Book Review: Run to Overcome by Meb Keflezighi

As many of you have read in my previous posts, I am working on training for my first 5K in December.  So when I saw that this book had to do with running, I knew that I should read it.  I'm so glad that I did!  It was such an encouraging book and very motivational, not just in the sense of running but in life in general.

Meb achieved what we think of as the "American Dream."  He came from Eritrea in East Africa, where running was not necessarily considered a sport.  He was born in the middle of the 30-year war between Eritrea and Ethiopia.  Due to the war, they moved around alot trying to get out of harm's way.  They had many encounters where their lives were at stake, but God brought them through.

To this day, they still celebrate their arrival in America every October 21.  Meb is incredibly thankful for the opportunities God has placed in his life.  He talks about how he didn't even know that running was a sport until he came to the U.S.  When they moved to San Diego, he joined the running team for his high school, and then went on to run for UCLA.  He has raced in the 2004 Olympics (and gained the silver medal) and loves to race in the New York City Marathon (2009 winner).  He trained with Ryan Shay, the young man who died while competing in the Olympic trials marathon from cardiac arrest.  He is also friends with Ryan Hall and Khalid Khannouchi, two well-known names in the running world.

Meb is incredibly fascinating and this book is a great read for runners and non-runners.  He does an excellent job pressing in the fact that we aren't guaranteed things in life.  We must work for what we want.  No one is just going to hand us things that we feel we deserve. 

Meb will be running in the New York City marathon on November 7, so check him out and read his story for yourself.  You'll find that you won't want to put his book down.




**For more information, go to http://www.runtoovercome.com/.  There is also a contest on the site where they are giving away one signed book per day from November 1, 2010 until March 31, 2011.  There will be monthly grand prize winners that will receive a signed copy of the book, other free Tyndale titles, as well as Sony and PowerBar products.  More details will be on the website.

This complimentary book was provided free of charge from Tyndale House Publishers.  I was in no way required to submit a positive book review.