Review of “Life Is a Marathon”

This review will be a little different for two reasons.  One, it is the first memoir I have read about running.  Second, I am trying out a new tablet with a keyboard so (hopefully) I will be able to post without having to wait for when I am at a computer.  This was a very good memoir - here is my review of  “Life Is a Marathon.”

Title/Author:

“Life Is a Marathon: A Memoir of Love and Endurance” by Mark Fitzgerald

Tags:

Running, memoir, amateur

Publish:
March 26, 2019

Length:
288 pages

Rating:

4 of 5 stars (very good)

Review:

Becoming a world-class marathon runner takes a lot of sacrifice, dedication and love for the sport. The same qualities are present in people who support family members with mental health issues.  Mark Fitzgerald, who has written several running books, shares his life experiences in both of these topics in this compelling memoir.

The most striking feature about the book is the ending of each chapter.  Fitzgerald will make a personal discovery on how the experiences he shared in the chapter help him realize a new realization about what that meant to him in the bigger picture of life.  Whether it was him assisting a woman in the last few miles of a marathon to help her finish at the sacrifice of his own time or how he feels when he has to call authorities after his wife Nataka attacks him yet again due to her bipolar condition, his realization of what he has discovered is always touching and will make a reader pause to consider.

Each chapter is filled with good detail about what Fitzgerald is experiencing and what is most telling and sets this one apart from many sports memoirs is the emotion that will be felt by the reader.  Whether it is the terrifying moments when his wife is attacking him with a knife, the sadness he feels when she is yet again involuntarily hospitalized, the agony of an injury during a race or the elation at winning or beating personal bests, this book is one that tugs at the heart in every imaginable way.

Runners and non-runners alike will want to read this one as it covers a wide range of topics and emotions.  Many of the stories will be ones that readers can relate to, and even if not, they will be enjoyed.

I wish to thank Da Capo Lifelong Books for providing a copy of the book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Book format read:
E-book (Kindle)

Buying Links:
Amazon.com: Life Is a Marathon: A Memoir of Love and Endurance eBook: Matt Fitzgerald: Kindle Store

Life Is a Marathon: A Memoir of Love and Endurance by Matt Fitzgerald, Hardcover | Barnes & Noble®