☆☆➹⁀☆ 5 stars ☆➹⁀☆☆
About the Book:
As a Canadian living in West Yorkshire in the UK, 18+ stone in weight, not built for running, and living a sedentary lifestyle, my running journey started, like many, with a health scare. Thinking running could be the panacea that cured all ills, I downloaded an app and reluctantly ventured into the unknown world of running one step at a time. I experienced tears of joy, groans of agony, and attempted to gulp back my tears as I achieved an 11-year dream, met a running angel, made some incredible friends, challenged myself to do what I thought was impossible, and pushed myself to the brink.
I also had to fight the powerful forces of procrastination and indecision about crossing the threshold of my front door at the start of every running opportunity. However, with every race that I sheepishly entered, with all my ‘running with others’ insecurities, and with every solitary mile I put in, I soon realized I was not only running away from my unhealthy old self, I was running towards a positive and more confident new me.
My story is not a fat-to-fit story, it’s a fat-to-fat story; I found out too late in my journey that running miles and miles without considering other factors was not necessarily the best way to lose weight, but the benefits of my running journey transcended what the scales told me every Monday morning.
Ultimately, this story is for wannabe runners and beginner runners who are putting in those lonely miles, runners who feel comfortable running 14-to 18-minute miles, and runners who check the slowest times of the previous year’s race results before they enter an event.
If you are on the cusp of beginning your own running journey, I honestly hope this book will help you find, deep within yourself, what is needed to cross the line and JUST FINISH!
My Thoughts:
I’m not a runner. I don’t like to run. It hurts my knees. I walk faster than I jog. However, I live with an avid runner. I see how much my husband loves running, but I don’t get it. Yes, I get up with him at 3am to drive him to the marathon starting points and I endure the ridiculous crowds at the end to pick him up. But that is the extent of my involvement with running. Author Sean Kachmarski’s journey intrigued me. Some of the interest in his story is that I share his desire to lose weight and get in better physical shape (probably a universal thing). I was also intrigued by his enthusiasm.
Just Finish! is about the struggle of getting into a new pattern. These things are hard to start and hard to stick with (note how gym attendance swells for a few weeks after New Year’s resolutions have been made). The book is also about finding new friends, getting support from family, and about embracing new challenges. I really enjoyed the comradery Mr. Kachmarski found in his community of running.
I enjoyed Mr. Kachmarski’s sense of humor and authenticity. It was interesting how much the new people in his life inspired him to keep going even when his health concerns didn’t. I especially found it encouraging that Mr. Karmarski didn’t quite meet his initial goal of weight loss, but his persistence led to reduced body fat and increased muscle. Just Finish! is a refreshing memoir in which I found inspiration to stick with my own new workout regime.
About the Author: Originally from Canada Sean Kachmarski now lives in Skelmenthope, he’s a 49-year-old Canadian living in the UK and has been in West Yorkshire for over 16 years now. He lives with his British wife of 15 years Wendy (a Barnsley lass), whom he met on Match.com. He has two happy and healthy children, Ross (13) and Tasha (10).
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