Running Is My Therapy

A book focused on, as the author succintly puts it, "integration of body and mind via running in managing depression and anxiety".

The first part of the book shares the author's personal experiences with their professional writing career, and how running has helped them with anxiety. It also delves into the mental health benefits of running (a minimum of twice a week is suggested), along with ample evidence and scientific data backing up their claims.

The second part of the book, and the meat of the reading, focuses on the "intersection of running and several forms of therapy". Each chapter clearly delineates what it covers: Running and Antidepressants, How Running Affects Your Mood, Running and Behavioral Therapy, and so forth.

This review sounds and probably feels a bit clinical - and it is. Why? I feel it matches the tone of the book - odd, considering the author shares much of their personal (and sometimes painful) experiences, in a friendly and engaging manner. Yet you can't take the journalist out of the book, and so, I found this book to read more like a highly researched magazine article. Very informative, chock full of scientific journal summaries and experts in both running and mental health. And yet... it's missing something for me.

Perhaps it's that I'm not technically a runner. The author states early on, "to be a runner, you just have to run". WIth that criteria, I am a runner. Have I struggled with depression in the past? You betcha. Do I now? No. So this may be where it falls flat for me. It's clinical, it's informative, and it's well-written. I, however, want a bit more color and 'oomph' in my books.

I would definitely recommend this book for library purchase; there are likely no other books on this specific topic, and it would be a great reference material or starting off point for students of mental health and/or running as therapy.

As an athlete and runner with my own share of mental health battles, I was eager to read this book. I stumbled on Scott Douglas’ blog a few years ago when I was recovering from the same foot & ankle surgery that he had. I read this ARC during a flare up of the same injury and I appreciated the perspectives he provided.

I’ve been known to say “Running is my therapy” when describing what running does for my emotional state. I expected the book to be on the touchy-feely side with suggestions to get some sun or go for a run because it’ll make me feel better. I was pleasantly surprised to see a mix of personal reflection, observation, and thoroughly researched scientific studies.