I Run, Therefore I am STILL Nuts!

I have a few things in common with Bob Schwartz, the author of I Run, Therefore I am STILL Nuts! We are of similar age and have each run for over 30 years. We have run mile after mile, outdoors, year-round in all kinds of weather. We have raced distances short and long. We have tried both family members and pets as running companions. We have planned vacations around a particular running event, to the occasional chagrin of our families. And we have experienced the occasional injury, with a default response of first attempting to run through it and only seeking medical intervention as a very last resort.

I learned that I have all of this in common with Schwartz, whom I’ve never met, (and never even heard of before reading this book, show more also likely to his chagrin!), as I turned the pages and read the stories of his running life. And I had never imagined that there was so much humor in the vagaries of the experience of life as “a runner.”

Apparently Schwartz has written of this before, in a preceding volume called I Run, Therefore I am Nuts! In this follow-up he has penned 42 short pieces that touch on all manner of things running, repeatedly finding something both ordinary and humorous in the running experience. At some point I could identify with something in every story, either through direct personal experience or through the experience of one of my many friends who carry the label of ‘runner’ as an essential part of their identity.

One example is the introductory paragraph to the topic of finding an alternative to running while recovering from injury. “I always knew that my raison d’etre, as far as physical activity was concerned, was running. Running was such an irreplaceable daily activity that during downtimes because of injury, my personality often morphed into a snarling, crazed wild animal that hadn’t eaten in a week. Not real conducive to family harmony.” (75) Been there, done that. Schwartz tells it in a funnier way, and with a “happy ending” to boot.

A few pages later he delineates the steps to injury recovery that are known by all dedicated runners, although few of us think them through so clearly:

1. Cause a significant overuse injury by illogically ignoring all signs of impending doom.
2. Despondently begin rehabilitation and cross-training.
3. Prematurely and irrationally resume running.
4. One mile in, cause re-injury and glumly hobble home.
5. Repeat step 2. (83)

Time and again I found myself in the stories Schwartz has drawn from his own running experiences. There is something in here for every person who has ever considered their selves to be a runner. In my case there were many funny things to be seen in his reflections on things I’ve experienced. May his stories lighten your stride the next time you lace up your shoes and head out the door. show less

I always enjoy a good book about running; it's nice to have somebody understand you on some level, and runners can be a strange type. I Run, Therefore I am STILL Nuts is a humor book... if your kind of humor is puns so bad they make you cringe. Really, the puns in this book are worse than my mom's puns, which are pretty horrifying. Otherwise there are some good nuggets of wisdom tucked away in here, such as how to deal with injuries and aging, and that type of thing.

This book attempts to be humorous by pointing out the oddities in the life of a runner. Unfortunately, it illustrated a few scenarios that hit too close to home and felt embarrassing - more like boldly announcing our dirty laundry. The stories might be funny for some, but not for me.

I received this book as part of the Early Reviewer program at Librarything.com. I found this book to be both informative and hilarious. I began running at age 41 just a couple years ago. While not a lifetime runner like the author (Bob Schwartz), I am definitely NUTS! At least, I am nuts by his definitions. Many of these chapters had me laughing out loud and reading out loud to my husband, who began running when I did. But, I also learned about injuries, gadgets, and Fartleks (who knew?) I highly recommend this book whether you are a life time runner, a new runner, a long distance runner, a short distance runner, or just trying to figure out the runner in your life.

Two chapters I found particularly interesting and funny were -
Chapter show more 28 LESSONS LEARNED/LESSONS SPURNED - This one had many meme worthy sayings from life that apply to running. Great little inspirations that were quickly read and easily applied.

Chapter 40 A UNION OF SOLES AND SOULS - This chapter equates running with marriage. While Bob's wife does not run with him, I found this chapter even more entertaining as running is something my husband and I do together.

I now am looking for the first book to which this one is a sequel "I Run Therefore I Am Nuts" - I'm sure I will be entertained and enlighten by it as well. show less

Bob Schwartz is back with a followup to his first book and it's filled with more
laughs and groans of recognition. If you enjoyed "I Run Therefore I Am Nuts!",
grab a copy of "I Run Therefore, I Am Still Nuts!"! If you haven't read either, what are you waiting for?!
If you are or have ever been a runner, or even if you're not but you are closely related to one,
you need to read both these books. You will undoubtably see yourself (or your loved one) in many of the
chapters, many with a good laugh, some with a groan. I haven't been running for quite some time but I
still relate to so much of his books and it also inspires me to get back on the roads.

I have to say that this book did not make me laugh. I was very hopeful because a humorous approach to one of my main interests is always welcome. As I read through I Run, Therefore I am STILL Nuts! I could not help think that the humor was forced.

It was the equivalent of having a conversation with that person who repeats the same corny jokes over and over. Now imagine being at a party where everyone is like that! "Is it Tuesday, today?" "All day! Haha." Um, yeah, thanks bud. Not very witty.

There were some nuggets of wisdom in the writing but this is geared toward the novice runners. The illustrations were well done.

I'm sorry to say that I did not like this book. I was glad that the chapters were short and that there were illustrations show more every few pages. show less

Recently, I started reading the American humorist, S. J. Perelman. I quickly threw it down out of boredom, discovered a volume of Saki, and devoured that instead. There's a difference between corn and wit.

This book of running essays, is as corny as it gets. For example, I haven't seen so many ditties "sung to the tune of " - since reading Mad Magazine. Nor is Schwartz's 42-essay collection very informative about running and running culture. This may be a good selection for a pre-teen, male, interested in running. But I'm not sure it would hold the interest of any others interested in the sport.