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Running in Real Life
Everything you ever wanted to know about running…
… is in a different book!
This book, Running in Real Life, is a selection of stories, anecdotes and race reports that paint a picture of what running is really like when you are not completely perfect at it, and mostly do it to socialise and eat cake. If it does answer any questions for you, it is likely to be the ones you never knew you wanted to ask, such This book doesn’t expect you to be a superstar athlete and, in return, it doesn’t tell you how to be one. It just wants to let you know that if you run then you are a runner, regardless of your pace, ability or the length of your shorts.
Oh, and it also serves to warn you about accidentally flashing race photographers, avoiding dodgy portaloos, and why citrus fruit is not a good choice for your pre-race breakfast!
… is in a different book!
This book, Running in Real Life, is a selection of stories, anecdotes and race reports that paint a picture of what running is really like when you are not completely perfect at it, and mostly do it to socialise and eat cake. If it does answer any questions for you, it is likely to be the ones you never knew you wanted to ask, such This book doesn’t expect you to be a superstar athlete and, in return, it doesn’t tell you how to be one. It just wants to let you know that if you run then you are a runner, regardless of your pace, ability or the length of your shorts.
Oh, and it also serves to warn you about accidentally flashing race photographers, avoiding dodgy portaloos, and why citrus fruit is not a good choice for your pre-race breakfast!
298 pages, Paperback
Published March 14, 2023
1 person is currently reading
3 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
June 17, 2023
“This book doesn’t … tell you how to be [a superstar athlete] … it just wants to let you know that you are a runner, regardless of your pace, ability, or the length of your shorts.”
Running in Real Life is not your average running book about how to run. It’s a book about the highs and lows of very real running.
Author Jenna Pogue is a runner with Massey Ferguson Running Club in Coventry, and she is not a professional writer – the book is a personal project that she started in the pandemic when running clubs had to wind down for a time and we felt quite disconnected from our running friends. She says: “I had always sworn to my clubmates that I would write down all of our running “shenanigans” one day and this seemed like a good time to bring it all together. I started it in April 2021 and I finally self-published it last week. It has received a good reception so far, selling almost 130 copies at my launch night and on Amazon. ”
This book deals with pretty much everything to do with running – getting started, races, parkrun, kit, injury, motivation – and it does so in a very real way, without glossing over the bad bits. In fact I’d say the worst bits and the mishaps feature more heavily. The book is split into chapters. At the end of each chapter, there is a race report written by one of Jenna’s clubmates, relating back to the main chapter’s contents. It’s not a how-to book, it’s more of a collection of stories and observations that generally all ring very true for most runners. It is for this reason that I think this book has a very broad appeal.
Jenna writes in a very conversational style, and you feel as though she is talking directly to you. She often asks questions of you, the reader, and so you feel very connected to it.
I was nodding along with quite a lot of the observations in this book, and I feel a lot of runners will connect with Jenna’s writings. Jenna is very much a ‘run-for-fun-and-to-socialise’ runner so a lot of her stories are about her fellow club runners, so it has a lovely, almost joyous, feel to it. It’s clear that Jenna loves being part of her club. Jenna’s sense of humour really comes across well in the book. She has a talent for writing about what she observes without ever feeling like she is making fun of people. The fact that she is so self-deprecating really helps the reader relate to her.
At 298 pages, it’s not a lengthy read, and is very easy to dip in and out of, especially with the way it is structured into chapters and race reports.
If you’re looking for technical advice on how to run, this is not the book for you. Jenna does however offer some tips, for example, on rediscovering a lost mojo, and she does answer some frequently asked questions at the end of the book, but it’s all done in a very light hearted, and humorous way.
This is very much a book for your average runner. If you are just starting out, are a club club runner or a parkrunner, or if you enjoy completing races, there is something in this book for you. I challenge you to read this and not find something which amuses you. You will also be nodding along vigorously in parts!
In summary, this is a really fun, light-hearted read about a hobby which we all love so much.
A very real account of running - an easy book to dip in and out of.
Thank you for the gift copy Jenna - I interviewed Jenna for the UKRunChat podcast all about her book in June 2023 so do please give the episode a listen if you would like to know more: www.ukrunchat.podbean.com
Running in Real Life is not your average running book about how to run. It’s a book about the highs and lows of very real running.
Author Jenna Pogue is a runner with Massey Ferguson Running Club in Coventry, and she is not a professional writer – the book is a personal project that she started in the pandemic when running clubs had to wind down for a time and we felt quite disconnected from our running friends. She says: “I had always sworn to my clubmates that I would write down all of our running “shenanigans” one day and this seemed like a good time to bring it all together. I started it in April 2021 and I finally self-published it last week. It has received a good reception so far, selling almost 130 copies at my launch night and on Amazon. ”
This book deals with pretty much everything to do with running – getting started, races, parkrun, kit, injury, motivation – and it does so in a very real way, without glossing over the bad bits. In fact I’d say the worst bits and the mishaps feature more heavily. The book is split into chapters. At the end of each chapter, there is a race report written by one of Jenna’s clubmates, relating back to the main chapter’s contents. It’s not a how-to book, it’s more of a collection of stories and observations that generally all ring very true for most runners. It is for this reason that I think this book has a very broad appeal.
Jenna writes in a very conversational style, and you feel as though she is talking directly to you. She often asks questions of you, the reader, and so you feel very connected to it.
I was nodding along with quite a lot of the observations in this book, and I feel a lot of runners will connect with Jenna’s writings. Jenna is very much a ‘run-for-fun-and-to-socialise’ runner so a lot of her stories are about her fellow club runners, so it has a lovely, almost joyous, feel to it. It’s clear that Jenna loves being part of her club. Jenna’s sense of humour really comes across well in the book. She has a talent for writing about what she observes without ever feeling like she is making fun of people. The fact that she is so self-deprecating really helps the reader relate to her.
At 298 pages, it’s not a lengthy read, and is very easy to dip in and out of, especially with the way it is structured into chapters and race reports.
If you’re looking for technical advice on how to run, this is not the book for you. Jenna does however offer some tips, for example, on rediscovering a lost mojo, and she does answer some frequently asked questions at the end of the book, but it’s all done in a very light hearted, and humorous way.
This is very much a book for your average runner. If you are just starting out, are a club club runner or a parkrunner, or if you enjoy completing races, there is something in this book for you. I challenge you to read this and not find something which amuses you. You will also be nodding along vigorously in parts!
In summary, this is a really fun, light-hearted read about a hobby which we all love so much.
A very real account of running - an easy book to dip in and out of.
Thank you for the gift copy Jenna - I interviewed Jenna for the UKRunChat podcast all about her book in June 2023 so do please give the episode a listen if you would like to know more: www.ukrunchat.podbean.com
July 7, 2024
Quite amusing for the most part but I didn’t realise it was going to be primarily ‘race reports;’ that is, runners reporting their races in detail. For a casual runner who doesn’t enter many races, I found this rather boring. However, if you like to race then you’d probably find this rather interesting. Not quite what I expected but still enjoyable. I especially liked the section on running snobbery 😹
October 28, 2024
I bought this book because I thought it might be interesting to read what it was like to be a Runner in Real Life and this book really said what it was like!
The book is written in a conversational style and was funny and very honest! It certainly showed what is good, what is bad and what is funny about running - and its a book only runners will appreciate!!
Quite enjoyed it and enjoyed the race reports as well!
The book is written in a conversational style and was funny and very honest! It certainly showed what is good, what is bad and what is funny about running - and its a book only runners will appreciate!!
Quite enjoyed it and enjoyed the race reports as well!
June 8, 2023
As a runner at the same club as Jenna I related to this book a lot. Very well written and some humorous stories and anecdotes that make it a pleasure to read. We wait to see what JP can follow it up with and it’s true MFRC loves cake !
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews