4.25 Stars at least for me! I really liked this book! Seriously, watch the 2018 Boston Highlights before and after reading, especially if you don't follow a lot of racing like me.

If you're like me and just casually (read: semi-occasionally) tune into the big running events, this book has so much to offer in terms of getting the full career lead up to Des's 2018 Boston win. She doesn't shy away from telling the reader that it wasn't all perfect upwards progression from race to race and highlights struggles with injury, health, and self-doubt.

If you're looking for a "tell-all" memoir/biography where the author spills all the beans and gives an almost-TMI look into their life and career, this isn't it. Which is 100% okay! I think it's a very good overview of her journey to Boston 2018 and then beyond.

That said, I do think I would have enjoyed having more information. Specifically, I think it would have been helpful to have more concrete timeline indicators. It was a little difficult to figure out and keep track of where in the timeline we were at, especially with the alternating lead-up and 2018 race story chapters. Length of time was often conveyed in terms of build ups and training progress, which can made it difficult to pin point how much time has passed at certain points.

Races were also frequently used to indicate event times, which is fine if you know when those races are held, but if you don't you might be needing to google a bit.

I also wish we had gotten more of Des's thoughts, opinions, and feelings on certain events. While not the focus of the book, I think delving a little deeper into the issues with doping, the Hansons, and instances where Des felt othered would have helped to really drive home the weight and significance of to certain events and choices.

I was eager to get my hands on this memoir while training for my first half marathon. As a recreational runner, I didn’t come to this book with a full awareness of the events from the professional running world that take place in its pages. The order of the narrative confused me at first, but once I caught the rhythm, I was fully onboard. Linden feeds us segments of her Boston marathon win in chronological order with bits about her childhood, her path to professional running, and the ups and downs of her running life tucked in between. I liked reading about her racing strategy and enjoyed her references to Deena Kastor, another runner whose memoir I loved. What I appreciated most about Linden’s story was how she coped with disappointment and injury. When the speed and performance she was used to wasn’t there for a period of time, she had to find the intrinsic joy and value in running to keep herself showing up. I also appreciated her love of literature. While I started the book looking for running inspiration, I walked away with motivation to keep showing up in both my running and my writing practice. Thank you to NetGalley and Dutton for the opportunity to read in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely loved this book. I’ve run over 100 marathons but I never get tired of hearing someone else’s story of their running life. I met Desi a few times when I worked at Hansons and saw her running at Stony Creek all the time. She’s pretty much a local celebrity of sorts in that area. Her book really shared the back story of her running life. From the few times I’ve met her I got the impression she is a very private person, so I’m surprised she wrote this book and shared so much of herself. I’m glad she did though. I found the book to be quite inspiring and will recommend it to all my running friends.

As a runner and long time fan of Des Linden, I devoured this book. It was a tastefully written account of her career but also battles she has fought that have never been in the public eye. Linden’s story is one of perseverance, resilience, and dedication to hard work and the sport she loves. Alternating between her rise in the sport and the Boston Marathon of 2018 where she emerged as the winner added a level of suspense and broke up the monotony of a professional biography. Well written and well-executed account that required a great deal of honesty while touching on otherwise uncomfortable topics.

Choosing to Run
A Memoir
by Des Linden
Pub Date 04 Apr 2023
PENGUIN GROUP Dutton, Dutton
Biographies & Memoirs


I am reviewing a copy of Choosing to Run through Penguin Group Dutton and Netgalley:


Des woke up on April 16, 2018, the morning of the Boston Marathon to a 39 degrees and rainy day. The weather didn't bother her. In fact, she thought it might be a blessing. She was far from peak form recovering from illness and questioning her running future and didn’t expect much of herself that day.



As she ticked off mile after mile in the brutal conditions, passing familiar landmarks on the course she knew and loved, something shifted. Opportunity unexpectedly presented itself. Des tapped into her inner strength and found a reason to race.


Des took the lead and never relinquished it, becoming the 2018 Boston Marathon champion Des took the lead and never relinquished it, becoming the 2018 Boston Marathon champion and the first American woman to win the race in thirty-three years, coming off at Heartbreak Hill at Mile 22. Des became the first American woman to win the race in thirty-three years. 



Her career has always been defined by tenacity and an independent spirit, stretching back to her first competitive race in San Diego, when she beat better-outfitted, more experienced kids. Des was a two-time All-American at Arizona State University, and as her collegiate years wound down, she decided she wasn’t done with the sport. Des gambled on herself and moved to Michigan to give professional running a try. As she rose through the elite ranks, she became increasingly determined to do things her way in an industry often bound by the status quo.



I give Choosing to Run five out of five stars!


Happy Reading!

As a lifelong runner and a fan of distance running, I was fairly familiar with Linden's story before diving into Choosing to Run. My expectations were fairly high as well and the chapters detailing the 2018 Boston Marathon met them in full. Everything in between, however, felt quite poorly structured and lacked cohesion to bring it all together. I still believe this to be a strong memoir and one I would highly recommend to anyone regardless of their familiarity with the sport of running. Despite lacking literary, Choosing to Run is a great story of hard work and perseverance in one of the toughest disciplines out there.