Meb Keflezighi with Dick Patrick
As an Olympic medalist and the winner of several national road racing, track, and cross country titles, Meb Keflezighi is an incredibly prominent athlete, but it was his victories at the New York City Marathon in 2009 and the Boston Marathon in 2014 that took him from acclamation within the running community to becoming a household name and a symbol of achievement. Keflezighi is the epitome of the American dream and what can be accomplished through determination, and "Run to Overcome" is his story of rising up from humble beginnings to maturing into one of the most distinguished long distance runners of our time. With the help of sports journalist Dick Patrick, Keflezighi has put together an astounding autobiography that not only inspires you to be a better runner, but to be a better person as well.
"Run to Overcome" establishes its themes of hard work, sacrifice, and perseverance early as it begins with Keflezighi's harrowing exodus from his war-torn homeland of Eritrea. From there, Keflezighi's entire life journey is laid out before us, right up until his win in Boston earlier this year. Along the way, Keflezighi describes a wide variety of struggles and successes, but the one thing that remains consistent throughout the book is his unwavering dedication. While reading "Run to Overcome" you can literally feel the immense focus that drives Keflezighi, and it is truly awe-inspiring. Whether he is talking about managing his training, meeting and courting his future wife, or dealing with the loss of close friend and teammate Ryan Shay, you can tell that Keflezighi puts his entire heart into everything he does.
In addition to the deeply intimate accounts that he offers within "Run to Overcome," Keflezighi also provides a fascinating peak behind the scenes of professional running. Reading about elite training schedules, the powers of the anti-doping agencies, and the stringency of performance contracts was like being indoctrinated into a secret society. Far from being filler, these brief exerts sprinkled throughout the book complement Keflezighi's personal narrative well and provide a unique perspective that sheds light on areas of the sport that most individuals would never even think about.
The one area in which "Run to Overcome" falters though is in its overabundant presentation of race results throughout the book. Several chapters include detailed lists of finishing times and podium outcomes, with very little, if any, narration to accompany them. Seeing the names of Keflezighi's high school and college rivals who would later go on to become Olympians and world champions was certainly interesting, but the inclusion of so many numbers and sports statistics was distracting from the overall message of the book.
Much like Keflezighi's career, "Run to Overcome" has its highs and lows, but the vast majority of it is overwhelmingly great. Keflezighi is an individual who has accomplished so much through faith and sheer force of will, yet he always manages to find more to give. After the horrific bombings that took place at the 2013 Boston Marathon, the American running community and Bostonians alike needed a hero more than ever to help overshadow those terrible events and assist with the healing process. As the first American male to win the Boston Marathon in 31 years, Keflezighi stepped up as that hero, and "Run to Overcome" is his story of reaching that pinnacle of success. Keflezighi's "Run to Overcome" is captivating and inspiring, truly a book worthy of being a part of every runner's collection.
No comments:
Post a Comment