On Facebook, I was a part of a running page that had a virtual book club. I am no longer on Facebook (talking about my personal account…I still have my Wrinkled Runner page…go join!), so I have been reading running books on my own.

Before I left we read My Year of Running Dangerously by Tom Foreman. Tom is an older runner and also a CNN Correspondent, husband, and father.

He decided to run a marathon with his daughter and wrote a book detailing the training journey from start to finish.

The book was an easy read, very engaging, and fun! I related to Tom based on the stories he told…not only about running…but his relationship with his wife and daughters.

He was in his 50’s when he wrote the book, which is where I am now as I train for marathons and keep trying to improve my running.

A lot of the books about running that I read are about body physiology or “how-to” types. While I find these interesting, and learn a lot, I loved that I could just sit back and read something about running that was purely for the entertainment of it.

The way he told his stories held my interest and they were funny! I had no problem imagining the courses, routes, and situations he was in as I read them.

He still runs marathons (he is now 60), so for me reading the book was motivation. I want to run as long as I possibly can and so many runners olders than me prove it can be done…and done well.  The last one that I know that he did was a BQ (Boston Qualifier) for him…so that is amazing! Definitely something on my running goals list.

I love when runners share the good and the bad, and not everything is “wow, great run today…felt so good to be out in -6° F with a stress fracture and LOL…I forgot to wear my hat so my ears fell off…yup, feeling great!”. Tom is definitely not that…he lets us in on all the mistakes he made and the struggles he had (with lots of humor). He made me feel like he was a fellow runner and not some superman.

If you enjoy reading non-fiction and reading about running, this is the perfect book for you. It won’t make you mad, it won’t make you have to think too hard and you will be inspired to set a goal no matter what your age.