Sky Runner: Finding Strength, Happiness, and Balance in Your Running

Forsberg, an ultramarathon runner and “fulltime mountain athlete,” offers an inspiring view of life as an elite athlete in this memoir/guidebook, beautifully illustrated with photographs by her partner, mountain athlete Kilian Jornet. She recounts passing up an opportunity in biology fieldwork in order to make a living as a runner, and going on to excel in ski mountaineering as well. Forsberg reminisces about her experiences (including an unfortunate injury requiring knee surgery) along with exercises and work-out advice for runners, but she intersperses her sports tips with personal philosophy, which gives her text a broader range. For instance, Forsberg writes about her love of contrasting terrain (e.g., an open, rocky surface followed by muddy forest soil) and then explains that she strives for balance in her life between the predictable and the unknown. She maintains that the goal of winning is not her main motivation; instead, she focuses on her love of the sport and the joy of movement. In this “book about life told from a running perspective,” Forsberg shares a singular story of devotion, integrity, and simplicity that will appeal to a broad readership. (Aug.)