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The Long Run
The Long Run: A Memoir | Catriona Menzies-Pike
15 posts | 10 read | 10 to read
An unlikely marathoner finds her way through grief and into the untold history of women and running. Thirty-year-old Catriona Menzies-Pike defined herself in many ways: voracious reader, pub crawler, feminist, backpacker, and, since her parents' deaths a decade earlier, orphan. "Runner" was nowhere near the list. Yet when she began training for a half marathon on a whim, she found herself an instant convert. Soon she realized that running, "a pace suited to the precarious labor of memory," was helping her to grieve the loss of her parents in ways that she had been, for ten messy years, running away from. As Catriona excavates her own past, she also grows curious about other women drawn to running. What she finds is a history of repression and denialrunning was thought to endanger childbearing, and as late as 1967 the organizer of the Boston Marathon tried to drag a woman off the course, telling her to "get the hell out of my race"but also of incredible courage and achievement. As she brings to life the stories of pioneering athletes and analyzes the figure of the woman runner in pop culture, literature, and myth, she comes to the heart of why she's running, and why any of us do.
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Sihamwh
The Long Run: A Memoir | Catriona Menzies-Pike
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"Women running for any reason other than to get out of trouble is a fairly recent phenomenon"
"The treadmill was invented to punish prisoners with work... Gyms are where such exertions are restaged, only with consent and for a fee. If one were -in a moment of disquiet-to launch a diatribe about what's wrong with wealthy Western cities, a gym would be a good spot to start."

#memoir #nonfiction #sports

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Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
The Long Run: A Memoir | Catriona Menzies-Pike
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Thank you my bestie for this sweet care package!! I love the magnet and the clips!! And I love the hand sanitizer! I accidentally left it out of the pic 🤦🏼‍♀️ These books sound awesome!! Thanks so much!! It came on a great day!

#LitsyLove

Eggs You‘re so welcome 🙏🏻💕🥰 4y
80 likes2 comments
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Cwade
The Long Run: A Memoir | Catriona Menzies-Pike
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Pickpick
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kerry
The Long Run: A Memoir | Catriona Menzies-Pike
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Pickpick

I loved this book so much it made me remember how to blog again. Full review at
http://www.entomologyofabookworm.com/2017/09/book-review-long-run-by-catriona.ht...

tl;dr 👍👍👍👍

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kbuggle
The Long Run: A Memoir | Catriona Menzies-Pike
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Mehso-so

I liked this memoir, but the placement of certain portions felt scattered and disorganized. I enjoyed the focus on the history of women's running, and the lack of documentation of that history. It did make me excited for my evening run, so that is always a plus.

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kbuggle
The Long Run: A Memoir | Catriona Menzies-Pike
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Received this ARC from @Crownpublishing and looking forward to what I'm hoping is a different sort of running memoir 🏃‍♀️

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Kappadeemom
The Long Run: A Memoir | Catriona Menzies-Pike
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Got my new running shoes on and reading this book! #runnergirl

15 likes1 stack add
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BookNAround
The Long Run: A Memoir | Catriona Menzies-Pike
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I haven't run in several years. I'm trying to gear myself up to start again. But oh the beginning is hard! Maybe this memoir will be inspirational.

BooksForEmpathy I just started running too!! Good luck, getting out of the house is the hardest part. (edited) 7y
22 likes1 stack add1 comment
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peaKnit
The Long Run: A Memoir | Catriona Menzies-Pike
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Bailedbailed

As an on again off again OLD runner, a perpetual newbie, I was hoping for some insight rather than a history lesson. I could not get past that part..if there was a more heart-felt, vulnerable story, I didn't make it to that and I'm over 1/2. She suffered great loss, it seems she was writing about how to power through without feeling vs running as therapy. I was hoping for motivation or advice. Bummer. Not a bad book just not what I was looking for

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GregZimmerman
The Long Run: A Memoir | Catriona Menzies-Pike
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Pickpick

Loved this! A must-read if you're late-blooming runner (as I am). It's part running memoir but also part history of women runners (which, embarrassingly, I knew nothing about - which is part of her point). It's sad, smart, hilariously self-deprecating, and absolutely inspiring.

peaKnit I've just started running a bit, I'll add it to my TBR, thank you! 7y
13 likes2 stack adds1 comment
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LauraBeth
The Long Run: A Memoir | Catriona Menzies-Pike
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I loved this book! It has inspired me to go running during this difficult emotional time. Full review here:

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2009499421

sprainedbrain You're awesome! Maybe some day I will change my walks/jogs in to runs. 😃 7y
bio_chem06 The Long Run is great! Come run on Ohio, we have plenty of women running up here! 7y
Spiderfelt Great review. I was a runner, but stopped when my knees started to hurt a couple of years ago. I still try everyone once in a while, but the knees always give me trouble. 7y
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Texreader 😂😂😂 7y
LeahBergen 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 7y
Cinfhen I'm really envious of those arms💕💕💕💕 7y
Cinfhen And I'm glad running is helping you during this difficult time 💪🏼🏃🏼‍♀️🏃🏼‍♀️🏃🏼‍♀️ 7y
LauraBeth @Cinfhen I lift books 😀 7y
LauraBeth @Spiderfelt oh that stinks! My knees gave me trouble in the beginning of 2016 so I took a year off from running. Keep trying - you never know when your knees will choose to cooperate 😀 7y
LauraBeth @bio_chem06 it's on my running bucket list! 7y
LauraBeth @sprainedbrain try it - you may like it! 😂 7y
LauraBeth @Texreader 😊😊 7y
Cinfhen You must be lifting the Encyclopedia Brittanica series😂 7y
britt_brooke I miss running! 😔 I had to stop due to recurring lower back issues, but it has worked out okay since that's the reason I first tried spinning. I'm addicted! I still miss running, though. 7y
LauraBeth @britt_brooke spinning is so much fun! My friend has a Peloton bike so now I want one 😀But there is something about the solitude of running that I like 7y
britt_brooke @LauraBeth That's the part of running I miss. The peloton bikes are so cool. I'm may get one eventually, especially if I go back to work once my boys are both in school. 😉 7y
146 likes1 stack add17 comments
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LauraBeth
The Long Run: A Memoir | Catriona Menzies-Pike
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Reading with Cheerios 😀I didn't start running until I was 38 - so I enjoy reading about how others came to running later in life. I've found that reading books about running helps me stay motivated 😀🏃‍♀️

Marchpane Wow! That actually really inspires me to want to give it a try 😄 Never too late to learn, right? 8y
LauraBeth @wen4blu I have and I love it! 8y
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LauraBeth @Marchpane it's never too late to learn anything! Give it a try 😀 8y
LizzyM I ran when I was younger but have just started back up at age 37 after a several year hiatus (kids, work, life!). And I second "Born to Run" - it's one of my favorite books on running! (edited) 8y
Joybishoptx I worry I will hurt myself. But I used to run. I loved it. I find it much more satisfying than walking. 8y
LauraBeth That's amazing @LizzyM! Sometimes you have to take a break when you're in those busy seasons of life but glad you're back at it now 😀 8y
LauraBeth @Joybishoptx I started out walking at first and then began a walk/run program (something like couch to 5k) and from there went on to run - I'd say it was about a year in the making. Now that I'm older, I just want to run for fun and to keep my weight down (because I like the food) 😂 8y
Joybishoptx @LauraBeth I need to do something. I've now lost 70 pounds and it's time to move more! 8y
LauraBeth WOW @Joybishoptx - that is amazing!! 👏👏👏 I'm so happy to hear that! I'd say with moving more - just take the first step because that's always the hardest. Once you take that first step then the hardest part of just starting is over. I tell people to find the 1 activity that they love that they can sustain for a lifetime - and then just become an expert at that - so whatever it is: walking, cycling, hiking, tennis, running - do what you enjoy ❤ 8y
Joybishoptx @LauraBeth thank you so much! I need to do some soul searching and just get off my booty! You do inspire me with your books about running 💕 8y
LauraBeth Well I'm proud of you @Joybishoptx! 😀 8y
lamaman2boys I just started (and stopped & started & stopped) last year at 35. I've been doing the Zombies Run! Version of Couch to 5k -- I can't wait to get back to it. @Joybishoptx That's incredible!! 8y
Joybishoptx @lamaman2boys thanks! I'm still working on eating right and finding balance. 8y
Joybishoptx @LauraBeth thank you! 😊 8y
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Well-ReadNeck
The Long Run: A Memoir | Catriona Menzies-Pike
Mehso-so

The running memoir is becoming its own sub genre. I read and recommend highly Born to Run and What I Talk About When I talk About Running. This, in comparison, is only mediocre. The author, in addition to her story, writes about other running books and focuses on the female runner. However, she fails to show vulnerability and her story seems shallow #netgalley

JessReads Hm. I have an ARC of this that I got from work. It's short, so I'll probably still give it a read, but that's disappointing. I was looking forward to this one! 8y
peaKnit I had to bail, I agree it seemed shallow and I think there is so much potential story. 7y
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Peterdamien
Long Run | Catriona Menzies-Pike
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This book is just tops, you guys

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Peterdamien
Long Run | Catriona Menzies-Pike
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Tonight's book! A very bookish running book, which is my jam. Makes me miss running, though.

LauraBeth Can you still run? 8y
kerry Immediately adding to stack. Bookish running books are the best kind of running books. 8y
Peterdamien @LauraBeth yeah, I just lost the habit a year or two ago. But every single time I find a good running book (and this is) I get back at it, soooooo 8y
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LauraBeth @Peterdamien read this: http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2008/06/09/the-running-novelist then lace up and get your butt back at it 8y
Peterdamien @LauraBeth oh, I love that article. It made me immediately buy his book on running, which made me run even MORE. Clearly I have to go for a run tonight. 8y
bio_chem06 Just ran 3 miles today, training for my first half in April. Putting this book on my list! 8y
21 likes1 stack add6 comments