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Run the World: My 3,500-Mile Journey Through Running Cultures Around the Globe – An Olympic-Level Memoir of Training Methods Across Kenya, Ethiopia, and Japan
From elite marathoner and Olympic hopeful Becky Wade comes the story of her year-long exploration of diverse global running communities from England to Ethiopia—nine countries, 72 host families, and over 3,500 miles of running—investigating unique cultural approaches to the sport and revealing the secrets to the success of runners all over the world.
Fresh off a successful collegiate running career—with multiple NCAA All-American honors and two Olympic Trials qualifying marks to her name—Becky Wade was no stranger to international competition. But after years spent safely sticking to the training methods she knew, Becky was curious about how her counterparts in other countries approached the sport to which she’d dedicated over half of her life. So in 2012, as a recipient of the Watson Fellowship, she packed four pairs of running shoes, cleared her schedule for the year, and took off on a journey to infiltrate diverse running communities around the world. What she encountered far exceeded her expectations and changed her outlook into the sport she loved.
Over the next 12 months—visiting 9 countries with unique and storied running histories, logging over 3,500 miles running over trails, tracks, sidewalks, and dirt roads—Becky explored the varied approaches of runners across the globe. Whether riding shotgun around the streets of London with Olympic champion sprinter Usain Bolt, climbing for an hour at daybreak to the top of Ethiopia’s Mount Entoto just to start her daily run, or getting lost jogging through the bustling streets of Tokyo, Becky’s unexpected adventures, keen insights, and landscape descriptions take the reader into the heartbeat of distance running around the world.
Upon her return to the United States, she incorporated elements of the training styles she’d sampled into her own program, and her competitive career skyrocketed. When she made her marathon debut in 2013, winning the race in a blazing 2:30, she became the third-fastest woman marathoner under the age of 25 in U.S. history, qualifying for the 2016 Olympic Trials and landing a professional sponsorship from Asics.
From the feel-based approach to running that she learned from the Kenyans, to the grueling uphill workouts she adopted from the Swiss, to the injury-recovery methods she learned from the Japanese, Becky shares the secrets to success from runners and coaches around the world. The story of one athlete’s fascinating journey, Run the World is also a call to change the way we approach the world’s most natural and inclusive sport.
Fresh off a successful collegiate running career—with multiple NCAA All-American honors and two Olympic Trials qualifying marks to her name—Becky Wade was no stranger to international competition. But after years spent safely sticking to the training methods she knew, Becky was curious about how her counterparts in other countries approached the sport to which she’d dedicated over half of her life. So in 2012, as a recipient of the Watson Fellowship, she packed four pairs of running shoes, cleared her schedule for the year, and took off on a journey to infiltrate diverse running communities around the world. What she encountered far exceeded her expectations and changed her outlook into the sport she loved.
Over the next 12 months—visiting 9 countries with unique and storied running histories, logging over 3,500 miles running over trails, tracks, sidewalks, and dirt roads—Becky explored the varied approaches of runners across the globe. Whether riding shotgun around the streets of London with Olympic champion sprinter Usain Bolt, climbing for an hour at daybreak to the top of Ethiopia’s Mount Entoto just to start her daily run, or getting lost jogging through the bustling streets of Tokyo, Becky’s unexpected adventures, keen insights, and landscape descriptions take the reader into the heartbeat of distance running around the world.
Upon her return to the United States, she incorporated elements of the training styles she’d sampled into her own program, and her competitive career skyrocketed. When she made her marathon debut in 2013, winning the race in a blazing 2:30, she became the third-fastest woman marathoner under the age of 25 in U.S. history, qualifying for the 2016 Olympic Trials and landing a professional sponsorship from Asics.
From the feel-based approach to running that she learned from the Kenyans, to the grueling uphill workouts she adopted from the Swiss, to the injury-recovery methods she learned from the Japanese, Becky shares the secrets to success from runners and coaches around the world. The story of one athlete’s fascinating journey, Run the World is also a call to change the way we approach the world’s most natural and inclusive sport.
288 pages, Paperback
First published August 2, 2016
106 people are currently reading
2031 people want to read
About the author
Becky Wade
2 books66 followersBecky Wade is an author, freelance writer, and professional long-distance runner who lives, trains, and writes in Dallas, Texas. A former Thomas J. Watson fellow and a graduate of Rice University, she is a U.S. Junior National Champion, a four-time All-American, a four-time Olympic Trials participant, and the winner of her debut marathon, the 2013 California International Marathon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 204 reviews
May 3, 2018
I enjoyed listening to Becky's adventures around the world. Packed with tales of running, food, friendship and different ways of training it shows that there is not "the one and only" right training approach. In every country she finds a different training and nutrition style and later on uses a mixture of her experiences in her own running career.
I loved travelling to the different countries with Becky and especially the recipes she added from each.
I loved travelling to the different countries with Becky and especially the recipes she added from each.
September 27, 2016
I was super excited to read this book because the concept of it is one that I am personally interested in. Combining the loves of traveling and running is right up my alley, so I was looking forward very much to this book. There were certain parts that were interesting, particularly the recipes from each country, however, I found the entire thing as a whole to be very bland. I was expecting some more epic adventures rather than the author just describing what a running trail in Switzerland looks like. If you are looking for an adventure running book I would stick with something like "Running with the Kenyas" or "Out There" or literally almost any other running book.
September 2, 2016
Nicely, done, Becky Wade! Run on ... and keep telling your tale....
What a gratifying, entertaining, captivating, and, ultimately ... happy little book! Running, travel, food, culture, relationships, history ... and, get this, higher education! What's not to like?
Faced with an incredible, epic, and well-researched (and, frankly, creative and daunting) opportunity, the young, intrepid, curious, and, quite simply, brave author embarks upon a round-the-world adventure, running her way across continents, over ever-changing obstacles, through the doors of organizations, clubs, cultures, and homes, and, almost immediately, into your heart. The author chronicles her experiences in an efficient, clear, and honest voice, and it's difficult not to like and, of course, respect her, while applauding her efforts and rooting for her future success.
No doubt, the book isn't for everyone, and much of its appeal is that it brings so many things together. The total package is remarkable, even if it doesn't fit neatly into a discrete genre or space on your running (or travel) bookshelf. There's no shame in admitting that it's not Parker's cult classic, Once A Runner; the author's personal journey can't compare to Lomong's inspirational travails in Running for My Life; and, alas, she doesn't claim to make the kind of history that captivated the world as told by Bascomb in The Perfect Mile. But that's OK. Wade's quest, her story, and her telling work, and in its own special way, the book is, ... well, ... beautiful.
I'm glad she wrote it, and I'm glad I found it and read it.
Author's disclaimer: the book appeared on my radar because the author graduated from Rice University, and a unique, generous, and quirky post-graduation scholar/fellowship made her extraordinary experience - and, of course - this book, possible. It's impossible to read this book and not be impressed by the kind of student that Rice attracts, the educational and developmental experience it offers to students on campus, the doors it opens to its alums, etc. As a Rice graduate - from another era (OK, a number of years before the author was born) - I was reminded of the many talented students (and professors) I met there and remain proud to be associated with such a rich tradition.
Again, well done, Becky Wade! I hope we have the opportunity to hear more from you in the future!
What a gratifying, entertaining, captivating, and, ultimately ... happy little book! Running, travel, food, culture, relationships, history ... and, get this, higher education! What's not to like?
Faced with an incredible, epic, and well-researched (and, frankly, creative and daunting) opportunity, the young, intrepid, curious, and, quite simply, brave author embarks upon a round-the-world adventure, running her way across continents, over ever-changing obstacles, through the doors of organizations, clubs, cultures, and homes, and, almost immediately, into your heart. The author chronicles her experiences in an efficient, clear, and honest voice, and it's difficult not to like and, of course, respect her, while applauding her efforts and rooting for her future success.
No doubt, the book isn't for everyone, and much of its appeal is that it brings so many things together. The total package is remarkable, even if it doesn't fit neatly into a discrete genre or space on your running (or travel) bookshelf. There's no shame in admitting that it's not Parker's cult classic, Once A Runner; the author's personal journey can't compare to Lomong's inspirational travails in Running for My Life; and, alas, she doesn't claim to make the kind of history that captivated the world as told by Bascomb in The Perfect Mile. But that's OK. Wade's quest, her story, and her telling work, and in its own special way, the book is, ... well, ... beautiful.
I'm glad she wrote it, and I'm glad I found it and read it.
Author's disclaimer: the book appeared on my radar because the author graduated from Rice University, and a unique, generous, and quirky post-graduation scholar/fellowship made her extraordinary experience - and, of course - this book, possible. It's impossible to read this book and not be impressed by the kind of student that Rice attracts, the educational and developmental experience it offers to students on campus, the doors it opens to its alums, etc. As a Rice graduate - from another era (OK, a number of years before the author was born) - I was reminded of the many talented students (and professors) I met there and remain proud to be associated with such a rich tradition.
Again, well done, Becky Wade! I hope we have the opportunity to hear more from you in the future!
July 7, 2016
If you’re a runner, a world traveler, or just have a case of wanderlust, Becky’s book is the perfect summer reading. Filled with inspiration, motivation, and some tasty looking recipes, you won’t regret spending a few hours in the sun with her journey!
Read
January 25, 2021I loved traveling the world through the eyes of an elite runner!
March 25, 2017
This is not a good book, regardless of your background. While well-intentioned, it's boring, shallow and ultimately pointless. It would make sense as monthly installments in a magazine, but as a book it fails to deliver the depth of insight that its breadth would otherwise entail. It's best approached as a personal diary or a series of postcards home; because while the details clearly are meaningful to the author, they have no meaning to the reader whose perspective is detached and distant.
The author travels to different countries, meets people and runs with them, and talks a lot about food. Disappointingly absent are explorations of a penetrating nature. These people that she meets -- what makes them tick, as runners, as humans? What makes them unique and worth remembering? The places she visits -- what defines them as distinct cultures other than superficialities like cuisine, climate and terrain? What is their enduring legacy, or is culture universal and thus an imaginary abstraction?
There are glimmers of insight into some of these questions, particularly in Japan, but they are the exception. Most of the time the reader will ask himself "Why is this important?" and there will be no obvious answer, or the answer will be simply, "It isn't."
The author's prose is actually graceful, eloquent and clever. But in the end, the book is a product of an American college student seeing the world for the first time. Wade is bubbly, energetic and cheerful, but also inexperienced and intellectually uncompelling and the novelty of her narrative wears off very early on. She is a good storyteller without a good story.
The author travels to different countries, meets people and runs with them, and talks a lot about food. Disappointingly absent are explorations of a penetrating nature. These people that she meets -- what makes them tick, as runners, as humans? What makes them unique and worth remembering? The places she visits -- what defines them as distinct cultures other than superficialities like cuisine, climate and terrain? What is their enduring legacy, or is culture universal and thus an imaginary abstraction?
There are glimmers of insight into some of these questions, particularly in Japan, but they are the exception. Most of the time the reader will ask himself "Why is this important?" and there will be no obvious answer, or the answer will be simply, "It isn't."
The author's prose is actually graceful, eloquent and clever. But in the end, the book is a product of an American college student seeing the world for the first time. Wade is bubbly, energetic and cheerful, but also inexperienced and intellectually uncompelling and the novelty of her narrative wears off very early on. She is a good storyteller without a good story.
December 19, 2016
Becky Wade earns a scholarship from Rice University, to travel wherever she wants to for several months. This scholarship, called the Watson Fellowship, is given out to only a few students once they graduate. Once she embarks on her journey, she travels throughout Europe, Africa, Asia and Australia.
Becky leaves her house in Dallas and travels to England, where she watches the 2012 Olympic runners. As she watches from the sidelines, Becky starts to learn more. This is the start to her long journey throughout the world. She will learn not only about running in other countries but she also learns a lot about the culture in these countries.
Overall I found that Run The World, was a good book. Some parts were slower than others, but in the end I do find it an interesting journey. In some of the slow parts, she stays in one place for a few chapters or she talks about a certain run for a while. If you are a runner, these parts that were slow for me would not be slow for you.
If you run or once was a runner, I would suggest you read this book. Even if you are not a runner but like an adventurous book, than this is for you. If you have read Marathon Woman: Running the Race to Revolutionize Women's Sports or Fast into the Night: A Woman, Her Dogs, and Their Journey North on the Iditarod Trail I would suggest that you should read this.
May 12, 2016
I've been a fan of Becky Wade since I first heard about her Watson Fellowship-funded trip around the world to explore running culture (we're both graduates of Rice University, though she's much younger than I am as well as much faster!). This book, a summary of her year abroad in the U.K., Ireland, Switzerland, Ethiopia, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Sweden and Finland, was a fun tour; I especially liked the recipes at the end of each chapter.
At times it read a bit too much like a travel guide with a deliberately positive spin on everything. I know from my time in the Peace Corps that these sorts of journeys have lots of pitfalls and unpleasantness amid the wonder and discovery, and often it's those parts that make for the best stories. I would have liked to hear about that that nitty-gritty, more depth even if it meant sacrificing some breadth.
But overall I enjoyed it greatly, whipping through it in just four days. When you aren't in a position to do much traveling yourself, it scratches the itch to read about others doing it for you. And I'm eager to follow Becky's continuing journey as a professional runner. May her next book be about the Olympics!
At times it read a bit too much like a travel guide with a deliberately positive spin on everything. I know from my time in the Peace Corps that these sorts of journeys have lots of pitfalls and unpleasantness amid the wonder and discovery, and often it's those parts that make for the best stories. I would have liked to hear about that that nitty-gritty, more depth even if it meant sacrificing some breadth.
But overall I enjoyed it greatly, whipping through it in just four days. When you aren't in a position to do much traveling yourself, it scratches the itch to read about others doing it for you. And I'm eager to follow Becky's continuing journey as a professional runner. May her next book be about the Olympics!
March 3, 2024
This read like a high school essay assignment...which tbh it probably was since the trip was funded by a school grant. There was no depth and no personality that came through which was disappointing.
July 13, 2016
This book was upbeat, happy and full of traveling/running. I was in a bit of a running slump when I started reading this due to a long series of training, but this was like a breath of fresh air that renewed me. With the Olympics coming up, this book is a fantastic build up for competition, running and I will definitely be following to see how Becky Wade does.
There were definitely a lot of stories about the travelling as well which is one of my other passions. I have a hunch that Wade may have glossed over some things during her travels. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but just an observation. At times it had me frustrated that I don’t have any big trips planned, but she also gave me some ideas for the future!
Who should read it? Running and travel fans!
Please note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review courtesy of TLC Book Tours.
See all my reviews and more at www.ReadingToDistraction.com or @Read2Distract
There were definitely a lot of stories about the travelling as well which is one of my other passions. I have a hunch that Wade may have glossed over some things during her travels. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but just an observation. At times it had me frustrated that I don’t have any big trips planned, but she also gave me some ideas for the future!
Who should read it? Running and travel fans!
Please note: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review courtesy of TLC Book Tours.
See all my reviews and more at www.ReadingToDistraction.com or @Read2Distract
September 23, 2018
Well written and thoroughly inspiring, this book makes reading a pleasant experience and a must read for every long distance and marathon runner. Becky's journeys through nine countries across the globe, adapting to nine different environments and recommending fitness and diets that are followed by champion runners, are the real takeaways of this book. Becky has achieved so much and presented it like a master, at such a young age. On a holiday to America from my native country India, I picked up a brand new copy of this book from a Boulder, Colorado bookstore at a 60% discount to its printed price, not sure how good it would be but I must admit that it has been more than a steal. Its a collector's item for me.
If Becky Wade is reading my review, I thank her and wish her good luck in here future exploits in running. I further invite her to visit India and run, where marathon running is picking up rapidly across the country.
If Becky Wade is reading my review, I thank her and wish her good luck in here future exploits in running. I further invite her to visit India and run, where marathon running is picking up rapidly across the country.
May 28, 2016
Absolutely loved this book ! Becky Wade's zest for life comes out right on page one. And we see it again and again throughout the book. Runners will of course be inspired by her adventures, but the life lessons this young woman learns, and then shares with her readers, is something that everyone should appreciate. Take heed, this is a woman we will hear from again !
May 18, 2017
Mostly a runners book. I liked some of the stories of competition but it is like reading a diary of an awesome vacation.
August 15, 2017
Becky Wade is a funny, down to earth, happy lady, so it is a pleasure to join her on this great adventure. As a casual runner, I enjoyed learning about the international history of the sport, as she travelled among iconic landmarks. Would have made a great 1hr video documentary, and at least we can enjoy it in text.
Wade never has a bad thing to say about anything or anyone, which made for mellifluous storytelling, and left middle aged me nostalgic for naive joyous glasses. I wish I could ever enjoy such a blessed perfect journey. I also wished for a more balanced honest perspective, including doubts, culture shock and homesickness. Or maybe she is just unique in her flexibility and cheer.
Many individuals were important to her and to her journey, but remain forever forgettable to me. Steinbeck in Travels with Charley only chooses anecdotes he can make permanently relevant to his audience. Perhaps in future books Wade will edit sharply as if for shorter magazine essays.
Her Ethiopian adventure was vivid and fascinating enough that I craved to venture to a local Ethiopian restaurant to sample her dishes and share her moment.
Grateful I could read this, and wish it had been half the length.
Wade never has a bad thing to say about anything or anyone, which made for mellifluous storytelling, and left middle aged me nostalgic for naive joyous glasses. I wish I could ever enjoy such a blessed perfect journey. I also wished for a more balanced honest perspective, including doubts, culture shock and homesickness. Or maybe she is just unique in her flexibility and cheer.
Many individuals were important to her and to her journey, but remain forever forgettable to me. Steinbeck in Travels with Charley only chooses anecdotes he can make permanently relevant to his audience. Perhaps in future books Wade will edit sharply as if for shorter magazine essays.
Her Ethiopian adventure was vivid and fascinating enough that I craved to venture to a local Ethiopian restaurant to sample her dishes and share her moment.
Grateful I could read this, and wish it had been half the length.
February 14, 2024
I've had this one my shelf for awhile; a few years ago I was in desperate need of running motivation and so bought a bunch of books written by runners and about running, only to read almost none of them. It's a goal this year to buy fewer books, and to read the ones I've had sitting around.
But dang, this book just wasn't good. Clearly the publisher was cheap, as the paper feels like cardstock and the images are low-quality. Unfortunately Becky Wade is not a particularly good writer, either. If I'm being honest, this was a bit of a snooze fest. With some actual writing chops, and a little more reflection, this could be a compelling story of a young women given an amazing opportunity to travel the world for over a year to learn about running cultures. But it reads like a high-school essay so it's pretty painful to get through. The recipes also feel misplaced - is this a cookbook, a memoir, or a journalistic piece about worldwide running culture? Unclear.
But dang, this book just wasn't good. Clearly the publisher was cheap, as the paper feels like cardstock and the images are low-quality. Unfortunately Becky Wade is not a particularly good writer, either. If I'm being honest, this was a bit of a snooze fest. With some actual writing chops, and a little more reflection, this could be a compelling story of a young women given an amazing opportunity to travel the world for over a year to learn about running cultures. But it reads like a high-school essay so it's pretty painful to get through. The recipes also feel misplaced - is this a cookbook, a memoir, or a journalistic piece about worldwide running culture? Unclear.
December 19, 2021
2 stars for content, 1 star for the good writing and 1 star for the inspiration to embark on a funded world trip to experiment with and write about different running cultures, all the while schooling and training herself. All the different hosts and people she comes into contact with were examples for how to find an occupation related to running. The recipes from each culture are an added bonus.
August 16, 2019
I will never be able to take a year off from the rest of life and run, and I will never be an elite runner. That's why this was a fun read. I got to run vicariously. This book didn't have a lot of self-congratulatory ego language, which was a nice change (lots of running books end up boasting). The writing didn't knock my socks off, but it was a fun read.
July 30, 2018
A great read for any runner or traveler-really enjoyed her insights into running culture.
March 21, 2020
Enjoyed this! Becky captures the essence of running as a culture, along with the unique cultural experience of bonding over a common love of running (and travel!)
March 13, 2023
Really good book for fans of running. Really great journey through countires and running cultures. It was pleassure to read that espessially after night run :-) Great book!
May 24, 2020
I’d better not write anything here. I enjoyed reading reviews more than the book itself. My favorite quote from the reviews: “Why am I reading this?”
November 13, 2025
Always love a good running book!!💕💕
December 14, 2020
This is an exceptionally fun read! Becky has a zeal for travel and running that is really uplifting. The writing is great and very personal-- so much so that it feels like you're right there alongside her. This book obviously is a particular delight for runners, but I think anyone would enjoy her travel stories, insights into different cultures, and reflections on relationships and growth. Can't recommend highly enough!
July 27, 2016
As a recipient of the Watson Fellowship in 2012, 22-year-old Becky Wade traveled the world for a year to learn about living, connecting and running. Her travels took her to England, Ireland, Switzerland, Ethiopia, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Sweden and Finland. She became immersed in their cultures and trained with several runners in other countries. At the end of each chapter, she shares a recipe from the country she visited.
I loved reading about her experiences in each of these places! I'm not a runner at all and am happy to say that I learned tons just from reading this book. I loved her descriptions and felt like I was traveling with her. She trained in different altitudes and terrains, which seemed to help her when she returned to the States.
She had a great time in each country she visited, but she also had her fair share of difficulties and trials. When she got to Sweden, her older brother Matt visited her for 10 days. She was feeling tired and wasn't sure how she would finish her tour, but his visit rejuvenated her and gave her the strength to keep going. His visit also gave her a clearer vision as to what she wanted to do when she returned home.
The Olympics will be starting soon so this was the perfect time to read this book! I must admit that I am attracted more to swimming and gymnastics, but after reading her book, I will pay close attention to Becky Wade in the marathon and cheer her on!
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review. My opinion is 100% my own.
Mel's Shelves
I loved reading about her experiences in each of these places! I'm not a runner at all and am happy to say that I learned tons just from reading this book. I loved her descriptions and felt like I was traveling with her. She trained in different altitudes and terrains, which seemed to help her when she returned to the States.
She had a great time in each country she visited, but she also had her fair share of difficulties and trials. When she got to Sweden, her older brother Matt visited her for 10 days. She was feeling tired and wasn't sure how she would finish her tour, but his visit rejuvenated her and gave her the strength to keep going. His visit also gave her a clearer vision as to what she wanted to do when she returned home.
The Olympics will be starting soon so this was the perfect time to read this book! I must admit that I am attracted more to swimming and gymnastics, but after reading her book, I will pay close attention to Becky Wade in the marathon and cheer her on!
I received a copy of this book from the publisher for an honest review. My opinion is 100% my own.
Mel's Shelves
December 28, 2019
Daren told me that the Jamaican track team so frequently ate restaurants out of their entire rice and apple juice supplies that he had started calling them in advance to be sure they were sufficiently stocked.
I know that I'm within striking distance of the leader, but it's becoming harder and harder to ignore the sensations of my feet slapping pavement, my legs wobbling like a toddler's, and my lower back tightening.
I try a Paula Radcliffe strategy, one I've read the English world record holder uses when she starts to suffer. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 ... in unison with every other foot strike, I count from 1 to 100, trying to think of nothing besides the number I'm on.
Mile 22: My feet are so tender, I actually look down to check that my racing flats are intact.
Before the race, my brother described a picture he'd seen of Sammy Wanjiru - the late Kenyan marathoner and Olympic gold medalist - and every so often, I try to relax my hands as he did, making my fingers into an upside down "A-okay" symbol, to remind myself that I'm fine, and that this is fun.
From here forward, I'll rely on Coach Bevan's trick of counting down the miles, knowing that I've already covered more ground than what lies ahead.
I have a "full" sensation in my legs, which Jon Warren, another Rice coach and a great runner in his day, had warned me about. I didn't understand what that meant until earlier this week, when I felt like I should use a pin to prick my legs, which are puffy and restless from the reduced mileage.
Just before I left, one volunteer told me about the time that Paavo showed up for a meet to find out he was being paid only two-thirds of his promised $1,000 appearance fee - in response, he only ran 1,000 meters of the 1,500-meter race in which he was entered.
Ten days of trotting around Scandinavia with my older brother left me feeling like a brand-new traveler. When Matt arrived, I was feeling like a fish out of water. My energy and patience levels had dwindled after ten months of bouncing from one stranger's home to another, and I was chronically sleep-deprived from time zone changes, packed itineraries, and a full training load, all while trying to be a considerate and sociable guest. I was grateful to my many exceptional hosts, but traveling for another two months seemed daunting.
My first thought was to travel to Mount Hiei, located northeast of Kyoto, to visit the mysterious Marathon Monks. I imagined tracking them down in their mountainous hideaway and gleaning wisdom from the monks in training and the few still living who have completed the seven-year endurance challenge - only 46 men in the last 130 years. The kaihôgyô was the most reverent embodiment of movement I'd come across, and I couldn't wait to witness it in person.
Tokyo also offered an unexpected rival to the treacle bread I savored in Ireland: the delicate, croissant-like hokkaido milk bread we bought at Suse's favorite bakery.
Though far from a running treasure like the Tan in Melbourne or Cornwall Park in Auckland, the Yoyogi loop became my favorite route in Tokyo. It required a couple of train exchanges to reach, but in a city so congested and developed, the park offered a rare connection to nature and a soft, uninterrupted circuit.
My directional skills as shaky as ever, I also wrote out directions to tuck in my sports bra as a backup; there were eighteen turns in total, and I didn't want to risk an unplanned separation from my guide.
Alongside Callie, a champion kicker and one of my role models, I finally started seeing glimpses of my speed, which had gone untapped throughout my trip thus far. The value of a training partner who's also a close friend can't be overstated.
During his most competitive years, Snell biked around town and ran to and from his full-time job, refusing to own a vehicle until he retired from running.
Throughout the second day, as his parents and I rushed from stage to stage, worrying about beating him to each one and nailing the setups, my appreciation for the simplicity of running grew. The only equipment involved is a pair of shoes, maybe a watch, but even those aren't necessary, as my Ethiopian friends taught me. Of course, there's always the possibility of injuries, but flat tires and leaking kayaks are nonfactors, as are flawed transition plans and unreliable crew members.
The mid-February weather meant potentially brutal heat, necessitating thorough hydration and nutrition plans and sacks full of energy bars, sports drinks, and portable snacks like bananas and bagels. (One competitor even dared to stuff a burrito in his spandex shorts.)
Very loosely, the Speight's Coast to Coast Multisport Race is a cross between an ultra-marathon and a triathlon (a kayak through fierce rapids replacing the swim), with a short night's sleep in a tent, only an occasional spectator or course marshal, and a huge array of stunning landscapes.
It was the perfect place to let my legs - used to running slower at altitude - catch up to my lungs.
Amid the colorful disarray - boxy homes, clusters of skyscrapers, wide roads, streetside market stalls, as many half-finished as finished buildings.
As the locals tend to do, we stayed in the forest, hidden from the road I'd been following before I met them, and silently grinded our way up the mountain.
Aside from the altitude and running style, I had a couple of other adjustments to make - to the dirty stray dogs that roamed the area in packs, and to the curious neighborhood kids who greeted me in one of three ways: "Moneymoneymoney," "Ferengi! Ferengi!" or "CHINA!" (Light-colored skin bears an association with money in Ethiopia, and also with the industrial plants that Chinese companies are building in Sululta and elsewhere.) A couple of the bolder kids occasionally threw pebbles in my direction, but mostly they just ran next to me for a few steps or poked me curiously.
Her dad, a school principal, spoke great English, she told me, but her mom knew only a few words. I assured her that charades was my second language.
Of the many perks I missed from my college running days, free shoes were high on the list.
A more extreme case from across the world was Emil Zatopek, the "Czech locomotive." Rather than following convention, he logged miles in the snow with his wife on his back, wore heavy combat boots for trainers, ran in place in a bathtub full of pillows, and tested his limits with workouts like 50x400 meters, once in the morning and once in the evening, for two weeks straight.
It had been resurfaced since that groundbreaking feat, as cinder and clay gave way to faster surfaces like asphalt and then Mondo, but the allure remained, and I got chills as I envisioned Bannister's - and the crowd's - uproarious reaction to McWhirter's announcement.
April 19, 2017
Great book! This runner takes a break from routine training to travel, visit some of the best known countries in the world of running, and absorb wisdom. And recipes, but that's beside the point. You can skip those.
She travels to Ethiopia, Japan, Finland (or was that Sweden? sorry), and a few other places and in each one she makes amazing friends, runs a lot of miles both fast and slow, and writes about it all in a perfect, easygoing style that makes you feel like you know these people and feel these places.
I say feel, not see, because I didn't see/hear/taste the world in the way the some rare travel authors can do for me. But I wasn't the slightest bit disappointed, either. She wasn't as focused on the sights and scenery as some of the authors I love; instead she writes more about her interaction with the sights and scenery--especially the uneven ground at her feet, the trails and paths and cross-country routes that fill the life of a runner, and most especially, the running people along the way. It's a whole different perspective from that of a driver tourist (William Least-Heat Moon) or a walker (Colin Fletcher) or even a train/plane/automobile tourist (Alice Steinbach). It's a runner's perspective and that is fascinating.
The marathon she runs at the end rocks!
She travels to Ethiopia, Japan, Finland (or was that Sweden? sorry), and a few other places and in each one she makes amazing friends, runs a lot of miles both fast and slow, and writes about it all in a perfect, easygoing style that makes you feel like you know these people and feel these places.
I say feel, not see, because I didn't see/hear/taste the world in the way the some rare travel authors can do for me. But I wasn't the slightest bit disappointed, either. She wasn't as focused on the sights and scenery as some of the authors I love; instead she writes more about her interaction with the sights and scenery--especially the uneven ground at her feet, the trails and paths and cross-country routes that fill the life of a runner, and most especially, the running people along the way. It's a whole different perspective from that of a driver tourist (William Least-Heat Moon) or a walker (Colin Fletcher) or even a train/plane/automobile tourist (Alice Steinbach). It's a runner's perspective and that is fascinating.
The marathon she runs at the end rocks!
October 21, 2019
I loved this book and was so inspired by it. I loved that she was from Houston and that I probably passed her many times on the rice track since that is my favorite run route. I loved the recipes at the end of each chapter to reflect the specific running culture. I also loved the playlist at the end in which I’ve added some of the songs to my personnel running playlist. I couldn’t wait to run in the Ethiopians and Swiss mountains. In fact, I ate muesli for the first time confident that it would keep me full since the Swiss mountain long distance runners eat that for their fuel meal. I was sad that I was close to the Donegal running club, but never made it that far in Donegal to join or sober enough to run really.
The only thing I didn’t like was the segues from paragraph to paragraph and why I gave this book four stars. It would just jump to the next topic without any warning. Sometimes it wasn’t always clear that she was now in Ireland or that she moved to a new house. I just felt the flow was choppy.
Other than that, I recommend this book and passing it on to friends for reading.
The only thing I didn’t like was the segues from paragraph to paragraph and why I gave this book four stars. It would just jump to the next topic without any warning. Sometimes it wasn’t always clear that she was now in Ireland or that she moved to a new house. I just felt the flow was choppy.
Other than that, I recommend this book and passing it on to friends for reading.
March 2, 2020
I loved this even before I realized the author is from Dallas. Becky tells about her globetrotting year in search of training wisdom from other running cultures around the world, often meeting local running stars and heroes along the way. I found the chapters in Switzerland, Ethiopia and Tokyo the most fascinating, and I love that she includes recipes from each country at the end of each chapter.
August 1, 2017
The only exception I took to Run the World, was that Becky Wade stole the book I was eventually going to write about traveling the world through distance running. In all seriousness, Wade did a great job of recounting the lessons she learned while traveling for a year, as the recipient of the Watson Fellowship Scholarship, which funded her running experiences. Wade's tales of races and training alongside locals in Switzerland, New Zealand, Australia, the UK, Scandinavia, and Tokyo all reminded me of previous trips and runs I've had in these countries as well. It was a pleasure to recount her trip and to glean from the wisdom she gained about training, racing, and philosophy.
January 3, 2018
Wade can write. Even non-runners will enjoy this detailed, well-paced travel memoir that celebrates a love of running in the context of great scenery, generous people, historical recaps, cultural insights, food tips, and general fun. Running as the centralizing theme just adds to the overall cohesiveness of the writing. She does a masterful job combining the Big World/Small World juxtapositions of her travel stops with interesting details and important milestones of her coming of age/prepping to go pro year. I'll never touch her speed, but was happy to catch up with her in the pages of this book.
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