Thoughts on ... Mile Markers

This is a running book that's not really about running. Kristin Armstrong is a runner and uses running as a metaphor for life. The determination, dedication, strength and endurance needed in running has parallels in life. These are blog posts from Running World, turned into a book, arranged into chapters/mile markers in our life; Friendship, Play, Motherhood, Balance, Race Day.

This is a deeply personal glimpse into her life, her faith and love of family, friends, and running comes through loud and clear. I read it straight though and enjoyed the book. Each chapter has had something call to me and I found myself reaching for a highlighter. I'm thinking I'll need my own copy so I can highlight and write in the margins.

Here's just one example where Kristen writes of roadblocks and detours. The kind you find while out and about on a run, the kind you find while driving around, the kind you hit in life.

...Roadblocks always have something to teach us. Maybe it's a lesson in patience or perseverance. Maybe it's an opportunity to rethink the direction we chose in the first place. maybe it's an essential tutorial about life. Maybe it's a profound examination of self.

Whatever we learn, we can be almost certain that we would not have learned it any other way. And that is the most direct route from frustration to gratitude, no matter where the detour takes us.

I remember someone saying "isn't a 5k just 3 miles?" No. no it's not. It is 3.1 miles. That .1 makes a big difference. Kristen says the .2 is about having what it takes. Where ever life takes us, I hope you always have strength left for your .2

Disclaimer: This was a library book. The opinions expressed in this post are mine and may differ from yours. Book information courtesy of publisher

Mile Markers
The 26.2 Most Important Reasons Why Women Run
by Kristin Armstrong

Rodale Press
March 2011
978-1609611064
Hardcover
12 + (personal feelings)
Running, Life Lessons, Biography
288 pages
Grade: A


Product Description:

Built on the success of her popular blog on RunnersWorld.com, Kristin Armstrong’s new book is an intensely personal look at how running creates a special sense of community for the women who participate, and how it has helped her and many others mark the milestones of their lives. Each of the 26 chapters (the .2 is the epilogue) is dedicated to a specific theme, such as Friendship, Gratitude, Healing, Balance, and Motherhood. The specific experience of running is knitted into each chapter.

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