Funny fact; almost 30 percent of the people who are running today, started during the COVID pandemic. One of them is Merili Freear. She wrote the book Just Run about her “love of running and how the impossible becomes possible”. A review.
“On a cold April day, I felt especially fed up with everything. Parenting is hard on a good day, but lockdown added another layer. My husband, Paul, who was working from home, used his lunch break to take over entertaining our son to give me a bit of breathing space and said, ‘Go for a run.’ It seemed like a strange suggestion, considering I hadn’t run properly for years and have never been a runner. However, by this point I had been flirting with the idea of running for a few weeks. In that moment, getting out of the house seemed like such a good option, and, rather spontaneously, I just went.”
“Before I knew it, I was back home. Exhausted and with shaky legs. I felt proud of myself for pushing through and completing the task. I had run. I was surprised at how good it felt. I had achieved something, something that I didn’t think I could do.”
Passion
And so a new passion was born. “Against all odds, I ventured out for a second, third and fourth run over the next few weeks. Five months later, I completed my first marathon.” Which for Freear isn’t just a big, personal achievement, but also a surprise: “I’ve had other brief bursts of running throughout my life, but it always felt like a chore.” That’s something a lot of us will remember from being young and having to run in school. Funny how things that we hated as kids, can become something we love as grown-ups. Maybe the simple trick is just taking away the ‘having to’.
That marathon didn’t happen for Freear overnight. It happened after lots of struggles: incontinence, lack of energy, nutrition, tapering, self-doubt and injuries. Yet, the benefits Freear feels als runner, outweigh the struggles: “Being alone brought a sense of freedom. For once, I didn’t have anyone repeatedly calling out ‘Mummy, Mummy’ – as had before the norm. … Running provided me with a sense of accomplishment I never expected. …”
Nice read
Just Run is a nice book to read, but Merili Freear isn’t Adharanand Finn or Richard Askwith, in the sense that Just Run isn’t a compelling adventure, like Running with the Kenyans. Then again, who is as good as Finn of Askwith, writing her or his first book?
Because Freear didn’t pull me into her story, Just Run sat on my bedside table for weeks. I would pick it up, read one or two chapters and put it away again, only to pick it up again after I finished another book. Seven other books to be precise. Yet, I kept coming back to it. Simply, because it’s nice to read one or two chapters every now and then as many challenges Freear is struggling with, are recognizable for a novice runner or are sweet or not so sweet memories for seasoned runners.
Running friend
Sharing her struggles Freear shows us we all go through the same process. In a sense she becomes your running friend. Maybe not by your side, but on your bedside table. When you come home, after a cold run in the rain, she is there for you. Listens to you and shares her story with you.
An honest story, because Merili is very open in her book. She shares her highlights, but also her lows. Making you part of her journey into running, and her part of your journey.
But in being your running friend also lies a danger. She shares experiences you probably don’t want to try. For instance to prevent dehydration: “There are numerous options available to keep you hydrated. My preference is to have plain water and salt tablets, but you might prefer a drink with electrolytes in it.” You want to follow that last suggestion and definitely not the first. Anyone who has ever run an UTMB race knows the warning doctor Patrick Basset, Medical Director of the Paris Marathon and the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc, gives you in the online pamphlet you get before the race: ‘Do not consume salt capsules! It is ineffective as a preventive measure and potentially dangerous!’
Fueling
The same counts for fueling. “While running on an empty stomach had worked well for me the previous year, I had been struggling with it a bit more while training for the Virtual London Marathon. Simply eating a banana before my run no longer seemed to be sufficient.”
That’s something every nutritionist will tell you. We only have energy for an hour of running, if we don’t eat beforehand. We have to fuel properly. And eating during your run, isn’t just to fuel that run, it’s also to boost recovery and fuel your next run. It’s what keeps us going.
Yet, Freear’s struggle is a logical one. It’s the one every novice runner goes through. Running isn’t just placing one foot in front of the other, it’s also finding the answer to lots and lots of questions: what do I eat before, during and after my runs, how much and how hard do I train, how often do I run, what shoes should I wear? The thing is, you want these questions answered by specialists.
A memoir
Nita Sweeney calls Just Run in her foreword a memoir, and that’s how you have to read it. As somebody’s memoir, not a scientific book, with advice to follow. If you’re looking for scientific advice, you’re better off reading Uphill Athlete by Steve House and Scott Johnston, two professional running coaches who have been out there for years or reach out to a professional nutritionist or coach.
This applies in particular to medical and psychological advice. Like I said, Freear is very open in her book. For example about her mental problems. “Running is cheaper than therapy, and it works better for some than others. Since I started running, I have noticed that my depressive episodes are more manageable. Many of my issues can be resolved with the long run. It may sound like a cliche, but it really works for me.”
That’s beautiful, yet there is a pitfall in it. Like yoga – the other world I’m active in – running gives people balance, helps them with negative thoughts. Running and yoga feel great and definitely have a big, positive impact on mental well being, but it’s not therapy. A lot of people identify themself with what they do. They are runners, they are yogis. It gives them a new meaning. A goal. Something to hold on to. But what if that falls away? Through injury, for example. Then the old problems often return. Something Freear experiences herself: “As my birthday in July approaches, I realised with a heavy heart that I had been on and off injured for nearly six long months and was struggling to stay positive. … I noticed my thoughts were getting more and more overwhelming.”
So if you’re new to running, or you’re an experienced runner that thinks fondly back of your first running days, Just Run is a book for you. If you’re looking for a compelling story or for advice on how to become a better runner, you’re better off picking up another book.
Disclaimer: I didn't get paid to write this review. I did get gifted the book, but as always I share my honest opinion. Having said that, this is my opinion. You may have a different taste for books. So the best thing to do, is always to try a book for yourself.

John Kraijenbrink
I run for fun. I run to be in the mountains, in the forest. I run, because running fascinates me. That’s why I study all the science about running.
What I discover, I share with you. To help you to be a better runner, but above all to help you having fun running.