G is for Guilt + California book tour this week
And I am now OFFICIALLY AN AUTHOR, so pls pls buy a copy of This is Running xo
This is Running was released in the UK last Thursday. I am officially an author. Hooray.
Please buy a copy of This is Running
USA - Amazon US | Bookshop US | Barnes & Noble
UK - Amazon UK | Bookshop UK | Waterstones
Here are some other things to do (to build an economic ecosystem that reflects your/our values):
If you want to support your local independent bookstore, please do. Stop by and talk to them about stocking the book. You’ll at least hopefully have a nice chat with someone in your community.
I would also love it if your local library offered This is Running. If that sounds cool (it is cool), simply put in a request on their website. Three (3!) people have already requested it from the New York Public Library!!
If you already own the book (thank you, I love you) please, please take a couple of minutes to write a review or give it a rating from wherever you bought it. It really, really helps. I’m currently at a 5* on Goodreads…
Californian book tour this week
This week, I have three very fun book launch events in LA and SF and… in the liminal space between. I say fun because I’m trying to do something different with excellent people at every event, mainly so I don’t lose my mind saying and doing the same things over and over again. Please join if you’re nearby!
Tue 4/7 - 11am Substack LIVE with Sam Robinson (JOIN US?!)
Wed 4/8 - 7pm @ Vroman’s, Pasadena - a ROAST of running (submit your Qs)
Fri 4/10 - 6pm @ Running Wylder, SF - Katie Douglas will read some of my book out loud, and ask why I — a man — am writing about women - RESERVE YOUR SPOT
I am loving getting out and about doing things. It’s somewhat counterintuitive, considering how much I love either running or sitting at my desk and writing, but I got into this to meet amazing people, and that’s happening every time.
Last weekend, for instance, I was in New York to lead a gravel run with Salomon from Brooklyn Running Co. We ran to and through Prospect Park and got a little lost, before returning to the store to talk about how running can fuel creativity.
After we wrapped up in Brooklyn, I headed into the city to see the first finishers of the OSR30 – an unsanctioned, unmapped 30-mile race around the perimeter of Manhattan organized by the Orchard Street Runners.
I headed to Orchard & Broome for noon and found the street was blocked off with a TV showing the leaders racing set up in the middle of the road! It was rough, but incredibly ready, and absolutely thrilling to experience.
For and by the community, I found myself among the kind of people who are energized by engaging with running at the grassroots level. I was surrounded by running nerds, and so I met some of the coolest people around, including Runners of NYC. Read their excellent and comprehensive race recap.
This is all to say that my goal of writing about Allie Gibbons running 300 miles while pregnant didn’t quite happen last week.
London Calling
I’m in London for London Marathon week and I’ve already got three really cool events lined up. Maybe one more to come, let’s see.
Thu 23rd April - 6.30pm at Artwords Bookshop, Clarence Rd E5
I’ll be in conversation with Sophie Heawood, my old friend who recently wrote the marvelous Harry Styles / Haruki Murakami feature for Runner’s World - RESERVE YOUR SPOT
Fri 24th April - 3pm at Knees Up, Hackney Rd E2
I’m hosting a panel with Tracksmith titled Reimagining the Future of Running Media, featuring Simon Freeman from Like the Wind, Ashley Mateo of Runher, Ben Hobson of Runner’s World, Grace Cook of Salty, and Carmichael Caldwell - RESERVE YOUR SPOT
Sat 25th April - 11am at House of Progress, Commercial St E1
As part of Progress Running Club’s London Marathon pop-up, Simon Freeman will be interviewing me and Howie Goldklang, author of Salt & Flickers and founder of Silver Lake Track Club. A nice little bit of LA x London.
Last week, I was also announced on a festival lineup poster on IG. This never happened while I worked in the music world, so eternal thanks to Love Trails Festival for making me understand what it must feel like to be one of the bands I used to interview. See you in Wales in July for FOUR separate events!
I’ve also been blessed by a lot of coverage from a lot of awesome people.
Some new podcast appearances
Can you believe I’m on Conner Mantz’s undercard on the Marathon Talk podcast, presented by the Abbot Marathon Majors? Well… I am. Martin Yelling is a legend, and I almost answered all his questions correctly - LISTEN HERE (I’m at 31 mins).
On L.A. Marathon weekend, I got to sit down with Mario Fraioli in person (!) and talk about Los Angeles, my own running, and a bit about my book. What a legend - LISTEN HERE.
There’s a whole chapter about shoes in This is Running, so I was really pleased to chat with shoe guru Nick Engvall on his Sneaker History podcast - LISTEN HERE.
Last but definitely not least, I had my second in-depth chat with Craig Lewis for Running Tales. I wonder if he’s listened to the new Harry Styles album yet… - LISTEN HERE.
Elsewhere on Substack
Dan Dalton was unreasonably nice about me in his Tangents newsletter - READ IT.
It was really cool talking about my process with Mike Hahn for 3Qs in WIRE - READ IT.
I, a dad, am very pleased to be included by Nadia Neophytou in her New Mom Run Club - READ IT.
The inimitable Lee Glandorf interviewed me for the Sweat Lookbook, and it’s as good as you would expect from someone I trusted to give me notes on my book - READ IT.
Like I said, it’s been a busy week.
G is for Guilt
During my chat with Lee, I described the fabric of running culture as being woven from everyone’s individual threads. Lee quickly related that to religion, and how my perspective is “Unitarian Universalist in its worldview, where religion/running is about developing your own relationship with god/the sport.”
As ever, Lee was able to boil my philosophy down to its purest essence. I have always espoused thinking more deeply about running, and about ourselves. I believe that to be the path to personal enrichment and enlightenment.
One of the ways that people engage with running is through guilt. First, I do want to distinguish between guilt and shame.
