What do you think?
Rate this book
Coasting
Running away from your problems doesn’t solve anything – but sometimes it’s more fun than dealing with them
Elise was spending a lot of time crying on buses. She had just graduated from university; she had a shiny new flat, her first proper job and a budding relationship – and they were all making her utterly miserable. Sitting at work one day, she hit upon the obvious solution:
Run 5,000 miles around the coast of Britain, carrying her kit on her back.
Six months later Elise set off, with absolutely no ultra-running experience, unable to read a map and having never pitched a tent alone before. Over the 301 days that followed she developed a debilitating fear of farmyard animals, cried on a lot of beaches and saw Britain at its most wild and wonderful.
Coasting is about putting one foot in front of the other, even when it feels impossible, and trying to enjoy it too. With heart and humour, Elise explores the thrill of taking risks and putting your trust in total strangers, and learns some home truths along the way.
Elise was spending a lot of time crying on buses. She had just graduated from university; she had a shiny new flat, her first proper job and a budding relationship – and they were all making her utterly miserable. Sitting at work one day, she hit upon the obvious solution:
Run 5,000 miles around the coast of Britain, carrying her kit on her back.
Six months later Elise set off, with absolutely no ultra-running experience, unable to read a map and having never pitched a tent alone before. Over the 301 days that followed she developed a debilitating fear of farmyard animals, cried on a lot of beaches and saw Britain at its most wild and wonderful.
Coasting is about putting one foot in front of the other, even when it feels impossible, and trying to enjoy it too. With heart and humour, Elise explores the thrill of taking risks and putting your trust in total strangers, and learns some home truths along the way.
319 pages, Paperback
Published January 1, 2021
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
April 4, 2022
I listened to this audiobook via the Libby app. An uplifting and heartwarming story of Elise’s adventure running around the coast of the UK. Narrated by the author, this is a well written book, peppered with humour and always feeling authentic. This is a lovely story of a journey, not just around the coast, but with herself, too. Heartily recommend.
April 9, 2025
SO GOOD!!!!!!!!!!!
January 17, 2024
I really liked this, I liked her honesty
December 20, 2024
When Elise Downing made the decision to run the whole coast of Britain, she was under-prepared and, at first, cried every day. By the end she had met many generous and friendly people and was quietly proud of herself.
I listened to the audiobook, read by the author, and found myself in awe of her achievement. Just having the guts to attempt such a thing is amazing and to finish so quietly and unassuming in a world of look-at-me social media is highly commendable.
I listened to the audiobook, read by the author, and found myself in awe of her achievement. Just having the guts to attempt such a thing is amazing and to finish so quietly and unassuming in a world of look-at-me social media is highly commendable.
April 14, 2025
Brilliant. Funny, honest, doesn’t take herself too seriously - inspiring. You don’t have to be a certain type of person with a certain level of fitness to go on an adventure, however that looks. You just have to want to.
Thank you Elise this was a real comfort read through a hard week.
Thank you Elise this was a real comfort read through a hard week.
April 8, 2022
Lovely little adventure story. Listened too it while hiking around.
August 9, 2022
Wonderfully heartfelt and honest.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews