

Additionally, the author looks at heroic women who have broken through social barriers in the running world and while it made me appreciate these women much more than I have previously, I also walked away with much respect and admiration for the author. She’s the everyday woman who overcame heartache and a sedentary lifestyle by transforming herself into a runner. She represents what we’re all capable of doing. Catriona Menzies-Pike is inspiring and fierce in her own right.

Many thanks to Crown Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The Long Run is most compelling when it focuses on the details of the author's personal training and running regime, and her own life story. Catriona Menzies-Pike juxtaposes interesting snippets of history of women running (or women being excluded from competitions) which are in themselves fascinating, but for me distract from the compelling details of her personal quest. Readers wondering what it might be like to set a training challenge and then actually "go for it" will likely enjoy this book. It is definitely a memoir and not a "how-to train" book. I also love the details of running through neighborhoods and landscapes, how the runner's vision narrows to the moment. Beautiful description of the runner's journey, both interior (recovery from grief and entering a zone of metaphysical moments) and exterior (shade trees, geckos, wallabies, steep trails, other runners). Excavated enthusiasms and terrors of race day, and the author's particular logistics of mental prep for a big run are very inspiring! That said, I think the history and political/feminist details about running beg for a book of their own. This author has the determination to pull it off.

The Long Run is a memoir by a young woman in Sydney who hadn't identified as an athlete or a runner. The books and articles that she'd read about running seemed to focus on ambitious, Type A people or on self improvement or weight loss. Menzies-Pike shares her own story of how running opened up a "new geography" of her home city. She discusses books about running from the point of view of a reader (as compared to reading the books as a runner). With self-depreciating humor shines through whether she discusses what first women marathoners faced in 1896 or her family anecdotes or her own travel stories, Menzies-Pike delivers an engaging, well thought-out discussion. Her book is about running but it is also about determination, perseverance, and taking control while keeping a sense of humor.

Thank you to Crown Publishing for providing me with an advanced copy of Catriona Menzies-Pike's memoir, The Long Run, in exchange for an honest review.

PLOT - When she was in her early twenties, Catriona Menzies-Pike was dealt a major life-change, when her parents both died in a plane crash. She spent the following decade finishing her education, while dealing with both her profound grief, and the extensive probate process to close her parent's estate. She had never considered herself very athletic, but when she turned thirty, she decided that she wanted to change her lifestyle and began running. The Long Run chronicles her journey to becoming a marathon runner, including an examination on how running helped her cope with loss and the history of female runners. 

LIKE- I'm not a runner. I've finished a handful of half-marathons and other athletic events, but I've always been more of a slow finisher, mostly walking. I've never had the drive to turn myself into a runner. Running is not what drew me to Menzies-Pike's memoir. Like Menzies-Pike, I also lost my parents at a young age and this is what made me interested in her story.

The Long Run is half a history of running, specifically female runners. I was not expecting her memoir to be so heavy on the history, but I'm glad it was, as it was fascinating. I had recently heard the story of runner Kathrine Switzer, who in 1967 was the first woman to run the Boston Marathon as an official participant. Switzer registered using her first initial, rather than her name, and snuck by in a time when women were not allowed to participate. Famously, a race official tried to physically remove her from the course, but her boyfriend at the time, stepped in and Switzer kept running. The Long Run is filled with stories of other female runners from around the world who helped break down barriers. I may have zero interest in running, but I'm grateful to these women who took risks so that I could have opportunities. It's amazing to me to think that Switzer's Boston Marathon run was just ten years before I was born. I feel like I grew up in a world where I could aspire to anything.

Menzies-Pike also writes about the fear that women have, a fear that has been drilled into them, regarding things like running alone or running at night. Until last summer, when I moved to downtown Portland, I've never felt unsafe in my environment. Now, I live in a place where I would not walk outside of my building at night without my husband. In the daytime, I even feel nervous. A big part of this, is that we live right next to a pretty park, where unfortunately, bad things have happened. This fear has limited my life. I don't go to writing events or other things, stuff that I wouldn't have hesitated to do when we lived in Los Angeles. Fear is powerful and controlling.

DISLIKE- I wish Menzies-Pike had made her memoir more focused on her grieving and transformation. It could have been more introspective. If I was a runner, I think I would have been more interested in the specific details of her major races. As a non-runner, these portions were a little tedious and I found my attention drifting.

RECOMMEND- If you're a female athlete or interested in the history of marathons, The Long Run would be a great pick.

I loved the The Long Run by Catriona Menzies-Pike. It’s always interesting for me to read about another woman’s perspective on a sport and why she does it. This book is a mix of personal experience and history and I thought this was a great read.

E ARC from Netgalley.com

This book is an odd combination of memoir and history. The memoir isn't anything new-- while the author mentions that she has read a lot of running memoirs that didn't speak to her experience as a reluctant runner, most of the memoirs I have read are much like this. The runner doesn't want to run, but has personal issues, so takes it up reluctantly and finds that it answers many of the questions in her life and helps her deal with issues.

What does make this book appealing is the history of women and running, and especially the intersectionality of feminism and running. Complete with citations in the back, the author lays out the most complete history of women and running that I have seen. This is fantastic, and would be a fabulous resource for school libraries if we could just separate that part from the memoir!

I should take notes and look up some of the women she mentions, because I see a LOT Of National History Day project possibilities.

I know there are a lot of teachers and librarians who also run (and who might be on spring break!), so this book is worth mentioning.

And is anyone else waiting for this year's Boston Marathon in order to watch Kathryn Switzer return for the 50th anniversary of her groundbreaking run?

THE LONG RUN by Catriona Menzies-Pike is an entertaining book that smoothly melds a memoir of Menzies-Pike's journey into being the runner she is today and a history of distance running, particularly looking at women's place in the distance running sport.
Menzies-Pike's writes about her beginnings as a runner and follows through her completing her first marathon and beyond. She describes the highs and lows of training, finding the zen of running, and how she balanced her life to include training. Along the way, Menzies-Pike prose painted marvelous pictures of running through Sydney and other cities and the harsh realities of being in and struggling through races. Throughout the book, Menzies-Pike bounces over to providing a history of women's distance racing, how it struggled (and still does) with negative sexual reactions to women runner's clothing and bodies, to how for many years, certain athletic associations felt that a woman's body can't handle distance running, and to how only in the last 40 years or so has women's racing really evolved into a sport on the same (or close to the same) level as men's distance running.
A good running memoir/look at the sport of running, THE LONG RUN is a well-written book that is inspirational and entertaining and for all the runners out there (and I am one too), a good book to check out.

This was a DNF for me I really liked the parts about the authors life, but found the rest to be a feminist history lesson on running. Sorry not interested.

I sincerely enjoyed the writing style of this author. This was a fascinating memoir/ history lesson on women in running. I have tried time and again to become a "runner" with a snail's pace and a hunger to sit on the couch and eat junk food over jumping into work out gear and step on the treadmill. I know the pleasure in completing a work out, and totally understand the procrastination of getting started on one. Great book!

The running memoir is becoming its own subgenre. I have read and enjoyed several. Particularly, I would recommend What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami and Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. This, in comparison, is only mediocre. The author, in addition to giving us some of her story, also writes about other running books and focuses on the female runner. However, she fails to be truly vulnerable in her story and the story seems rather shallow.