In preparing for my first Tough Mudder, I did many things.
Some were the expected, like changing how I ate and how often I worked out. I also read blogs and watched videos on YouTube.
Another thing I did was buy and read some books. I ended up with two or three, but will admit that I loved one more than all the others.
Confessions of an Unlikely Runner easily became one of my favorite books. I laughed more while reading Dana Ayers’ book than I expected I would and I’ve loaned my copy out to more friends than I can remember.
Mind you, Dana did not tell me how to conquer Mount Everest or how to get my mile time down.
Instead, she showed me how to find small things that make you smile and she reminded me not to take it too seriously.
She gave a humorous account of her experiences as a runner and pointed out several things people notice on race courses.
Like flossers. No, seriously, what is it with the flossers and them just being EVERYWHERE on courses? And not even just on courses. I went to the Grand Canyon a few years ago, had kinda gone a little rouge and off trail, and at one point I looked down and there was a flosser.
How did it get there?!?
Dana’s light-hearted book did a lot for me. Not just in regards to my ability to finish the Tough Mudder, but also in my willingness to take on other races and challenges.
Because of her, I had planned on taking on my first Ragnar Trail Relay later this year. Sadly, the team has since fallen apart and it likely isn’t going to happen. But there’s always next year or a different course this year.
And she’s a ‘real person’ via Instagram. I will admit that I found her on there and interacted with her. Not in just a fan way, but in a way that I hope she has gathered to mean that I like her as a person and a fellow athlete.
She is just like most of us. She could be the girl next to you on the treadmill or the runner that you are trying to keep up with and eventually overtake. She could be the women struggling with her multiple bags of groceries up the apartment stairs in front of you. She could be the bike rider you admire flying down a hill.
And she ends the book with something I think really changed my perspective and made me accept the term ‘runner’ even though I laugh about it. She writes:
Moral of the story: You can be a runner, too. (And you don’t even have to put on a tutu or get electrocuted. Unless you want to.)
So, if you have the desire to read a good, light-hearted and fun book go pick up this one! I mean, it’s really simple to find: it can be purchased on Amazon here!
