Brilliant Books Club: I Can Run

““Running stopped me from focusing on the negatives, especially body image””

I Can Run: An Empowering Guide To Running Well Far

By Amy Lane (Yellow Kite)

Running is about the only thing we can do these days - and we know how vital it is to our mental health (I discovered how burning 1600 calories a week can be as effective as Prozac in our recent podcast).

And yet… it can still take a herculean effort to get off the couch and dig out a pair of shoes which are just-about fit for running in. So, Amy Lane’s book is deeply timely - especially if you’ve ever felt you ‘can’t run’. Across 12 chapters, she promises to realise your inner athlete - with advice on ‘how to train smart, recover well and fuel your body properly’.

We managed to catch Amy on the rare occasion when she was sedentary - and hear how running changed her life.

Amy Lane, not running (Credit: PRWeek)

If you’re stuck in a lift with a cynic, what would you say to encourage them to read your book?

Park your ego, park your fears. You build confidence with something through experience and you can’t experience something unless you try. Jogging and running is nothing more than a series of hops from one leg to another. If you can do a hop, you can run. This book will show you how.  

What are three lessons you want readers to take away?

1 - Every run is a lesson in self 

Learning to run – or become a slicker, speedier more self-assured runner – is both humbling and embarrassing. They’ll be times when you want the ground to open up and swallow you but there will also be times when you feel invincible and have more Big Running Energy than Paula Radcliffe. 

2 - You get to decide how much it sucks

Skip strength work or recovery and it’s likely that running will suck. It’s what you do around your runs that can really make the difference. 

3 - Only compare you to you 

Unless you’re Brigid Kosgei (fastest female marathon runner) then there is always going to be someone faster than you. Only compare your times to your previous times – that’s all that matters. Don’t let other people’s splits or success take away from your own. 

What inspired you to write the book? Was there a particular event/thought which set you in motion?

Running was the self-help mechanism that changed the course of life. It stopped me from focusing on the negatives, especially where body image is concerned, and instead, helped me to train for something positive. And by doing so, it helped me make sense of my life out of trainers.

However, my journey from ‘non-runner’ to ‘runner’ was not linear and I wanted to share that. I wanted every person out there who’s felt bewildered or overwhelmed by running to feel empowered enough to take their first steps. This book blends expert advice with personal story to help people let go of the beliefs that they can’t do it and subsequently learn how they can. 

What’s been the biggest adversity you’ve faced - and what did you learn from the experience?

Life growing up was far from easy and for years, I buried these experiences. It was only in my twenties that I realised that the previous 20 years were going to affect the next 20 if I didn’t do something about it. Little by little, I started to unpick my past and in doing so, created a different future. This gave me aware that while I can’t control what goes on around me, I can control how I react. 

What piece of advice/wisdom from your book don’t you follow enough?

This is a toughie. I’d maybe say, tracking what I’ve done so I <know> that I’ve done enough. I often wonder, ‘have I run enough?’.

What’s the most moving - or strangest - reaction you’ve had from a reader?

I love that so many women feel that they can reach out to me on IG. They often tell me that they love the content of my podcast (Well Far) because it’s so relatable – it’s an unfiltered account of the highs and lows of running.   

Which book (by another author) has you changed your life - and why?

I still love Born to Run by Chris McDougall. This book was such a wild and entertaining read and forced the world to see running in a new light – running is about skill and we need to tune into ourselves to really unearth ‘our’ skill. 

And, most importantly, what snack keeps you going whilst writing?

Pip & Nut Almond & Coconut butter on toast, apple, oatcakes, in a banana smoothie, on rice cakes, on corn crackers, on a spoon, licked off my finger… ’nuff said. 

Should get Amy through the morning