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Why Running Matters

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Why Running Matters

By: Ian Mortimer
Narrated by: Ian Mortimer
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About this listen

A memoir about the meaning of running from renowned historian and author of The Time Traveller's Guides.

You might run for fitness. You might run for speed. But ultimately, running is about much more than the physical act itself. It is about the challenges we face in life and how we measure up to them. It is about companionship, endurance, ambition, hope, conviction, determination, self-respect and inspiration. In this yearlong memoir, which might be described as a historian’s take on Haruki Murakami’s What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, the celebrated historian Ian Mortimer considers the meaning of running as he approaches his 50th birthday. From injuries and frustrated ambitions to exhilaration and empathy, it is a personal and yet universal account of what running means to people and how it helps everyone focus on what really matters.

©2019 Ian Mortimer (P)2019 W. F. Howes Ltd Running & Jogging Sports Inspiring Physical Exercise

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All stars
Most relevant
Overall, I would class this book as a background book. You probably need to like running regularly and also like numbers. I listened to it on several training runs for the Paris Marathon. Good going Ian for your achievement, and you might have encouraged me to try a park run one day. I even signed up for a barcode. Would I listen again - no, but it certainly got me through some good 50 miles :)

You have to be a runner

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What a book. I am a self confessed running bore, and my long suffering wife and most of my friends can’t understand why. This book describes how I feel, the reason why and the meaning. The euphoria I felt when I ran the Brighton Marathon to the disappointment to not getting a time I wanted, even when it was a “good time”. I can’t recommend highly enough especially if you want to understand why we run and why Park Run matters. Totally excellent, I will recommend to anyone and everyone I meet!

This is exactly how I feel about running!

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This is a great book, read in a very engaging way by the author. So inspirational to listen to while you’re running — and so many great lessons to learn. Thoroughly recommend.

A year of runs

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This is a really good listen for anyone that’s into running, especially parkrunners. I loved hearing about Ian’s relationship with his children and the bond they share going to Parkrun every week. I hope one day my child and I have a similar relationship.

Heartfelt Running Book

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This book was a little like a year in the life of told through runs. I found it captivating and loved the homage paid to parkrun and the impact it has made to so many lives. Throughout the book Ian describes his different types of runs and what they mean to him while weaving in the rest of life making the running an essential aspect of his life, this was so impactful. He describes with great feeling the pride he has in his family, there are clear bonds through so many shared interests as well as values. I also loved his discussion about feeling competitive and the positive aspects of it. The book is also particularly enjoyable as it narrated by the author.

A must for all runners

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