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Run to Overcome: The Inspiring Story of an American Champion's Long-Distance Quest to Achieve a Big Dream
The incredible true story of Meb Keflezighi, winner of the 2014 Boston Marathon!
When Meb Keflezighi won the New York City Marathon in 2009—the first American to do so in 27 years—some critics questioned whether the Eritrean-born runner was “really” an American despite his citizenship status and representing the USA on two Olympic and several World Championship teams. Yet Meb is the living embodiment of the American dream. His family came to the U.S. to escape from a life of poverty and a violent war with Ethiopia; Meb was 12 at the time, spoke no English, and had never raced a mile. Yet he became an A student and a high school state and national champion. And when he stood on the platform as a silver medalist in the 2004 Olympics, Meb knew his hard work and determination had paid off. How could life be any better?
Then it all came crashing down. Meb, a favorite for the Beijing Olympics, fractured his pelvis during the trials and was left literally crawling. His close friend and fellow marathoner suffered a cardiac arrest at the trials and died that same day. Devastated, Meb was about to learn whether his faith in God, the values his parents had taught him, and his belief that he was born to run were enough to see him through.
Run to Overcome tells the inspirational story of a man who discovered the real meaning of victory, and who embodies the American spirit of overcoming the odds.
When Meb Keflezighi won the New York City Marathon in 2009—the first American to do so in 27 years—some critics questioned whether the Eritrean-born runner was “really” an American despite his citizenship status and representing the USA on two Olympic and several World Championship teams. Yet Meb is the living embodiment of the American dream. His family came to the U.S. to escape from a life of poverty and a violent war with Ethiopia; Meb was 12 at the time, spoke no English, and had never raced a mile. Yet he became an A student and a high school state and national champion. And when he stood on the platform as a silver medalist in the 2004 Olympics, Meb knew his hard work and determination had paid off. How could life be any better?
Then it all came crashing down. Meb, a favorite for the Beijing Olympics, fractured his pelvis during the trials and was left literally crawling. His close friend and fellow marathoner suffered a cardiac arrest at the trials and died that same day. Devastated, Meb was about to learn whether his faith in God, the values his parents had taught him, and his belief that he was born to run were enough to see him through.
Run to Overcome tells the inspirational story of a man who discovered the real meaning of victory, and who embodies the American spirit of overcoming the odds.
256 pages, Hardcover
First published October 25, 2010
48 people are currently reading
1195 people want to read
About the author
Meb Keflezighi
8 books70 followersMebrahtom "Meb" Keflezighi is an American athlete, specializing in long distance running. He and his family were refugees from Eritrea via Italy to the United States, when he was age 12.
He is the driving force behind the MEB Foundation, the "MEB" standing for "Maintaining Excellent Balance," which principally promotes healthy living, and other positive lifestyle choices and motivation for school-age youth.
He is the driving force behind the MEB Foundation, the "MEB" standing for "Maintaining Excellent Balance," which principally promotes healthy living, and other positive lifestyle choices and motivation for school-age youth.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 134 reviews
March 18, 2012
I am a runner. I love books about runners. This book fell a little flat for me. Meb is clearly a wonderful person with strong family values and stores of kindness. This review is not a criticism of the man, but of the choices that the writers took in presenting the story. The autobiography told more than showed. I didn't feel a sense of suspense while reading at anytime. I should have. I think that a different organizational technique might have helped. Delaying the emotional punch may have helped. It is difficult to articulate.
The oddest part was learning that I was at UCLA while Meb was there. Yet there were no descriptions of the campus and its effect on Meb. He mentions 30,000 other students but doesn't elaboration what that meant. For me, coming to UCLA was a huge culture shock. He alludes to some discomfort but doesn't develop it. He describes his insatiable appetite at the dining halls. I ate at those same halls, but he really failed to evoke any sense of nostalgia in me. Minimal description. Quick storytelling. It felt odd.
I had forgotten that Jaleel White was at UCLA at the same time. Meb reminded me.
The oddest part was learning that I was at UCLA while Meb was there. Yet there were no descriptions of the campus and its effect on Meb. He mentions 30,000 other students but doesn't elaboration what that meant. For me, coming to UCLA was a huge culture shock. He alludes to some discomfort but doesn't develop it. He describes his insatiable appetite at the dining halls. I ate at those same halls, but he really failed to evoke any sense of nostalgia in me. Minimal description. Quick storytelling. It felt odd.
I had forgotten that Jaleel White was at UCLA at the same time. Meb reminded me.
August 3, 2012
Ever since I saw Meb conquer the 2009 NY marathon with the USA singlet on, I have been a huge fan! Hearing his story is inspiring, reading it firsthand in 'Run to Overcome' is a heartfelt look into Meb's life journey. Meb writes about his family's roots in Eritrea and how much his parents sacrificed to get him and his siblings to a safer environment. After years of separation and preparation, his father was able to get the family to Italy and ultimately the U.S. Meb's story is the essence of the American dream- immigrant comes to the land of opportunity, works hard, and can achieve anything he wants in life. The fact that he is now an Olympic silver medalist and one of the fastest endurance runners in the country is astonishing and wonderful. The other piece of this book that is wonderful to read is how close Meb is to his parents, siblings, wife, children, friends, and his coaches. He appears to be a genuinely caring person who is thankful to have a strong network of friends and family in his life and never takes them for granted. I loved this book and I hope to see Meb conquer many more races and goals in his lifetime. I would highly recommend this book to Meb fans, runners, and also to anyone looking for an inspiring read. It will make you want to do more with your life and be your best self.
April 9, 2012
Meb is very inspiring. If you follow or watch running at all, his performances ooze fantasmo. His childhood is one I can only relate to by watching movies and the same goes for his adulthood.
This book felt as if it had been written by Meb himself, not a ghostwriter. So, it kind of just felt as if we had been sitting on the couch while he related his life story.
I did not enjoy, towards the end, how his prize money amounts kept getting mentioned - though I realize with some of them mentioning it was a way to show how proud he was of his brother, who is also his agent.
Even with that, I believe he remains very humble, runs because he loves to do it, and is first and foremost - dedicated to his family. All bajillion of them.
I love having gotten to know him a little more through this, and look forward to watching him compete in the Olympics this summer with Ryan and Abdi.
This book felt as if it had been written by Meb himself, not a ghostwriter. So, it kind of just felt as if we had been sitting on the couch while he related his life story.
I did not enjoy, towards the end, how his prize money amounts kept getting mentioned - though I realize with some of them mentioning it was a way to show how proud he was of his brother, who is also his agent.
Even with that, I believe he remains very humble, runs because he loves to do it, and is first and foremost - dedicated to his family. All bajillion of them.
I love having gotten to know him a little more through this, and look forward to watching him compete in the Olympics this summer with Ryan and Abdi.
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November 7, 2010From very humble beginnings, Meb relies heavily upon his Christian faith and belief in the American Dream. Coming from a war-torn country where food is scarce and luxury includes owning your own skinny cow, Meb recognized the positives in life early on. His father, willing to sacrifice his own safety and well-being, traversed the continent to reach Sudan then emigrated to Italy. At this point the very large family joined him. Meb recalls the joyful reunion in detail.
Two years later, the family immigrated to the United States. Through hard work and positive relationships, Meb learned to love running. The book details his journey from a small country on the African continent to his Olympic showing and winning the New York Marathon. Following each chapter, the reader is provided with "Runner's Tip" and "Overcomer's Tip." Overcomer's tips are not only applicable to running but succeeding in other endeavors.
Inspiring and enjoyable read. I was personally so inspired that I took my youngest son to the park and walked around it for 15 minutes. Wahoo!
Two years later, the family immigrated to the United States. Through hard work and positive relationships, Meb learned to love running. The book details his journey from a small country on the African continent to his Olympic showing and winning the New York Marathon. Following each chapter, the reader is provided with "Runner's Tip" and "Overcomer's Tip." Overcomer's tips are not only applicable to running but succeeding in other endeavors.
Inspiring and enjoyable read. I was personally so inspired that I took my youngest son to the park and walked around it for 15 minutes. Wahoo!
February 21, 2011
Loved this book! A great read for anyone who considers themselves an athlete. Not only did I enjoy reading Meb's story of coming from essentially nothing to becoming the winner of the NYC Marathon and an Olympic medalist, but I learned many tips that I can apply to my own running. He inspired me to think more about recovery and what we do 'off the field' that affects us in our athletic pursuits. His belief in God warmed my heart, because he showed no fear in saying where he gets his strength from. Highly recommend!
Note: Tyndale House Publishers provided me with a complimentary copy of this book. I was not paid for this review and the opinions are my own.
Note: Tyndale House Publishers provided me with a complimentary copy of this book. I was not paid for this review and the opinions are my own.
March 26, 2015
(Full Disclosure: I had the honor of meeting Meb Keflezighi twice at the LA Marathon and the San Diego Rock n' Roll Half Marathon last year and the copy I just finished is an autographed copy. Having said that, I shall try to review this book as objectively as possible.)
In recent years more Americans have been taking on the challenge of running long distance races like a half-marathon or a full marathon. Some of that uptick I think is do in part to the number of great American distance runners we've had to inspire us to try in recent years. And certainly Meb Keflezighi is one of those great runners. This story recounts his family's story immigrating from the African country of Eritrea, which was suffering due to a long, ongoing civil war at the time Meb was born and left the country, to San Diego at an early age and then from there to becoming one of the fastest marathon runners in the United States in the world. Some of the stories you will hear about are his silver-medal performance in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens and his first place win the 2009 New York City Marathon coming off his own personal injuries and the death of a close friend two years before. Sadly, this book was published in 2010, so it doesn't account for his recent win in the 2014 Boston Marathon. Perhaps an updated edition will come out with that story, but this one is good the way it is. The key themes of this book are put front and center as the keys to understanding Meb's drive: family, faith, and running. Both his family and faith are on full display in these pages as he lavishes gratitude on the family (and his friends) who drove him to succeed both on the road and in school. His faith in God, which he picked up from his family and growing up in the Eritrean Orthodox Church, is also displayed prominently as he talks about praying for his family, for his career, and at key decisions points in his life. If more people showed the same amounts of gratitude and trust in God's plans as Meb does, this would certainly be a better world. The only thing I can say against this is that it can be a little dry at times as Meb will list off the exact times he had in certain races, even the ones he didn't win, but were still important to his running career (by the way, if I had the times in the marathon and half-marathon that he would consider disappointing, I would spray paint them to the side of my car!). Fortunately, they go by pretty quick and, as another testament to Meb's character, he also lists the times of his teammates and even the people who did better than him in those races. Not only that, but things really pick up as he goes into detail about what was going on in his head at the 2004 Athens Olympics and the 2009 NYC Marathon. It's almost makes you feel like you are running those miles with him. And while one chapter is devoted to explaining how demanding his training schedule can be, it is an interesting read for runners, but non-runners would be forgiven for skipping it. Lastly, each chapter has quote boxes from people in Meb's life who know him best and illuminate key points in Meb's life and career. Each chapter also ends with a quick tip for runners as well as some inspiring though that usually ties in with the main event of the chapter. This is a short, inspiring book that all people can enjoy, but runners or those with an interest in running or Meb will probably get more out of this.
In recent years more Americans have been taking on the challenge of running long distance races like a half-marathon or a full marathon. Some of that uptick I think is do in part to the number of great American distance runners we've had to inspire us to try in recent years. And certainly Meb Keflezighi is one of those great runners. This story recounts his family's story immigrating from the African country of Eritrea, which was suffering due to a long, ongoing civil war at the time Meb was born and left the country, to San Diego at an early age and then from there to becoming one of the fastest marathon runners in the United States in the world. Some of the stories you will hear about are his silver-medal performance in the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens and his first place win the 2009 New York City Marathon coming off his own personal injuries and the death of a close friend two years before. Sadly, this book was published in 2010, so it doesn't account for his recent win in the 2014 Boston Marathon. Perhaps an updated edition will come out with that story, but this one is good the way it is. The key themes of this book are put front and center as the keys to understanding Meb's drive: family, faith, and running. Both his family and faith are on full display in these pages as he lavishes gratitude on the family (and his friends) who drove him to succeed both on the road and in school. His faith in God, which he picked up from his family and growing up in the Eritrean Orthodox Church, is also displayed prominently as he talks about praying for his family, for his career, and at key decisions points in his life. If more people showed the same amounts of gratitude and trust in God's plans as Meb does, this would certainly be a better world. The only thing I can say against this is that it can be a little dry at times as Meb will list off the exact times he had in certain races, even the ones he didn't win, but were still important to his running career (by the way, if I had the times in the marathon and half-marathon that he would consider disappointing, I would spray paint them to the side of my car!). Fortunately, they go by pretty quick and, as another testament to Meb's character, he also lists the times of his teammates and even the people who did better than him in those races. Not only that, but things really pick up as he goes into detail about what was going on in his head at the 2004 Athens Olympics and the 2009 NYC Marathon. It's almost makes you feel like you are running those miles with him. And while one chapter is devoted to explaining how demanding his training schedule can be, it is an interesting read for runners, but non-runners would be forgiven for skipping it. Lastly, each chapter has quote boxes from people in Meb's life who know him best and illuminate key points in Meb's life and career. Each chapter also ends with a quick tip for runners as well as some inspiring though that usually ties in with the main event of the chapter. This is a short, inspiring book that all people can enjoy, but runners or those with an interest in running or Meb will probably get more out of this.
April 18, 2025
If you like Meb, you’ll love this book.
I enjoy the runner tips and overcomer tips after each chapter. I actually read 26 Marathons and Running to the Edge before this book, and I think that’s a better way to go (I just got lucky). Those other two books provide a high level overview of the details that Meb discusses more intimately here.
My respect for Meb continues to grow and I try to channel his discipline and faith when I run. What a true American legend for us long distance runners. Would love to meet him someday.
4/18/2025 Update: My original review still sticks! My mom got me a physical copy of the book and I finished re-reading it. Men’s attitude, faith, and work ethic give me inspiration to do better in my running and life. All of his books are a personal 5/5 for me, but this is second-place to 26 Marathons. Really enjoyed the read.
I enjoy the runner tips and overcomer tips after each chapter. I actually read 26 Marathons and Running to the Edge before this book, and I think that’s a better way to go (I just got lucky). Those other two books provide a high level overview of the details that Meb discusses more intimately here.
My respect for Meb continues to grow and I try to channel his discipline and faith when I run. What a true American legend for us long distance runners. Would love to meet him someday.
4/18/2025 Update: My original review still sticks! My mom got me a physical copy of the book and I finished re-reading it. Men’s attitude, faith, and work ethic give me inspiration to do better in my running and life. All of his books are a personal 5/5 for me, but this is second-place to 26 Marathons. Really enjoyed the read.
January 14, 2011
"Run to Overcome" is the new book by Meb Keflezighi. Don't know who that is? No worries, neither did I until I read this book! Meb is one of the best marathoners in America, in the world. This is "the inspiring story of an American champion's long-distance quest to achieve a big dream" (taken from the book cover).
Meb's story is not an usual Cinderella story: a family emigrated to America (via Italy) from Eritrea, a very small African nation. Eritrea was a war zone so his father, fearing for his family's safety, did all he could (even being separated from them for years!) to get them out, to a safe country. From there, Meb did all he could to succeed - in the classroom and outside of it. He pushed himself from never having ran a race to being a champion in the mile to (with a lot of hard work and training) winning the 2009 New York City Marathon. Sounds like the American Dream, right?
I love that this is not a running story. At least not JUST a running story. Meb's is a story of hard work and the successes that followed. His is a story of faith in God and following the path He has made for you. Meb's is a love story ending with 3 beautiful daughters with his beautiful wife. His story is nothing short of inspirational.
Before reading this book, I had no idea who Meb Keflezighi was (I still can't spell his name without looking). Now, I cannot wait to see how he finished in this year's ING New York City Marathon - on November 7!!! I will be waiting (wishing I were watching, darn no cable).
(click here to see an interview with Meb, this year's defending champion of the NYC marathon)
Please check out Meb's book website. There is a contest on Run to Overcome - they are giving away one signed book per day from Nov. 1, 2010 - March 31, 2011. There will be monthly grand prize winners that will receive a signed copy of Meb's book, other free Tyndale titles, as well as Sony and PowerBar products. Go here to enter or learn more!
Also don't forget to get your own copy of "Run to Overcome" - available at amazon.com and other major retailers ($16.49 on Amazon).
Meb's story is not an usual Cinderella story: a family emigrated to America (via Italy) from Eritrea, a very small African nation. Eritrea was a war zone so his father, fearing for his family's safety, did all he could (even being separated from them for years!) to get them out, to a safe country. From there, Meb did all he could to succeed - in the classroom and outside of it. He pushed himself from never having ran a race to being a champion in the mile to (with a lot of hard work and training) winning the 2009 New York City Marathon. Sounds like the American Dream, right?
I love that this is not a running story. At least not JUST a running story. Meb's is a story of hard work and the successes that followed. His is a story of faith in God and following the path He has made for you. Meb's is a love story ending with 3 beautiful daughters with his beautiful wife. His story is nothing short of inspirational.
Before reading this book, I had no idea who Meb Keflezighi was (I still can't spell his name without looking). Now, I cannot wait to see how he finished in this year's ING New York City Marathon - on November 7!!! I will be waiting (wishing I were watching, darn no cable).
(click here to see an interview with Meb, this year's defending champion of the NYC marathon)
Please check out Meb's book website. There is a contest on Run to Overcome - they are giving away one signed book per day from Nov. 1, 2010 - March 31, 2011. There will be monthly grand prize winners that will receive a signed copy of Meb's book, other free Tyndale titles, as well as Sony and PowerBar products. Go here to enter or learn more!
Also don't forget to get your own copy of "Run to Overcome" - available at amazon.com and other major retailers ($16.49 on Amazon).
February 24, 2014
This is a great book! I and several of my friends have our own personal "meeting Meb" stories and all of them hinge upon the impression that Meb is passionate, compassionate, and genuine. This book totally supports that impression. Like several other biographical books from athletes, Meb does draw on his Christian faith and beliefs a lot throughout the book, but unlike some of those others it isn't at all off-putting or evangelical, it only makes him even more appealing. I had tears in my eyes at least a dozen times, but most notably when he recounts his 2009 NYC marathon win, and thru some anecdotes about his family and close friends. I definitely recommend this to other runners, it's always so inspiriting to read about how much work goes into chipping a marathon best down by seconds, or a minute, while us amateurs are trying to chunk off tens of minutes.
March 31, 2015
I really enjoyed Meb's autobiography! Renee Baker Smith lent this book to me almost a year ago (not long after Meb came to a Marathoners-in-Training Wednesday speed workout), and I finally got around to reading it. Meb Keflezighi was the 2009 NYC Marathon and 2014 Boston Marathon winner, and he will be running the upcoming 2015 Boston Marathon. I had admired him before and even more so after reading this book, which describes his life from his birth in Africa to his win in Boston last year. His work ethic is outstanding - I liked reading about how his dad encouraged the Keflezighi kids to never rest on their laurels and to always keep getting ahead, education or otherwise. I also liked reading about how he organized his thoughts and kept detailed records of every single workout he did, starting with his time at UCLA. I can't wait to eat his dust in about 3 weeks in Beantown!
May 14, 2011
Since I enjoy reading autobiographies and since we're talking about Meb (one of the current great American runners), this book does a good job in telling me his struggles in his native Eritrea, the factors involved with his move to the states and how this non-athlete became one of the fastest marathoners and an Olympic medalist. Definitely would recommend it, especially the questions that he asks at the end of the book.
August 24, 2015
Fantastic! What an incredible inspiration, not just in running either. Trying to recover from an injury and this is what I needed. I have felt very alone through this process, let's be real, people don't give a crap about your problems. Reading about all that Meb has overcome, including an incredible amount of injuries, is truly inspiring. Never give up on yourself! A great read for runners and non-runners.
February 1, 2014
Meb is one of my favorite runners. I see him at the BIX often. Meb never fails to impress me both with his running success and the way he conducts himself.
His book is an outstanding example of a family that sets high goals in life. They truly represent what is best about America. Also learned some new running tips.....doesn't get better than this.
His book is an outstanding example of a family that sets high goals in life. They truly represent what is best about America. Also learned some new running tips.....doesn't get better than this.
December 13, 2011
Driven man, inspiring, little dry for me but that's just me. Dang! Can he run!
January 15, 2017
Meb is one of the greatest ambassadors for sport I have ever followed. He demonstrates the ideal form of "class" that all the nostalgic old timers claim no longer exists (whether it ever really did or not).
Meb's cultural upbringing emphasizes modesty beyond the standard of American understanding and so a relatable memoir by our standards could not have been easy to tease out of Kaflezeghi. American's love opinions and judgments from our idols that we can hang our own hat on and feel better for the association. This book will not satisfy that itch.
There also isn't a lot to learn about how exactly one might train like Meb either. It's more precisely an interesting timeline of major events in his difficult upbringing with a sprinkling of perspective of humble appreciation for everything that helped him ultimately succeed.
It was great to listen to this book seven years after it's publication and be proud of Meb for exceeding his own expectations for himself. He ended up finally winning the Boston marathon the same year I was able to make my own debut there, 2014!
Any fan of the marathon should appreciate this book.
Meb's cultural upbringing emphasizes modesty beyond the standard of American understanding and so a relatable memoir by our standards could not have been easy to tease out of Kaflezeghi. American's love opinions and judgments from our idols that we can hang our own hat on and feel better for the association. This book will not satisfy that itch.
There also isn't a lot to learn about how exactly one might train like Meb either. It's more precisely an interesting timeline of major events in his difficult upbringing with a sprinkling of perspective of humble appreciation for everything that helped him ultimately succeed.
It was great to listen to this book seven years after it's publication and be proud of Meb for exceeding his own expectations for himself. He ended up finally winning the Boston marathon the same year I was able to make my own debut there, 2014!
Any fan of the marathon should appreciate this book.
December 15, 2021
“Run to Overcome ” is the story of a man, Meb Keflezighi, who was born in Eritrea, a small war stricken country and how he immigrated to the United States at a young age and became arguably the greatest American marathon runner of all time. The story begins by talking about his struggles of traveling to America, and the problems he and his family faced when they first got there. It then takes you through his life of running his first mile in PE, to winning the Boston Marathon while giving you running tips all throughout. The book was a really good read, and I definitely enjoyed reading it. It was an uplifting story that was really well written. It gave me a lot of good tips on running as well. I would definitely recommend this book to others, but you may enjoy it more if you are a runner. Nevertheless this is a fantastic book and truly makes you feel good after reading it.
August 15, 2023
Nope.
It just feels constantly self-aggrandizing, and if you've read other books by Meb, you already know most of the stories herein. This book does focus a lot more on his origin story and family, and I give it two stars because I did find it interesting enough to continue reading to the end.
But I didn't get much out of it.
He does intersperse tips for runners here and there, but his nutritional advice is total garbage (all carbs!) and that way of eating is probably why he basically developed early osteoporosis and a hip fracture, as well as the myriad of "stomach flus" that seemed to always be the excuse behind his bad races.
How much faster could this guy be on a meat based diet, ditching the bread he has made a mainstay?
Also, he goes on far too much about his faith, and the godly men he works with along the way. It's creepy reading for the non-religious.
It just feels constantly self-aggrandizing, and if you've read other books by Meb, you already know most of the stories herein. This book does focus a lot more on his origin story and family, and I give it two stars because I did find it interesting enough to continue reading to the end.
But I didn't get much out of it.
He does intersperse tips for runners here and there, but his nutritional advice is total garbage (all carbs!) and that way of eating is probably why he basically developed early osteoporosis and a hip fracture, as well as the myriad of "stomach flus" that seemed to always be the excuse behind his bad races.
How much faster could this guy be on a meat based diet, ditching the bread he has made a mainstay?
Also, he goes on far too much about his faith, and the godly men he works with along the way. It's creepy reading for the non-religious.
January 24, 2020
I love Meb. But to be honest, I didn't really know much about Meb until he won Boston the year after the bombings. I learned more about him after that and loved him more. Got this book for Christmas (thanks Mom!) and thoroughly enjoyed reading his story. I guess I didn't realize this book was written after his NYC marathon win but before his Boston win. So now I need to read his latest book. One of the things I loved was his personal story, particularly since the first student I worked with as a literacy tutor was a young man from Eritrea. I loved learning more about that and could relate to some of his stories.
February 18, 2019
I only recently became aware of Meb's incredible story when I had the pleasure of meeting him and attending a live podcast recording before the Tallahassee Half Marathon in February 2019. I was in awe of his nonchalance; he is as humble and funny as he comes across in his writing. It's amazing what he has been able to accomplish and continues to do in the world of running. I highlighted many lines throughout and I will carry his mantra of "Run to Win" with me for years to come. Inspiring and enlightening read.
August 13, 2025
I hate to compare stories about overcoming hardships, but this is the 2/5 version of ‘Running for My Life’ by Lopez Lomong. The writing is less engaging and comes off as preachy rather than grateful and I did not learn anything newly interesting about the sport, or even about Meb and his story.
Looking back and comparing what I know about Meb to this book, I don’t think he wrote this. It’s a ton of broad strokes and does not have that signature wisdom and gratitude that makes Meb such a great role model.
Looking back and comparing what I know about Meb to this book, I don’t think he wrote this. It’s a ton of broad strokes and does not have that signature wisdom and gratitude that makes Meb such a great role model.
March 4, 2018
If you know Meb's story, there's not much new here, but you get the first- person narrative. If you don't know his story, he truly did overcome a lot: emigrating from dirt poor Eritrea to America, a debilitating hip injury, all en route to a 2009 NYC Marathon victory (and a subsequent Olympic Marathon Trials victory). Not to mention a Silver medal in the Athens Olympics.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 9, 2020
A good 3.75⭐️s. There was some repeat of the other book I read, but this one told more about him coming to America. This book precedes his Boston Marathon erin. I find Meb inspiring and love how he gives God all the Glory. I also like how he’s very personable, very human, very down to earth. Overall, enjoyed this read.
May 13, 2017
Nice story about a great athlete. I really liked it. A hard working guy with strong values has great results running. Also, it was interesting to learn he'd never run a sub 4:00 mile. A very good read, but not a must read.
April 26, 2018
Meb is beyond inspirational!! Love to learn more about this life/ family/ training/ race up and downs. it gave me as a runner another big boots to keep working hard to achieve my future running goals!!
November 4, 2021
Inspiring story of an immigrant from Eritrea who, despite the hardship of his childhood, overcomes to become an Olympian. He and his nine siblings all are motivated to succeed by their amazing parents.
December 11, 2023
Known for winning the NYC marathon Eritrean immigrant Meb Keflezighi started running in middle school in San Diego and coaches were amazed at his natural talent. He had great supporters and a hardwork ethic and wonderful family to help him along the way, winning many distances and many events.
Read
July 18, 2024(I do not rate memoirs.)
Although a bit dry, I did enjoy this memoir and getting to learn more about Meb's early life and career. It's not my favorite memoir but I will most definitely keep the (surprise) signed copy I got second hand.
Although a bit dry, I did enjoy this memoir and getting to learn more about Meb's early life and career. It's not my favorite memoir but I will most definitely keep the (surprise) signed copy I got second hand.
September 1, 2017
One of my all time favorite athletes, definitely an inspirational & interesting book
November 7, 2017
"Even now, if I'm stretching against a tree... I'll think, this would've been great firewood, or this would've been great for a house."
February 6, 2018
Inspiring for the runner or the non runner! An incredible life story of overcoming incredible trials and working hard - and having it all pay off.
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