I really loved this one. Keira's story is just so fun and her perspective is refreshing. I can't wait to see what she does next.

What a fun and inspiring story of a strong woman who never gave up and set off to achieve her dreams. I remember a few years ago when Keira started appearing on running podcasts and doing well in races... this book we learn more about the behind-the-scenes of what Keira was thinking, feeling, and experiencing during those times. It was so fun to learn more and to see how Keira kept persevering throughout setbacks, injuries, life, and more. Before I read this book, I knew Keira and her husband were funny... but this book displays that at a whole new level. This book made me laugh and cry, and makes me want to sign up for another marathon asap!

As a runner, and a mom, I am totally the target audience for this book, but I think any woman/mom could relate to some of the author's core content about how to find yourself despite new seasons of life (marriage, motherhood, a new job).

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for this audiobook. All opinions are my own.

loved this story about D’Amatos life- after taking off time from running to grow her family this story follows her return to running. It expands not just her return, but her journey as an elite athlete, her family, upbringing, etc. Her story is inspiring and enjoyable!


Recommend listening on audio to the author reading it!

In this runner's memoir, Keira D'Amato shares about her unlikely path to success as a runner. She did so after taking a multi-year break and giving birth to two children. She writes at the beginning that this book is not just for runners, and I agree. This book touches on being a military spouse, working mom, and postpartum depression. This memoir provided inspiration and belief that whatever ones dreams are, getting older is a variable but not the deciding factor.

When professional runner Keira D’Amato announced her memoir—a new entry in the growing genre of running autobiographies—I was skeptical. Lately, these books have tended to follow a predictable arc: early talent, relentless training, inevitable injury or burnout, redemption, a personal best. But D’Amato’s story resists that formula. In fact, she stepped away from competitive running altogether in her twenties. She got married, had two children, and built a life in the suburbs. At one point, she barely made it through a ninety-second jog. And then, in her late thirties, she broke the American marathon record with a blistering time of 2:19:12.

What makes this running memoir unique is its structure—isn’t just a tale of athletic reinvention; it’s organized more like a three-act play than a sports narrative. “Phase One” covers her early years as a high school and college runner. “The Intermission”—longer and more introspective—centers on her grief over having quit the sport and the years she spent establishing herself in other roles: wife, mother, real estate agent. Then comes “Phase Two,” the most compelling part of the book, where the quiet narrative gathers momentum as she makes an improbable return to running—and ultimately reaches her athletic peak. This is where the book truly shines, building from quiet determination to a triumphant crescendo, culminating in the fulfillment of dreams that once seemed long behind her.

The book is funny, too—almost surprisingly so. D’Amato leans into the absurdities of her dual identity as elite athlete and suburban mom, full of jokes about sticky gels, race-day mishaps, and the chaos of parenting. A gem for those of us who get it:

“I’d already learned that I shouldn’t pack my gels next to my spikes—what a mess—but I still wasn’t sure where to put the sticky race numbers (or if they would even stick). I’m Team Safety Pin all the way.”

In a culture that often demands women choose between ambition and caregiving, D’Amato’s story feels quietly radical. How dare we women of advanced ages believe we deserve the spotlight, or anything other than marriage and family? Running begins, for her, as a means of carving out space—a way to return to herself. She doesn’t run to prove anything to anyone, at least not at first. She runs to breathe.

“I’ve found that when I’m the most tired, what I most need is a run—physical exertion is an antidote to emotional exhaustion, and having a spent body can somehow wipe clean and release the mind.”

But there’s more. D’Amato is someone who never gives up, like the time she insisted the Boston Marathon agreed to let her use the water tables even though she wasn’t in the professional field. The reduced visibility gave her increased freedom, however.

“I don’t feel pressure in the same way that other people do because no one knows what I’m capable of. No one thought I could get this far, and I bet that most people don’t believe that I can go any further.”

Her emphasis on non-athletic aspects of life–motherhood, marriage, and more, make D’Amato’s a story that speaks to so many women of all walks of life, not only those who run, or dare I say, run competitively. The author relishes this role she’s taken on over the years. As her biography states, “her mission is to encourage others, especially mothers, to take their unfinished business off the back burner and get after it.” She accomplishes this by talking about life as much as about running. One of her chapter recaps addresses women as a whole:

“Instead of always sacrificing, go ahead and seize. Make your me time unnegotiable: don’t frame running—or your particular passion—as an ‘if,’ frame it as a ‘when.’”

I was grateful that D’Amato chose to honor the history of women’s running in her career as well. She organized her own race during COVID and opened it to all women. Later on, she described plans to open a running store–a platform where those that feel intimidated find a home. Out of all the topics in women’s running, I especially cherished her mention of the endless weight debate in running.

“I’ve always trusted my body to do whatever it needs to do to be the most efficient. When I’m peaking for a marathon, even though I eat more than ever, I still get a little bit leaner. During breaks, I gain fifteen pounds. When I did CrossFit in my twenties, my arms were jacked. I cycled enough to be able to complete hundred-mile rides, and my quads were as muscular as they’ve ever been. My body does whatever I ask it to do, whether that’s building for a race or, for God’s sake, building a baby. It’s a miracle.

It’s a miracle, and it’s nobody’s business but my own.”

In so many ways, I found myself in D’Amato’s memoir. Like me she’s “...different,” not being attracted to “herd mentality.” She’s also a science major. D’Amato also chooses running because its pain is predictable and not as volatile as emotional pain.

“Not only that, my life experiences have taught me that the pain cave is temporary, and so much more manageable than the emotional burdens I had to push through as a new mother.”

That she’s a science major, a self-described outsider, and someone who prefers “the pain of the run to the chaos of emotion” makes her even more relatable. As a fellow runner, I recognized myself in her frustration with doctors who fail to grasp what running means to those of us who use it not just to train, but to cope. She asks us to make sure we hear ourselves and our own intuition into the game when hearing doctor’s opinions. At one point, she recalls being told to stop running entirely. Her response is simple and sharp:

“I can deal with pain—marathoning, again, will do that to you—but I can’t cope when I’m told I can’t run.”

With her book, D’Amato tries to motivate the reader. “Start writing your book,” she says. Go for a run, do your thing, go for the goal that seems way too big. I guess for my part, I’ve written my book, so perhaps it’s time to leap to my personal sub-three-hour marathon experience. Maybe it’s an omen that her personal best was the same as mine before breaking three. She says it wasn’t as easy “as flipping a few pages,” but she sure makes it look that effortless.

Go get them, Keira, and all of you readers! We ladies will lace up our shoes and step out of what confines us and run towards freedom.

In deep gratitude to St. Martin’s Press and MacMillan for the Advance Reader’s Copy. The excerpts used here may change in the final version of the book.

I enjoyed this motivating memoir! Keira D’Amato ran for American University in the early to mid 2000’s as a distance runner. In her early twenties after encountering injuries and burnout she felt she had lost her motivation for running and stopped. In Keira’s early thirties and retired from running she got married and had two children. During her second post partum recovery she decided to go out and try to run 90 secs without stopping. She found it too difficult! She took this as a challenge and slowly but surely started to increase her runs and realized she had regained her passion for running. Then her running career really started to take off. Keira has achieved some of her biggest goals and is still running in her early forties. She has broken and still holds some amazing distance running records and results. Her running trajectory has been amazing! Keira subscribes to the theory to set small goals and increase them as long as your happiness is paramount in the equation. Her immediate family and extended family have been supportive and pivotal in helping with her running career. Overall this is an inspiring memoir which I really enjoyed.

Keira D'Amato was a promising young runner who called it quits after an injury in her twenties. She married, started a family, and a career. She started running again to manage the stress of being a mom (who can't relate to that?) and thought she'd be content just being a 'hobby jogger', as she called herself. Except that she rediscovered her talent and then some, breaking the world record in the women's marathon at age 37. She's continued to blaze a trail since then. In this memoir, she shares her story in her high-energy, positive, and irreverent style. When I first started to read this, I was like 'whoa, lady, slow down!', but her zest and can-do attitude is so infectious, that I found myself turning the pages as fast as her 5 minute mile paces. I love that she pushes herself beyond expectations and is breaking age barriers along the way. You don't have to be a runner to love this one, but I think it does help!

DON'T CALL IT A COMEBACK is a book for everyone who needs a little voice in the back of their head asking, "What if you just... try?"

The first time Keira got out for a run following the birth of her two kids, she made it maybe 90 seconds before turning around and walking home. And crying. But she got back out there a few days later and ran for three minutes. And it turns out that was the start of her training to break an American women's record in running. Yes, I'm being vague so I don't spoil the book for those of you who don't know her story!

And what a story it is. But that's not what makes this book special — it's Keira. All memoirs are personal, but this one really did feel like going on a smooth, hours-long run with Keira. And having fun along the way, while also tearing up a bit, and maybe brainstorming Strava captions.

On mode: I liked having the e-book to highlight several passages, but I think DON'T CALL IT A COMEBACK is a must listen. Keira was easy to understand and it was great to hear her story in her voice.

Although I am supposed to be the right audience for this book--woman in her 40s who also enjoys running--I did not end up feeling like I had much in common with Keira D'amato. She has an over-caffeinated, can-do attitude about everything, and makes it seem like she is very special for what she accomplished. Yes, I do believe she was a great runner, and I congratulate her on her record, but it's not like she overcame a tremendous amount of adversity to achieve what she did. She was a tired mom. So are many of us. It was just really hard to swallow the tone of this book. And D'Amato's whole point is to say that she is so super special for chasing happiness instead of achievements, but she is currently in Utah training with an elite coach for achievements. Not a lot of credibility there. I would have been able to enjoy or believe this book more if D'amato admitted all the ways in which her privilege made her achievements possible. She did not do this on her own.

Thank you NetGalley for the free digital ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I'm a huge fan of Keira D'Amato from her social media (love her attitude to life and running) and this book gave me the delightful opportunity to get to know her and her voice on a deeper level. Even though I'm not a rummer myself, Keira's journey as a recreational runner to a pro while working full-time and being a mother of two is inspiring on so many levels. I bought a copy for my sister, a marathoner, and I know I'll return to this one for inspiration and motivation over the years.

DON’T CALL IT A COMEBACK by Keira D’Amato is available as of today!

If you like to listen to books while you exercise/run (🙋‍♀️) then this is the book for you. It’s real, it’s funny, it’s inspiring whether you’re a runner (or another type of athlete), a parent, or just a person who wants to chase a dream while trying to find a balance between that and family life.

Keira D’Amato is absolutely delightful in this memoir that she also narrates. I basically want to run with her (if I could keep up 🤪) and be friends with her (if I was cool enough 😜). Happy Pub Day to her!

I always feel a little weird rating memoirs as it’s someone sharing their experience and stories about their life and everything they’ve gone through, but Keira’s story and the way she told it was so inspiring, funny and creative, and I really did enjoy learning more about her path, so all the stars from me!

Prior to giving birth to my daughter almost 4 years ago, I was always an avid runner. I’m not fast, but I love endurance running and have ran/ participated in 7 full-marathon races even traveling to places like Chicago and New York to run races. I was actually all set to run the London marathon in 2020, but alas COVID had other plans 😞.

It’s been really hard to get back into distance running since my daughter was born, so I was really excited to see the synopsis for this book. I felt inspired reading about how Keira herself had stopped running for years, and after having kids was barely able to run a block at a time and then years later went on to break the American woman’s record for marathon at age 37!!! 🤯

Needless to say, I have no aspirations of winning records 😂, but I feel inspired just to put one foot in front of the other again, and take it day-by-day and little by little, so I’m thankful for the perspective, hope, motivation and encouragement Keira’s story brought me. 💕

I loved this book. I wasn’t into it at first, but then I hit my stride (nod to the author who loves jokes). It just clicked for me - as a runner, mom, and a competitive goal-oriented person.

I really enjoyed the advice and experiences. I truly feel inspired to start over, start small, and push myself.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book. I highly recommend it!!

Not me crying while running because of a particular part of the book "Happiness isn’t easy; it’s a journey of finding your limits and pursuing a challenge. I’m happy because it’s hard." Running is hard, running is worth it, running is my happiness and I miss it but I know I will be able to figure it out. By going through this book I laughed, shook my head, remember the articles from FastWomen about Keira and other the other passionate women who are pushing the boundaries and being a mother. I may not be a mother nor will I own a world record of anything, but I enjoy the chase of my own passions and personal bests and love reading what other badass female runners stories.

I received a free copy of, Don't Call it a Comeback, by Keira D'Amato, from the publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Don't Call It a Comeback by Keira D'Amato is a great and inspiring memoir.
She talks about her journey becoming an elite runner and about life along the way.
Her story is so relatable about becoming a mother and wife.
I loved the humor and storytelling.
For this to be her first debit nonfiction she did an incredible job!

I was super into this book…until I wasn’t. I usually love books where the narrator is really pushing their body to the limit- running, hiking, anything athletic that shows determination and grit. And this book did showcase that! Keira is a beast! But about 2/3 through I was just ready for the book to be finished, as it was just one more race and snarky comedy bit after the next. Someone more into running and race training will love it mor than me.
Thank you to the author and St Martins Press for the advance readers copy.

I really love running memoirs and I also love an underdog story, so I was definitely the target audience for this book! If you're not familiar with her story, Keira D'Amato was a runner in high school and college, then ran professionally briefly before getting injured and stepping away for a decade. After getting married, having two kids, working full time as a realtor, holding down her household as a military wife with a deployed husband, injuries, and more - she finally decided to try again. At first, she could only run for 90 seconds straight. Five years later, she set the US women's marathon record at age 37.

I read this memoir at such a good time, because I've been making my way back to running and have also struggled with "mom guilt," the comparison to my former self, and balancing it all. So many things that Keira wrote about resonated with me, and I highlighted a lot of gems that I wanted to remember. Her voice really comes through in her writing, including her love of pranks and jokes (I'm sure the audio version read by her is great, too!). I found her story to be honest, inspiring, and so relatable. I loved the local connection with her being from Richmond, Virginia, and how we've run so many of the same races - sometimes in the same year. I also appreciated that she didn't wait to publish her memoir until after she completed all her goals. It helps to make her point that we're always evolving, and that we continually learn from each success and failure. After finishing this I'm trying to resist signing up for all the races!!!

Memoir turned self-help book? Self-help book-ish memoir? Either way, this book was incredible from start to finish. As an avid reader of athlete autobiographies, this one stood out to me. It truly shined. Keira D'Amato's story is as inspiring as it gets, and her refreshing and genuine narrative voice makes the book that much more compelling. As a former NCAA athlete, I related to many aspects of D'Amato's journey, from the discouraging doubts during injuries to the nerves before a big race. This is the book I wish I had when I was competing as an athlete, and it is the book I will use as motivation during my training for any future athletic endeavors.
Even if you don't identify as a runner or an athlete, many of D'Amato's messages can be applied to all aspects of life, from career to parenting. And while she doesn't sugarcoat the challenges, her optimism and upbeat tone demonstrate the importance of positivity in the face of setback. This book truly has something for everyone, and I cannot recommend it enough.

P.S. I have my first half-Ironman next weekend, and I will definitely be using the mental alien technique on the run! And I may even yell bananas (or probably a different code word) when I pass my family and friends #iykyk

5 🌟
Format: ALC

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the alc & arc in exchange for an honest review.

Did I know who Keira D'Amato was before this book? No I did not, but you can bet I do now. As someone who just began a running journey this year, hearing her tell her story with running was so inspiring. While I was struggling to consider myself a 'runner' when I'm jist getting 1 mile, Keira made me feel as if I should be proudly calling myself just that. This story is so motivating, funny, emotional, serious. It's the whole package. I definitely think anyone who runs should give this a listen.

First thank you to st martins press and NetGalley for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review

No star rating non fiction but I liked it

What I liked: I knew very little about Kiera before reading this book but really enjoyed it. Her philosophy on life was very relatable and you had to root for her while reading her story. She has a great sense of humor and very dedicated to running. However she also balances it with family. I like how she was unsponsored letting her grow and mature. She also wasn’t willing to trade her principles for money. However she also knew when to collect the check as well. I think it’s a good book for runners or non runners