The Incomplete Book of Running

By: Peter Sagal

Narrated by: Peter Sagal

Peter Sagal, the host of NPR’s Wait Wait...Don’t Tell Me! and a popular columnist for Runner’s World, shares “commentary and reflection about running with a deeply felt personal story, this book is winning, smart, honest, and affecting. Whether you are a runner or not, it will move you” (Susan Orlean).

On the verge of turning forty, Peter Sagal—brainiac Harvard grad, short bald Jew with a disposition towards heft, and a sedentary star of public radio—started running seriously. And much to his own surprise, he kept going, faster and further, running fourteen marathons and logging tens of thousands of miles on roads, sidewalks, paths, and trails all over the United States and the world, including the 2013 Boston Marathon, where he crossed the finish line moments before the bombings.

In The Incomplete Book of Running, Sagal reflects on the trails, tracks, and routes he’s traveled, from the humorous absurdity of running charity races in his underwear—in St. Louis, in February—or attempting to “quiet his colon” on runs around his neighborhood—to the experience of running as a guide to visually impaired runners, and the triumphant post-bombing running of the Boston Marathon in 2014. With humor and humanity, Sagal also writes about the emotional experience of running, body image, the similarities between endurance sports and sadomasochism, the legacy of running as passed down from parent to child, and the odd but extraordinary bonds created between strangers and friends. The result is “a brilliant book about running…What Peter runs toward is strength, understanding, endurance, acceptance, faith, hope, and charity” (P.J. O’Rourke).

Generally a good story with a few marathons

Book was a nice listen/read. You can tell Peter is a wonderful writer.

Near the middle, the book feels a little inconsiderate in its voice. For example, he a comment about being stupid if one believes in intelligent design, which seemed thrown in there as a general aside and unrelated to the general story.

Overall an interesting story and worth the listen.

Great book for running bigginers.

I started running and doing long distance races at 40,, like the author. I feel very identified with his experien'

Great Book!!!!!

Funny but real... I love that he tells how it is running a marathon.. Definitely, worth listening to.

Full disclosure: I love running

Peter Sagal's Incomplete Book of Running made me long for my favorite form of exercise but can no longer participate in, and only dream about, because of ruined knees. I laughed, I cried. Peter's narration was witty and wonderful, as only he could tell it. This book is for anyone who slavishly posted to Jim Fixx's Complete Book of Running workbook to get through their first marathon.

Such a great story.

I loved his manner of telling his story. I listened while running or cycling and it made me feel a bit connected to the author. It was easy to get lost in his words and there were moments that took my breath away. The story felt real and honest, and while he is certainly a great athlete his ability to describe his struggle made him very relatable. I loved the book.