In 1985, American Lisa Rainsberger won the Boston Marathon. It would be 33 years before another American woman broke the tape, but on April 16, 2018, Des Linden shocked everyone, including herself, crossing the finish line four minutes ahead of the next elite runner.
That day, the Weather conditions in Boston were atrocious: high winds, rain, and temperatures hovering in the 30s. Over half of the elite, professional runners dropped out that day, but not Des. In what would become a prophetic statement, shortly before the race, 1979 American female Boston winner Joan Benoit Samuelson told Linden, “You are the master of these conditions.”
As an amateur runner loosely following the professional running world, I remember the excitement of an American woman winning Boston. Des Linden’s Choosing to Run takes readers deep into the emotional well that led to her victory. Reading the book, I already knew she’d won, but I still cried tears of joy at that point in the story.
Few of us truly understand the dedication, tenacity, relentless endurance, or emotional and physical toil the sport requires of elite runners. Allowing herself to be vulnerable in Choosing to Run, Des pulls back the curtain, granting us mere mortals a glimpse into the world of elite running.
This book is a frank and eye-opening read, which I highly recommend to anyone who loves the story of an underdog.
Until Next Time,
Becky J Miller
Warrior Princess