I don't read a lot of memoirs, but I like to read runner's memoirs. This one was a little bit of a let down for me. She has a great story, but there was a strong self-help vibe to this book that I wasn't really looking for. Her story is definitely inspiring, and I get that she was sharing how she got to where she was... but at times, especially with her end of chapter summaries, it felt almost preachy.

Would still recommend if you are a fan of hers, a dedicated runner, or memoir/self-help enthusiastic.

I appreciate the ARC! The narration is well done, and read by the author.

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). Keira also narrates the audiobook which is fantastic. You can really hear her personality coming through.

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

I had heard of Keira D’Amato as a runner but I never knew her story. I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook as it was told by her as well. Being an elite athlete requires so much more than just being good at the sport and learning of Keira’s struggles and family life really showed how elite she is.

I was a little worried this book would not resonate with me at the beginning as she talked alot about motherhood and said it wasnt a running book. I thought oh no what did I get myself into. Then i continued on and I have never read a book that even though she was talking about things that didnt 100% resonate with me the meaning behind it did. I have also been told so many times that the only reason I can run so much is because I don't have kids well that is false and this book proves it! So when I usually am not a fan of books talking a lot about motherhood in this case I actually liked it. It made me feel better about myself in way that is hard to explain. I have also struggled with weight and injuries and worried I may not be able to be the runner I was previously. She was telling stories that related to me ...well not 100% because she was pushing for 5 min miles while my goal right now is run 10:30 at my next half but like she even said in the book in a race with thousands of runners than can only be one winner but we all run the same distance. I took from this book that even professional record setting runners have the same struggles as us regular folks they still see us and know we are putting in the work too and no matter the distance we run, pace we run, number of runs, whether we run races or run for us, we are all runners!

n Don’t Call it a Comeback, Keira D’Amato shares her journey from injury and family life back to competitive running. Honest and inspiring, she reminds us to show grace to ourselves no matter what life brings. A heartfelt memoir of resilience, balance, and second chances

I received an advance audiobook copy of Don't Call it a Comeback by Keira D'Amato from netgalley.


The narration is done by the author, Keira D'Amato. She does a fantastic job, and I really enjoyed that she is telling her own story.

I relate to so many things in this book. I'm a military spouse (went along for the active duty ride and currently following along on his national guard life). I am a mom, 2 boys. And a runner (definitely no where near Keira's level. She could run 2 or 3 marathons to my 1... if I ever chose to attempt a marathon)

Dealing with all things kid related, mental health struggles, injuries and other health issues, and all that comes with military life. This was a great read (or listen)

I definitely recommend, even if you don't see yourself as a runner.

Don’t Call It a Comeback by Keira D’Amato 🎧
This one’s for anyone who really loves running — like, obsess-over-your-splits kind of love.
In her memoir, Keira shares how she made running a priority again after having children. From local races to major events, she takes us through her journey with honesty, humor, and grit

What stood out most to me was her incredible determination — not just to race, but to uplift everyone around her. She builds a caring community with her family, friends, coaches, colleagues, and even competitors. It’s not just about winning; it’s about enjoying the process and bringing others along for the ride.

I appreciated how she explored the balance between elite competition, career, and family life — it felt real and relatable.
Hearing the audiobook in Keira’s own voice made the experience even more personal. She does a fantastic job telling her story.

🎧 Thanks to @macmillan.audio and @NetGalley for the audiobook. Opinions are my own!

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. 💕

And if you enjoy audiobooks, Keira herself narrates the audiobook and it was so interesting to hear her tell her story. Nothing is as good hearing the persons own story in their voice, and she came across so funny and down to earth.

DON’T CALL IT A COMEBACK by Keira D’Amato is available as of today! Thanks @macmillan.audio for the audio version to compliment my gifted copy from @stmartinspress (thank you to @stmartinspress too!)!

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.

@keiradamato 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! And thanks again @macmillan.audio and @stmartinspress for these copies!

Don't Call It a Comeback
by Keira D'Amato

This is a compelling memoir, narrated by the author. Listeners will learn more about the sport of running, and gain insight to the author's message of not giving up.

"Don't Call it a Comeback", written and narrated by Kiera D'Amato, is an honest, quirky, and unflinching look into Keira D'Amato's athletic journey with running. She shares the tough challenges she faced, including the ups and downs of navigating life as a runner, while also as a military wife and a mom of two.

D'Amato's story is particularly inspiring as she recounts learning to reframe her mindset, realizing that making time for running and self-care was not a bad thing that made her a neglectful mom, an important theme that might resonate especially with parents.

The book explores the powerful motivational message that if you're trying to climb Mt. Everest, you can't look all the way up, but rather just focus on the courage to take on what's right in front of you. Her story is a motivating read for anyone who has ever been afraid to run, or perhaps who has completely stopped running, or others who have always wanted to try.

As a runner myself, I felt a personal connection to her story. Hearing her first-hand account of the challenges she faced and her perseverance was incredibly inspiring, especially her ultimate achievement of breaking the American women’s marathon record at the age of thirty-seven. I mostly listened to this book while commuting and doing chores, and it was a consistently uplifting and empowering listen.

The author did a fantastic job at narrating this audiobook. Her delivery is clear, easy to follow, and honest, and I was able to listen at a speed of 1.5x and still follow her story with perfect clarity. When she mentions specific races, a listener unfamiliar with the events might have a hard time understanding the name at that speed. It’s a minor detail that doesn’t detract from the overall listening experience, and it's a testament to the quality of the narration that you can speed it up at all.

Thank you to the publisher, Macmillan Audio, for the advanced listener copy of this audiobook, “Don't Call It a Comeback” - What Happened When I Stopped Chasing PRs, and Started Chasing Happiness, written and narrated by Keira D'Amato, for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I SO enjoyed listening to Keira D'Amato's inspiring and heartwarming (and funny) Memoir. She has a great message to share, not only for fellow runners, but also anyone trying to start fresh on chasing a goal or overcoming obstacles. She emphasizes choosing your own path and finding joy in what you do. As she describes her "Act 2" running career and her amazing but improbable success on this non-traditional journey, she imparts inspiration, encouragement and wisdom. I love the strides she made for other women in her position in the running world, especially Mothers balancing family life.
I loved her humor, her positive attitude, her drive to achieve her goals (on her own terms), and of course, her success and incredible achievements.
Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this Advance Read (listen).
And, did I mention she is funny?! Having her narrate for the Audio book made for a great "listen".

Keira was an all-American runner in her high school and college days and was injured in her early twenties. After that, she fell into being a military spouse and raising two children while her husband was gone on deployments and trainings. Mentally and physically, she had enough. In her early thirties, thinking it would make her feel better, she set a goal to run just 90 seconds. She couldn't. A couple days later, she tried again. Six years later, at age 37, she broke the American women's marathon record time.

This is wild. I could not imagine doing all the running, parenting, my day job, kids activities, a husband who is gone a lot, and who knows what else I'm forgetting, and going out there and breaking time records. I really enjoy memoirs, but I find them difficult to rate. After all, this is a very impactful and important time in someone's life. Who am I to judge? Yes, there are moments for me where I'm wondering why certain things are relevant, but this book does a great job at setting all those straight, so that's definitely a plus in my book. Keira is also very inspirational and I loved that her experiences really showed what a good person she is. She is obviously someone who isn't afraid to chase her dreams and makes sure others do too. She also reminds us all that it's okay to go easy on ourselves when we need to.

I love memoirs and books read by the author. You can always hear the passion in their voice while they tell their story and share what they love.

A big thank you to the author and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy of this audio book. Opinions are my own.

THIS BOOK IS FOR YOU IF: You love reading about inspirational people and how they accomplished their goals.

There's something special about listening to a memoir narrated by the author. The reader feels just a little more connected.

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 shared that she was 50 pounds overweight when she decided to return to running. This memoir provided inspiration and belief that whatever ones dreams are, it's possible to achieve at least some degree of success.

In addition to advice about not giving up, it was fascinating to get a peek at some of the details of the life of an elite runner.

Some foul language.

I was incredibly curious about this book because of the title. "Don't Call It A Comeback" is a great title, and i wanted to read it. I don't really follow track too much, I watch the Olympics, one of our local kids is an amazing runner and I love cheering her on....that is about it.
Keira was a runner through high school and in college, . Her husband was also a runner, on their wedding day they actually ran before the ceremony with their bridal party.
Then she was injured, several doctors told her to stop running, She did, settled into life as a military wife with two kids both in diapers. Soon, overweight and depressed, she knew the way to get out of her funk was to try running again. It wasn't like she immediately started running ten miles, she started and failed and tried again. Six years after starting, she broke the marathon American Record at the age of 37.
The book is meant to be uplifting and encouraging, there are a lot of times she talks to her audience about trying to achieve your goals. Not to let people talk you out of what is important for you, to keep going until you reach your goal. She reminds the audience that everyone can achieve their goals....a lot. This book is long, and a few times, i thought it was almost the end, and there was another chapter. The books is good, but it is long.
I listened to the audio book, which was read with Keira. I love books that are read by the author, because they laugh at themselves, and add some personal touches to the book.
I would recommened this book, mostly to anyone who is just in a funk and needs to know that it is possible to lift yourself up and reach your goals.

I love that Kiera D'Amato also narrated the book she wrote.

I love that she has so much grit and determination and that she has so much love for her children, husband, mother-in-law, and extended family.

I love the dad jokes.

Why 4 stars and not 5? Sometimes she would go off on tangents and I'd forget what she was talking about. For instance, she was writing about something and then started writing about specific relationships with her friends and all I can remember is that she moons the one friend (that hates it) and licked the face of her other friend (who hates touching and doesn't really care for PDA).

Absolutely everything Kiera D'Amato touches is over the top and way out there. Always. It does make for an interesting memoir though.

I'm not a runner and having the times provided for every mile split was maybe a little too much ... for me. (The not runner summary is Kiera is really, really fast, but under 5 minute miles are crazy fast.)

Loved some of the quotes/thoughts by Kiera's kiddo's. Kids say the darnedest things!

Many thanks to NetGalley, Kiera D'Amato and publisher Macmillan Audio for approving my request to read the advance read copy of Don't Call It a Comeback: What Happened When I Stopped Chasing PRs, and Started Chasing Happiness.

Publication date is Sept 2025. Approx 10 1/2 hours.

📕 Ⓑⓞⓞⓚ Ⓡⓔⓥⓘⓔⓦ 📕

Title: Don’t Call it a Comeback
Author: Kiera D’Amato
Publisher: Macmillan Audio
Format: 🎧
Review: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Pub Date: September 9th, 2025

“I think we should all be buzzsaws for what we want. We can give ourselves permission to set aside ambitions and for ourselves. To chase ideas and objectives that make ourselves happy”

QOTD: Have you ever run a road race? What distance? Would you do it again?

I ran my first 5k the year after my mom died, and picked up running to get back into shape after the post death weight gain in college. When I moved to DC, I was hooked on running and was stunned at how many races there are in the area. I signed up for the MCM 10K in the fall of 2009 and made a bold statement that the next fall I would run the full marathon distance. To train for the marathon I ran my first half marathon and poorly ran my first marathon in just under 6 hours. Well…. then I heard that Oprah ran the MCM Marathon in under 4:30 and I spent the next 5 years chasing that goal until I finally finished in 4:29:12 just 3 seconds faster than Oprah! Since then I have run a total of 16 marathons (4:21:05 PR-NYC) 28 half marathon (1:55:14-Brooklyn Half) NYC is flat and fast, and tons of 10milers, 10Ks, and 5Ks. Running is my sanity, happy place, where I did deep, set goals, and let the road and the miles work the kinds out in my brain after a hard day at work, or being a mom.

This book was everything I feel about running and more. If you don’t know who Keira D’Amato is, I highly suggest you look her up! This memoir was so wonderful to listen to, especially as a “hobby jogger”. Keira makes you feel like no matter what kind of runner you are, just the act of putting one leg in front of the other, qualifies us as runners. I will never be as fast as her, she once broke the American Women’s Marathon record of 2:19:12!!!! You will notice that is almost half the time it takes me to run a marathon! She talks about being a badass mom who sets amazing goals in the running world and modeling for her children setting these goals and the road it takes to get there. The marathon distance is a crazy distance. You spend 18 weeks building up your milage and lay it out on the line on marathon day. No matter how hard you train or how amazing you feel, the day of is its own beast and anything can happen. Thank you Keira for this book!!! I am so glad I got to listen to it while training for MCM’s 50th anniversary this fall.

#DontCallItAComeback #KeiraDamato #booksaboutrunning #ARCreview #marathonrunning

Don't Call It a Comeback by Keira D'Amato with Evelyn Spence
Audiobook is narrated by the author
Publish date: September 09, 2025

I wanted to listen to this audiobook because it is an autobiography of Keira D'Amato, a marathon runner, a mother of two, a wife, and a realtor. I too am a marathon runner and I love reading stories of other runners. If you have run a marathon, you would know it needs dedication and lengthy training. Also tenacity. How would one races it at a professional level, while raising children and working? This is her story of growing up being a sporty kid and becoming an all-American, then steps back from the sport to pursue other interests - being a mother of young family while supporting her husband in a military. One day, she decides to get back to running, just by running for 90 seconds. She couldn't. She kept on trying. Six year later, she breaks American women's record in a marathon. This is her journey to striving to achieve her personal goals while juggling her personal life, imposter syndrome, and insecurities. She is very frank, open, approachable and funny. She also describes her running communities and relationships with other runners. If you are a runner, many of you would know that running communities are typically very open and accepting. I love her description of Sara Hall (her book is also coming out soon as well I think - so looking forward to that). They are competitors but also there to lift each other up, because running is ultimately to better your own records rather than knocking each other down. We all aim to be our very best on the day of the race.
She interjects her story with some sound advices for other athletes out there, who might be struggling with guilt (training is a huge time commitment away from everything else), insecurities, and self-image. I thought this was lovely - we, female athletes, in variety of skills and age, need to lift each other up for our personal goals rather than knocking each other off the podium.

I found her story funny and uplifting, I did feel her sense of humor very quirky and not exactly my style - I cheered for her the entire time though, and I am sure she would be a wonderful running mate - if you can catch her!

I received an advanced copy of this audiobook courtesy of NetGalley and Macmillan Audio. Thank you!
My opinion stated herein is my own.

I enjoyed this more than expected. I have a lot of respect for the author- for her work ethic and authenticity in her writing. I learned about the running world and appreciated her perspective and inspiring example and insight. This is a great read from a female athlete’s voice.

As a runner mom myself, I found it relatable and so nice to see someone get to that level while being a mom herself! Having the audiobook narrated by the author only improved the experience and made it resonate even more. Love the humor, but the writing style made it difficult for me to enjoy the book fully. It felt somewhat disjointed. The other thing that wasn't working for me is the life lessons part, that felt like advice. Overall, an interesting read :)