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skylarkochava's review against another edition
5.0
I'm not a runner (yet?), but I thought this was an excellent book. If it weren't for the Goodreads giveaways, I probably never would have picked up this book, assuming I wouldn't understand it. It's completely accessible, part non-fiction running book and part memoir.
I got so involved with the "characters" in the story that, for the first time ever, I excitedly read the Acknowledgements section to see what else was said about them.
I got so involved with the "characters" in the story that, for the first time ever, I excitedly read the Acknowledgements section to see what else was said about them.
lucyrider's review against another edition
4.0
I listened to this on Audible and I did get through it quite quickly and it was an interesting listen in general, but like many of the other reviews I wasn't entirely comfortable with some of it. I didn't quite get the point of the author going to Kenya to train other than being an entirely self indulgent sabbatical. It spent a lot of time discussing barefoot running, Kenyan nutrition and a lot of the lifestyle factors that influence their success on the world stage of running, but I don't know if it gave much in the way of a conclusion of what their "secrets" were. I am always a bit nervous of these types of book being a bit "colonial" where a Brit goes to "explore" a third world country and give their critique, but it was an interesting insight into running as a profession in Kenya.
rohan_42's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
4.0
lunaseassecondaccount's review against another edition
4.0
I love to run. I love to run long distances. I do not love having a badly injured leg and foot right now. I've already been off it for a month, and I need to be off it for another two months. I'm not sure if reading a book on running has helped my mood or worsened it.
That aside, I enjoyed reading this book, even if I didn't completely agree with everything he had to say. I feel like the barefoot running thing is a little bit of a fad. A fad that certainly works for some people, the way that jazzercise and aerobics work for some people, but one I think is a little overdone at the moment. I do think it's worth experimenting with, because yeah, people did run barefoot for most of human history and have only stopped in recent times.
I liked the tone of the book, the quasi-diary aspect of it. I would have liked Finn to elaborate a little more on each of the runners in his team, particularly Beatrice, as she seemed to really pull the marathon out of the bag.
All in all, I really did enjoy it, though a little more development would have been good in parts.
That aside, I enjoyed reading this book, even if I didn't completely agree with everything he had to say. I feel like the barefoot running thing is a little bit of a fad. A fad that certainly works for some people, the way that jazzercise and aerobics work for some people, but one I think is a little overdone at the moment. I do think it's worth experimenting with, because yeah, people did run barefoot for most of human history and have only stopped in recent times.
I liked the tone of the book, the quasi-diary aspect of it. I would have liked Finn to elaborate a little more on each of the runners in his team, particularly Beatrice, as she seemed to really pull the marathon out of the bag.
All in all, I really did enjoy it, though a little more development would have been good in parts.
hannah_miles23's review against another edition
3.0
An enjoyable read, with some interesting takes on what makes Kenyans so fast. Some chapters were a bit boring, but overall a nice easy read.
henryspencer's review against another edition
informative
slow-paced
2.0
Reading this was a marathon. Didn't like Finn's ultra running book so I don't know why I read this one. He writes on interesting subjects but is not a very interesting writer at all. Would have liked to read more about the Kenyans and less about himself.