Review: Dare to Run
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I love books which share the author’s experiences authentically. Dare to run is a compilation of essays that Amit wrote in his journey from a novice runner who couldn’t run beyond a few meters to an ultramarathoner who finished the 89KM long Comrades that happens over a hilly terrain.
As a runner, I could identify with and feel strongly about several episodes. The self doubt that comes up in the first few days of running; the pain and shame of not finishing, the joy of crossing the finish line – Amit describes them all so well. The bit about crossing the Comarades 2010 finish line with the Indian flag was particularly moving and brought tears to my eyes.
Amit also shares his thoughts that came to him as he ran his long runs and races. It essentially underlines that running a marathon is a personal journey and struggle. Amit’s philosophical musings are his personal ways of looking at the struggle and he shares very generously. Amit also talks about how long distance running changes one’s life – social life changes, food habits change, priorities change. This again is true for many runners and this is the first time I’ve seen a runner’s account of this aspect.
Somehow, some of the parts do not gel into the book. For example there is more description of Dublin rather than the Dublin marathon. It stands out as there is hardly any link between the run and description of the place. The same disconnect is not felt for the essay on Florence marathon because the description of David etc gels in with the run and becomes a Runner’s experience which is what I expect from a book with a title like “Dare to run”. For the other bits, I’d turn elsewhere. For this reason, I’d give only 4 stars and not 5.
Overall: Good read for long distance runners anywhere and particularly in India. I also think that its an important book. As marathons in particular and sports in general bring in more participation in India, there is acute need for personal stories like these which inspire us. I hope that the recent commonwealth games winners also publish their stories.