The Long Run: A Memoir of Loss and Life in Motion
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 denial-running 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.
1125580110
The Long Run: A Memoir of Loss and Life in Motion
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 denial-running 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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The Long Run: A Memoir of Loss and Life in Motion

The Long Run: A Memoir of Loss and Life in Motion

by Catriona Menzies-Pike

Narrated by Olivia Mackenzie-Smith

Unabridged — 7 hours, 51 minutes

The Long Run: A Memoir of Loss and Life in Motion

The Long Run: A Memoir of Loss and Life in Motion

by Catriona Menzies-Pike

Narrated by Olivia Mackenzie-Smith

Unabridged — 7 hours, 51 minutes

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Overview

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 denial-running 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.

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

Elegant and erudite….The most resonant parts of [Menzies-Pike's] narrative deal with her own personal loss, and how tightly it becomes interwoven with her experiences as a runner….Gorgeously written and extremely moving.” —The Atlantic

"Satisfies in every way." —Oprah.com

“Menzies-Pike’s engaging book braids together feminist and literary theory, cultural criticism, history, and a moving personal narrative…Important and fascinating.” —Publishers Weekly

"You don’t have to be a runner to appreciate The Long Run....Engrossing." —Bustle

"Honest, funny, and moving." —Kirkus Reviews

“This engaging memoir navigates the complexities, misconceptions, and the oppression of female runners in film, literature, and art throughout history. It will leave an impression on women and runners alike.” —Library Journal

"In The Long Run, Catriona Menzies-Pike illuminates one of running’s great contradictions: incredible restoration found through repeated breakdown. Drawing on her own journey from grieving daughter to confident racer, as well as the experiences of female pioneers who paved the way, The Long Run offers a convincing nudge for all of us to get out there and let the open roads work their magic."
—Becky Wade, professional marathoner and author of Run the World: My 3,500-Mile Journey Through Running Cultures Around the Globe

“Catriona Menzies-Pike’s narrative opens up the possibility that we can redefine our world through running. She seamlessly and brilliantly weaves history with her own life in a way that feels both personal and accessible, shedding a unique light on the sport and the women who have pursued it.”
—Alexi Pappas, creator of Tracktown, essayist, and Olympic athlete

"Running is about so much more than exercise: running is about freedom, healing, introspection and community. It is about using your soles to search your soul—and this wonderful book captures that feeling so well. Running through these pages with Catriona Menzies-Pike is as rejuvenating as a dash down the trail where your burdens can be, if not left behind, at least carried more easily. This is a book of rebirth, effort, courage, and caring—the qualities few runners expect but the lucky ones find." —Tom Foreman, author of My Year of Running Dangerously

The Long Run 
weaves the rewards of a running life with the sport’s rich history. An educational, entertaining and soulful journey through the miles.”
—Deena Kastor, American Record holder and Olympic medalist, marathon
 

Library Journal

03/15/2017
A decade after her parents died in a plane crash when she was 20, Menzies-Pike (editor, Sydney Review of Books) went for a run. In a cloud of grief, she could hardly recall the beginnings of her running exploits; however, several years later she has gone from self-destructive behavior to finding a healthier way to manage her sorrow. It started out as a belief that she could run the City2Surf race on her home turf of Sydney and led to training for a marathon. Along the way, she discovered a fascinating yet tumultuous past regarding women runners (or lack thereof). Women in history were often restricted from such exercise; sweating and overexerting themselves was considered unfeminine, not to mention the dire physical consequences a female would endure from running. As recently as 1984, there wasn't even a women's marathon category in the Olympics. VERDICT This engaging memoir navigates the complexities, misconceptions, and the oppression of female runners in film, literature, and art throughout history. It will leave an impression on women and runners alike.—Melissa Keegan, Ela Area P.L., Lake Zurich, IL

Kirkus Reviews

2017-03-15
A memoir of running, endurance, and overcoming grief.When Sydney Review of Books editor Menzies-Pike's parents were killed in a plane crash, she didn't know how to handle her grief. At age 20, she was suddenly faced with being the oldest in the family, in charge of her siblings and the estate, but all she wanted to do was run away from the responsibilities. It took 10 years, time spent in school, traveling, and making bad decisions, before the author laced up her shoes and started running on a treadmill to figure out the next phase of her life. In this honest, funny, and moving memoir, which also serves as a meditation on the place of women in the running world, Menzies-Pike reveals how she worked through her fears and found her own rhythm amid the clamor of running long-distance races. Beginning with a half-marathon wasn't easy, but the author explains how she navigated the training one run at a time and gradually found the ability to run outside, ignoring the catcalls and many fears about being attacked, slipping, or being too tired to get back home. Interspersed with her personal reflections is an interesting history of the female pioneers who first entered the sport of running, of how they overcame the stigmas of their time and gradually forced competitions to accept them in races, which in turn provided a gateway for product development of shoes, sports bras, and clothing for female athletes. For anyone contemplating running a half or full marathon, the author's thoughts on the physical toll these types of runs can take on a body, as well as the joy she experienced after successfully completing them, are highly useful. An authentic account of surviving devastating loss through the art of running.

Product Details

BN ID: 2940172109669
Publisher: Penguin Random House
Publication date: 05/23/2017
Edition description: Unabridged

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Copyright © 2017 Catriona Menzies-Pike.
Excerpted by permission of Crown/Archetype.
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Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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