CHOOSING TO RUN

A memoir by the winner of the 2018 Boston Marathon.

In her revealing debut, Linden (b. 1983) chronicles her life and the circumstances that led to her unexpected win as well as how she became a two-time Olympian and the women’s 50 kilometer world-record holder. From an early age in her hometown of San Diego, the author displayed an independent nature and desire to win despite feeling she didn’t belong. “As soon as the gun went off,” she writes, “fitting in no longer mattered. Breaking away from the crowd was the point, so I did.” Linden knew that both of her parents were committed to her sporting career, but her father’s demanding personality and “vicarious need for me to achieve” became a burden. After playing team sports, “running felt like independence,” and she soon viewed it as a ticket to escape. Linden accepted a scholarship to Arizona State, where she was conditioned to accept extremes. Following graduation, she had no plans, but an unexpected opportunity renewed her commitment to running. At the age of 23, she took the “unusual” step of launching a marathon career. Throughout the book, Linden examines her relationships with her coaches, fellow athletes, agent, family, and friends, who pushed her to succeed. “Each success bought me time to keep doing what I was doing, but also raised the bar higher for what I needed to do next,” she writes. However, due to various setbacks, winning the Boston Marathon continued to elude her. Linden also describes the “disorienting chaos” into which the sport was descending, caused by doping and other factors. At the starting line in 2018, she was facing illness and terrible weather conditions, making triumph unlikely. However, as she writes, things began to change around Mile 22: “My typical meticulous checklist was down to one item: survive.”

Athletes of all ranks will find Linden’s memoir heartwarming and inspiring.