Running Ransom Road Review

I was recently sent a copy of a running novel to review: Running Ransom Road by Caleb Daniloff. I love to read running books, and this was no exception.

The book drew me in right from the beginning. It is a memoir that takes an in-depth look at the power of running as it relates to life and dealing with addiction. When you look at the running community, and ultra-running community in particular, there is no shortage of individuals that have turned to running to help them conquer addiction.

Running has always been therapeutic for me, as I am sure it is for many of you too. While I enjoy the physical benefits of running, my desire to run is much more closely tied to the mental benefits I derive from it. Caleb Daniloff does a fantastic job exploring the link between running and self-discovery and self-healing.

The format of the book is unique, as each chapter is dedicated to a race (mostly marathons) interspersed with personal flashbacks. This style works really well for the book, and I enjoyed Daniloff’s frank discussions of his struggles. Even if you have never faced addiction, I think we can all relate to some of the underlying feelings that lead to such conditions.

If you are looking for your next running read, I would highly suggest picking up a copy of Running Ransom Road—you won’t be disappointed. I found the book to be a page turner and finished it in a little more than a day. I will leave you with one of my favorite quotes from the book:

Every time I run, I ‘m having a conversation with my purest self, my moral inventory on full display.

If you read the book, come back and let me know what you think!

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt provided 30 Something Mother Runner with an advanced copy of this book for review.