Don't Stop Me Now: 26.2 Tales of a Runner’s Obsession

by Vassos Alexander, Christopher Evans (Foreword)

This is a celebration of running - and what lots of us think about when we run. Part escape, part self-discovery, part therapy, part fitness. Part simple childlike joy of running when you could be walking.
Vassos Alexander shares the highs and lows of falling in love with running, from his first paltry efforts to reach the end of his street to completing ultra marathons and triathlons in the same weekend.
Each of the 26.2 chapters also features a fascinating insight into how others first started – from Paula Radcliffe to Steve Cram, the Brownlees to Jenson Button, Nicky Campbell to Nell McAndrew.
Funny, inspiring, honest - the perfect read for anyone with well-worn trainers by the door (or thinking of buying a pair...)

Genres: Nonfiction, Audiobook, Biography, Sports, Health, Travel, Self Help

224 pages, Paperback

First published May 24, 2016

Reviews

[Rob Twinem · Rating 2 out of 5]

I have been a runner for some 40 years and still find great enjoyment from this singular activity. Being a member of a running club and competing in half marathons throughout the year still holds a great addiction for me. I can understand totally how and why the author of this book is so enthralled by this simple pleasure yet I could not help but feel that the story is in some ways an attempt for him to "cash" in on this popular pastime. His book does contain some great running moments; in the opening pages he is adrift and isolated in Scandinavia and the 5am run never felt so good. His descriptive prose of his early morning running in this silent desolate landscape is what really is at the heart of running...."a blood-orange sun rising above an expanse of dazzling white sand and lush marshland. Beyond the mossy green acres was the icy blue Baltic Sea...."

So much of the book is given over to naming the great ie Colin Jackson, Jo Pavey, Richard Nerurkar, Sally Gunnell and allowing them the opportunity to expound on their running stories. Vassos Alexander makes great play out of the fact that running is a simple sport enjoyed with limited resources and therefore accessible to all. However his privileged position allows him the means and opportunity to make use of all types of specialized training, physios and medical practitioners something that is out of the reach of most of the ordinary running population.

I am not saying this is a bad book it is quite enjoyable but nothing special. For the true meaning and spirit of running I would recommend that you read James Fixx "The Complete Book of Running", Charlie Spedding's excellent "From last to first: How I became a Marathon Champion" (his winning of a bronze medal at the LA Olympics never really received the praise it deserved.), Richard Asquith's outstanding biography of Emil Zatopek "Today we die a little: The rise and fall of Emil Zatopek"

[Anthony · Rating 3 out of 5]

Liked it. Didn't love it. You can tell Vassos loves running, which is something I can get behind, but when you look at what he's done he's hardly a "man of the people" as he thinks he is. I also didn't like some comments like "I'm not that fast" when he'd then talk at length about wanting a sub 3 hour marathon. Who is he comparing himself to, the elites? But some of the stories are fun. The mile by mile update of his iron man because a bit boring after while, though I'm sure there's many who can relate to the pain he's going through. I'd probably recommend this, but do what I did and try to borrow instead of buy, cause I would only read it the once.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this a lot at the start but it was a tad too self absorbed and a bit predictable for me. Yes he is obviously a fast and obsessive runner but it just got a bit much in the end.

[Michał Hawełka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I've never had this much fun listening to the audiobook. I listened to this during my runs and while the author spoke about some running-related issues I could easily empathize. And I really liked the "pro" fragments of each chapter - they gave me the perspective on running that I was missing I suppose.

[Stuart Page · Rating 3 out of 5]

I keep re-reading this because I require something to help keep me motivated while I'm marathon training, and even though I don't especially like the book, and I have my grumbles about the guy, and the opportunities afforded to him that most never get, it does achieve that goal of keeping me thinking positively about running. It's a solitary sport. It's a thankless grind. It's an exercise defined by pain and tedium and tiny shorts that reveal how nice my quads look but not my ass (it's not like I don't do squats man I even do them with weights but these shrimpy glutes of mine absolutely refuse to develop not even a little bit I'll never be as strong as all the hench-legged runners). Reading about it makes it all feel easier, though, like you're a part of a team. Anyway, there aren't many running books that inspire me, truth be told, so I'll probably keep coming back to this one when I start forgetting why I run. Also, (I've probably said this before) I enjoy that every running book has a chapter dedicated to Imminent Shitting. I want to see that creep over into other genres, too. Imminent Shitting sci fi. Imminent Shitting romance. Imminent Shitting cookbooks.

Maybe not, actually.

Although...

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the host of a running podcast came a cleverly written book. Each chapter comes in three parts: Vassos progress in the Iron-man, Vassos running journey and the story of another inspiring runner. Do not read this book if you are looking for a factual guide to help you complete your first (or any marathon). However, do read this if you like runners tales in all their gory glory.

You don't have to be a runner (or even parkrun walker) to enjoy the stories, but it might just encourage you to lace up some trainers and start creating some stories of your own to tell.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first learned about Vassos from the parkrun podcast, Free Weekly Timed. His enthusiasm for running in this book was tangible, and made me want to get out and try to get started in running. Normally, I see running in a workout, and I absolutely dread it. And I just want to treat it like any other skill - but his enjoyment is so sincere that I think I'd like to try it properly. So I think I'll have a crack at the couch to 5k programme, maybe...

[Lozzle_pops · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an incredible book. If like me you're currently struggling with your distance running mojo, this is the book for you. Vassos' pure love of running shines out of every page, and the highs and lows of his running journey so far are utterly inspiring. Am looking forward to reading his second book!

[Colin · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an audio book that I read while running in Richmond Park. It's pretty good inspiration if you're just chugging along and want to be reminded that you can, in fact, continue putting one foot in front of the other. The writer isn't elite or anything, but an ex-smoker in his forties who adopted running relatively late in life. Relatable (although I'm no longer in my forties)

[Dom Chamberlain · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was OK. The author is a quite irritating. Even for keen runners this goes on a bit

[Gary Pitman · Rating 4 out of 5]

A good book.

[Amanda Keen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic book about how running affects your life and I love following the journeys of anyone who has received a positive impact from running or triathlon. I loved the unusual layout of the book - it had lots of brilliant snippets in each chapter to keep you reading. I look forward to the next book in March!

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was bought this book for my birthday as I’ve recently got into running. Vassos Alexander is a very engaging author (I haven’t actually heard him on the radio) and his enthusiasm for running is evident. If I’m honest, I’d like to have heard a little more about the struggle of those early days of running. The book quickly jumps from Alexander’s first steps on the treadmill as overweight, out of shape, ex-smoker to him effortlessly running marathons and evidently enjoying it. His position as one of the UK’s best known sports broadcasters clearly affords him the luxuries of top physios, coaches, and running consultant, which also makes it hard to engage with his experiences. For instance, I imagine few readers will ever have to stop during a marathon to do a celebrity interview or have the opportunity to “grab the mic” at the end of a race to thank all the volunteers. The book is structured around the 26.2 miles of an Ironman Triathlon race, which helps to keeps it pacy, but the jumps in narrative to different points in Alexander's running career make it difficult to follow at times. Each chapter concludes with a contribution from a celebrity runner, which is interesting at first but many of them tell the same story. Overall, this is an interesting book, with some good tips and techniques dotted throughout its pages, but what it gains in enthusiasm and passion, it lacks in relatability.

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an easy read; broken up in to bitesize pieces for interspersed reading. Each chapter (27 of them) was broken into 3 parts; a part about his ironman, about his own experiences and finally an interview with a notable person in the running community or someone prominent with running experience.

If I were to sell this book to you I would sell it by saying there were interesting interviews in each chapter but his comments on his own life were heart-warming too.

I would describe it as motivational but I would bear in mind his modesty about his own ability is unfounded and he is clearly in the top few % of running athletes; this can sometimes be a bit jarring when he talks about aiming for a sub 3 hour marathon for example as if that isn't a very impressive time!

[Camio.Dontchaknow · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very enthusiastic, enjoyable book. It's always a delight to listen to someone get excited about something they enjoy. And the fact that this book is also packed with a load of experiences and stories from other runners, made it all the more a pleasure to read. He's got an engaging style of writing, but at times he's a bit self indulgent, like a hyper little kid and you just want him to calm down, stop trying so hard to be funny and just tell the story. We're listening. And we want to hear it. But hey, you don't read, or indeed write, a book about running if you're not excited by it yourself. So yes he's absolutely allowed to tell it like that. He said himself he's just a big kid. I believe him. And now I want to go for a run.

[Steph – BookSirens ‘R’ Us · Rating 4 out of 5]

I recently took up on running, and Don’t Stop Me Now is a lovely little read that keeps me motivated about it. Although I don’t plan to run professionally or any marathons yet, Vassos’s passion for running is highly infectious. I also really like how the book is structured. Every chapter has a bit of Vassos as he runs a triathlon, followed by instances from his past on how he started to run. Even better is that every chapter ends with a bit of a write-up by a famous runner telling us why they love to run. Don’t Stop Me Now is an easy read, quick to finish in a couple of sittings, but it’s best to enjoy each chapter slowly to understand how something as simple and “free” as running can change so many lives.

[Matthew F. Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book has been something of a lifeline. Okay, that might be overselling it a little, but I haven't been doing well the last month or so. My mental health has been at the lowest it's been for a while and not much was helping to improve it - so I returned to what proved to be a real life-changed for me a couple of years ago. Running. Even though 2020 was a mess of a year, I'd managed to go from someone who didn't run at all in 2018 to someone who ran a fair bit in 2019 to someone who managed to run 1,150km, finish 30+ virtual races including 10 half-marathons and the virtual London Marathon. I think back to it now and it's still a bit surreal and feels like a lifetime ago now.

However, in 2021 my body protested from all the physical exertion and my exercise regime went from running 3 to 5 times a week to virtually nothing in no time flat. Weight piled back on and I could barely run a bath let alone a marathon. While I tried things like Peloton, which helped for a bit, nothing really connected with me like the escapism and simplicity of running. So I turned to this book for inspiration to get me going again.

And it's worked - sure, it's still early days but I'm back out regularly and while just trying to do 5km is challenging things are getting gradually easier. Or less awful, lets put it that way. And this book has helped massively - partly because I've been alternating between reading the paperback and having the audiobook playing while I've been running. Turns out having someone talking about their love of running narrating while you're running is a great motivator. Plus, it helps that Vassos writes - and narrates - with such enthusiasm, wit, passion and self-deprecating humour that you can't help but enjoy it. Plus his enthusiasm is infectious, which is only enhanced by the people that he's got to contribute stories to the book - including a lady (whose name, much to my shame, eludes me right now) that started running at 60-years old and broke records. That's the sort of thing that encourages me to get back into running at 41-years old and it doesn't matter how I feel about my body or myself - because I've done this before and I can jolly well do it again.

I said to myself that even though I'd done the virtual marathon - which was an amazing experience and I even got a Guinness World Record participation certificate from it - I wanted to do the actual London Marathon route itself and I still do. And that means I need to get back out there and start doing what I've already done before. Run. Doesn't matter if I'm not quick, doesn't matter if my form isn't the best, or if I might need to take it a lot slower and steadier than last time. What matters is that I can - and will - do it. Because as Vassos' book tells you - it doesn't matter who you are, what age you are, or what body type you are - if you can lace up some trainers and step out the front door, then you can run.

[Emily Richards · Rating 5 out of 5]

An absolute joy of a read! Just the kind of inspirational pick-me-up I needed while I’m training to cycle 100 miles this summer to raise money for Samaritans. Running and cycling have many similarities, and one of the most inspirational themes are the people who do these crazy things.

Training and good preparation are imperative for big events. Don’t forget your trainers... It’s almost like a ritual with all the many things to remember to do, to eat, to drink, to travel, to get changed into the right gear, to drink and eat some more. I can empathise with the nerve-wracking anticipation of finding the location and making sure you’ve got the right time and date, let alone doing the event itself. It’s like checking your passport a dozen times before you fly anywhere and it’s in the inner pocket in your bag where it has been for hours.

Running is a beautifully natural form of exercises and we are built to run. As with any activity or sport, fitness is something you can constantly improve, little by little, becoming a better, stronger you than the day before. I might not get the running bug but I totally get why people get hooked. This book is an enjoyable read for anyone who likes getting outside and feeling alive, whether that’s on your feet, hiking a mountain, fell running or on a bike. Escape the confines of your cosy home or office space and get out there and feel free, the muddier the better.

[Roy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am probably a bit harsh to rate this great book with only 3 stars, because I actually loved it. I did find it a bit hard to get into, because the structure is rather disjointed and makes it a bit hard to get into a flow or see the overall narrative. Each of the 27 chapters (the last 0.2 mile makes its own one) have three sections: the leading one telling each mile of the gruelling but defining marathon the writer did as part of an Ironman, followed by an author’s running story which over the chapters paints the picture what running means to him, wrapped up with little reports of public figures or not, all about how they got into running and what it means to them. So it is a great read, a lot of information and very inspiring. But only the last few chapters really touched my heart, and I felt now we are getting to the important stuff. For me, running has become a metaphor for life and making most out of it, according to your abilities and the cards you have been dealt with. And that is what came out of these last chapters and I welled up a few times, because it was so accurately but into words, what I found to be true, too: running is more than a sport to me and many others, it is this getting to the fabric of what it means to be human, part of this world and the connection to our rich and colourful inner lives that then enables us to truly grow up and connect to others.

[Linda Beldava · Rating 3 out of 5]

26.2 jūdzes - 26 stāsta nodaļas. Skrienot sava pirmā Ironman noslēdzošo disciplīnu - maratonu, autors katru tā jūdzi apraksta kā nodaļu, kurā atceras savus skriešanas pirmssākumus un piedzīvojumus, katrā nodaļā arī pieaicināts dalīties ar savu stāstu kāds pazīstams skrējējs vai ar skriešanu citādi saistīta persona.
Labs humors, iesmejot par skrējēju stereotipiskajām lietām - gan gadžetu atkarību, gan ekipējuma dārgumu tā saucamajam demokrātiskajam sportam. Kā jau jebkurā grāmatā par skriešanu, var atrast daudz pazīstamu sajūtu.
Par humoru pluss.
Mīnuss par audioformāta izpildījumu. Lasa pats autors. Tas gan pie plusiem. Bet es mīnusu lieku savai uzmanībai. Vietās, kur tiek iesaistītas citas personas, nemanīju pāreju no stāsta par šo cilvēku trešajā personā uz stāstu pirmajā personā. Tāpēc ne reizi vien attapos nesaprašanā, kāpēc pēkšņi, piemēram, tiek runāts par sevi sieviešu dzimtē, vai stāstīts jau atšķirīgs skriešanas pirmssākumu stāsts, nekā dzirdēts iepriekš. Tas reiz ir trūkums audioformātam, ka nepašķirt tik vienkārši uz nodaļas sākumu vai vietu, kur tikt pie skaidrības.

[Jack · Rating 3 out of 5]

Top tip: dip into this book for a couple of chapters a day to keep the sedentary doctor away.

The book has an unsual style of 3 parts to every chapter. Part 1 is an update on Vassos' progress through and Ironman, part 2 is a tale of his running prowess in an alternative location, and part 3 is a vindication of the rights of runners by a famed jogging addict (a new character each chapter). Each section bursts with enthusiasm for running and provides another intriguing example of challenge in the simplest sport known to man. So far, so good.

However, Vassos really started to annoy me with the insistent and repetitive ironman grumbles. I don't mean to say this isn't an incredible acheivement, and obviously putting your body under that stress would naturally inspire one to write a book about the experience. Problem is, I just don't think there is enough content to keep delving into the same race over 26 chapters. It becomes tedious.

That said, an easy and fun intro to distance running this is indeed.

[Mrs CKC · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am a runner and I devour any and all books about running, especially endurance running. I read Vassos’s second book first (loved it - go read it) and decided to give his first, this one, a read. It’s really very good. I enjoy his writing style, I love how much he loves running and I genuinely think the book will inspire non-runners to get out there, as well as have the runners amongst us dropping it for a moment in favour of a little lollop along the trails (before hurriedly picking it up again once back through the door). The only reason for 4 stars instead of 5 (as I would give Running Up That Hill) is the author’s slight obsession with the speed of every single run (even when professing not to care) and his self-deprecation with regards to his own ability. For the avoidance of doubt, being able to run anywhere near a 3 hour marathon makes you a very good runner. It did take the fun out of it slightly for me but, nonetheless, I enjoyed the book immensely and think the second one is even better. Vassos seems like a lovely bloke too.

[Kim Arne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Herlige betraktninger fra BBC-profilen Vassos Alexanders vei fra kvapsete familiefar til å bli en triatlet på et høyt mosjonistnivå. Boken er skrevet med en morsom og selvironisk penn, med mange gjenkjennelige scener fra mosjonistlivet på veien mot målene. Som bergenser er et lite høydepunkt når Vassos og broren hans lander i Bergen for det som de tror er Bergen City Marathon, men som er det langt mindre Bergen Marathon med tjue deltakere i et forblåst Fana.

Om jeg skal trekke for noe, må det være at kapitlene er litt i overkant rotete. Alle de 26,2 (!) kapitlene begynner med en kort betraktning fra et maraton Vassos løper i forbindelse med et triatlon, og i lengden blir det en sitron som presses så mye at det til slutt ikke er mer saft igjen. Dessuten er det noen ganske intetsigende mini-intervju med mer eller mindre forglemmelige folk som snakker om hvor sykt gøy det er å løpe.

[Andy Parkes · Rating 4 out of 5]

A really interesting book about running! This is the story of one man's journey into all things running broken up with interviews from all manner of people that run (Olympians, world record holders, sports scientists and some bloke he literally bumped into)

Whole thing was very inspirational and made me want to put it down and get my trainers on!

Only frustration was his lack of self awareness of his own ability, despite repeatedly saying otherwise

Maybe he has a skewed perspective being a sports reporter, or he's just way too modest. But the time he posts for his first ever half Marathon, with no preparation is very respectable. Same for his first London Marathon. Plenty of amateur runners would be made up with those times!

[Cindy Dyson Eitelman · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a reader, I only asked this book to give me a push and a bit of inspiration for my own running. Okay, call it "jogging." And it did do that, and more.

He mixes his own experience at the time of a marathon with essays looking back in his life and interviews with other runners. I liked his personal stories the best, although I can't help wondering what is wrong with him that he would push himself through pain to run races. There's a difference between "pain that you recognize is just part of pushing yourself hard" and "pain that is likely a sign of injury", and he describes a whole lot of the latter. I'm surprised he's still running.

But he writes well and I recommend the book despite the pain of reading it.

[Amelia O'Reilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good, light hearted, recreational running fun. Vassos writes about running in a way that will be relatable for all rec runners who will never be the best but still want to be better than they are today.

The chapters follow each mile of a marathon (at the end of a triathlon, arguably the hardest way to run a marathon) and each include a story or thought from Vassos's running exploits as well as a story from someone else (a celeb, a famous runner, family and friends) about the beginnings of their running journey.

I don't usually read non-fiction but when I do I choose non-fiction about a topic I know I'll love.

[Natalie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book but I agree with other reviewers that it is on the self-centered side. Everything the author does is for his own personal interest, and to fulfill what is clearly an obsession bordering on the unhealthy side (the sub-title of the book indicates as much). That said, I loved the perspectives provided throughout by the likes of the Brownlees, Paula, Jo Pavey and other running and sports personalities, and the author's passion for the sense of freedom which running provides is infectious.

[Emma · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyably written, with anecdotes from Vassos’s own runs as well as from well known and successful fellow runners. But he spends a lot of time saying how he’s not great or fast, while also devoting a lot of time to trying to run a sub-3 hour marathon. As someone who loves to run but will never achieve that goal, it’s a bit of a punch in the gut for a book that’s simply suppose to be celebrating the joy of running. Also the Ironman marathon became contrived by the end. It was too predictable to be heartwarming.

[Jordi Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

A little different to my usual read, but absolutely compulsory reading for anyone who has ever tried - or even thought about- running. In fact, even if you haven't thought about running, I would recommend this book - and I'm willing to bet after reading it, you will want to!

Laugh out loud hilarious, inspiring and completely relatable to any runner. I loved the format of this book, each chapter starting with a description of an individual mile in a particularly gruelling race. If possible, it made me fall in love with my beloved hobby even more.

[Anne Melrose · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this to give me running inspiration which it does to some extent with interesting stories interspersed throughout from famous runners. However I do agree with other reviewers and it became a bit self congratulatory- Vassos is a superb runner and quick - he’s just been the fastest full fancy dress costume in the London marathon! Saying you’re not makes us slow runners feel disheartened- so only read this for inspiration if you are a serious runner, look elsewhere if you are just needing encouragement and support to continue your running journey