The Second Lap: Going the Distance in the Race of Life

by Malcolm McLoughlin

A childhood in a small Irish town, a young adulthood managing posh pubs in London and then starting a family in Paris, France. On the surface it may sound like a perfect life trajectory. But for Malcolm McLoughlin it was also a slow descent into hell. Always an outsider, in his teenage years Malcolm thought he’d found his calling as a drummer in an Irish rock band. But even music wasn’t enough to satisfy an inner craving for acceptance. He played the drums hard and he drank hard. Never one to do anything halfway, he tried to balance his extreme drinking with extreme running, until the drinking took over, plummeting him into a downward spiral from which there seemed no escape. As the father of a young son and autistic daughter he loved dearly, he tried to keep his demons at bay through sheer willpower, but still his addiction had him staring down at an abyss that nearly took his life. The Second Lap is Malcolm’s harrowing and yet triumphant story of how his faith in God pulled him back from the brink, transforming him from one more alcoholic statistic into a father and ultra-runner who now inspires thousands with his message of hope and endurance.

Kindle Edition

First published January 21, 2015

About the author

Malcolm McLoughlin is a father, ultra-runner, musician, autism activist, author, and follower of Christ. He currently resides in the Parisian suburbs where most days he can be found running the trails.

Reviews

[Tira DiYanni · Rating 3 out of 5]

(For context, 3 stars for me is a good book that I would read once & recommend for certain people).

I’ve never had such an in-depth view of what a life lived without Jesus looked like. The description of experiences with certain drugs, the inner thought processes with the relationships & the heavy cost of addiction, the shame & thought process on suicide … “I pitied my son for the kind of father I was” It was helpful to hear.

The book is about 85% his life before Christ… I wish he went into more detail about how is life was transformed by Jesus. It felt like such a built-up the whole book for a very short & broad description. Definitely felt like a miss there. However, it was absolutely beautiful hearing the encounter with God’s presence. Oh my goodness, it reminds me of that similar pivotal moment I had with His Spirit too… The transformative filling is what gives a greater degree of holiness & freedom from sin, an overwhelming compassion for the lost, & an insatiable hunger & wholehearted pursuit of Him. What a good reminder.

I also have officially put running a marathon on my bucket list. “It’s something a small percentage of people in the world can say.”

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Inspirational

Fascinating memoir from a man who turned his life around with lots of help from his friends. I think his close family when growing up helped, as well. I liked all the adventures to different countries. Was glad when Malcolm began his project to help his daughter, which forced him to focus on something positive and made him reach for solid goals. Good read!