What do you think?
Rate this book
Chasing Grace: What the Quarter Mile Has Taught Me about God and Life
For as long as she can remember, Olympic gold medalist Sanya Richards-Ross's life has been measured in seconds. The fewer, the better. But when the race is over, how do you know what to run towards next? In Chasing Grace , join Sanya as she helps you see your own experiences through God's eyes. Most people equate success with having more, but Sanya's quest was always for less. She started running track as a little girl in Jamaica and began competing when she was only seven. Now in her thirties, she's already had a career's worth of conditioning to run a 400-meter race in 50 seconds or fewer--hopefully 49, or even better, 48. When she started training with her coach, Clyde Hart, they divided her race into four distinct push, pace, position, and pose. For years, Sanya worked to hone every phase in practice so when it came time to race, her body would respond as her mind instinctively transitioned from one phase to the next. As she got older and embraced a life that measures more than just a number on the stopwatch, she's realized the genius of this strategy for not just racing the 400 meters, but for living her best life. As you learn more about Sanya and her incredible story, she gives you the tools and encouragement you need In Chasing Grace , Sanya shares both triumphant and heartbreaking stories as she reveals her journey to becoming a world-class runner. From her childhood in Jamaica to the Olympic Games in Athens, Beijing, and London, you'll find yourself inspired by the unique insights she's gained through her victories and losses, including her devastating injury during the 2016 Olympic Trials, which forced her career retirement just weeks before the Rio Games. Sanya demonstrates how these highs and lows brought her closer to her ultimate goal of becoming all God created her to be--and how you can do the same. Praise for Chasing Grace : "Sanya Richards-Ross has represented Team USA so well for her entire career. But she was born in Jamaica, and I can connect to the winner's spirit that we share. I'm proud of everything Sanya has accomplished, including the writing of Chasing Grace . Through her vulnerability in sharing some of her most personal stories of victory and defeat, triumph and tribulation, I once again see her strength." --Usain Bolt, the world's fastest man, eight-time Olympic gold medalist, eleven-time World Champion, and four-time Laureus World Sportsman of the Year "In a world that often defines public achievement as success, Sanya Richards-Ross reveals in Chasing Grace that her greatest feat in life was not on a track for the world to see, but rather in her soul where God would serve as the ultimate coach. She now shares wisdom from the deep reservoir of her pains, joys, trials, and triumphs that will inspire us all to pursue the grace race with confidence, trust, optimism, and unshaken faith." --Sarah Jakes Roberts, bestselling author of Woman Evolve and copastor of The Potter's House at One LA
208 pages, Hardcover
Published June 6, 2017
17 people are currently reading
262 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews
August 11, 2017
I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book. It's a combination of memoir and inspiration, and as a non-Christian and not-particularly-religious person, I was a little nervous about that God reference in the title. But I've been a fan of SRR for years, and really wanted to read her story in her own words.
The memoir has a linear timeline, but is also framed by "the four P's," the way Coach Clyde Hart teaches his athletes to run each 100 meters of the 400 meter race: Push, Pace, Position, and Poise. SRR describes her athletic career from age 7 along with other highlights and challenges along the way, and ends each chapter with a little boxed message about what she learned from her experiences and her faith, and how the reader may be able to apply it in their own life.
I really appreciated that this is not just a book about winning. SRR is open and candid about her disappointments and outright failures, her struggles with injuries and Becet's disease, and how hard it can be to be a woman focused on personal achievement and success. She also makes it clear that while she obviously has an abundance of natural sprint talent, training as an elite athlete takes a huge amount of effort and commitment. From high school on, she did a thousand repetitions of core exercises every single day! (If my boot camp instructor makes us do 300 abs/core reps, everyone moans. I recommended this book to him, so maybe I'd better hope he doesn't get any too-ambitious ideas! :D) She's also vocal about some bad experiences she's had with a few big names in track and field (a coach; her first agent).
There is, as promised, a lot of talk about God. But it's presented as Sanya's very personal relationship that provides her with drive, strength, focus, and the desire to be the best person she can in all aspects of her life, without proselytizing at the reader. She's upfront that she hopes her example will inspire others to seek their own relationship with God, so if that bothers you, skip this book. But I found her nudges to be gentle and non-preachy.
The last chapter, about SRR's decision to retire last summer before the Rio Olympics, made me cry into my breakfast cereal, it was that moving.
Well done, Sanya, and I will miss reading about you in Track & Field News and watching you run that lap around the oval.
The memoir has a linear timeline, but is also framed by "the four P's," the way Coach Clyde Hart teaches his athletes to run each 100 meters of the 400 meter race: Push, Pace, Position, and Poise. SRR describes her athletic career from age 7 along with other highlights and challenges along the way, and ends each chapter with a little boxed message about what she learned from her experiences and her faith, and how the reader may be able to apply it in their own life.
I really appreciated that this is not just a book about winning. SRR is open and candid about her disappointments and outright failures, her struggles with injuries and Becet's disease, and how hard it can be to be a woman focused on personal achievement and success. She also makes it clear that while she obviously has an abundance of natural sprint talent, training as an elite athlete takes a huge amount of effort and commitment. From high school on, she did a thousand repetitions of core exercises every single day! (If my boot camp instructor makes us do 300 abs/core reps, everyone moans. I recommended this book to him, so maybe I'd better hope he doesn't get any too-ambitious ideas! :D) She's also vocal about some bad experiences she's had with a few big names in track and field (a coach; her first agent).
There is, as promised, a lot of talk about God. But it's presented as Sanya's very personal relationship that provides her with drive, strength, focus, and the desire to be the best person she can in all aspects of her life, without proselytizing at the reader. She's upfront that she hopes her example will inspire others to seek their own relationship with God, so if that bothers you, skip this book. But I found her nudges to be gentle and non-preachy.
The last chapter, about SRR's decision to retire last summer before the Rio Olympics, made me cry into my breakfast cereal, it was that moving.
Well done, Sanya, and I will miss reading about you in Track & Field News and watching you run that lap around the oval.
September 19, 2017
Sanya writes in a warm, simple, easy-to-read style. It's a pleasure to read because it flows smoothly and almost feels like she's having a conversation with you. I love conversational literature. Her life of intense training on the track reminded me in some ways of the training process my sister undergoes for the Bible Bee competition--it's a long process with a brief off-season, and she has to stay pretty intense and focused to keep in shape--just like Sanya.
I was inspired by two things in particular--one was the four phases of the race, which Sanya calls "the four Ps". You cannot always run the race by pushing off and going at the top of your game and energy. Eventually, you have to pace yourself into a steady rhythm so you don't burn out. The discipline of pushing hard at the start and then holding a steady rhythm made a lot of sense, and I want to incorporate it into my projects and mindset as I work.
Another inspiring thing about Sanya's training was just the sheer discipline on the track every day. I had a really tired week last week, and didn't do too great on the rhythm side of things. It's OK to take a break sometimes (pacing, after all) but I want to press on, and not fall into bad habits that could derail the work God has set before me. I hope to remember Sanya's example and techniques to encourage me to run the race faithfully and constantly.
Also, I loved the section when her body could no longer hold out in the running, and she had to retire. Passing the baton into the next season of life with grace was really helpful. I loved the inspiring finish to her book.
I love Sanya's passion. I'm passionate about what I do, and this book gave me tools I needed to run the race well. I highly recommend it for an inspirational and inspiring read.
I recieved this book from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.
I was inspired by two things in particular--one was the four phases of the race, which Sanya calls "the four Ps". You cannot always run the race by pushing off and going at the top of your game and energy. Eventually, you have to pace yourself into a steady rhythm so you don't burn out. The discipline of pushing hard at the start and then holding a steady rhythm made a lot of sense, and I want to incorporate it into my projects and mindset as I work.
Another inspiring thing about Sanya's training was just the sheer discipline on the track every day. I had a really tired week last week, and didn't do too great on the rhythm side of things. It's OK to take a break sometimes (pacing, after all) but I want to press on, and not fall into bad habits that could derail the work God has set before me. I hope to remember Sanya's example and techniques to encourage me to run the race faithfully and constantly.
Also, I loved the section when her body could no longer hold out in the running, and she had to retire. Passing the baton into the next season of life with grace was really helpful. I loved the inspiring finish to her book.
I love Sanya's passion. I'm passionate about what I do, and this book gave me tools I needed to run the race well. I highly recommend it for an inspirational and inspiring read.
I recieved this book from the publisher. All opinions expressed are my own.
January 31, 2020
About a gal born and raised in Jamaica. It is determined that the best way to get a scholarship is to...MOVE TO THE UNITED STATES! She attends a prep school, her mom becomes an American citizens so they ride her coat tails. She accepts Christ as Savior.
She attends the University of Texas on scholarship where her coach bullies her, so, she bullies a teammate, for the good of the team, of course. Despite a decade as a runner she is easily manipulated by other runners. She gets a boyfriend. She is in the Olympics, she travels the world running, she gets a hives-like skin condition, she is sponsored by Nike, she turns up preggers, despite birth control, she calls boyfriend, he is silent, she goes to the clinic for procedure, then jets to the other side of the globe where she gets a Bronze medal! She gets a gold in a relay but the team photo shows a not happy smile. She and her lover what two years to marry.
Her body eventually gets old and breaks down, so, she gets out. Scripture and color photos.
She attends the University of Texas on scholarship where her coach bullies her, so, she bullies a teammate, for the good of the team, of course. Despite a decade as a runner she is easily manipulated by other runners. She gets a boyfriend. She is in the Olympics, she travels the world running, she gets a hives-like skin condition, she is sponsored by Nike, she turns up preggers, despite birth control, she calls boyfriend, he is silent, she goes to the clinic for procedure, then jets to the other side of the globe where she gets a Bronze medal! She gets a gold in a relay but the team photo shows a not happy smile. She and her lover what two years to marry.
Her body eventually gets old and breaks down, so, she gets out. Scripture and color photos.
July 10, 2017
Sighhhhhhh, this was really disappointing. I am a fan of Sanya Richards Ross for many reasons but this book left me feeling less excited about her. Most of her stories felt like she glossed over any depth in order to get to an end moral that related to one of her core beliefs. I imagined her reading this aloud for a group of people while smiling and slow blinking through all of the difficult parts of her life. I'm glad she attempted to open up more of her life to her fans and I'm glad she gets to tell her story without TV producers editing what seems best. I am not glad that this book missed the mark on a memoir. Although Sanya complained about the lack of complexity in her reality show portrayal, there is a lack of complexity here as well :/. I made it a third of the way through the book before I started skipping through looking for deeper stories. I'd rather watch another season of their show than read the rest of this.
June 24, 2017
Disappointed a little with this one. I wanted something more from this book. She tried to make it too many things. I appreciate that she wants to make it as sort of a devotional/life lessons, but it muddled her story some. She had some very real and interesting moments in her life that I would have liked to hear more about, and I thought that the coverage on a lot of them was very superficial. Barely a chapter on her 2012 Olympic Gold???? Kudos to her for being brave enough to talk about her struggles prior to the 2008 Olympics, but there were other tough moments (her time at UT for example) that she glossed over. I think it would have been better to do this as two separate type of books.
August 12, 2018
The first two chapters seemed like something written for young adults - maybe it's just the stage of my life I'm in, but I'm not looking for self-help and motivation at this moment. Things improved as it went along and got into more about her life and career and lessons learned along the way.
November 20, 2017
Nice read. She talked about her life and about God in her life
October 19, 2017
It was an alright book.
September 15, 2017
As an avid fan of the Olympics, even if not so much track and field, I was glad for the chance to read Sanya Richard-Ross's autobiography. I really knew very little about her beforehand, but she covers everything from her childhood to her retirement before the 2016 Olympics in Rio.
Sanya was a fast-rising track star in Jamaica before her family realized they would have more opportunities if they immigrated to the United States. The Richards family settled in Florida, and Sanya ran her way through school and on to her collegiate career at the University of Texas.
I especially enjoyed the parts about the three Olympics at which Sanya competed - Athens in 2004, Beijing in 2008, and London in 2012. She goes into details like who always travels with her, what her race day routine is like, etc. One of the things to which Sanya credits her success is surrounding herself with a good group of coaches and supporters. I liked this quote from Chapter 10: "In the end, it won't be the medals or the promotions that mean the most; it will be the people and the memories you create along the way."
The most heartbreaking portion of Sanya's story comes in 2008, when shortly before the Beijing Games she found out she was pregnant. She chose to have an abortion literally days before flying to China for the competition, and was still suffering the physical effects during her disappointing 400m race there. Sanya does not glorify this choice, and she talks about how it has affected other parts of her life, including her marriage. It does seem that in seeking spiritual healing for this devastating time Sanya really and truly encountered God's love for her. It was after this part of the book that the spiritual insights seemed to become deeper and more authentic.
Another part that spoke to me was towards the end, as Sanya was dealing with injuries and having to consider retirement. "Just taking the next step, I realized, is an act of hope as you trust God to see you through," she said in Chapter 13. That could apply to all uncertain times we find ourselves in.
I would recommend this book for anyone who enjoys reading about athletes - their story, their faith, the way our lives are similar or different. Thank you to the publisher for my copy of the book. All opinions in this review are my own.
This review originated at http://reviewsbyerin.dreamwidth.org
Sanya was a fast-rising track star in Jamaica before her family realized they would have more opportunities if they immigrated to the United States. The Richards family settled in Florida, and Sanya ran her way through school and on to her collegiate career at the University of Texas.
I especially enjoyed the parts about the three Olympics at which Sanya competed - Athens in 2004, Beijing in 2008, and London in 2012. She goes into details like who always travels with her, what her race day routine is like, etc. One of the things to which Sanya credits her success is surrounding herself with a good group of coaches and supporters. I liked this quote from Chapter 10: "In the end, it won't be the medals or the promotions that mean the most; it will be the people and the memories you create along the way."
The most heartbreaking portion of Sanya's story comes in 2008, when shortly before the Beijing Games she found out she was pregnant. She chose to have an abortion literally days before flying to China for the competition, and was still suffering the physical effects during her disappointing 400m race there. Sanya does not glorify this choice, and she talks about how it has affected other parts of her life, including her marriage. It does seem that in seeking spiritual healing for this devastating time Sanya really and truly encountered God's love for her. It was after this part of the book that the spiritual insights seemed to become deeper and more authentic.
Another part that spoke to me was towards the end, as Sanya was dealing with injuries and having to consider retirement. "Just taking the next step, I realized, is an act of hope as you trust God to see you through," she said in Chapter 13. That could apply to all uncertain times we find ourselves in.
I would recommend this book for anyone who enjoys reading about athletes - their story, their faith, the way our lives are similar or different. Thank you to the publisher for my copy of the book. All opinions in this review are my own.
This review originated at http://reviewsbyerin.dreamwidth.org
September 26, 2020
Sanya Richards-Ross earned several Olympic gold medals in track running for the US (Jamaican born, UT-Austin track star) and this is her story. When I was a kid I read a lot of autobiographies of sports heroes and they were all pretty much the same (and it seems they were all co-written by Phil Pepe). Sanya Richards-Ross’ book matches that genre. I heard her being interviewed on a podcast and I found her so charming I thought I’d give it a shot. It’s not bad, although very formulaic with a couple of notable exceptions. One is that she is very transparent about a couple of issues, one being her abortion before the 2008 Olympics and the other being her thoughts on steroids. I thought her heartfelt comments on both were poignant and authentic (to be clear: she had an abortion and she did not use steroids). The second departure from the standard sports star bio is that she layered on to the story what amounts to devotional thoughts at the beginning and end of each chapter. Each chapter begins with a Biblical verse and ends with a comment connecting the issues addressed in the chapter with some life/spiritual concept. Again, not a bad book, although not outstanding either. I would recommend it for the young track enthusiast who is also seeking a Christian application of his or her sport.
November 3, 2017
I actually really liked this book. Its hard to rate nonfiction books because I always feel like I'm rating the author's life. But it was interesting to get a glimpse at the behind the scenes aspect of Sanya Richards-Ross's life. I feel like I know her better and this book was everything I was hoping her "reality" show was going to be but failed.
The book was written in such a way that I felt like I was sitting and talking with a friend taking a trip down memory lane and discussing the lessons we learned from it all. I actually have these kinds of talks with my best friend of 10+ years as well as my sister, so it felt very familiar to me. I also loved the fact that even though SRR was sharing her faith and relationship with God, she was not preachy or condemning at all. She was simply sharing and it felt very refreshing to me.
I do wish that the book could have been longer which is the only reason why I gave it four stars instead of five. Other than that, this was a great read (a quick read if you have a couple hours to devote to one sitting) and it was what I needed at the time that I read it. Being a former track athlete myself, I know I will be rereading this.
The book was written in such a way that I felt like I was sitting and talking with a friend taking a trip down memory lane and discussing the lessons we learned from it all. I actually have these kinds of talks with my best friend of 10+ years as well as my sister, so it felt very familiar to me. I also loved the fact that even though SRR was sharing her faith and relationship with God, she was not preachy or condemning at all. She was simply sharing and it felt very refreshing to me.
I do wish that the book could have been longer which is the only reason why I gave it four stars instead of five. Other than that, this was a great read (a quick read if you have a couple hours to devote to one sitting) and it was what I needed at the time that I read it. Being a former track athlete myself, I know I will be rereading this.
July 2, 2018
I really enjoyed Chasing Grace. Having run track in high school, it was nice seeing how our experiences on the track were similar and how they differed. I loved how open she was about her journey.
She actually dropped a major bombshell in this book about an incredibly difficult decision she made once. Reading about it really opened my eyes up to see just how much pressure female athletes are under. Also, I enjoyed reading about her dynamics with her parents and her sister.
There's this stereotype that Black families are so dysfunctional and that wasn't really the case for them. They were her number one supporters and always had her back. The support her parents gave her is the same support, I aim to give to my children.
While this book is considered a faith read, I think that it would be a good read even for people who are not religious. She's not trying to convert you but simply shares how running helped her to uncover God's grace in her own life.
She actually dropped a major bombshell in this book about an incredibly difficult decision she made once. Reading about it really opened my eyes up to see just how much pressure female athletes are under. Also, I enjoyed reading about her dynamics with her parents and her sister.
There's this stereotype that Black families are so dysfunctional and that wasn't really the case for them. They were her number one supporters and always had her back. The support her parents gave her is the same support, I aim to give to my children.
While this book is considered a faith read, I think that it would be a good read even for people who are not religious. She's not trying to convert you but simply shares how running helped her to uncover God's grace in her own life.
May 23, 2019
This was a very interesting book to read -- because I remember Richards-Ross as a track and field competitor; and, because the stories that she tells of her career are very interesting. Watching a well run track meet has always been one of my favorite things to do, because of the level of individual competition -- so, it was interesting to listen to a competitor describe the inner thoughts of the individual in the race. But for all the good points, I struggled to stay engaged in the book. I struggled trying to understand how she was reaching for the application she wanted to make, with the story that she was telling. I'm a reader, but I think a book about her history as a competitor would have been outstanding, and then a second volume that told about what she learned in that career. But, I'm sure that many have profited from this story, and it was very interesting.
January 31, 2022
Interesting... I enjoyed learning about Sanya's life, but I wanted to hear more about her athletic journey, like what her training was like and such. It wasn't what I was expecting, although I liked hearing about her faith in God and the 4 P's (Push, Pace, Position, & Poise). She goes through the dark moments of her life, including an unplanned pregnancy 🥺, struggling with Behcet's disease, and injuries. At some points it was good, but overall I didn't enjoy it too well.
The quarter mile is a difficult race to run, however, and I admire Sanya's discipline and I loved how supportive her family was of her career!
The quarter mile is a difficult race to run, however, and I admire Sanya's discipline and I loved how supportive her family was of her career!
March 25, 2020
Inspirational Narrative
An inspirational narrative that takes you on a journey from Jamaica to the USA. It allows you to feel and appreciate ups and downs in life on your journey to success. Excellent anecdotes which allows the reader to appreciate life's journey with the challenges and mindset needed to succeed. Also detailed the role of her Faith and family in ensuring success and dealing with challenges. The use of the 4 P's can be used as an important guide to readers on life's journey. All written in a simple and direct style. Great read.
An inspirational narrative that takes you on a journey from Jamaica to the USA. It allows you to feel and appreciate ups and downs in life on your journey to success. Excellent anecdotes which allows the reader to appreciate life's journey with the challenges and mindset needed to succeed. Also detailed the role of her Faith and family in ensuring success and dealing with challenges. The use of the 4 P's can be used as an important guide to readers on life's journey. All written in a simple and direct style. Great read.
September 9, 2023
I really enjoyed the book. It’s in a similar vein to one of my favourite books ‘Run the Mile You’re In’ by Ryan Hall.
It retells the life story of a distance track runner who becomes the best in the World and how God being at the centre of her life was the key to their happiness and success and finding her husband.
She also shares a lot of advice from her coach as well as the mindset and trails she was going through before big competition and how God helped her through.
It retells the life story of a distance track runner who becomes the best in the World and how God being at the centre of her life was the key to their happiness and success and finding her husband.
She also shares a lot of advice from her coach as well as the mindset and trails she was going through before big competition and how God helped her through.
September 19, 2017
By far one of the best books I have read in a long time. I couldn't put the book down. I love how she spoke her truth and shared her story with us. She let us in and we got a chance to see her, Sanya, the athlete, the daughter, the wife. I love her story and this just makes me respect and love her that much more.
January 27, 2019
I really loved this book and at times caught myself feeling the same adrenaline that Sanya feels when she is racing. This book also taught me that racing can be like living the Christian life, some days or races are really good and other days or races can be back. In the end, God knows the plan for our race in life.
August 19, 2022
I really enjoyed this book. I loved the glimpse into Sanya’s family life and I really liked the faith elements. The only hard part was the format of the writing. I’m used to a timeline and she gave short quips that jumped all over.
I ran track in high school for fun and to stay in shape. I loved the sport so reading about it from a Christian Olympian’s perspective was great.
I ran track in high school for fun and to stay in shape. I loved the sport so reading about it from a Christian Olympian’s perspective was great.
May 20, 2025
i was surprised by how clumsily written this was. on top of being full of hollow cliches and platitudes, its just SUCH a shallow take on her journey ('running was hard, so i turned to god and then pushed through and won gold!'). it redeems itself by being short - luv a girl who knows she doesn't have that much to say... but just like her run on rhoa... its boring.
4/10
4/10
August 2, 2017
I was excited to read this book after hearing her talk about it in the Janet Parshall Show on Moody Radio. It was very good but at times felt like she glossed over the Christian aspect more than the radio show plug made it seem.
December 7, 2017
Really inspiring. Admired her discipline and how seriously she took her training. Only downside to audiobooks is not being able to underline great passages, but she had some great stuff on work and challenges being blessings.
May 10, 2023
3.5 stars
I will read ALL the running books (I see you, Steph Bruce, Lauren Fleshman, Des Linden, Molly Huddle and alllll of you runners writing books in 2023!). I listened to this one and it was solid. Really appreciate her authenticity and truth in her experiences.
I will read ALL the running books (I see you, Steph Bruce, Lauren Fleshman, Des Linden, Molly Huddle and alllll of you runners writing books in 2023!). I listened to this one and it was solid. Really appreciate her authenticity and truth in her experiences.
September 11, 2024
Surprisingly candid, with vivid details in multiple scenes, except for the abrupt ending. (Maybe there was a different typeface for the 2016 scene? It didn't translate via audio, where she jumped straight from four years earlier.) Regardless, I really enjoyed this one.
November 19, 2017
Awesome!!!
Great inspiration about not relying on self for the journey of life but on GOD who will provide grace to prepare you to withstand the journey HE'S prepared for us.
Great inspiration about not relying on self for the journey of life but on GOD who will provide grace to prepare you to withstand the journey HE'S prepared for us.
November 22, 2017
One of my track hero’s! I’ve watched her from the very beginning and learned a few things about her and her career that I didn’t know.
December 13, 2017
The story of Sanya Richards-Ross, Jamaican-born American Olympic champion, her rise in her chosen sport, and the strength she gains from her faith in God.
August 16, 2018
I love reading and learning about people’s lives. The good, the bad, the heartbreaking and the triumphs. This book inspired me on several levels, and I am a new fan of SRR.
October 6, 2018
Sanya is so encouraging and exactly what I needed to hear in this phase of my life. She is warm and funny and honest! I enjoyed this book so much!
March 21, 2020
Really enjoyed hearing her story. She's even more admirable now.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 38 reviews