Book Review: My Year of Running Dangerously by Tom Foreman

My Year of Running Dangerously: A Dad, a Daughter and a Ridiculous Plan by Tom Foreman

One of my goals of 2016 is to step back from all too much mindless, wasteful time online and to read more books and write more, too.  Tom Foreman’s book offers a perfect chance to combine reading, running and writing a book review, and shines a light on some of the absurdities of running (and runners) as well as how the sport can become a passion that unites families and rekindles joy and inspires us to great things.

Foreman is a journalist for CNN and it shows in his writing; he knows how to tell a story and make it come alive.  There were times where I was laughing out loud at his descriptions of himself, in part because they were descriptions of me and the runners I know, too.  What made this book special for me, though, were the descriptions of his daughters.  As the father of three wonderful girls I hope that they can grow up to be as talented and witty as Foreman’s are portrayed, and I dream that we will be able to bond over a shared passion for the simplest of sports.  At a few moments I had to stop and wipe away a tear (or two) that formed as I imagined how special it would be to have a daughter say some of the things that Foreman’s daughters tell their 50+ year old dad. 

While running brings Foreman closer to both his oldest daughter and his brother it also threatens his relationship with his wife and younger daughter at times.  And the all-consuming running fire that burns hotter and hotter in Foreman threatens to derail his goal of completing a 50 mile trail race.  I won’t say much more than that here, but know that this book has the potential to not only inspire, but also to question whether all the miles and hours, blood, sweat and tears are really worth it.  If you are a father (especially with daughters) and a runner and are looking for a well-written, humorous account of a year in the life of a celebrity-ish runner in which he goes from not running to attempting a 50 mile race I definitely recommend picking up this book at your local library or bookstore.

Note: Shortly after I wrote this I happened across David McNeill's discussion about runners and non-runners and how they relate to each other.  It's a nice piece and fits in well with what Foreman and his wife were dealing with.