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Reborn on the Run: My Journey from Addiction to Ultramarathons

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"This is a story you’ll love and never forget."—Christopher McDougall, author, Born to Run and Natural Born HeroesAside from her rock star looks, Catra Corbett is a standout in the running world on her accomplishments alone. Catra is the first American woman to run over one hundred miles or more on more than one hundred occasions and the first to run one hundred and two hundred miles in the Ohlone Wilderness, and she holds the fastest known double time for the 425-miles long John Muir Trail, completing it in twelve days, four hours, and fifty-seven minutes.And, unbelievably, she's also a former meth addict.After two years of addiction, Catra is busted while selling, and a night in jail is enough to set her straight. She gives up drugs and moves back home with her mother, abandoning her friends, her boyfriend, and the lifestyle that she came to depend on. Her only clean friend pushes her to train for a 10K with him, and surprisingly, she likes it—and decides to run her first marathon after that.In Reborn on the Run, the reader keeps pace with Catra as she runs through difficult terrain and extreme weather, is stalked by animals in the wilderness, and nearly dies on a training run but continues on, smashing running records and becoming one of the world's best ultrarunners. Along the way she attempts suicide, loses loved ones, falls in love, has her heartbroken, meets lifelong friends including her running partner and dachshund TruMan, and finally faces the past that led to her addiction.

220 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 15, 2018

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Catra Corbett

2 books6 followers

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5 stars
452 (27%)
4 stars
624 (38%)
3 stars
406 (25%)
2 stars
123 (7%)
1 star
18 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 172 reviews
Profile Image for Paul C. Stalder.
495 reviews18 followers
December 20, 2018
One of the hardest books to rate due to the vast dichotomies within. This book is at once inspiring and incredibly boring. Motivating, yet depressing. Easy to read, but extremely poorly written. I enjoyed getting to know Catra and hearing her story out of addiction. But the subtitle is slightly misleading, as most of this work focuses on all the so-called "epic shit" that she has accomplished. And yes, she has done amazing, even epic things. But this is not a story about her overcoming addiction, so much as it is her conquering the running world. Perhaps the two go hand in hand for her, but the reader looking primarily for insight on her journey out of addiction will be disappointed.
Now to the rating. I enjoyed this book more than two stars suggest, but simply cannot give anything more to such a poorly written and edited work. The sentences are shockingly repetitive; essentially word for word at points. The grammer is horrendous, remenicient of a grade school essay. The syntax is dull and uninspiring. If it were not for the nature of the story being told, this book would fall completly flat.
All of this critiques would be forgivable, but for a few damning facts. First, Catra did not write this book alone. She had the help of a writer; a man who apparently makes a living off the written word. Second, Catra did not publish this book herself, but had a publishing house behind her. Where was the editor during this process?
At the end of the day, read this book if you are looking for a good story, not a good read.
Profile Image for Sabine.
602 reviews89 followers
August 21, 2018
Being a runner myself I naturally read about Catra Corbett before she published her book. She is a very colourful and amazing ultra runner with a running resume that leaves me in awe. One day when I grow up I want to do some of the crazy things Catra does.

Her book is inspiring and interesting. I love trail running so much and just like Catra in the beginning I am terrified of wildlife encounters. It is reassuring to read that she was able to get over her fear...so there is hope for me :)

It was also interesting to read about her drug addiction and I can see that running can be a major contributor in helping to overcome an addiciton.

Catra is a faszinating person and I very much enjoyed reading her book.
Profile Image for Angela.
96 reviews1 follower
May 27, 2018
I had a hard time with this rating. I admire Catra for her honesty about her struggles and experiences, but I had a very hard time getting past the editing errors. I found myself wondering if the book even had an editor. There were missing words and repeated words and sentences. Despite that, Catra’s story is very interesting and I loved the upbeat attitude that carried throughout the book and how she used the negative and sad parts of her life to fuel her to do amazing things.
Profile Image for Jenna.
347 reviews2 followers
May 22, 2020
I purchased this book after hearing such great things about it. I had an encounter with Catra at the 2013 San Francisco marathon expo. She was working a booth selling women's clothing. I got a really nasty look from her, that really had me feeling insecure. She is tiny, as she mentions often in this book. I am not. So even though I had this bad experience, which I still remember after all these years, I thought I'd give her book a shot. I wanted to like it. Perhaps if the editing had been better, or even been edited at all?, I would have liked it more. The story was hard to follow at times. She says "at this point" a thousand times. Sometimes, she seemed like a really selfish person. It was a struggle to finish.
Profile Image for Ron S.
427 reviews33 followers
March 19, 2018
A post-addiction athletic memoir elevated by a kind, searching, thankful and unpretentious spirit. I should note that I'd never heard of, or seen, Ms Corbett prior to this book. It's interesting enough, if you enjoy memoirs written by interesting people leading unusual lives, on its own merits without coming to it as a fan, blog follower or ultra-runner. Having read an advance reader copy without photos, I did a google image search when I was finished out of curiosity, and since appearance is mentioned near the end of the book. If the publisher has any sense, photos will be included in the retail edition.
Profile Image for Anna.
459 reviews5 followers
December 30, 2019
There was a lot of repetition in the book which made it quite irritating to read. Also, I was hoping to read about HOW she manages to run so far so often, training, nutrition etc. but instead the book becomes a list of (amazing) accomplishments with very little detail about how they were achieved, except for occasional details of stuff that went wrong.
Author 2 books4 followers
May 14, 2020
With a memoir, it's tough to separate the book from the author. In this case, the author is Catra Corbett, a runner in search of extremes. Everything about her life needs to be extreme. When she was young, she partied all the time and began taking drugs, especially meth, to help her stay awake and party more. Her father died, her sister became a heroin addict, and Catra landed in jail on an intent to distribute charge, which was a wake-up call. In "Reborn on the Run," the author wrestles with the question of addiction. It seems obvious to the reader that addiction becomes a through-line for Catra's story. After her drug addiction, she developed an eating disorder and exercise addiction. Then she turned to running. Corbett refuses to call her ultrarunning an addiction, but it appears she needs to go farther than anyone else. She describes an addiction as something you can't stop and something that harms you, and she claims neither of these factors is true of running, but how to explain her years-long running streak or the fact that she runs until she is peeing blood or bleeding internally or her organs are in distress? The author has experienced a lot of pain and grief in her life--the death of family, loved ones, and pets; and failed relationships. To her credit, she covers these topics unflinchingly without dwelling on the negatives. What we're left with, however, is a cursory pass through Corbett's life without a lot of vivid details to make her story stand out from the plethora of recovering addict ultrarunner tales. Her experiences on the John Muir trail are described in the greatest depth, and the reader gains a true sense of Corbett's feelings of hunger, cold, thirst, and filthiness while hiking the trail. As a modest human being, I was personally put off by Corbett's need for self-promotion. It was clear that she always wanted to be the life of the party, from the early days when she was literally (with the help of drugs) the life of the party, to her later running career. She is very proud of her many piercings, tattoos, and pink hair. She wants to attract attention. She is even proud that her running with weiner dogs draws people to her. I guess the self-promotion works. Corbett is a mid-pack runner, but she managed to score a shoe contract with Hoka. Multiple times the author mentions wanting to be known as "bad-ass." She hangs out with some climbers at Yosemite, and stumbles into a short-term relationship with one because she considers the climbers bad-ass. I was just listening to a running podcast where the hosts were making fun of the whole "bad-ass" concept, and I have to agree that this seems like a silly motivation for life decisions. I personally believe in moderation and that every choice comes with a cost, but that's just me. Again, this book is of interest if you're a true fan of the sport of ultrarunning, and I think the writing of it required a lot of candidness and soul-searching by its author. I was put off by a number of typos and believe "Reborn on the Run" might have benefited from a better editor, but this isn't necessarily the author's fault.
Profile Image for Pierre Fortier.
436 reviews5 followers
March 4, 2019
Inspirant, mais répétitif et fort inégal, le récit de Catra Corbett raconte son passage d'une accroc à la drogue à une des plus reconnues ultra-marathoniennes de l'histoire. Même si ce type d'histoire motive tous les coureurs et coureuses de l'extrême, force est d'admettre que le scénario mis de l'avant semble avoir été bâclé, demeure inconsistant et quelque fois inintéressant. Dommage, je me serais passé des règlements de comptes avec son ex-mari et des petites longueurs concernant la vie privée de ses chiens pour entrer plus en détails dans lex exploits exceptionnels que la "Dirty Diva" a accomplit au courant de sa carrière difficile à égaler. Quoiqu'il en soit, j'en ai retiré une très bonne source d'inspiration, malgré quelques passages à vide.
Profile Image for Rachael.
Author 43 books81 followers
December 26, 2018
As an inspirational story, this book succeeds. As a memoir, it falls flat. It provides information, no doubt. Catra has a lot to say. Readers learn of Catra's story from her younger years to the present. But every turning point is given equal weight, with the result being "this happened and then this happened and then this happened." All of the telling rather than showing made it repetitive to read. I was glad the chapters were short -- that made it seem like I was moving through the book quickly.

After reading the book, I still can't decide if I like Catra as portrayed on the page. Many times I got a sense of ego, which turned me off. You can tell readers repeatedly that you do "epic shit," or you can let your accomplishments speak for themselves and let readers decide if you're epic or not.

I'm guessing the book's problem results from Catra having a co-author. Something always gets lost in translation, and I think that's where the flatness comes from.

However, I did come away with a better sense of what drives ultra runners. I know a few ultra runners and while they are fantastic, kind people, I admit I'm thinking they are a little crazy. And I still think that. But Catra helped me see the difference between being addicted to running and being obsessed by it. And we all have our obsessions. While I really don't think I'll be tackling anything past 26.2 (at least that's not the plan for now!), I still could see a little of myself in this book.
Profile Image for Kathryn.
43 reviews1 follower
December 26, 2023
TW. The book discusses an eating disorder that isn't mentioned in the book description.

Stopped reading at chapter 11. After the "I'm not like other girls," comments sprinkled through!
I was actually quite enjoying the book in the beginning, but it's very similar to another book I read. There are a lot of psychological/emotional issues going on that clearly are either being denied or ignored.

The "I'm different to other trail runners, I recover so much quicker" statement was what finished it for me.
You can keep telling yourself that, but It's no different to the "I'm a vegan and a runner" excuse. You're no different they just listen to their bodies they are choosing to take care of themselves, letting themselves recover, and you aren't it's as simple as that. You replaced the drug addiction with an eating disorder and the eating disorder with pushing your body to its extreme limits (though actually I think you are still struggling with an ED you just allow yourself some more calories so you can still keep running)

I am aware this review is somewhat brutal, but when you publish a book that promotes some unhealthy ideals and pats themselves on the back for their "accomplishments" and acts like you've overcome your problems think it needs to be called out!
Profile Image for Chris Russell.
71 reviews1 follower
Read
June 3, 2018
I get a lot of these running books because I'm in the 'game' so to speak. I have known or known of Catra for over a decade through the Running social networks. Always enjoyed her 'Dirt Diva' presence as she reported in from the trails. She makes quite a first impression on the social webs. Covered in ink, resplendent in piercings, and rocking some shocking pink outfit - And always, always bringing that ultra-runner attitude.
Her new book is an easy read and it gives the backstory to this pixie trail avatar that we've all see for so many years. It was co-written and sometimes the prose goes a bit flat, but it's worth the investment.
Every chapter could be it's own made-for-TV movie on the Lifetime channel.
She walks, or runs, us through her transformation from a Goth-Meth-Addict-GoGo-Dancer to an accomplished ultra-runner. She has done some amazing feats of endurance and gives us a first person window into those happenings and into that world.
Catra has learned to face living head on and celebrate the challenges.
If you've got challenges in your life Catra's reporting of her continuing journey through life will resonate.

Profile Image for Mary Ward.
13 reviews2 followers
May 27, 2018
First, to be honest I am a huge fan of the Dirt Diva Catra Corbett and all she stands for. I am also a soul whose only home is in running. So, I was already expecting to like this book. However, not all runners can write, not all runners have such a beautiful story, and not all runners have such style. Catra's book was simply wonderful. This runner can write and she writes with a style that perfectly matches her bright hair and colorful tattoos. The story is peppered with expletives and filled with painfully honest self-reflections. Catra explains her path to and out of addiction in a way that with capture your heart and bring tears to your eyes. Her story will make you believe that recovery is possible, from pain can come compassion, and every creature deserves a second chance. If you yourself have struggled with addiction or any mental health issues or if you have lived with those who have battled such things, read this book. Then, buy this book for your friends. (Warning: this book will also make you want to buy running shoes, adopt a dog, and sign-up for a race.)
Profile Image for Katie Foster.
83 reviews1 follower
September 18, 2019
I was hoping to read more about how she used running to overcome addiction. Instead, she only brushed on the addiction for a short chapter or so, and the rest of the book felt like she was looking for validation that she was the biggest badass in fitness. She accomplished a ton, which is awesome, but it doesn’t sound like she enjoyed the process very much—just that she enjoyed that next check on the list of badassery. When you have internal bleeding from too much Advil to cover the pain, and suffer multiple bladder infections that make you pee blood, maybe it’s time to chill a little...? I think I would have enjoyed this book if I was training for an ultra and looking for motivation to keep going. However, I wanted to read a unique story about meth-addict-turned-runner, so I was disappointed.
Profile Image for Barb.
Author 9 books4 followers
June 18, 2018
So. Many. Typos.

Not the most well written book which is fine. She's a runner, not a writer. But it does make reading it a bit challenging at times. A good story though, which if it had been told better (or by a better writer) would have been a 3 or 4 star book, IMO.
Profile Image for Steve.
137 reviews
August 26, 2019
Running biased review incoming...

I enjoy running books where the protagonist finds their rebirth, redemption, something through running. This book is no exception, Catra is one badass runner.
Profile Image for M. Bayoush.
168 reviews6 followers
September 12, 2023
The stories she tells about her life are interesting and I've read running-articles by/about her years ago so it was nice to read the book about her life. However, it isn't exactly a well-written book. It is very repetitive in the way things are being described, I found it hard to understand where in time the stories were happening since the storytelling was jumping in time a lot, at the same time there were two stories being told parallel to eachother in a chapter. It was a confusing read.

I suppose I could recommend this to someone who's interested in the intersection of drug addiction and running.
Profile Image for Heather.
239 reviews4 followers
January 9, 2021
I listened to this book on audible. Catra’s story is compelling, and she does indeed do some BAMR stuff. The storytelling was nonlinear and a little disorganized at times. Her struggles felt relatable.
Profile Image for Beautiful flower.
4 reviews17 followers
January 30, 2022
I really wanted to love this book. There was definitely a beautiful story to be told. I made it through to the end but it was a struggle. The chapters were all over the place & the flash backs ill placed.
Profile Image for Sara.
398 reviews8 followers
January 2, 2019
Fun and inspiring read! Made me wish I lived near trails as it sounds more fun than pounding the pavement!!!
1 review
October 2, 2020
Was a good book to listen to during runs. Inspiring story about a drug addict turned ultra runner.
Note, you will be in tears.
Profile Image for Dave.
29 reviews2 followers
April 1, 2021
Catra’s story is amazing. Overcoming life’s challenges in her personal way. I know a couple things now. One, I don’t want to run a hundred miles. Two, I want to continue to run.
Profile Image for Bennjamin.
77 reviews1 follower
January 18, 2020
"Reborn on the Run" traces the struggles and triumphs of one of ultrarunning's great runners of the last 50 years, Catra Corbett. With powerful and brutal honesty, Catra dives deep into the memories, mistakes, struggles, addictions, abusive relationships, and setbacks she has faced over the course of a lifetime, and then builds a page-turner that highlights the powerful benefits a life on the run has had. As each story unfolds, from her first run, to her first 50k and 50 mile, her record yo yo run on the John Muir Trail - the reader becomes engrossed in the healing and therapeutic nature of distance running. Catra acknowledges that she is in no way a perfect soul, but her honesty and the grace and power through which she has carried herself speaks volumes about her contributions to this sport. TruMan, the wonder dachshund, first ever to complete a 50k, is a symbol of the healing power of the long run. Saved by Catra from a neglectful hoarder home, he has thrived and gained a second life thanks to her. I enjoyed learning of Catra's journey and the lessons that any reader, runner or non-runner alike can take away from her work. "Everyone in the ultra community is like family, even those I've barely met. When they try to shake my hand, I won't let them. I give them a hug. I feel that close to someone who runs, and especially to someone who runs ultras." - Catra Corbett

It is not always easy for someone to talk about addiction, but I think Catra seeks to use her lesson as a beacon of hope to all those who are currently facing or know and love and support someone who battles the throes of addiction. We need more people like her out there.

"I don't have any regrets about my past. Everything in your life has to happen the way it happened in order to be who you are in your life. I had to be a drug addict to become an ultrarunner. I had to find a passion in order to overcome my addiction."

Don't block out the past. Use it as motivation and fuel to build a new foundation for your next best self.

Enjoyed this read and it was a quick one. Definitely one I recommend 5 stars.
Profile Image for Kelly Conrad.
208 reviews1 follower
September 10, 2023
I was irritated with the author by the 3rd chapter. I find it a dangerous read for someone new to or seeking direction on recovery. She has spent so much time running away from her addiction and rather little time understanding her disease. She wonders why her sister, who died of an overdose, couldn’t “choose” life. She should know addiction is not a choice and getting clean isn’t just about finding “something I love” like running everyday.

It seemed more of a showcase for her being a “bad ass” and essentially a dry drunk, considering how selfish she comes off. I am not an “ultra” runner but when she speaks about that running circle she merely describes it as something we could only know if we WERE an ultra runner. So all I learned from this book was essentially that she runs a lot and, granted pulls off some impressive physical feats (even if she does so with seemingly very little respect for her body) and that she somehow stays sober by running every single day, oh, and she likes Weiner dogs, constantly name-drops and thinks about her relatives who have passed away while she’s running. Simple, repetitive, boring - and each run or pain or inclement weather is ALWAYS the worst she has ever experienced…like every single time?

A pretty miserable failing as a book: not inclusive to runners (kind of pious about her accomplishments which makes you not want to cheer her on and uninspiring & exclusive-feeling for a new runner) and not at all written with any deep understanding of addiction or recovery.
Profile Image for Cinthia Ritchie.
Author 6 books26 followers
October 26, 2020
As a long-distance runner, I really, really wanted to like this book more than I did, and I really, really wanted to admire Catra's journey more than I did. But I just couldn't, or at least I couldn't in the book's present format. Yes, no book is perfect and yes, readers can excuse a typo here and there. But there were simply too many mistakes, too many missing words, too many tense changes, and too much repetition, which made me wonder if the book had been edited at all. (If only she had put as much care into the writing of the book as she does running 100-mile races.)

It also became a bit tiresome reading about Catra's need to live up to her badass image. Granted, there's nothing more wonderful than a badass woman, but having to strive to such extreme extents to view oneself as badass seems, well, kind of sad. (Just be yourself, honey, I wanted to shout more than once as I read. Give in, let yourself be weak--there's nothing more beautiful than someone who has the guts to be seen as vulnerable.)

And yet, there were some nice kernels of truth and self-awareness included in the book, some nice running footage, some nice passages. I'm glad I read it, and it expanded my world a little bit, which makes it, while not a great book, a book very much worth reading.
Profile Image for Alexandra.
60 reviews3 followers
October 6, 2022
I really enjoyed this book and am grateful that Catra did not shy away from telling her story in all its raw detail. I too battled a addiction to drugs (meth) and an eating disorder (bulimia). The eating disorder consumed nearly half my life and I have only begun to really make progress in my recovery now that I have found running. I see food differently now. It is fuel. It is something I actually enjoy preparing and eating. Although I have not yet completed my first half marathon, my mind is now dreaming about one day doing an ultra.

Catra, you really are badass and your story is a beautiful testimony of love and loss and hope and healing. Keep on fighting. Keep on running. No matter how dark the night, the sun is sure to rise! God bless you.
Profile Image for Ietrio.
6,935 reviews24 followers
July 23, 2018
A miserable life, that stays miserable because of the home indoctrination about momma and papa love you and don't you forget that. Followed by self medication. But in a way the society does not allow. So some more pain and suffering from those that were supposed to help. And ending up, like any good christian should, in self-flagelation. Real. Unpleasant. And maybe the story was too routine and too sad to enjoy it.
Profile Image for Greg Zimmerman.
976 reviews237 followers
July 22, 2018
Solid running read. Reads a little like a blog/diary (including the typos) but it’s a fascinating and inspiring story. Do epic shit!
Profile Image for Lauren.
25 reviews
March 9, 2022
It started out interesting and then it became incoherent ramblings about her accomplishments.
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