Running for Our Lives: Stories of everyday runners overcoming extraordinary adversity

by Rachel Ann Cullen

'Every time I speak to someone and hear about their experiences, it leaves me with a sense of running's incredible power to help people overcome pretty much anything.' Each day, millions of people around the world put on their trainers and try to deal with their personal demons and life challenges by going for a run. And, increasingly, they do it knowing that they are not a growing and often virtual community is right there running alongside them. We are all, in some sense, running for our lives. Rachel Ann Cullen's first book, Running for My Life , described her own marathon journey through depression, bipolar disorder and body dysmorphia, and her revelatory discovery that running could transform her physical and mental wellbeing. Since hearing from people who had read about her experiences, Rachel wanted to tell some stories of other runners from all around the world – ordinary people living with mental health struggles, dealing with grief, cancer and other unavoidable life events who have relied on running to get them through their worst days and to keep going. Running for Our Lives shares moving accounts of hope and resilience; it demonstrates the power of running to help us all overcome adversity, and is a lesson for us all in learning not only how to survive life's challenges, but to thrive.

260 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 5, 2022

Reviews

[Chloe Shuttlewood]

Rachel Ann Cullen has written beautifully about how running has had an impact on a number of individuals she has focused on for this book. Each person has faced an incredibly difficult stage in their lives, and - whether they are completely new to running or it's something they have always done - running has had the ability to give them the support they needed to overcome the difficult stages in their lives.

I know first-hand how running can literally 'save' you, and be the only thing that keeps you sane and gives you purpose in life.

It was therefore really interesting and refreshing to read how it has had the same impact on others. Their stories are really inspiring. I really enjoyed the book, and am now looking forward to reading Rachel's other books as well.

[Sarah Laing]

Very interesting book bringing together a collection of strong people who found ways to cope with tough life experiences through starting to run. Inspiring stories which could plant a seed in people's minds with regards to the benefits running can bring to a wide variety of people with hugely different circumstances.

[Caroline Myers]

Such an incredibly inspirational and uplifting book . So many different life experiences with one common connection of how running helped them on their healing journey .

[David Doty]

I listened to the Audible version of this book, which is narrated by the author, and really enjoyed it. Rachel Cullen shares the stories of several people who have transformed their lives through running, and the stories are inspirational. While not proposing that running is some type of magic pill, Cullen nonetheless makes a compelling case that it can play a major role in individual efforts to overcome addiction, grief, and tragedy, and that it has as much of an impact on emotional and mental health as physical health.

Cullen is a good writer, and her British accent made this an easy listen.

Even if you're not a runner, this book might inspire you to take your fitness more seriously in order to improve all aspects of your life.

[Nancy]

In Running for our Lives, Rachel Ann Cullen writes down others stories about how running has had a huge impact on their lives. She interweaves this with her own story and the effects that running has had on her. The writing is beautiful, but there were points that I found the book emotional to read, generally because of the content of the stories, with the participants showing real mental and physical strength to get them through the challenging times that they had encountered.

[Matthew]

I picked this up at a Charity Shop on a whim and I'm really glad I did as I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. Cullen has a wonderful writing voice, perfectly weaving in her own thoughts and experiences with her interview subjects here. The thread of running is a loose one through all of the stories but Cullen really paints an engrossing and moving picture of each of these people, many who have been through very difficult periods in their lives. It seems almost glib to say running can be a great therapy tool and help your mental health when faced with the challenges some have faced here but it is true and Cullen conveys that with just the right level of grace and empathy.

[Lois Loxley]

I devoured this book in the pool on holiday in one day, I couldn’t put it down. I’m currently marathon training but felt like I’d lost some of the magic and joy that I used to get from running. This book reminded me about why I chose to start running in the first place. It reminded me that what is important is the joy, not the pace or the numbers. I’ve since come back to training and have been absolutely loving it and since reading this book I feel like I’m running for the ‘right’ reasons again.

[Sian Nicholson]

I love the concept of this book and hearing all the amazing stories. The overall writing is a little hard to follow at times - feels more like a series of blog posts - but it’s well-worth dipping in and out of!

[Steve Chilton]

Cullen writes about the power of running to enrich people's lives and help them overcome adversity. She meets and interviews a range of people who share their life experiences with a direct and emotional honesty, and describe how running has helped them. Some strong and inspiring story telling.