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Running the Dream: One Summer Living, Training, and Racing with a Team of World-Class Runners Half My Age
The bestselling author of 80/20 Running and How Bad Do You Want It? reveals his inspiring and surprising journey to see just how fast he can go.
Matt Fitzgerald has been running (and writing about running) for most of his adult life. But, like many passionate amateur runners, he never felt he was quite fulfilling his potential. If he follows the training, nutrition, and lifestyle of an elite runner, just how fast could he go?
In his mid-forties, Matt at last has the freedom to do nothing but train, if only for the span of one summer. The time is now. He convinces the coach of Northern Arizona Elite, one of the country's premier professional running teams, to let him train with a roster of national champions and Olympic hopefuls in the running mecca of Flagstaff, Arizona, leading in to the Chicago Marathon. The results completely redefined Matt’s notion of what is possible, not only for himself but for any runner.
Filled with a vibrant cast of characters, rigorous and quad-torching training, and a large dose of self-deprecating humor, Matt’s gripping account of his “fake pro runner” experience allows us to partake in the dream of having the chance to go all the way. Yet for the gifted young runners Matt trains with, it’s not a dream but concrete reality, and their individual stories enrich this inspiring narrative.
Running the Dream pulls us into the rarified world of professional running in a way we can all relate to, regardless of speed, and to take away pieces of one man’s amazing journey to try to achieve our own potential.
Matt Fitzgerald has been running (and writing about running) for most of his adult life. But, like many passionate amateur runners, he never felt he was quite fulfilling his potential. If he follows the training, nutrition, and lifestyle of an elite runner, just how fast could he go?
In his mid-forties, Matt at last has the freedom to do nothing but train, if only for the span of one summer. The time is now. He convinces the coach of Northern Arizona Elite, one of the country's premier professional running teams, to let him train with a roster of national champions and Olympic hopefuls in the running mecca of Flagstaff, Arizona, leading in to the Chicago Marathon. The results completely redefined Matt’s notion of what is possible, not only for himself but for any runner.
Filled with a vibrant cast of characters, rigorous and quad-torching training, and a large dose of self-deprecating humor, Matt’s gripping account of his “fake pro runner” experience allows us to partake in the dream of having the chance to go all the way. Yet for the gifted young runners Matt trains with, it’s not a dream but concrete reality, and their individual stories enrich this inspiring narrative.
Running the Dream pulls us into the rarified world of professional running in a way we can all relate to, regardless of speed, and to take away pieces of one man’s amazing journey to try to achieve our own potential.
223 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 5, 2020
About the author
Matt Fitzgerald
90 books439 followersMatt Fitzgerald is the author of numerous books on sports history and endurance sports. He has enjoyed unprecedented access to professional endurance athletes over the course of his career. His best-sellers include Racing Weight and Brain Training for Runners. He has also written extensively for Triathlete, Men's Fitness, Men's Health, Outside, Runner's World, Bicycling, Competitor, and countless other sports and fitness publications.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 136 reviews
September 16, 2021
I picked up this book to motivate myself for the 2020 Madrid Half-Marathon that I suddenly realized it upon me. This is the race that I was supposed to run in March 2020, and then in September 2020, and then in March 2021. Now it is set for September 26, and it looks like it will actually happen. I suppose things must be getting better.
Unfortunately, the story that Matt Fitzgerald is here to tell is much less inspiring than I hoped for. While endlessly referring himself as an “average joe” and a slowpoke, he soon reveals that he has run over 40 marathons, all of them in under 3 hours. He is, in other words, incredibly fit and, compared to me, very fast. This book is thus the story of someone who is already quite good trying to get a bit better.
He does this by training with a team of professional runners in Flagstaff, Arizona, at high altitude, with elite coaching, psychological support, and high-quality physical therapy. His goal is to run a personal best at age 45, which means beating his record set years ago by his younger self. Fitzgerald structures the book as a countdown to the Chicago Marathon, where he will put his training to the test.
There are many angles a writer could have taken in this situation. Fitzgerald could, for example, have focused on the training regimens, describing what he did, what was special about it, and what the reader could take away from these strategies. Or he could have focused on his team mates, trying to get at the root of their mentality, what makes them compete so ruthlessly. And, to be fair, there is some of this.
But most of the book is focused on Matt Fitzgerald. We hear about his personal life, his restaurant choices, his casual chit-chat, his interior struggles, his day-to-day activities. Indeed, the book often reads quite like a diary. This would not be a problem if I was a big Matt Fitzgerald fan; but I am not (sorry). It turns out that the story of how one good runner—through the generous help of many experts—becomes even better is not as uplifting as he seems to think it is. For those of us unable to devote the time and money (not to mention lacking the connections) to undergo such an experience, there does not seem to be much of a takeaway except “follow your dreams” or some equivalent cliché.
Well, motivated or not, in a little over a week I will be dragging my hulking frame over the finish line. And isn’t the story of somebody who is not at all good at something, but does it anyway, more inspiring than a book like this? I’m just asking where my book deal is.
Unfortunately, the story that Matt Fitzgerald is here to tell is much less inspiring than I hoped for. While endlessly referring himself as an “average joe” and a slowpoke, he soon reveals that he has run over 40 marathons, all of them in under 3 hours. He is, in other words, incredibly fit and, compared to me, very fast. This book is thus the story of someone who is already quite good trying to get a bit better.
He does this by training with a team of professional runners in Flagstaff, Arizona, at high altitude, with elite coaching, psychological support, and high-quality physical therapy. His goal is to run a personal best at age 45, which means beating his record set years ago by his younger self. Fitzgerald structures the book as a countdown to the Chicago Marathon, where he will put his training to the test.
There are many angles a writer could have taken in this situation. Fitzgerald could, for example, have focused on the training regimens, describing what he did, what was special about it, and what the reader could take away from these strategies. Or he could have focused on his team mates, trying to get at the root of their mentality, what makes them compete so ruthlessly. And, to be fair, there is some of this.
But most of the book is focused on Matt Fitzgerald. We hear about his personal life, his restaurant choices, his casual chit-chat, his interior struggles, his day-to-day activities. Indeed, the book often reads quite like a diary. This would not be a problem if I was a big Matt Fitzgerald fan; but I am not (sorry). It turns out that the story of how one good runner—through the generous help of many experts—becomes even better is not as uplifting as he seems to think it is. For those of us unable to devote the time and money (not to mention lacking the connections) to undergo such an experience, there does not seem to be much of a takeaway except “follow your dreams” or some equivalent cliché.
Well, motivated or not, in a little over a week I will be dragging my hulking frame over the finish line. And isn’t the story of somebody who is not at all good at something, but does it anyway, more inspiring than a book like this? I’m just asking where my book deal is.
July 14, 2020
The author, a sports journalist and a pretty good amateur runner with 40 marathons to his credit, with impressive times in the 2:40s, spent 13 weeks at age 46 training for the Chicago Marathon with a team of elite runners in Flagstaff, Arizona. His quest was to see how good he could become if he had all of the benefits, in terms of training, coaching, physical therapy, nutrition, etc., afforded to professional runners. For those of us who run (even real slow people like me), it was an irresistible concept, as many of us probably wonder what our true potential would be if we dedicated ourselves to the sport.
The book flows along well, as the author counts down the days to the marathon. You learn a lot about his training routines, his diet, the coaching, physical therapy, sports psychology, etc. There is some suspense, as he sets a challenging goal for himself and suffers an injury that he fears will derail his plans. The story is entertaining, as Fitzgerald writes well and has a self-deprecating sense of humor as he describes his life as a "fake pro runner."
My only negative comment is that the book was a bit too focused on Matt Fitzgerald. I get it, as it is supposed to be about the non-professional in the midst of all these elite runners. But these people have interesting stories, too. While they are elite athletes, professional runners, at least most of them, are not making millions of dollars like baseball and football players. They put countless hours into preparing for a race where they hope to win a couple of thousand dollars and more likely will end up with nothing. At the same time, they are extremely dedicated professionals, and the same can be said for their coaches. I would have liked to have a little more detail about those people and what makes them punish their bodies so relentlessly for careers where they are mostly anonymous and where the chances for glory can be fleeting.
Still, this is a very good read if you are a long distance runner or a fan of the sport.
The book flows along well, as the author counts down the days to the marathon. You learn a lot about his training routines, his diet, the coaching, physical therapy, sports psychology, etc. There is some suspense, as he sets a challenging goal for himself and suffers an injury that he fears will derail his plans. The story is entertaining, as Fitzgerald writes well and has a self-deprecating sense of humor as he describes his life as a "fake pro runner."
My only negative comment is that the book was a bit too focused on Matt Fitzgerald. I get it, as it is supposed to be about the non-professional in the midst of all these elite runners. But these people have interesting stories, too. While they are elite athletes, professional runners, at least most of them, are not making millions of dollars like baseball and football players. They put countless hours into preparing for a race where they hope to win a couple of thousand dollars and more likely will end up with nothing. At the same time, they are extremely dedicated professionals, and the same can be said for their coaches. I would have liked to have a little more detail about those people and what makes them punish their bodies so relentlessly for careers where they are mostly anonymous and where the chances for glory can be fleeting.
Still, this is a very good read if you are a long distance runner or a fan of the sport.
January 15, 2021
I enjoyed this way more than I thought I would. I don't like the "try something different so I can write a book about it" genre, nor do I particularly love Fitz's writing style in past books, so I was skeptical. But his enthusiasm shines through and makes it such a fun read. There were actually a few times where I caught myself thinking "maybe I should run a marathon...." ..... the horror....
December 28, 2020
A fun and quick read about an average joe runner training like a pro. Cool idea, entertaining ok, but would have liked to hear a bit more about the actual pros, what he learned from them, the hard parts about being a pro runner, etc.
June 21, 2021
I have mixed opinions about this book. As a recreational runner, I have no issue with the subject matter, it's the writing that's poor. I feel like the first and second halves were written by two different people. The first half I hated, and the second half was surprisingly alright.
The first half of the book is desperately lacking descriptive prose. Fitzgerald is training in one of the most beautiful places in the world, and yet there's barely any description of the scenery, bar that it's like 'The Sound of Music'. As a result, the first half of the book is a boring and frustrating repetitive diary of running workouts. He may as well have just plonked in a training schedule table in lieu of the prose and it would've amounted to much the same. I wish the author had embellished them a bit more, and bothered to include more reflection on the training process. For example, he's deliberately training at altitude, and yet the difficulty of this is only really mentioned once.
Similarly, there are only paltry descriptions of other people. Strings of people are listed, without much to distinguish one from the other, making for a dull and confusing read. Other information that to me is fundamental is simply never covered. For example, how is he affording 3 months of pro training, both financially and time-wise? His wife, Nataki, is accompanying him for the training - what is she doing for 3 months? There is absolutely no mention of the fact that Nataki is also giving up her normal life for 3 months to support him - does he just not care about this?
Which brings me to my other issue with the book, though much more subjective: I just didn't like the author’s personality in the first half. He comes across as self-absorbed and self-important.
Surprisingly, Fitzgerald brings it around in the second half. This starts with a surprisingly introspective and thoughtful description of nostalgia when he and his wife visit a place they used to live many years ago. The second half is a much more enjoyable read, partly because of the looming climax of the Boston marathon, but more to do with better prose and at times poignant descriptions of how it feels to ‘peak’ in athletics and feel past your prime. The author’s personality also comes across far more favourably later in the book, and towards the end I felt both excited for him and then sorry for him that the ‘dream was over’.
Overall, I think part of my disappointment in the book was that I was imagining it would be an inspirational read. But it’s not about inspiration at all, it’s just about a season of pro running training.
The first half of the book is desperately lacking descriptive prose. Fitzgerald is training in one of the most beautiful places in the world, and yet there's barely any description of the scenery, bar that it's like 'The Sound of Music'. As a result, the first half of the book is a boring and frustrating repetitive diary of running workouts. He may as well have just plonked in a training schedule table in lieu of the prose and it would've amounted to much the same. I wish the author had embellished them a bit more, and bothered to include more reflection on the training process. For example, he's deliberately training at altitude, and yet the difficulty of this is only really mentioned once.
Similarly, there are only paltry descriptions of other people. Strings of people are listed, without much to distinguish one from the other, making for a dull and confusing read. Other information that to me is fundamental is simply never covered. For example, how is he affording 3 months of pro training, both financially and time-wise? His wife, Nataki, is accompanying him for the training - what is she doing for 3 months? There is absolutely no mention of the fact that Nataki is also giving up her normal life for 3 months to support him - does he just not care about this?
Which brings me to my other issue with the book, though much more subjective: I just didn't like the author’s personality in the first half. He comes across as self-absorbed and self-important.
Surprisingly, Fitzgerald brings it around in the second half. This starts with a surprisingly introspective and thoughtful description of nostalgia when he and his wife visit a place they used to live many years ago. The second half is a much more enjoyable read, partly because of the looming climax of the Boston marathon, but more to do with better prose and at times poignant descriptions of how it feels to ‘peak’ in athletics and feel past your prime. The author’s personality also comes across far more favourably later in the book, and towards the end I felt both excited for him and then sorry for him that the ‘dream was over’.
Overall, I think part of my disappointment in the book was that I was imagining it would be an inspirational read. But it’s not about inspiration at all, it’s just about a season of pro running training.
April 25, 2024
As the sister of Gwen Jorgensen (the world and Olympic champion triathlete and once pro runner), this book resonated with me so much. I just got it. The training sessions. The relationships between athletes. The emails from coaches. The coffee meetings. The workouts. The obligations. The gear and merch. The injuries.
If you've ever wondered what it's like to be on a professional athletic team, this book provides great insights. It felt true to what I've experienced through my sister -- both as she was part of The Bowerman Track club and also training for the Olympics in triathlon.
This book moves chronologically up to the marathon he's training for (as an aging, pretty good, yet past his prime runner). As part of the over 40 club, I resonated with Matt's struggles and thoughts.
What a cool experience Matt went through; and a huge thank you to him for sharing it with readers in this wonderful book.
If you've ever wondered what it's like to be on a professional athletic team, this book provides great insights. It felt true to what I've experienced through my sister -- both as she was part of The Bowerman Track club and also training for the Olympics in triathlon.
This book moves chronologically up to the marathon he's training for (as an aging, pretty good, yet past his prime runner). As part of the over 40 club, I resonated with Matt's struggles and thoughts.
What a cool experience Matt went through; and a huge thank you to him for sharing it with readers in this wonderful book.
June 5, 2020
I should not have read this book when I am:
1. Kinda busted, and
2. Not sure when races will ever happen again,
But! It’s a good one if you’ve ever wondered what you could achieve as a hobby jogger if you lived the elite running lifestyle (don’t we all wonder that?) or if you follow elite running and the NAZ Elite squad (Faubs 4ever).
Also, in this book the author runs Chicago 2017 which was my first damn marathon and the best damn weekend, so, it’s good. Fitz has some annoying tendencies but the story is worthwhile.
1. Kinda busted, and
2. Not sure when races will ever happen again,
But! It’s a good one if you’ve ever wondered what you could achieve as a hobby jogger if you lived the elite running lifestyle (don’t we all wonder that?) or if you follow elite running and the NAZ Elite squad (Faubs 4ever).
Also, in this book the author runs Chicago 2017 which was my first damn marathon and the best damn weekend, so, it’s good. Fitz has some annoying tendencies but the story is worthwhile.
November 2, 2020
Running is a supremely self-indulgent sport. Memoirs are also usually self-indulgent efforts. This memoir about running is even more self-centered than most. All of the selfishness, annoying habits, and chronic insecurities of the striving amateur runner are on full display here, and, to my chagrin, I recognized many of them in myself. Oh well...the author is likable, and this book is at times a fun read, but not my favorite running book. I'd give it a solid 3.5.
July 4, 2023
Found the book to be more about the author and less about running.
July 28, 2026
Neat little book! I’m a fan of Matt Fitzgerald’s past work, and the premise of this book—an amateur running spending a whole training block with an elite pro running team, in hopes of seeing just how good they can really get—is something I myself have dreamt about doing. I was able to relate to Matt’s mindset and motivation behind his high-level amateur training, and his pursuit of a PR at the 2017 Chicago Marathon as a “member” of Hoka NAZ Elite was deeply satisfying.
April 10, 2025
Well done Matty boy
May 15, 2024
Such a fantastic read for all the Dadbods out there 💚
October 20, 2022
All said and done, this is a pretty standard running memoir: "I had a dream, I went for it, I learned some stuff along the way." The author's dream was to PR in the marathon even though he was over 40. He went for it by playing professional runner with NAZ Elite in Flagstaff, acting as a member of the team and receiving all the amenities the pro runners are afforded: training at altitude, training partners, professional coaching (including strength coaching), daily massages, time for an hour-long afternoon nap, access to a sports psychologist, etc. For the 16 weeks (I think?) leading to the Chicago marathon, the author's only job was to become a better runner - and by doing this, he hoped to PR.
SPOILER: He did. Apparently when your entire life is centered around running and you have virtually nothing else to worry about and state-of-the-art facilities and the best places to run and extremely talented people to run with and a whole team of the best professionals in the biz boosting you up, you can PR in the marathon. Shocker!!
Sarcasm aside, I think there were some useful "it's the journey not the destination" nuggets that I appreciated. He ended with a bit about goal setting that I found really useful: setting time goals is absurdly common in running, but is quite arbitrary and often leads to a lot of frustration. Ultimately, we're all just trying to be the fastest version of ourselves -- so why not make that the goal, and let the time come to you? This is absolutely how I'll be approaching my next marathon block.
I also enjoyed some of the insights into pro training life, but TBH I've gotten a lot of that from podcasts, instagram, and vlogs so there wasn't anything groundbreaking here.
Also, I listened to the audiobook to have a little inspiration on flat recovery runs and grueling elliptical sessions; however, the narrator's (the reader, not the author) monotone performance made me feel low-energy. Wouldn't recommend it.
Overall, just an okay read. Giving it 3 stars because it inspired me nonetheless.
SPOILER: He did. Apparently when your entire life is centered around running and you have virtually nothing else to worry about and state-of-the-art facilities and the best places to run and extremely talented people to run with and a whole team of the best professionals in the biz boosting you up, you can PR in the marathon. Shocker!!
Sarcasm aside, I think there were some useful "it's the journey not the destination" nuggets that I appreciated. He ended with a bit about goal setting that I found really useful: setting time goals is absurdly common in running, but is quite arbitrary and often leads to a lot of frustration. Ultimately, we're all just trying to be the fastest version of ourselves -- so why not make that the goal, and let the time come to you? This is absolutely how I'll be approaching my next marathon block.
I also enjoyed some of the insights into pro training life, but TBH I've gotten a lot of that from podcasts, instagram, and vlogs so there wasn't anything groundbreaking here.
Also, I listened to the audiobook to have a little inspiration on flat recovery runs and grueling elliptical sessions; however, the narrator's (the reader, not the author) monotone performance made me feel low-energy. Wouldn't recommend it.
Overall, just an okay read. Giving it 3 stars because it inspired me nonetheless.
June 7, 2021
Enjoyable. My only real gripe is that Fitzgeral continually minimizes his ability, making fun of himself. This is fine and sometimes humorous - however, he indicates he is writing this for the average run, and while he is running sub 3 hours marathons, I would not describe him as average. I recognize he is running with professionals, but average runners would DREAM of running a sub-3-hour marathon, and continuing to minimize that feels a little elitist.
August 13, 2020
A little too self indulgent and petty in these times, for me. Maybe just my current mindset, but I couldn't get past the author's self-importance and seemingly fake humbleness. Great achievements, sure, but no deference or humility. I just couldn't bring myself to care about anyone in this story, especially the author and his "plight"...
May 27, 2020
Probably the best of Matt Fitzgerald's books I have read. If you are running your first marathon or your fiftieth, there is wisdom for all. Equal parts sports fantasy camp and true training, it has appeal for all runners. And possibly weekend warrior athletes. Also has great life advice.
March 7, 2024
I’m in my mid 40s, same at the author when he had this experience he writes about and hence brings an inspirational story of being able to set goals at this age and work towards achieving them.
Something towards the end of the book really highlights the point, the goals we set in life has less to do about survival and more about play, making play more serious and life more playful. Imbuing meaning into our lives based on what we choose to.
Helps me hold on to them midlife goals I’ve set for myself and continue working towards them.
Something towards the end of the book really highlights the point, the goals we set in life has less to do about survival and more about play, making play more serious and life more playful. Imbuing meaning into our lives based on what we choose to.
Helps me hold on to them midlife goals I’ve set for myself and continue working towards them.
August 18, 2021
Some years ago I read "How bad do you want it?" by this same author, and I thought it was brilliant.
So, it was with high hopes I started listening to this audiobook, and Matt Fitzgerald didn't dissapointed me.
This book is a lot more personal, and offers a peak into the fascinating world of professional long distance runners, from the perspective of an "amateur runner".
This book is a tale of a running aficionado trying his best to improve at a later age in his life, following the training, the diet, and doing all the things a pro runner does in order to improve. He also picks their brains for tips and wisdom and stablishes bonds with them in the meantime.
The main point of the story is to focus on progress and self-improvement no matter the current personal level of the runner.
So, it was with high hopes I started listening to this audiobook, and Matt Fitzgerald didn't dissapointed me.
This book is a lot more personal, and offers a peak into the fascinating world of professional long distance runners, from the perspective of an "amateur runner".
This book is a tale of a running aficionado trying his best to improve at a later age in his life, following the training, the diet, and doing all the things a pro runner does in order to improve. He also picks their brains for tips and wisdom and stablishes bonds with them in the meantime.
The main point of the story is to focus on progress and self-improvement no matter the current personal level of the runner.
August 26, 2020
Kind of a pleasure read. Since COVID has happened, all races have been canceled. All I’ve been doing is running base mileage, and reading Fitzgerald’s journey into Chicago was inspirational. It’s fascinating to see how the pros train, I highly recommend Fauble’s book with Ben Rosario if anyone’s curious into the elite athlete mindset.
June 15, 2022
Love Matt's work, and this was another really good one to listen to on long runs. The concept is really cool, and his honest and humourous writing style made this a fun read. My only slight qualm is that it's got quite a weird flow and can be slow at times - it's basically a narrativised and very detailed 4 month training log. So slightly disjointed, but nonetheless would recommend.
October 20, 2020
Yndislestur.
August 25, 2021
I really enjoyed this book and picked it up as a way to get motivated for my fall half marathon. It was fun to learn more about how elite runners prepare for their races. I like Matt Fitzgerald’s work and previously read “How Bad Do You Want It” which I gave 5 stars to. 4 stars for this one as it’s more niche and passive enjoyment if that makes sense. Would only recommend to people who love running and specifically competing in distance races.
May 17, 2022
Very fun. You can tell that he’s a bit pompous and full of himself, but it was a really quick and fun and engaging listen. Definitely a fantasy as a runner.
January 2, 2023
This was a really inspiring running story. The book gave lot of a good advice mentally and physically and really put the true meaning of racing and goals into perspective.
November 29, 2023
4.5/5
Super addictive to read, could not get enough. The constant countdown to the marathon and the cast of runners really make it fly by. Definitely want to dip into more of his books.
Super addictive to read, could not get enough. The constant countdown to the marathon and the cast of runners really make it fly by. Definitely want to dip into more of his books.
January 14, 2024
It was interesting to hear his story but I didn’t love the format. Struggled with it a little more than other running memoirs.
July 4, 2024
Mehhh
November 19, 2024
Audiobook- I enjoy running books. I enjoyed the “timeline” or the story more than the dream. He was already a fast runner and ran many marathons.
July 27, 2025
Loved it!
April 24, 2021
I am convinced I would love to be a fake professional runner for a season! This was a fun memoir for someone who loves running.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 136 reviews