Running with a Police Escort: Tales from the Back of the Pack

by Jill Grunenwald

In the fall of 2012, quirky and cat-loving Cleveland librarian Jill Grunenwald got an alarming email from her younger sister: her sister was very concerned with Jill’s weight and her overall mental and physical health. Having always struggled with her weight, Jill was currently hitting the scales at more than three hundred pounds. Right then, Jill looked in the mirror and decided that she needed to make a life-style change, pronto. She enrolled in Weight Watchers and did something else that she—the girl who avoided gym class like the plague in high school—never thought she’d do; Jill started running. And believe it or not, it wasn’t that bad. Actually, it was kind of fun.

Three months later, Jill did the previously unthinkable and ran her very first 5k at the Cleveland Metropolitan Zoo. Battling the infamous hills of the course, Jill conquered her fears and finished—but in dead last. Yep, the police were reopening the streets behind her. But Jill didn’t let that get her down—because when you run for your health and happiness, your only real competition is yourself.

Six years and more than one hundred pounds lost later, Jill is still running and racing regularly, and she is a proud member of the back of the pack in every race that she has entered. In Running with a Police Escort, Jill chronicles her racing adventures, proving that being a slow runner takes just as much guts and heart as being an Olympic champion. At turns heartbreaking and hilarious, Running with a Police Escort is for every runner who has never won a race but still loves the sport.

Genres: Nonfiction, Memoir, Sports, Biography Memoir, Health, Biography, Ebooks

252 pages, Hardcover

Published January 3, 2017

Reviews

[Heidi Wiechert · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Cleveland librarian chronicles the emergence of her inner road warrior. Jill was very unhealthy- tipping the scales at nearly 300 pounds when an email from her younger sister convinced her that she needs to change her ways. Self described "slow runner", Jill often finds herself at the end of races with organizers closing the course behind her. Thus the title of her eventual podcast and this book: Running with a Police Escort.

Jill reminded me of my younger sister, another "slow runner" who took up running for health reasons. I have a great deal of respect for people who have the courage to make major life changes- be that taking up a sport, counting calories, or giving up meat products. It is so easy to let life determine who you are becoming instead of taking full responsibility for your choices. Jill's point in this memoir is that it doesn't matter how fast or slow you go, you win if you're making even the smallest steps towards your goals. In this passage, she's closing down the race, like usual: "...I happened to see one of the policemen on the street gesture to get my attention and point to the car following me. I pulled out my earbuds and from the sidewalk he called out with a supportive smile, "You must be a very important person to have a police escort!" loc 72, ebook.

Jill relates her unathletic/uncoordinated childhood and I felt a lot of sympathy for her bookworm tendencies: "While (my classmates) ran wild, I'd find a quiet corner along the brick wall of the building and bury myself in a book. My favorites were the Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark series, the macabre illustrations haunting my dreams." loc 162, ebook. That probably would have been one of my favorites too, but my school library's copy was always checked out. Not that I'm bitter or anything.

Jill reminds the reader that people don't get to nearly 300 pounds without a reason why- an underlying pain that they're insulating themselves from. For Jill, it seems that she was chronically lacking in self esteem and self love. I loved reading about her getting her mojo back: Truthfully, I didn't even know how much I weighed because the analog scale that I owned didn't go up that high. ... I don't know if I can verbally express what it means to be so heavy that you literally outweigh your scale's capabilities. Like, seriously. Just think about that for a second, okay? A scale has a pretty basic function... and I had gotten so big, I put my scale out of work." loc 312, ebook.

Running with a Police Escort is a great book for those who are struggling with their weight or the decision to become more healthy. Jill isn't afraid to laugh at herself and there is quite a lot of wisdom in these pages: "...it's these simple decisions that compound as we make them every single second of every single moment of every single day. It is not the Friday nights or Saturday evenings that determine who we are and where we go: it is the Thursday afternoons or Monday mornings that mentor and counsel our being into a full-fledged sense of self." loc 818, ebook.

Beware, there's a bunch of swearing too. If you don't appreciate that, you may have to find another book. I also found it to be repetitive after the first couple of races, but it's clear that Jill is writing from the heart and has been changed by every single mile that she's undertaken. Share this book with others who may need encouragement because Jill is a natural cheerleader for the novice runner or athlete of any type.

Some further reading: Confessions of an Unlikely Runner: A Guide to Racing and Obstacle Courses for the Averagely Fit and Halfway Dedicated, Running Like a Girl, and Down Size: 12 Truths for Turning Pants-Splitting Frustration into Pants-Fitting Success.

Thank you to NetGalley and Skyhorse Publishing for a free advance reading copy of this book!

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jill Grunenwald was just your average working woman when a note of concern from a sibling about Jill's weight gain made her sit up and pay attention. Filled with humor and pop culture references, Jill talks about her ups and downs in running, even if it mostly means that she's at the back of the pack.

I found Jill's story by accident as it was on sale a few months ago and I had a gift card to use. Isn't that sometimes the way we(readers) stumble upon these stories? I am not a runner but I definitely could understand why Jill grew to love it. My KOBO copy was filled with colored pictures of Jill's various races and I just loved her down to earth type of writing. Whether you're a runner or not, this book just might have you heading out for a run(or walk)

Goodreads review published 23/10/19

[Carla · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book because of it's title. Jill Grunenwald could be any number of people. She is a woman who has struggled with her weight all her life. She talks about her sedentary lifestyle from the time she was a child and the kickstart she received from her younger sister to get her to start some kind of exercising program. This is a body positive book, but in a very real story and way that many people will be able to relate to. I did not expect to read this book as fast as I did or enjoy it as much as I did. Jill's writing style is very conversational. It felt like we were friends talking about our successes and failures. She does use some profanity in the book so be prepared for that. Jill tells about her struggles to start a running program and her challenges along the way. She is not apologetic about being a slow runner, and gets angry at one point when the finish line of a race is basically torn down, they are running out of medals, spectators are walking all over the course and there are still people to finish, including herself. The point she makes about it being okay to come in last, at least you ran and finished the race is so empowering. Yes, she loses her mojo at times, yes she actually gains back some of her weight and yes, maybe her goals are not as lofty at others, but she kept at it, she did not give up and she makes the reader and others feel that it is okay to be slow, to come in last and to have a normal, not perfect body. I learned a lot about running and found myself feeling a bit enthusiastic for a topic I never found interesting. While this book isn't exactly focused on body size, there is a body positive message to this book: no matter what size you are, you can accomplish your goals. I enjoyed this book very much and think maybe even I might be able to start a running program. The publisher generously provided me with a copy of this book via Netgalley.

[Petra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Running with a Police Escort chronicles Cleveland librarian Jill Grunenwald's journey from being the girl who used to hate physical education classes to becoming a dedicated runner. She regularly finishes races right at the back of the pack - hence running with a police escort as organizers are closing the course behind her - but as she points out it's not about being fast or slow but about taking small steps to achieve your goals. I really enjoyed the author's candor and wit. Parts of the book were quite inspirational, and it was nice that she didn't focus on weight issues but it really was a book about running. However, it just turned into a series of race reports and as such became repetitive. I've learned an awful lot about Cleveland and its geography. The structure of the book wasn't always clear, which I think may be due to the fact that it is based on the author's podcast and blog content. Compiled into a complete book, it could have done with some more editing to avoid repetitions and establish a more accurate chronology. On the whole, an easy and enjoyable book, though, mainly due to the author's great personality. This should appeal to people who are looking to take up running for the first time or anybody who enjoys fitness blogs.

[Meghan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Much like a long and arduous race, I slogged through this book and finished it. However, unlike completing a marathon, I couldn’t tell you what I’ve gained from completing this book. It’s one of those books that could have stayed a blog and spared us. It’s repetitive (“I was really stressed out about a race, but then I ran this race, finished it, and got some bling!” Repeat xs 20). The author’s writing style is obnoxious, AM.I.RIGHT?! I had an inkling the author was a privileged white girl for most of the book, but that inkling was confirmed with the chapter about the Shawshank prison race. The author goes on for several pages about how much she FUCKING LOVES the Shawshank Redemption and the majesty of the prison building, never once acknowledging how messed up it is that the race is organized around a *prison,* which is located next to a newer and operational prison. Oh, and there’s an incredibly boring tangents about the history of the Cleveland zoo and park system, should you care.

[Dana · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had high hopes for this book, but I only made it about 70 pages in before abandoning. I'm interested in the author's story, but she tells it here with a bit too much detail for me. If I knew her I'd probably chug through, but it bogged me down. It reads like my posts on my running blog, which have far too much detail for anyone but me to care about. Maybe if the book had a better editor I'd be willing to finish it.

[Tequila · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy from NetGally in exchange for an honest review.

When I requested this book, I thought it was more of a body positive book along the lines of Jes Baker's Things Nobody Tells Fat Girls. It is a body positive book, but not in the same way. I totally didn't expect to read this book as fast as I did or enjoy it as much as I did. While this book isn't what I thought it was at first, it's still so worth the reading! It is such a fun read and I feel like Jill is an old friend that you're catching up with and I love how her friendly personality shines through her writing. I learned a lot about running and found myself feeling a bit enthusiastic for a topic I never found interesting. While this book isn't exactly focused on body positivity, there's still a body positive message to this book, that no matter what size you are, you can accomplish your goals. Even if you're not a runner enthusiast, this is still a book worth reading!

[Melody · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full disclosure: I know the author and received an ARC of this book. That being said, even if I didn't know the author, I would still give this book five stars! This is a fantastic running memoir that offers a unique perspective-- the perspective of a runner at the back of the pack (or as Jill puts it, the runners who get a police escort to the finish line). And it's that unique perspective that makes this a five star book for me. Jill has a fantastic voice, a terrific sense of humor, and above all, an ability to inspire you to get off the couch and just go run-- to put one foot in front of the other. I found this book to not only be encouraging, but as a middle of the pack runner, it gave me a whole new sense of respect for those who finish near the end.

[Bianca · Rating 2 out of 5]

I had so much hope for this. And I genuinely wanted to enjoy it... I read it on a flight, so time lost meaning and I have no clue how long I spent on it. What I do know is that all I read was complaining about working out, and how running is torture. Obviously this is about how this lady developed a love for running, but all that complaining was torture to me and I couldn't push through it.

[Jennifer Mangler · Rating 1 out of 5]

Enjoyed the first bit quite a lot, but the book got very repetitive very quickly. Reading this all at once was a mistake. Perhaps if I'd chosen to read a chapter sporadically and spread out the reading experience I would have enjoyed it and gotten something out of it.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fun memoir of a young woman's experience of discovering running after a lifetime of hating it, and completing a number of races sometimes unapologeticly crossing the finish line last. However as she had put on a t-shirt "it's not last place it's running with a police escort." The author has a lively, friendly comedic writing style, which makes this a quick, fun read.
A moderate to large amount of strong language throughout.
Popsugar 2017: a book that's published in 2017

[Jennifer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Like many running books, this one had a promising start. Our heroine decides she must lose weight for the sake of her health and decides that she will take up running. Despite the difficulties of running while overweight, she soldiers on and is successful both at building up to longer distances - including even a half marathon - and also at losing the weight. Grunenwald is likable and a skilled writer. However, this book fell into the traps of so many running books. First, there is only so much you can write about running. Grunenwald goes into excruciating detail about the various 5Ks, 10Ks, and half marathons she runs. This has the potential to be interesting if she was progressing, but she's not. This leads me to my second complaint. The only things harder than starting to run is sticking with it. Grunenwald takes that difficult first step of starting to run, but it's clear that by about halfway through the book, she's lost her mojo. She's not running regularly, her times are slowing, and she's gaining the weight back. At the end, she writes how she was seeking a running goal for the year, and I found her choice of a goal that didn't actually require much running entirely predictable. (She decides to run one race each month, as opposed to say, attempting to run a certain number of days or miles or setting a time goal.)

I'd pass on this one unless you're desperate for running-related reading material.

[Colleen · Rating 2 out of 5]

As a pretty new runner myself, I was really excited to start this book, but three chapters in, all I can say is that the author's writing seems to match pace with her running. I'm suffering, a bit, at how long it takes her to get to the finish of a race, and her point. Sigh. I'm not giving up yet, but seriously considering it.

I tried to slog through chapter four, and I just can't. Calling it quits. I'd recommend the book 'Confessions of an Unlikely Runner' as a faster paced alternative (though Confessions doesn't focus much or at all on an overweight runner, just a back-of-the-packer. Confessions also has a LOT less cursing, if you found that to be a turn off for 'Running with a Police Escort' (I found it a bit excessive, especially for a librarian?! I expected the writing to be a bit more polished.))

[Adam Sockel · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've rarely felt more motivated to go out for a long run or just get off my couch then I did while reading this book. Whether you consider yourself a true distance runner or you've never voluntarily jogged once in your life I beg you to read this book. It's beyond inspiring and will make you want to be more active in your own life. This book is the literary equivalent to putting "Eye of the Tiger" on in your headphones. You can't help yourself but get up and get moving.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Like the author, I am a slow, overweight runner. I haven't participated in enough races to have seen metals run out or the food at the finish line packed up before I get there, but I can totally relate to many of her other stories. Grunenwald is funny and upbeat. I read this book as inspiration to restart Couch to 5K, and it was a good choice.

[LibraryDanielle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've been saving this and only reading it on the Saturdays I do my second job, and it's an amazing read. I'm not normally a fan of memoirs, but this hooked me.

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

A fun read. Jill Grunenwald, at the time weighing 311 pounds, decides she needs to get healthy and steps on the treadmill. This simple act began her love affair with running. We follow Jill through four years of her life, as she runs a variety of races and distances and improves her fitness and accomplishes a lot more than she thought she would when she started. The book ends in 2016, as Jill is recovering from a (non-running) injury. I would have liked to know what she has been up to running-wise more recently.

I am going to insert a rant here, that has nothing to do with the author. This is at least the third book that I have read recently that has had way too many typos and grammatical errors. Do these publishers not even proofread anymore? Granted, some errors would not have been caught by spell-check, but the grammatical errors should have been found by the book’s editor. Okay, rant over.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

‘’ Life is a series of moments and decisions and in that moment, I decided that finishing last trumped all other scenarios, including not even starting. So I came in last place. So what?’

I found Jill’s determination and grit to be exceedingly admirable. It encourages someone like me to give running a try. Even if I don’t run fast, that’s no big deal, so Long as I complete the race. Something that can be said of most things in life, not just running.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really fun read. I enjoyed the personal stories and the author’s openness to talk about the pain points, and now I want to do some of these fun runs that she went on! My only criticism was that it seemed to speed by on the timeline very quickly but would then backtrack. It seemed like the story was not always linear, so I was confused as to the order of events. But otherwise, a great book.

[Anna · Rating 3 out of 5]

An inspiring story about overcoming obstacles and never giving up. Unfortunately it gets a bit repetitive towards the end..

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really connected with this book. I am just getting into the Cleveland running scene and choosing my first 5K races to join. as a slow runner, this was both inspiring and humbling.

[Kathryn Morrison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rambling and I just really don't care about Cleveland, but cute in its overall message. As a fellow "back of the pack" runner, it's great to hear from this perspective.

[Christina · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book initially had me hooked and interested to keep reading - especially since my running journey began about the same time hers did. It was also great hearing about the different locations - something I tended to not focus on for races. However, halfway through the book I felt it became too repetitive to keep my interest. Kudos to achieving her running goals though.

[Kate · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me start out by saying I'm not a runner . . . and this book is about running. Mostly. I'm also old enough (easily) to be Jill Grunenwald's mother, so while we're both living here in the Greater Cleveland area, we are definitely coming at life from very different perspectives in that regard, too.

But here's the thing. You don't need to be a runner or a millennial (did I get that right? 30-somethings?) or even a fellow Clevelander to be enchanted and thoroughly entertained by Jill's story.

First, a significantly curvy girl not only walking and jogging a bit to trim down, but getting to the point where she's running half marathons (that's just over THIRTEEN MILES!)? That's amazing. And what's inspiring is Jill's message that whether you cross finish line first or bring up the rear tracked by the police escort that ends the race, each runner is still covering the same distance. Each runner is dedicated to her training regimen. Each runner has to struggle through the same cold wind and sleet or burning sun and humidity. Every finish - or in my mind, every attempt - is an accomplishment.

I came to appreciate runners and running as a result of reading this book. I still think they're all a little nuts, but they'd probably (mostly) agree. What most runners can't do, however, is write such a touching and frequently hilarious account of the process. Jill's story is a delight, even if you're a couch potato like me. And while I have no intention of EVER running, I have to say that her story also has inspired me to at least consider rolling off the couch to get a little healthier, too.

[Diane · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was a fun little book that I read when I happened to be in Cleveland, which made it even more fun. I wanted to like the book more than I did - but for me there were a couple of fatal flaws that kept my rating at 2 stars. I liked the author. Her stories rang true. I related to her struggles. My problems with the book were not with content or tone, but with presentation. First, there were many grammatical mistakes scattered throughout the book. I read the Kindle version, so I don't know if those errors were in the paper book. Do authors use the same editor for both? The other problem was that the author told some of her stories more than once. The first time, it was pretty subtle - I felt like I was experiencing deja vu, until I flipped back through the pages to discover that I had indeed read that story before. Then it happened again once or twice. As much as I enjoyed the author's stories, I don't need them repeated within the same book. Both of these problems could have been solved with better editing. Instead, they distracted me from the story and kept me from getting past "OK" to actually liking the book. That said, if you're a middle-to-back of the pack runner looking for a kindred spirit (and/or someone looking for some ideas for fun runs in the Cleveland area), this is a quick read, so probably worth stumbling through.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who has recently discovered her love of running but recognizes that she will never be at the front of the pack, I found this book really hit home. I struggle with enjoying running but not being good at it and therefore having difficulty considering myself a real runner. I appreciated the authors recognition that even the slow struggling runner is still a runner and a slow pace doesn't necessarily mean you are not trying hard enough or are less deserving.
I highly recommend this book to any slow or average runner. Or someone who is thinking about taking up running but is worried they aren't good enough. Or a race organizer or running coach to get the perspective of what it's like to be at the back of the pack.

[Patrick Leber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was writing my running memoir and had chosen an amusing book title. I wanted to see what other running books had funny titles. In a genre where most running books are self-help in nature, along with their titles, along came Jill’s book as my favorite amongst the 200+ I searched. I had to read it. Bravo for sharing your stories. I truly enjoyed your stories from high school to the chilly runs in NE Ohio where I am also from. Thank you for creating a title which should catch any runners attention and then continued onto each chapter. www.whyrunwhen.com


When testing the market to see if my upcoming running memoir book title had other creative running titles, I came across Jill’s book. I looked over 200+ book titles and Jill’s was my favorite.

[Cari · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was a fan of Jill's second book, READING BEHIND BARS, but had procrastinated on reading this one. Mostly because I felt like a loser because I stopped running when my kids were born. Now that I'm back running again, I wanted to feel inspired. I love Jill's writing. She's from my neck of the woods, we are the same age, and we are both librarians, so we have a lot in common. Like Jill, I had a hard time running in gym class, especially during The Dreaded Mile, but I also came to enjoy running in my adulthood. She tells tales of the different races she has done, the injuries and challenges she has sustained, all with a fun sense of humor. I definitely feel inspired after reading it and have already taken some of her advice on my latest run.

[Charlie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy books wherein overweight people take up running and become successful. This is a book that ticks all of my buttons and adds a healthy amount of body positivity. Jill is extremely relatable and funny throughout her journey and she even goes out of her way to share details a lot of writers don't--specifically her times. It made me feel great that there are other slow people out there with the same problems. Usually when an author says their time in a race, they say something annoying like, "I was so slow at the race, only a ten minute mile" and I become annoyed. Jill don't play--she has her fast races and her slow races and shares all the times.

[Tracey Lundell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I had read this book before I began my running/walking journey. I can relate to the entire book. I love her loyalty to Cleveland, even though I have never been there. I feel the same about my hometown. As a slow-runner, young mile-walker, and overweight woman, I am grateful she has given the rest of us a voice. Her fight with training versus staying in bed, her love of bling, and her love of the fandom runs are wonderful. I appreciate her honesty in the good and bad of organized runs. Like her, I have also found the running community to be fantastic and encouraging. I definitely would recommend this book to new runners who hated gym class and love Netflix too much.