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For the Love of the Grind
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8 days and 02:18:32
24 copies available
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Sara Hall shares the story of her record-breaking career and her unconventional path to motherhood via adoption, all while battling insecurities, injuries, and doubters.
Sara Hall has been a fixture atop American distance running for more than two decades: first as a national high school champion, then as an NCAA star at Stanford University, and later, as the only pro runner to ever win U.S. titles in the mile and the marathon. She's held the American record in the half marathon, clocked the fastest marathon in the U.S. by a woman aged 40 or older, and represented her country in multiple World Championships.
But success has never come easy. Fear of failure set in during high school. In college, Sara competed through a results-obsessed culture that carried into her professional career. She battled anxiety and imposter syndrome, alongside outside pressure to quit the sport and instead devote herself to supporting her husband, Olympic marathoner Ryan Hall, and later, her kids. Yet Sara never gave up on the dream of reaching her potential.
Fueled by faith, family, and an unbridled love of exploring her limits, Sara has proven the doubters wrong at every turn. When she and Ryan adopted four daughters from Ethiopia, motherhood only made her faster, running personal bests year after year and landing on podiums at the world’s most competitive races. Along the way, she discovered that choosing love over fear allowed her to take risks. She let go of results and embraced the pursuit of excellence instead.
For the Love of the Grind is a love letter to running, and the story of Sara’s growth as an athlete, wife, and mom. Through her unflinching honesty and keen introspection, readers will be inspired to chase their dreams, to reimagine what might still be possible, and to embrace their own love of the grind.
Sara Hall has been a fixture atop American distance running for more than two decades: first as a national high school champion, then as an NCAA star at Stanford University, and later, as the only pro runner to ever win U.S. titles in the mile and the marathon. She's held the American record in the half marathon, clocked the fastest marathon in the U.S. by a woman aged 40 or older, and represented her country in multiple World Championships.
But success has never come easy. Fear of failure set in during high school. In college, Sara competed through a results-obsessed culture that carried into her professional career. She battled anxiety and imposter syndrome, alongside outside pressure to quit the sport and instead devote herself to supporting her husband, Olympic marathoner Ryan Hall, and later, her kids. Yet Sara never gave up on the dream of reaching her potential.
Fueled by faith, family, and an unbridled love of exploring her limits, Sara has proven the doubters wrong at every turn. When she and Ryan adopted four daughters from Ethiopia, motherhood only made her faster, running personal bests year after year and landing on podiums at the world’s most competitive races. Along the way, she discovered that choosing love over fear allowed her to take risks. She let go of results and embraced the pursuit of excellence instead.
For the Love of the Grind is a love letter to running, and the story of Sara’s growth as an athlete, wife, and mom. Through her unflinching honesty and keen introspection, readers will be inspired to chase their dreams, to reimagine what might still be possible, and to embrace their own love of the grind.
- GenresMemoirNonfiction
288 pages, Hardcover
Expected publication April 21, 2026
5411 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
February 19, 2026
Sara has balanced her faith, marriage, motherhood and an insanely long professional running career like an expert and it is a treat to see into the mind of such a dedicated and talented mother runner.
I am absolutely the exact target audience for this book (a Christian mother who loves long distance running) and so if you’re anything like me I’m sure you’ll love it too.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy.
I am absolutely the exact target audience for this book (a Christian mother who loves long distance running) and so if you’re anything like me I’m sure you’ll love it too.
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press for the advanced copy.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
I received a copy of this memoir in a Goodreads giveaway in exchange for my honest review.
As a long time runner who has idolized Sara Hall for many years, I was thrilled to receive an early release ARC of her memoir. This memoir is as gutsy and gritty as her running is, as she gives readers a deeply honest and vulnerable side of her quest for success, not just in her professional running career, but as a wife, mother, woman of faith and as someone with an internal desire to serve the underprivileged and marginalized populations. What I learned of Sara Hall is that she is relentless in her desire for achievement in all areas of life, which has in turn led to many struggles for her, but one thing she has going for her is she is never willing to accept defeat, pushing herself to the absolute limit, many times in ways that have possibly hurt her. It was no surprise to me that she came back stronger after some injuries, likely due to some forced time off.
I was deeply moved by not only her work ethic, but could see her as a real person in this book because she was so up front about her struggles, her feelings of failure, her feelings of guilt and selfishness at times, but also about her continued optimism and belief in herself. Her career has seen a lot of let downs and unachieved goals, portrayed so emotionally that it actually brought me to tears at times, but she continues to push the envelope into her 40s.
Coming off of just reading her husband Ryan Hall's book, also a highly successful and decorated, now retired, professional runner, it was also interesting to understand and read the dynamics between the two and their unconventional family from both perspectives.
This was a wonderful read as someone else who runs, but I do not think it will appeal to those who do not. She recaps a lot of training and racing, which I found extremely interesting and sometimes tension filled, but I suspect it will bog down and disinterest those who are not heavily into the sport nor follow other professional runners. Because one thing is for sure, Sara Hall lives, breathes, eats, sleeps and dreams of running at all times. There is not enough other stuff in the book to captivate non-runners. But I highly recommend this to those who love the sport.
As a long time runner who has idolized Sara Hall for many years, I was thrilled to receive an early release ARC of her memoir. This memoir is as gutsy and gritty as her running is, as she gives readers a deeply honest and vulnerable side of her quest for success, not just in her professional running career, but as a wife, mother, woman of faith and as someone with an internal desire to serve the underprivileged and marginalized populations. What I learned of Sara Hall is that she is relentless in her desire for achievement in all areas of life, which has in turn led to many struggles for her, but one thing she has going for her is she is never willing to accept defeat, pushing herself to the absolute limit, many times in ways that have possibly hurt her. It was no surprise to me that she came back stronger after some injuries, likely due to some forced time off.
I was deeply moved by not only her work ethic, but could see her as a real person in this book because she was so up front about her struggles, her feelings of failure, her feelings of guilt and selfishness at times, but also about her continued optimism and belief in herself. Her career has seen a lot of let downs and unachieved goals, portrayed so emotionally that it actually brought me to tears at times, but she continues to push the envelope into her 40s.
Coming off of just reading her husband Ryan Hall's book, also a highly successful and decorated, now retired, professional runner, it was also interesting to understand and read the dynamics between the two and their unconventional family from both perspectives.
This was a wonderful read as someone else who runs, but I do not think it will appeal to those who do not. She recaps a lot of training and racing, which I found extremely interesting and sometimes tension filled, but I suspect it will bog down and disinterest those who are not heavily into the sport nor follow other professional runners. Because one thing is for sure, Sara Hall lives, breathes, eats, sleeps and dreams of running at all times. There is not enough other stuff in the book to captivate non-runners. But I highly recommend this to those who love the sport.
February 5, 2026
read if you like:
🏃 running
🏂 memoirs about athletes
🌍 adoption stories
summary:
I loved watching running growing up. While I wasn’t a runner myself, I loved watching track meets, Olympics races….you name it. Sara Hall has been a household name for me since she first ran the Boston Marathon, so I jumped at the chance to read her memoir about growing up, her family and her running career.
This is not a memoir about limitless success. Instead, it’s a story about showing up, hard work, and the feeling when you don’t always achieve your goals. Sara brings you on the journey of her career - the early mornings, the injuries, the doubt, the battles, and the decision to keep running anyway. She talks about her relationship with her husband, runner Ryan Hall, and how that served as a constant source of support — and competition — to drive her towards her goals. She discusses her faith, and how it influenced her choices in life, and most importantly, her and Ryan’s choice to adopt four daughters from Ethiopia and bring them back to their life in the US.
The story is definitely not a highlight reel — it’s the full journey, including her anxiety, imposter syndrome, and the pressure she felt to step aside when all her efforts fell short of her goal to make the Olympic team. What makes it unique though is the honesty. It focuses on identity - who you are when your results aren’t what you want, when your body won’t cooperate, and when you’re balancing your ambitions with family life and stability.
If you’ve ever been interested in running or are inspired by athletes, this is a great book for you. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy, and make sure to grab this book when it releases on April 21.
🏃 running
🏂 memoirs about athletes
🌍 adoption stories
summary:
I loved watching running growing up. While I wasn’t a runner myself, I loved watching track meets, Olympics races….you name it. Sara Hall has been a household name for me since she first ran the Boston Marathon, so I jumped at the chance to read her memoir about growing up, her family and her running career.
This is not a memoir about limitless success. Instead, it’s a story about showing up, hard work, and the feeling when you don’t always achieve your goals. Sara brings you on the journey of her career - the early mornings, the injuries, the doubt, the battles, and the decision to keep running anyway. She talks about her relationship with her husband, runner Ryan Hall, and how that served as a constant source of support — and competition — to drive her towards her goals. She discusses her faith, and how it influenced her choices in life, and most importantly, her and Ryan’s choice to adopt four daughters from Ethiopia and bring them back to their life in the US.
The story is definitely not a highlight reel — it’s the full journey, including her anxiety, imposter syndrome, and the pressure she felt to step aside when all her efforts fell short of her goal to make the Olympic team. What makes it unique though is the honesty. It focuses on identity - who you are when your results aren’t what you want, when your body won’t cooperate, and when you’re balancing your ambitions with family life and stability.
If you’ve ever been interested in running or are inspired by athletes, this is a great book for you. Thanks to St. Martin’s Press and NetGalley for the advanced copy, and make sure to grab this book when it releases on April 21.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
If you’re a fan of distance running, you’re probably a fan of Sara Hall. If you haven’t heard of Sara Hall, she is an icon in the sport. I was thrilled to receive an ARC of For the Love of the Grind.
In her memoir, Hall starts in her early years. Growing up in Redding, CA, Hall was daughter to a large, religious, hardworking family. She found her love of running young, spending long hours on the redwood forest trails of Northern California. Sara was all in from the start: training hard, learning about the value of sleep and nutrition, and leaning into cross- and strength training.
For the Love of the Grind takes us through all the highlights and lowlights of Hall’s career, sharing the personal and vulnerable, the fears and the hopes, and the unrelenting focus on manifesting dreams.
If you’re not a runner, this might not hold your attention. It’s easy reading, well-written, and the story moves well, but it’s very running-focused (with some detours into Hall’s deep religious faith, her longtime relationship with professional runner Ryan Hall, and their adoption and parenting of four Ethiopian daughters).
As a giant fan of Sara Hall and the sport, I loved For the Love of the Grind. I loved the details on her workouts and training methods (spoiler, Hall really does love the grind).
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Highly recommended for the right audience.
In her memoir, Hall starts in her early years. Growing up in Redding, CA, Hall was daughter to a large, religious, hardworking family. She found her love of running young, spending long hours on the redwood forest trails of Northern California. Sara was all in from the start: training hard, learning about the value of sleep and nutrition, and leaning into cross- and strength training.
For the Love of the Grind takes us through all the highlights and lowlights of Hall’s career, sharing the personal and vulnerable, the fears and the hopes, and the unrelenting focus on manifesting dreams.
If you’re not a runner, this might not hold your attention. It’s easy reading, well-written, and the story moves well, but it’s very running-focused (with some detours into Hall’s deep religious faith, her longtime relationship with professional runner Ryan Hall, and their adoption and parenting of four Ethiopian daughters).
As a giant fan of Sara Hall and the sport, I loved For the Love of the Grind. I loved the details on her workouts and training methods (spoiler, Hall really does love the grind).
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Highly recommended for the right audience.
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
The author is seriously impressive in her dedication to her sport and the physical and mental training that it demands. The book follows her through her formative years in high school to meeting her future husband & then starting a family, while becoming a professional runner, and the many years following.
I found the book slow-going. The first third seemed to be an endless number of races, and how she did in them. It felt quite repetitive with the seemingly never-ending cycle of training, self-doubt, race, repeat. There were also frequent comments on her faith and hearing God’s voice etc. which isn’t for me. For this reason, I skipped the chapter titled “Supernatural”. Then the book shifted gears and became more interesting with the author’s move to Ethiopia and the adoption process of 4 Ethiopian kids. But she doesn’t go too deeply into this or raising the girls. Then we shift back to her (impressive hours of) training, her many races, and also the difficulties she encounters such as injuries, race failures and self-doubt (which fluctuate with periods of confidence). I expect that the book will be interesting for people who are familiar with the author and the running world, but this was all new to me. I was surprised with how much she traveled (often internationally). Presumably sponsors cover such expenses.
This is my honest review, and I am posting it voluntarily. Thanks to the author & publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book.
I found the book slow-going. The first third seemed to be an endless number of races, and how she did in them. It felt quite repetitive with the seemingly never-ending cycle of training, self-doubt, race, repeat. There were also frequent comments on her faith and hearing God’s voice etc. which isn’t for me. For this reason, I skipped the chapter titled “Supernatural”. Then the book shifted gears and became more interesting with the author’s move to Ethiopia and the adoption process of 4 Ethiopian kids. But she doesn’t go too deeply into this or raising the girls. Then we shift back to her (impressive hours of) training, her many races, and also the difficulties she encounters such as injuries, race failures and self-doubt (which fluctuate with periods of confidence). I expect that the book will be interesting for people who are familiar with the author and the running world, but this was all new to me. I was surprised with how much she traveled (often internationally). Presumably sponsors cover such expenses.
This is my honest review, and I am posting it voluntarily. Thanks to the author & publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book.
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March 3, 2026DNF at 30%
My frame of reference: I would consider myself a spiritual person not a religious person, I am a recreational runner who loves it, I work with female athletes in my job.
I was really excited to read this book as I am such a huge fan of female athletes pushing the boundary of capacity and as a person that specifically works in the motherhood and female athlete space I was pumped to have received an advanced reader copy of this book.
While I am SO pro your faith, expressing your faith as you wish to and how it has influenced who you are, the cohesiveness of this story and the way religion was just placed into it at unnecessary times was just too much (eg she is talking about her running in high school and then randomly shifts to feeling bad about homelessness in Mexico without context and then mission work). It made no sense.
It read like the author was really struggling with the feeling that her running career was selfish and that it challenged the submissive and in service of aspects of her faith as a devout evangelical Christian and therefore was overly emphasized in the text (she mentioned feeling selfish multiple times in the chunk of the book I read)
Everyone’s memoir is their own. I respect that. This just wasn’t for me.
I wish the author so much luck in her release and that she finds her tribe of people who are really going to love this book.
My frame of reference: I would consider myself a spiritual person not a religious person, I am a recreational runner who loves it, I work with female athletes in my job.
I was really excited to read this book as I am such a huge fan of female athletes pushing the boundary of capacity and as a person that specifically works in the motherhood and female athlete space I was pumped to have received an advanced reader copy of this book.
While I am SO pro your faith, expressing your faith as you wish to and how it has influenced who you are, the cohesiveness of this story and the way religion was just placed into it at unnecessary times was just too much (eg she is talking about her running in high school and then randomly shifts to feeling bad about homelessness in Mexico without context and then mission work). It made no sense.
It read like the author was really struggling with the feeling that her running career was selfish and that it challenged the submissive and in service of aspects of her faith as a devout evangelical Christian and therefore was overly emphasized in the text (she mentioned feeling selfish multiple times in the chunk of the book I read)
Everyone’s memoir is their own. I respect that. This just wasn’t for me.
I wish the author so much luck in her release and that she finds her tribe of people who are really going to love this book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
From the glimpses we track fans see of Sara over the years on IG and at races, it's always been clear that she marches to her own beat. This book emphasized that, and I honestly am a Sara Hall Stan afterwards.
I loved reading about her marriage and how she talked pretty heavily about Ryan Hall and what it was like being his wife during his catapult to the forefront of marathoning. She also talks about how important that marriage is when it isn't 50/50. You can lean on one person during different seasons (strongly agree).
I loved reading about her children. There are A LOT of performative adoptions and it seems to me that Sara and Ryan have really tried to do right by their girls and even with some trauma work, she does not use the text to single out a child when they have issues (spoiler for some of it). In fact, I think this means she's probably just a good mother.
I love that she talks about her body changing and what that has looked like in running. Her comments on John Ball and how they would be annoyed with one another are so funny- because any big time athletes know that these relationships are so necessary to help you become your best.
Overall, Sara Hall is her own person and it's gotten her a house full of love, a happy marriage, and a long track/racing career.
I loved reading about her marriage and how she talked pretty heavily about Ryan Hall and what it was like being his wife during his catapult to the forefront of marathoning. She also talks about how important that marriage is when it isn't 50/50. You can lean on one person during different seasons (strongly agree).
I loved reading about her children. There are A LOT of performative adoptions and it seems to me that Sara and Ryan have really tried to do right by their girls and even with some trauma work, she does not use the text to single out a child when they have issues (spoiler for some of it). In fact, I think this means she's probably just a good mother.
I love that she talks about her body changing and what that has looked like in running. Her comments on John Ball and how they would be annoyed with one another are so funny- because any big time athletes know that these relationships are so necessary to help you become your best.
Overall, Sara Hall is her own person and it's gotten her a house full of love, a happy marriage, and a long track/racing career.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Faith, endurance, perseverance. These are 3 words that I have long associated with Sara Hall and 3 qualities that she exemplifies throughout her book.
She starts with her early days of running, goes through highlights of her college and professional career up to the present time. She weaves stories of her training, racing, relationships with her husband Ryan and their four daughters, and her faith journey.
Although she talks openly and frequently about her Christian faith, I did not find this overbearing or preachy. I especially appreciated how her faith journey evolved to be less denominational and more expansive.
I was captivated reading about the times she spent in Ethiopian and her journey to adopt her four daughters and create her family. As a mother of an adopted child, this was very relatable to me.
I have followed her success her whole career but I was fascinated to learn more of the process and the struggles she encountered along the way. No matter the injury, she fought back and got stronger. To be running at such a high level at age 41 is simply amazing.
I found the book very readable and relatable. If you are a fan of distance running, I am sure you will too.
She starts with her early days of running, goes through highlights of her college and professional career up to the present time. She weaves stories of her training, racing, relationships with her husband Ryan and their four daughters, and her faith journey.
Although she talks openly and frequently about her Christian faith, I did not find this overbearing or preachy. I especially appreciated how her faith journey evolved to be less denominational and more expansive.
I was captivated reading about the times she spent in Ethiopian and her journey to adopt her four daughters and create her family. As a mother of an adopted child, this was very relatable to me.
I have followed her success her whole career but I was fascinated to learn more of the process and the struggles she encountered along the way. No matter the injury, she fought back and got stronger. To be running at such a high level at age 41 is simply amazing.
I found the book very readable and relatable. If you are a fan of distance running, I am sure you will too.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
“For the Love of the Grind” was an interesting and inspiring memoir. Sara Hall discusses in depth her running career, both the highs and lows, including how her career changed over time and how she coped with disappointments. She talks about her training, her professional relationship with ASICS, the introduction of “super shoes”, etc. The book talks about her relationship with her husband, Ryan Hall, including his running career and how they supported each other. Sara Hall talks about the importance of Christianity in her life and how her faith impacted her running. She talks about her and Ryan’s decision to adopt, how they ended up adopting four sisters from Ethiopia, and the process of integrating these four sisters into their lives, including the challenges.
I enjoyed the discussion on training in Ethiopia and the training habits of Ethiopian runners. There are also interesting stories about interactions with and friendships with other elite runners, as well as race experiences.
I enjoyed the discussion on training in Ethiopia and the training habits of Ethiopian runners. There are also interesting stories about interactions with and friendships with other elite runners, as well as race experiences.
February 25, 2026
I love a good running memoir, and this was no exception. One thing I appreciate about Sara Hall is her consistent determination to show up and see what happens. The number of races she completed through many ups and downs is inspiring, and it’s so cool to hear about her PRs and goals she’s accomplished even into her late 30s/early 40s.
Outside of running, it was cool to learn about how she and Ryan adopted their four girls all at the same time, without having ever been parents before. What an incredible change to their life and journey that they took!
I appreciated the faith aspects of the book as well. At the beginning it felt a little cheesy or prescriptive at times, but I think that the books outlines her faith at each stage - the black and white bold faith of a teenager that evolves into a faith that is less prescriptive or cookie cutter, which I think was important.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it if you enjoy running memoirs.
Thanks to Goodreads Giveaways for the advanced reader copy; this was my first time receiving an ARC book!
Outside of running, it was cool to learn about how she and Ryan adopted their four girls all at the same time, without having ever been parents before. What an incredible change to their life and journey that they took!
I appreciated the faith aspects of the book as well. At the beginning it felt a little cheesy or prescriptive at times, but I think that the books outlines her faith at each stage - the black and white bold faith of a teenager that evolves into a faith that is less prescriptive or cookie cutter, which I think was important.
Overall, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it if you enjoy running memoirs.
Thanks to Goodreads Giveaways for the advanced reader copy; this was my first time receiving an ARC book!
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March 6, 2026Sara Hall is an easy runner to root for. She's always seemed like a good human, on top of being a phenomenal runner. I was interested to read her memoir and find out more about the woman behind all of the impressive results. This book is a deep-dive into her running career and what she's overcome to race competitively for over two decades. Sara Hall is known for her longevity in the sport and she chose to cover a lot of that ground in her writing. If you're curious about the full arc of her career, this will be a satisfying read. It will also appeal to other faith-based runners and offers interesting insights into her experience with adopting four Ethiopian daughters. I found the final sections of the book to be the most enjoyable, as she blazed forward with her career after turning 40, and dropped readers inside her build to the 2024 Olympic Trials and her race for a spot on the team - and the mental shifts she had to make to get there. If you're curious to learn more about how Sara Hall became one of the most notable runners in American distance running, this book is for you.
November 21, 2025
I've been running since the 7th grade, have ran everything from the 100m to 100 miles, but I love following Women's Running and Sara Hall has been a runner I have looked up to. The Hall's have been known for their achievements, their faith and the adoption of four girls from Ethiopia but this memoir allows Sara to open up about the challenges that she has endured while being a wife and trying reach her goals. I grew up Evangelical so I understood a lot of the pressure that she was talking about. But she always had Ryan who believed in her and stood by her no matter how much success he had, he was supportive just as she was for him.
She breaks down each chapter with the lead up to major races, the injuries she endured, how she leaned on others and her faith to continue to push the limits into her 40s.
It was such a quick read and it was perfect as I am heading into two of my last cyclocross races of the season, one of them is this weekend.
She breaks down each chapter with the lead up to major races, the injuries she endured, how she leaned on others and her faith to continue to push the limits into her 40s.
It was such a quick read and it was perfect as I am heading into two of my last cyclocross races of the season, one of them is this weekend.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
As a fan who follows distance running and professional runners, I was excited to read Sara Hall’s memoir. The books follows her career from her early days growing up, through college and her professional journey. Along the way, we also hear about her relationship development with fellow runner and now husband Ryan Hall as well as the adoption of their four children from Ethiopia.
All in all it was an interesting story - but it did feel very repetitive at times. If you’re not a running fan, it may be a bit slow and drag on. The Faith and God references were frequent and just didn’t resonate with me so I tended to skip around a bit during those sections. There have been a handful of running memoirs in the past few years and this was not one I’d reach for again compared to some others.
Thank you NetGalley and St Martin Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
All in all it was an interesting story - but it did feel very repetitive at times. If you’re not a running fan, it may be a bit slow and drag on. The Faith and God references were frequent and just didn’t resonate with me so I tended to skip around a bit during those sections. There have been a handful of running memoirs in the past few years and this was not one I’d reach for again compared to some others.
Thank you NetGalley and St Martin Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received an advanced copy of this book.
Sara Hall is a well-known distance runner, actively pursuing and accomplishing great things in her running career. And that hasn't always been easy for her. In this book she shares a lot of her history in her running career and how she has tackled different mindsets, injuries, and challenges ahead of her. She shares about her relationship with Ryan and how they support each other. She also shares about her faith and the role that plays in all aspects of her life. I enjoyed learning more about the journey Ryan and Sara took in adopting their four girls, and how they have grown into a loving family. Sara's hard work ethic and grit will provide readers with a lot of inspiration.
Sara Hall is a well-known distance runner, actively pursuing and accomplishing great things in her running career. And that hasn't always been easy for her. In this book she shares a lot of her history in her running career and how she has tackled different mindsets, injuries, and challenges ahead of her. She shares about her relationship with Ryan and how they support each other. She also shares about her faith and the role that plays in all aspects of her life. I enjoyed learning more about the journey Ryan and Sara took in adopting their four girls, and how they have grown into a loving family. Sara's hard work ethic and grit will provide readers with a lot of inspiration.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I have long been a fan of Sara and Ryan Hall. I followed Ryan’s career for years, impressed with how he was always so vocal about his faith. Life has gotten busy for me the last several years and I hadn’t had a chance to follow Sara’s career as closely. I loved this book and finding out more about her journey. It is both impressive and completely foreign to me how much she enjoys pushing her body. I also loved reading about their journey of adopting four girls from Ethiopia; those were some of my favorite parts. Overall, this book was really enjoyable and inspiring.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.
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February 9, 2026For an incredibly mediocre runner, I certainly read a weird amount of memoirs from professional runners.
I'd heard of Sara Hall by reading the memoirs of other runners since she's often in the front pack, but doesn't usually win (we won't talk about the most recent doping scandal meaning my bestie Emma Bates was possibly robbed a first place finish at Chicago). It felt like injuries were mentioned a lot, and her PT was name dropped a lot as well. IDK, I always feel weird reviewing memoirs.
Thanks, NG!
I'd heard of Sara Hall by reading the memoirs of other runners since she's often in the front pack, but doesn't usually win (we won't talk about the most recent doping scandal meaning my bestie Emma Bates was possibly robbed a first place finish at Chicago). It felt like injuries were mentioned a lot, and her PT was name dropped a lot as well. IDK, I always feel weird reviewing memoirs.
Thanks, NG!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Sara Hall shares her life with us, and although I am not a runner or athletic, I enjoyed reading her story. As I read it, I kept thinking she is really being honest, with the choices she made, the results of the choices, the struggles, and she knew this was the life she was meant to have. I learned a lot about running, being an athlete, and although it isn't for me, I can see the commitment, the dedication, and knowing I am living the life I am meant to live, and this made the book special.
I received an ARC from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley.
I received an ARC from St. Martin's Press through NetGalley.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for an advanced copy of “For the Love of the Grind.” I have followed the Hall’s careers for decades, but this book still surprised me. I loved learned more about the Hall’s adoption journey, as well as Sara’s tenacity and grit over decades of high intensity professional training. I only wish her most recent success at CIM could have been included! Cheering on Sara for as long as she chooses to keep competing, and then beyond!
December 23, 2025
Sara Hall is one of the most persistent runners I’ve ever read about. Her memoir follows her journey from childhood, when she first learned to love running, to the present day, highlighting both her successes and her hardships. What makes her story so impressive is how she continues to work relentlessly through every setback and still remains one of the best.
Thank you to Netgalley and St Martins Press for the ARC!
Thank you to Netgalley and St Martins Press for the ARC!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I read almost every distance runner memoir that comes out and I think Sara Hall did a great job with this one. She has had such a long career, but managed to talk just enough about all aspects and phases of her life. I was enjoying myself so much, I read it in a day; I just felt compelled to keep reading! It seemed like she was raw and honest, talking about some difficult topics, while still maintaining some level of privacy for her children. I’ll be happy to add a physical copy to my shelf.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
As a newish runner, Sara Hall is new to me. I thoroughly enjoyed learning her story and hearing the process of her training. Her life is interesting and the time spent reading was enjoyable! I appreciated learning about her family life and faith as well! Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. This will be a great read for our female running group when it becomes available.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
An inspiring dive into Sara Hall’s life. She shares what motivates her, the challenges she faced both in running and in general, and her emotions associated with the rollercoaster that is life. I loved learning more about her as a person, she is an excellent example of someone who doesn’t let defeat take her out of the game and keeps reframing her goals and moving forward.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This is a wonderful overview of being a professional athlete. It leaves me with even more questions now that so much has been shared. But I couldn't help but think that no good deed goes unpunished. Sara's willing to keep doing what good deeds she can. Bravo.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
I received a free copy of, For the Love of the Grind, by Sara Hall, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Sara Hall is a mother and a runner. This is her memoir of her running career and adopting four children. This was a nice read.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley.
The book was great. Sara’s story has so much complexity in it than what you’d see just by following her race results, and it’s fascinating to get an inside look into her mind over her career.
The book was great. Sara’s story has so much complexity in it than what you’d see just by following her race results, and it’s fascinating to get an inside look into her mind over her career.
February 14, 2026
Overall this was mostly fine. It wasn’t a quick read, and I slogged through at times. But it was inspiring to read of all Sara went through in her career. Could have done without the mushrooms though. 😆
Review of advance copy received from Goodreads Giveaways
Wish I could give this a 6!
February 15, 2026
3⭐️ Enjoyable and honest memoir.
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