Stories and Book Talk

Running is intensely personal. Yet when runners meet on a route, they lift a hand in greeting. That little wave says we’re in this together. It’s one of the things I love about running. – June: Running with Friends – Runatic Year, Shumovich Alex

The Runatic Year
By Alex Shumovich

A year of running. A life changed along the way.

For anyone who’s ever struggled to get out the door—or found that one more run can change the whole day. A personal story of everyday miles, mistakes, and a marathon.

First, your habits change. Then your body. Then the way you think. One day you realize your whole life has changed. You’ve become a runatic.

I’m not a coach or a champion, and I’m not going to sell you any courses. I simply fell in love with running, and I love writing books. So I kept a record of what happened to me over the course of a year, then decided to turn it into a book. I sincerely hope you like the idea.

Thoughts on a 365 Running Goal:

Runatic Year: A Year of Running. A Life Changed Along the Way is an online reading experience. I received a message to read this book. I was excited to discover the book is available on Alex Shumovich’s website; all chapters are available to read. It is available in almost every language.

Shumovich recounts his experience of choosing a year-long running goal. January is notoriously full of goal-making. Most of us shift our goalposts as the year continues, or abandon them altogether. In Runatic Year, Shumovich recounts his determination to overcome procrastination and run every day for a year. He shares his preparations, experiences, decisions, and challenges, and how his goalposts grew through the challenge instead of fading.

I admire his determination and the grace with which he notes the challenges he faced, the joys, the highs, and the lows. Between choosing the best shoes, which he reveals are a remarkably important part of running, and deciding how short his toenails should be, or whether to run in the morning or evening, Shumovich offers insights into how his choice to run every day changed his life.

Favorite Quotes:

We say we want to be closer to nature, then drive too fast to notice the seasons or walk only as far as the nearest stop. Running through parks, along rivers, and through neighborhoods farther from home gives me a wider, more intimate view of the world. Run every day and each day leaves a trace, in memory and in the training log. – August: A Park Through the Seasons – The Runatic Year, Shumovich Alex

If you are interested in running, a beginner or hoping to work up to running a marathon, this book is a great read. It provides valuable insights into what it takes to become a runner.