Running for Our Lives: Stories of everyday runners overcoming extraordinary adversity

By Rachel Ann Cullen

‘Every time I speak to someone and hear about their experiences, it leaves me with a sense of running’s incredible power to help people overcome pretty much anything.’

Each day, millions of people around the world put on their trainers and try to deal with their personal demons and life challenges by going for a run. And, increasingly, they do it knowing that they are not alone: a growing and often virtual community is right there running alongside them. We are all, in some sense, running for our lives.

Rachel Ann Cullen’s first book, Running for My Life, described her own marathon journey through depression, bipolar disorder and body dysmorphia, and her revelatory discovery that running could transform her physical and mental wellbeing. Since hearing from people who had read about her experiences, Rachel wanted to tell some stories of other runners from all around the world – ordinary people living with mental health struggles, dealing with grief, cancer and other unavoidable life events who have relied on running to get them through their worst days and to keep going. Running for Our Lives shares moving accounts of hope and resilience; it demonstrates the power of running to help us all overcome adversity, and is a lesson for us all in learning not only how to survive life’s challenges, but to thrive.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Vertebrate Publishing
• Release date: May 5, 2022
• ISBN: 9781839811401

Rachel Ann Cullen

Rachel Ann Cullen is an author who spends as much time running in the Yorkshire hills as she does writing. Her first book, Running for My Life, was an intimate account of her physical and mental health struggles and how running proved to be pivotal in her recovery. She was subsequently awarded an honorary degree by the University of Hull for ‘significant personal achievement and contribution to the discussion around mental health’. Rachel’s second book, A Midlife Cyclist, continued her personal story, discussing how other mental health struggles arose when injuries prevented her from running. Rachel is passionate about promoting physical and mental wellbeing, and she has partnered with running brand Saucony to support their Run for Good Health campaign. She hopes that by sharing incredible stories of everyday runners, it will inspire others to find their own strength, hope and resilience through running. You can follow Rachel’s journey on Twitter @writtenbyrach and Instagram: rachel_running_for_my_life