Book Title – Running : Cheaper Than Therapy
Tagline – A celebration of Running
Author – Chas Newkey-Burden
Rating – 4/5 
Plot – This book is a great light read about all things running. The observational wit that likens itself to Peter Kay is well written and laced with motivational quotes and quips of advice for runners of all ages and abilities.
The longest chapter is 3 pages and is a great blend of famous celebrities discussing why they run to pictures of signs that have been seen at marathons. The runners philosophy quotes throughout the book include:
If you want to win something run 100m. If you want to experience something run a marathon. – Emil Zatopek, triple-gold medalist in the 1952 Helsinki Olympics
The book addresses running myths, runners you know and did you know facts about running and leave you thinking ” I know someone like that”. For example – the Mile-one maniac… they will be hustling, jostling and jockeying for position as if what happens in the first mile has a huge outcome on a 26mile marathon. Let them go, they’ll be knackered by mile three and you can have a quiet chuckle as you ease past them.
Another snippet looks at Things we Hate About Running – Bugs in the mouth. We all hate this but have all experienced it and can relate to this passage…more so on the river tracks in summer than trails in winter however.
The book also looks at the weirdest marathons – arctic marathon, Disney and the midnight marathon ran in Norway with no sunset.
Positive things about the book – Easy to read and found myself snapping the quotes and posting on Instagram (@physiorun) which was well received and motivated a lot of the running community to engage in discussion. I also have recommended the book onwards which for me shows how highly I thought of the book.
I in particular liked the Runners you know : The Addict ….and after reading this passage I would like to say…Hello I’m James and in a runnerholic. The bit where it said … they buy books about running, obsessively.
Negative aspects – minimal – it was light and easy to read – travels well but for me wanted more in-depth chapters on some of the topics but that is again just nit picking.
Recommend for – I would throughly recommend this book, the second book I have read and its 2/2 for positive books. If you run or dream of running this is a light enjoyable read which motivates, inspires and educates on some myths out there.
Thanks again for reading, and please if you have any recommendations please let me know.
Run Long and Prosper
James
