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Running Ransom Road: Confronting the Past, One Marathon at a Time – An Inspiring Memoir of Addiction, Redemption, and Humanity
“ Running Ransom Road is Caleb Daniloff’s unblinking, ultimately triumphant account of his journey from mean, hopeless drunk back to humanity and himself—through distance running. It’s a searing tale of spiritual redemption—one marathon, one mile, one brave, difficult step at a time.”—Steve Friedman, co-author of New York Times bestseller Eat and Run and author of the memoir Lost on Treasure Island
For fifteen years, the words that best described Caleb Daniloff were “drunk,” “addict,” and “abuser.” These days, the best word to describe him is “runner.”
In Running Ransom Road , the long-since-sober Daniloff confronts his past by setting out to run races in each of the cities where he once lived and wreaked havoc during that lost period of his life. As he competes in marathons from Boston to Vermont to Moscow, he explores his old destructive life and how running’s sobering and inspiring effects have changed him for the better. In doing so, he connects with others like him, illuminating the connection between addiction and running. Running Ransom Road is at once a memoir of addiction, finding oneself, and learning to push past barriers both physical and emotional.
“Just as Caleb Daniloff’s life was about to tumble into the abyss of addiction, he was lucky enough to discover he liked to run, simply for himself. In Running Ransom Road , his captivating narrative describes a journey of personal redemption that, fortunately for us, he is willing to share.”—Frank Shorter, Olympic marathon gold medalist
For fifteen years, the words that best described Caleb Daniloff were “drunk,” “addict,” and “abuser.” These days, the best word to describe him is “runner.”
In Running Ransom Road , the long-since-sober Daniloff confronts his past by setting out to run races in each of the cities where he once lived and wreaked havoc during that lost period of his life. As he competes in marathons from Boston to Vermont to Moscow, he explores his old destructive life and how running’s sobering and inspiring effects have changed him for the better. In doing so, he connects with others like him, illuminating the connection between addiction and running. Running Ransom Road is at once a memoir of addiction, finding oneself, and learning to push past barriers both physical and emotional.
“Just as Caleb Daniloff’s life was about to tumble into the abyss of addiction, he was lucky enough to discover he liked to run, simply for himself. In Running Ransom Road , his captivating narrative describes a journey of personal redemption that, fortunately for us, he is willing to share.”—Frank Shorter, Olympic marathon gold medalist
256 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2012
40 people are currently reading
708 people want to read
About the author
Caleb Daniloff
2 books19 followersCaleb Daniloff was born in 1969 in Washington, D.C. In 1981, the shy and nervous sixth‑grader moved with his parents to the former Soviet Union, where his father, Nicholas, was stationed as bureau chief for U.S. News & World Report. Caleb was enrolled in Soviet Pioneer camp, Soviet school, and a rigorous Soviet gymnastics program, soon dreaming in Russian and passing for a Muscovite. Not surprisingly, he adopted a mess of Soviet‑style habits: smoking, binge‑drinking, black‑marketeering, absenteeism, huffing, and a taste for ABBA and Soviet death metal. In 1986, after five‑and‑a‑half years in Moscow, Nicholas Daniloff was arrested by the KGB and jailed on bogus espionage charges. The family was deported.
Back on American soil, Caleb finished his high school career at Northfield Mount Hermon, a boarding school in northwestern Massachusetts. He attended the University of Vermont and later Columbia University's graduate creative writing program. Caleb has worked in journalism, radio, and advertising. He has published in numerous publications, including Runner's World, National Public Radio, WBUR, Guernica, Publisher's Weekly, The Boston Globe, and The Boston Phoenix. He has received multiple awards including the Ralph Nading Hill Jr. Literary Prize, several National CASE awards, and has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Caleb's first book, Running Ransom Road: Confronting the Past One Marathon at a Time, a memoir about running as a sobriety tool, will be published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in Fall, 2012. He is represented by Wendy Sherman of Wendy Sherman Associates, Inc. Caleb lives in Cambridge, Mass., with his wife and daughter.
Back on American soil, Caleb finished his high school career at Northfield Mount Hermon, a boarding school in northwestern Massachusetts. He attended the University of Vermont and later Columbia University's graduate creative writing program. Caleb has worked in journalism, radio, and advertising. He has published in numerous publications, including Runner's World, National Public Radio, WBUR, Guernica, Publisher's Weekly, The Boston Globe, and The Boston Phoenix. He has received multiple awards including the Ralph Nading Hill Jr. Literary Prize, several National CASE awards, and has been nominated for a Pushcart Prize. Caleb's first book, Running Ransom Road: Confronting the Past One Marathon at a Time, a memoir about running as a sobriety tool, will be published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in Fall, 2012. He is represented by Wendy Sherman of Wendy Sherman Associates, Inc. Caleb lives in Cambridge, Mass., with his wife and daughter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 81 reviews
February 13, 2014
I admit I'm the target market for this book. A runner, in recovery.
But I'm also a cynic, a skeptic and a hard sell when it comes to giving up time to read 'something else.' I've been blessed to experience several extraordinary adventures with my recovery and running over the past several years. I've read countless articles, papers and books on the subject of recovery and running. Undeniably, Caleb Daniloff's Running Ransom Road is simply the best, and hit me the hardest.
I got more than my money's worth from this book, because I can't get parts of it off my mind, even weeks after reading the last page. It was compelling, honest, real, funny and resonated with me deeply, even though my story is very different from Daniloff's in many ways. It never fails to blow my mind how our details may be different, but the knowing and the connection can be so powerful.
I didn't read this book when it first came out, I was 'too busy.' But it found it's way to me when it was supposed to. Thank God.
But I'm also a cynic, a skeptic and a hard sell when it comes to giving up time to read 'something else.' I've been blessed to experience several extraordinary adventures with my recovery and running over the past several years. I've read countless articles, papers and books on the subject of recovery and running. Undeniably, Caleb Daniloff's Running Ransom Road is simply the best, and hit me the hardest.
I got more than my money's worth from this book, because I can't get parts of it off my mind, even weeks after reading the last page. It was compelling, honest, real, funny and resonated with me deeply, even though my story is very different from Daniloff's in many ways. It never fails to blow my mind how our details may be different, but the knowing and the connection can be so powerful.
I didn't read this book when it first came out, I was 'too busy.' But it found it's way to me when it was supposed to. Thank God.
October 15, 2014
Runner or not, Running Ransom Road will resonate with all its readers. Hearing Caleb's journey through his alcohol addiction, as he literally runs through places where he has struggled, makes you think about your past, and how you can improve it. As a runner, Caleb teaches me how running can heal wounds, and finding a passion will only improve your life and well-being. Hands down, five stars to Caleb, for sharing his story with the world— I can’t wait to share this book with friends, and read it over and over myself.
September 28, 2012
‘Running Ransom Road, Confronting The Past, One Marathon At A Time,’ by Caleb Daniloff, is an incredible book where the author’s attempt to come to terms with the self-destruction of his past is experienced during the visceral, spiritual, and emotional maelstrom of running a marathon.
The result is perhaps my favorite book on marathoning. It is certainly the one with the most dog-ears on my paperback copy, and definitely the one which spoke most personally to my experience as a marathoner and recovering addict who is constantly running to stay just a few steps faster than the addiction demons nipping at my heels.
The author visits marathons located in key locations related to his history of addiction; Boston, New York, Moscow, and his place of birth, Washington DC, among other races. The book shoots back and forth from past to present, linking the author's current thoughts and goals of running to his past life of self-destruction. The author recounts and reflects on his alcoholism, fighting through an understanding as his legs fight to keep moving towards the finish line. Yes, he is the very unlikely marathoner, considering the extent to which he dedicated his life to drinking. The goal is partially to break the 4 hour barrier, but also to break through to a better understanding of himself, and come to something close to peace with the wreckage of his past.
Each chapter is a race, and we experience the intriguing mindset of the author journeying through 4 marathons, and three races in an 18 month period
What is wonderful about the book is that Daniloff is a gifted writer first, or at least that’s what shines through, and his personality is one which has all of the interesting jagged yet fragile edges of an addict, and with all the determination and stubbornness of a distance runner.
The metaphors he uses are tremendous, and I am thinking that a handful of writers could make a living off the scraps of metaphors Daniloff has come up with but never used.
And there isn’t a marathoner out there of all speeds who won’t connect with his writing descriptions. I’ve always felt if running could be fully described, then it wouldn’t be running but something much less, as it’s effects escape meaning that words can give. Daniloff describes the joys of running in a spectrum of phrases that came close, and more importantly, it was clear that he “gets it”- as running elitist as that sounds. The near stream of conscious running descriptions rival those of any running book, and are fresh, subliminal and poetic.
All of this, but you’ll also find the mundane yet near universal experience of navigating a pee in the bushes at the beginning of a marathon, the importance of body-gliding one’s nipples, and the constant runner’s math all of us do trying to push our body past the finish line in some arbitrary time trying to prove we’re worthy.
Yet, this is certainly not a technical piece on running. Not until the end, in fact, does the author realize the importance of keeping an even pace through a marathon to get his best result (when he speaks of ‘banking’ time, you can’t help but scream “no, don’t do it!) But I think this is what keeps the novel honest and raw. Once you start getting into lactate acid threshold levels and tempo runs and marathon pace runs and Yasso 800-ing and McMillan-ing, something is partially ruined that can’t be gained back. The author would turn from garage-band runner into an overly produced piece of work. How different all of our runs might be if we never bit the technical running apple.
Rather than a lesson on how to run, it’s an inward, honest self-reflection of a private world that is fragile, longing for something different, yet, as he describes in one interview “in love with this alienation” that addiction brings. The sense of loneliness continues even in his recovery, where he does not share deep experiences with sponsors and other recovery folks, and, in fact, laments changing relationships with past alcohol-imbibing friends. It is a solo descent into his addiction as well as a solo ascent to recovery. At the same time, there’s the silent connection to both runners and the spirit of the run itself.
I particularly enjoyed the Boston and New York marathon stories, one I have ran and the other I am preparing for, but the Moscow experience of doing a marathon is one not to be missed. Cultural differences do impact marathon aid stations.
If you’ve read a ton of running books, you may not have read one like this, and if you’ve read a ton of self-discovery books, where there’s a final AA speech in front of a crowd, and you get your token, and then your spouse appears at the back of the room, and everybody cries, and true love lasts forever, and a REM song plays. No, this is not the one either. Illuminations and epiphanies sprinkle down during runs, and they are received with a questioning uncertainty of one who is always running to figure out who they are. This is what life is, this is especially what recovery is, and as the author states, “No longer do I run from my demons, but with them.” but the run must go on, since, “ you never outrun your demons, but if you maintain forward motion you might just get them to tire a little.”
~ Mark Matthews, author of The Jade Rabbit and Stray
The result is perhaps my favorite book on marathoning. It is certainly the one with the most dog-ears on my paperback copy, and definitely the one which spoke most personally to my experience as a marathoner and recovering addict who is constantly running to stay just a few steps faster than the addiction demons nipping at my heels.
The author visits marathons located in key locations related to his history of addiction; Boston, New York, Moscow, and his place of birth, Washington DC, among other races. The book shoots back and forth from past to present, linking the author's current thoughts and goals of running to his past life of self-destruction. The author recounts and reflects on his alcoholism, fighting through an understanding as his legs fight to keep moving towards the finish line. Yes, he is the very unlikely marathoner, considering the extent to which he dedicated his life to drinking. The goal is partially to break the 4 hour barrier, but also to break through to a better understanding of himself, and come to something close to peace with the wreckage of his past.
Each chapter is a race, and we experience the intriguing mindset of the author journeying through 4 marathons, and three races in an 18 month period
What is wonderful about the book is that Daniloff is a gifted writer first, or at least that’s what shines through, and his personality is one which has all of the interesting jagged yet fragile edges of an addict, and with all the determination and stubbornness of a distance runner.
The metaphors he uses are tremendous, and I am thinking that a handful of writers could make a living off the scraps of metaphors Daniloff has come up with but never used.
And there isn’t a marathoner out there of all speeds who won’t connect with his writing descriptions. I’ve always felt if running could be fully described, then it wouldn’t be running but something much less, as it’s effects escape meaning that words can give. Daniloff describes the joys of running in a spectrum of phrases that came close, and more importantly, it was clear that he “gets it”- as running elitist as that sounds. The near stream of conscious running descriptions rival those of any running book, and are fresh, subliminal and poetic.
All of this, but you’ll also find the mundane yet near universal experience of navigating a pee in the bushes at the beginning of a marathon, the importance of body-gliding one’s nipples, and the constant runner’s math all of us do trying to push our body past the finish line in some arbitrary time trying to prove we’re worthy.
Yet, this is certainly not a technical piece on running. Not until the end, in fact, does the author realize the importance of keeping an even pace through a marathon to get his best result (when he speaks of ‘banking’ time, you can’t help but scream “no, don’t do it!) But I think this is what keeps the novel honest and raw. Once you start getting into lactate acid threshold levels and tempo runs and marathon pace runs and Yasso 800-ing and McMillan-ing, something is partially ruined that can’t be gained back. The author would turn from garage-band runner into an overly produced piece of work. How different all of our runs might be if we never bit the technical running apple.
Rather than a lesson on how to run, it’s an inward, honest self-reflection of a private world that is fragile, longing for something different, yet, as he describes in one interview “in love with this alienation” that addiction brings. The sense of loneliness continues even in his recovery, where he does not share deep experiences with sponsors and other recovery folks, and, in fact, laments changing relationships with past alcohol-imbibing friends. It is a solo descent into his addiction as well as a solo ascent to recovery. At the same time, there’s the silent connection to both runners and the spirit of the run itself.
I particularly enjoyed the Boston and New York marathon stories, one I have ran and the other I am preparing for, but the Moscow experience of doing a marathon is one not to be missed. Cultural differences do impact marathon aid stations.
If you’ve read a ton of running books, you may not have read one like this, and if you’ve read a ton of self-discovery books, where there’s a final AA speech in front of a crowd, and you get your token, and then your spouse appears at the back of the room, and everybody cries, and true love lasts forever, and a REM song plays. No, this is not the one either. Illuminations and epiphanies sprinkle down during runs, and they are received with a questioning uncertainty of one who is always running to figure out who they are. This is what life is, this is especially what recovery is, and as the author states, “No longer do I run from my demons, but with them.” but the run must go on, since, “ you never outrun your demons, but if you maintain forward motion you might just get them to tire a little.”
~ Mark Matthews, author of The Jade Rabbit and Stray
September 18, 2012
Caleb Daniloff is a former alcoholic and addict who is facing his demons by running marathons in locations where his life fell apart. I thought that was an interesting way to make amends and find closure.
Caleb's parents are both journalists. His father was transferred to Moscow when Caleb was in 6th grade. The family spent the next 5 years there until his father was arrested by the KGB and charged with espionage. His father was released within the same month and the family headed home to the United States.
Caleb clearly had some challenges in his youth. He was wetting his bed even in 6th grade. He had trouble making friends. These insecurities played a part in him becoming addicted to alcohol and drugs at a young age. He was able to beat his addiction when it became a choice between his addictions and the woman who would become his wife.
My addictions are not the same as Caleb's, but I still related to his story of overcoming those addictions and improving his life. I enjoyed his race recaps, which were interspersed with stories from his past. I do wonder what caused Caleb's challenges in his youth. If he knows the cause of the bed-wetting and other issues, he didn't reveal them in this book.
Some of my favorite quotes from the book:
*No longer do I run from my demons, but with them.
*Dispensing punishment and actually inflicting it are two different things.
*Russians weren't about elevating each other. "See a piece of grass growing taller than the rest, cut it down," was how the saying went.
*Things don't always work the way you planned. Maybe you never outrun your demons, but if you maintain forward motion you might just get them to tire a little.
*In many ways, recovery is simply a synonym for life. We are all just trying to survive being born.
*But, really, my childhood and youth were never there to be recovered from or beaten or even completed. I'd give them a power they didn't need. Victory wasn't the answer. The past just needed a shelf, someplace to be still, to be seen if need be. I was the answer. I was always the next chapter. It had always been me who stood in the way of perfection.
Highly recommend.
Caleb's parents are both journalists. His father was transferred to Moscow when Caleb was in 6th grade. The family spent the next 5 years there until his father was arrested by the KGB and charged with espionage. His father was released within the same month and the family headed home to the United States.
Caleb clearly had some challenges in his youth. He was wetting his bed even in 6th grade. He had trouble making friends. These insecurities played a part in him becoming addicted to alcohol and drugs at a young age. He was able to beat his addiction when it became a choice between his addictions and the woman who would become his wife.
My addictions are not the same as Caleb's, but I still related to his story of overcoming those addictions and improving his life. I enjoyed his race recaps, which were interspersed with stories from his past. I do wonder what caused Caleb's challenges in his youth. If he knows the cause of the bed-wetting and other issues, he didn't reveal them in this book.
Some of my favorite quotes from the book:
*No longer do I run from my demons, but with them.
*Dispensing punishment and actually inflicting it are two different things.
*Russians weren't about elevating each other. "See a piece of grass growing taller than the rest, cut it down," was how the saying went.
*Things don't always work the way you planned. Maybe you never outrun your demons, but if you maintain forward motion you might just get them to tire a little.
*In many ways, recovery is simply a synonym for life. We are all just trying to survive being born.
*But, really, my childhood and youth were never there to be recovered from or beaten or even completed. I'd give them a power they didn't need. Victory wasn't the answer. The past just needed a shelf, someplace to be still, to be seen if need be. I was the answer. I was always the next chapter. It had always been me who stood in the way of perfection.
Highly recommend.
February 20, 2023
Very easy read that keeps you wanting more. As I was reading I copied down some quotes that I thought were good, so enjoy!
No longer do I run from my demons, but run with them.
Strapping on running shoes led to a reflection I didn't need to turn from. Without realizing it, I'd found another chance to become.
The only person you have to measure up to is yourself.
Maybe you never outrun your demons, but I'd you maintain forward motion you might just get them to tire a little.
Pain is just weakness leaving the body
I'm running in a state of gratitude and acceptance.
No longer do I run from my demons, but run with them.
Strapping on running shoes led to a reflection I didn't need to turn from. Without realizing it, I'd found another chance to become.
The only person you have to measure up to is yourself.
Maybe you never outrun your demons, but I'd you maintain forward motion you might just get them to tire a little.
Pain is just weakness leaving the body
I'm running in a state of gratitude and acceptance.
May 9, 2013
Since I'm both runner and a writer, I'm picky about running books. Most of what I've read, while informative, interesting and even well-written, lacked a certain gritty, truthful depth.
Then I discovered Caleb Daniloff's "Running Ransom Road."
Daniloff, a recovering alcoholic, uses running as his own personal 12-step program. As a means of cleansing his soul, he returns to painful places from his past and runs marathons (or, in a few cases, half-marathons and shorter distances).
As a marathoner myself, I understand this need to sweat and hurt and physically break through barriers of both mind and body.
Yet that isn't what makes this book great. It's the truth and wisdom behind the words, and the way Daniloff unflinchingly bares himself to the reader.
The book is sectioned around various marathons: The Boston Marathon, the Vermont City Marathon, The New York Marathon. The pace is smooth, the prose tight, and the rhythm follows the cadence of a runner’s motion; you can almost imagine the foot strikes flowing through each sentence.
As with all good memoirs, Daniloff carries the readers through his own personal journey, gradually opening up as he gains trust and understanding. In a sense, both the book's format and Daniloff's healing process follows the path of marathon: The initial ease and confidence of the beginning miles, the hard sweat of the middle, the self-doubt and struggle of the last six miles, concluding with the overpowering emotions of crossing the finish line.
There are so many great passages that it's impossible to mention them all, yet I can't resist sharing a few of my favorites:
"Every time I run, I'm having a conversation with my purest self, my moral inventory on full display. Running is a state of being more than a sport, a way of life."
"The hotel lobby had a dark, woody feel that made me feel like grabbing a black coffee and writing a poem about a one-room schoolhouse."
And my absolute favorite quote of the book: "But a marathon regulated things, taught me humility. For these four-some hours, I was confined, by my body, to who I was, not who I wanted to be, or pretended to be. There was no bullshitting 26.2 miles."
But it's the ending that got me, that flattened me down to a sobbing, soft mess. I love when a book makes me cry, not from sadness but from beauty. Daniloff offers the reader just that in Epilogue, especially the last one and a half pages. It's the perfect ending to a sometimes harsh, often moving and ultimately triumphant story.
Then I discovered Caleb Daniloff's "Running Ransom Road."
Daniloff, a recovering alcoholic, uses running as his own personal 12-step program. As a means of cleansing his soul, he returns to painful places from his past and runs marathons (or, in a few cases, half-marathons and shorter distances).
As a marathoner myself, I understand this need to sweat and hurt and physically break through barriers of both mind and body.
Yet that isn't what makes this book great. It's the truth and wisdom behind the words, and the way Daniloff unflinchingly bares himself to the reader.
The book is sectioned around various marathons: The Boston Marathon, the Vermont City Marathon, The New York Marathon. The pace is smooth, the prose tight, and the rhythm follows the cadence of a runner’s motion; you can almost imagine the foot strikes flowing through each sentence.
As with all good memoirs, Daniloff carries the readers through his own personal journey, gradually opening up as he gains trust and understanding. In a sense, both the book's format and Daniloff's healing process follows the path of marathon: The initial ease and confidence of the beginning miles, the hard sweat of the middle, the self-doubt and struggle of the last six miles, concluding with the overpowering emotions of crossing the finish line.
There are so many great passages that it's impossible to mention them all, yet I can't resist sharing a few of my favorites:
"Every time I run, I'm having a conversation with my purest self, my moral inventory on full display. Running is a state of being more than a sport, a way of life."
"The hotel lobby had a dark, woody feel that made me feel like grabbing a black coffee and writing a poem about a one-room schoolhouse."
And my absolute favorite quote of the book: "But a marathon regulated things, taught me humility. For these four-some hours, I was confined, by my body, to who I was, not who I wanted to be, or pretended to be. There was no bullshitting 26.2 miles."
But it's the ending that got me, that flattened me down to a sobbing, soft mess. I love when a book makes me cry, not from sadness but from beauty. Daniloff offers the reader just that in Epilogue, especially the last one and a half pages. It's the perfect ending to a sometimes harsh, often moving and ultimately triumphant story.
April 30, 2013
A stark, meditative, very compelling memoir of a recovering alcoholic's obsession with running - he runs marathons in all of his "bad" places. The book is structured along these marathons, where we journey with him both along the route (so, some nice writing about the grueling march), as well as experience flashbacks to various points in his life.
The flashbacks don't necessarily progress chronologically, and it's generally impressionistic. But that's fine; the Tale of Alcoholism, after all, is a relatively well-known one and so we need only broad brushstrokes to get a feel for Daniloff's lows.
What I liked about this was the strength of the writing (it is REALLY good in some bits), and the tone of irreverence. I didn't expect to laugh, but I found myself surprised by Daniloff's wit and cheek: some of his observations were particularly wry. I want to file this under my "dharma" shelf since, while not actually Buddhist, it just felt so... darn... dharma brothery. Recommended.
The flashbacks don't necessarily progress chronologically, and it's generally impressionistic. But that's fine; the Tale of Alcoholism, after all, is a relatively well-known one and so we need only broad brushstrokes to get a feel for Daniloff's lows.
What I liked about this was the strength of the writing (it is REALLY good in some bits), and the tone of irreverence. I didn't expect to laugh, but I found myself surprised by Daniloff's wit and cheek: some of his observations were particularly wry. I want to file this under my "dharma" shelf since, while not actually Buddhist, it just felt so... darn... dharma brothery. Recommended.
October 11, 2012
I always enjoy learning about why others have chosen to start the journey of running a marathon. I am not that brave (yet) and only run half marathons but it is an equally challenging and rewarding adventure for me.
Caleb's book is broken up into seven chapters, one for each race that he runs. Intermingled between the story of his training and the race is his backstory into his alcoholic past. I found this book fascinating because of his descriptions and honesty of his past and his insight into why people choose to start running. While we have a very different background, I found myself agreeing with many of his ideas on running and the accomplishments, both physically and mentally, that we receive when completing a race. Caleb's journey is a very inspiring one and I thoroughly enjoyed reading his story.
I would recommend this book to any runner, especially for one who is just starting out and looking for some inspiration.
Caleb's book is broken up into seven chapters, one for each race that he runs. Intermingled between the story of his training and the race is his backstory into his alcoholic past. I found this book fascinating because of his descriptions and honesty of his past and his insight into why people choose to start running. While we have a very different background, I found myself agreeing with many of his ideas on running and the accomplishments, both physically and mentally, that we receive when completing a race. Caleb's journey is a very inspiring one and I thoroughly enjoyed reading his story.
I would recommend this book to any runner, especially for one who is just starting out and looking for some inspiration.
June 25, 2016
I'm fortunate enough to know Caleb, and always enjoy his writing. This book tackles the journey from alcoholism and drug use to sobriety through running. This book was personal on several levels - we went to the same high school and his descriptions of running through Boston will make any native smile warmly. And the use of an extreme athletic frame of mind as a foundation by which you can outperform everyone else - and your own sense of limitations - will be familiar to all serious athletes. But most of all, it's a great piece of honest writing that's enjoyable. His descriptions of different experiences - always with a hilarious or incredible metaphor - will stick with you long after you're done reading it.
March 1, 2014
Caleb Daniloff opens up about his life as an alcoholic as he travels to the cities he used to live in to run marathons. The book mixes the past and the present to weave a compelling and emotionally captivating story. I really got caught up in his story and enjoyed every page of it. And as a running, I certainly identified with the descriptions of the races.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
Read my full review at Carstairs Considers.
January 14, 2013
I thought the premise was good, but I was a little put off by his attitude towards people who walk when they run. It was such a minute thing in the book and I'm not sure why I was so offended by it, except for that he kept bringing it up. The writing was okay. It kept jumping back and forth between the race he was running and the past and I had a hard time keeping up. Overall, a decent enough read, though not as riveting as I would have liked.
May 23, 2013
As a runner and a writer, I was doubly captivated by Daniloff's account of running his way to health, wholeness, and redemption. Revisiting the scenes of his life's biggest screwups - and reliving and reflecting on those debacles while running a grueling marathon in each place - was an inspired way to confront the damage he'd done to himself and to others. It was also a splendid way to take readers with him, step by literal step, on the long run to reclaim his life. A fine, fine book.
June 6, 2013
I enjoyed Caleb Daniloff's journey through sobriety so much that I chose to use it in an assignment for a literature review in a substance abuse lecture. Daniloff is a great storyteller and you are easily drawn into his life as if you are right there running the race of sobriety with him. If you do not understand addiction, you will after reading his story.
December 31, 2012
Another running-saved-my-alcoholic/drug-addicted-ass memoir.
October 11, 2024
“Running Ransom Road” by Caleb Daniloff is an eloquent and deeply personal reflection on how running became not just a means of staying sober but a profound tool for transformation. The flow of the book is engaging and easy to follow, keeping me hooked throughout the entire audiobook. I listened to it in one day while driving to a race, two hours each way, and it was amazing. Daniloff’s voice, both in writing and narration, is raw, honest, and relatable.
What resonated with me most was his explanation of how running helped him transmute the obsessive thinking that had once been focused on addiction. He vividly describes how the fixation that once drove his substance abuse was redirected toward marathon times…a cycle of obsession I personally can relate to and had to learn to balance.
Running isn’t just a physical challenge for him but a mental one, where every run became an opportunity to confront his demons and grow stronger. I feel the same way about running, and I loved how he was able to put it into words.
Daniloff’s insights into how running transforms both body and mind are beautifully articulated. One of my favorite quotes from the book is when he says, “Running isn’t just an activity. It’s a language, a form of communion, a way to rediscover the self you’ve tried to escape.” His words capture the powerful way running becomes a tool not just for sobriety, but for self-recovery.
The book also delves into the neuroscience behind why running can have such profound effects, with Daniloff explaining that, in some ways, the brain reacts to running similarly to how it responds to drugs. He highlights research showing that long-distance running stimulates the release of endorphins and endocannabinoids—chemicals that affect mood and pain relief, much like certain drugs. This scientific perspective is woven seamlessly into his personal narrative, deepening my understanding of why running has become so transformative for me while on my recovery journey.
Another striking quote that stuck with me is when Daniloff explains, “Each step forward is an act of defiance. A refusal to go back to what I was. Running is my way of outrunning the version of myself I never want to be again.”
This line speaks volumes about the role running plays in his journey—a fierce, deliberate choice to move away from addiction and towards something stronger and more purposeful.
I would highly recommend “Running Ransom Road” to anyone interested in the transformative power of running, especially those who have battled addiction. It’s not just a memoir, but a testament to how running can help you not only survive but thrive.
This is probably one of my favorite recovery books I’ve read, as well as one of my favorite running books.
What resonated with me most was his explanation of how running helped him transmute the obsessive thinking that had once been focused on addiction. He vividly describes how the fixation that once drove his substance abuse was redirected toward marathon times…a cycle of obsession I personally can relate to and had to learn to balance.
Running isn’t just a physical challenge for him but a mental one, where every run became an opportunity to confront his demons and grow stronger. I feel the same way about running, and I loved how he was able to put it into words.
Daniloff’s insights into how running transforms both body and mind are beautifully articulated. One of my favorite quotes from the book is when he says, “Running isn’t just an activity. It’s a language, a form of communion, a way to rediscover the self you’ve tried to escape.” His words capture the powerful way running becomes a tool not just for sobriety, but for self-recovery.
The book also delves into the neuroscience behind why running can have such profound effects, with Daniloff explaining that, in some ways, the brain reacts to running similarly to how it responds to drugs. He highlights research showing that long-distance running stimulates the release of endorphins and endocannabinoids—chemicals that affect mood and pain relief, much like certain drugs. This scientific perspective is woven seamlessly into his personal narrative, deepening my understanding of why running has become so transformative for me while on my recovery journey.
Another striking quote that stuck with me is when Daniloff explains, “Each step forward is an act of defiance. A refusal to go back to what I was. Running is my way of outrunning the version of myself I never want to be again.”
This line speaks volumes about the role running plays in his journey—a fierce, deliberate choice to move away from addiction and towards something stronger and more purposeful.
I would highly recommend “Running Ransom Road” to anyone interested in the transformative power of running, especially those who have battled addiction. It’s not just a memoir, but a testament to how running can help you not only survive but thrive.
This is probably one of my favorite recovery books I’ve read, as well as one of my favorite running books.
July 27, 2018
As a long distance runner I was excited to find this one, and although I could not relate to his background or the reasons he began running (former addict), I enjoyed the author's perspectives on how running had changed his life and his quest to return to the places that he had been in his "past life" and complete runs in those places. People turn to running for many reasons, beyond health, and oftentimes it's a means of an escape, or a band aid, or, as in this book's case, trading one addiction for another.
My only gripe with the author and thus a reduction in his likability scale would be because of what I felt was his arrogance at what he defined as a real runner - that is, not someone who spent any time whatsoever walking during a run. On his mission to break a Sub-4 marathon, several times the author mentioned his belief that if he stopped to walk at all (whether through a water station or for any other reason) he would consider the race having not been entirely "run," and I found myself a bit irritated by this attitude. (Spoiler: In this book he never got under a Sub-4, and I can't say it didn't give me a little satisfaction that he didn't!)
My only gripe with the author and thus a reduction in his likability scale would be because of what I felt was his arrogance at what he defined as a real runner - that is, not someone who spent any time whatsoever walking during a run. On his mission to break a Sub-4 marathon, several times the author mentioned his belief that if he stopped to walk at all (whether through a water station or for any other reason) he would consider the race having not been entirely "run," and I found myself a bit irritated by this attitude. (Spoiler: In this book he never got under a Sub-4, and I can't say it didn't give me a little satisfaction that he didn't!)
April 18, 2020
running, sobriety, travel, redemption. i liked this book. i related to the story a lot. the chaos and darkness of addiction. the fog of early sobriety. the clarity of running and the desire for redemption. some very hard hitting raw passages that i admired for the authors honesty. the book starts with some of it best chapters but in my mind lost its way a little towards the end. it was good but after such a powerful start i felt like it disengaged and perhaps just filled the pages towards the end. three and half stars. recommended.
April 30, 2023
I loved the mile-by-mile descriptions of the races and marathon training. As a runner, I’m well aware of how much other runners like to talk about running, and how boring it is to non-runners lol. No one wants to hear about my blisters, except someone else who has them. There were definitely moments in the recovery narrative that felt like the author was speaking to men, and that shut me out a bit.
October 16, 2017
I enjoy books about running and also memoirs about overcoming something so this seemed like something I’d surely like (he reflects on his past alcoholism and recovers via running). But, it didn’t quite work for me. I really enjoyed some chapters such as the one in Moscow. Yet, others didn’t work so well. A few great individual essays but maybe not enough for a book.
April 15, 2022
Calen Daniloff is an alcoholic/addictive personality that for the good turns his attention to running marathons. I enjoyed reliving his Boston Marathon and NYC marathon run. The details: heartbreak hill, left on boyleston, right on Hereford, Brooklyn bridge, the scream tunnel as you turn the corner, entering cental park...these moments all resonate.
3 stars. Probably not for everyone.
3 stars. Probably not for everyone.
April 9, 2023
I didn’t love the back and forth between who he was and who he became. It seemed random at times and just annoying at others. However, it also seemed to fit perfectly with the struggles. His memories while running.
May 11, 2017
Excellent book on beating addiction and overcoming adversity. I got the audio version and finished it in one sitting. A must read for any runner or athlete.
July 6, 2017
Good writing but the story is a little meh! Drunk finds running and chases forgiveness! Ugh it's ok! Quick read and some good imagery and moments but overall a little lacking!
December 31, 2019
Great writing, good story.
January 1, 2020
We've all struggled with some facet of life we'd like to change. Any runner can relate to the memories and processing which happen over the course of many miles.
August 31, 2024
Couldn't put this one down. So raw and open. Reminded me a bit of Andre Agassis autobiography.
January 13, 2025
Interesting read, not too long, worthwhile.
October 23, 2012
I like to calibrate how "good" a book is by how late into the night I am left reading. It manages to be "great" if it can inspire a real shift in consciousness during those late nights. Running Ransom Road is such a book. To say that it is mere confessional, or only a narrative on running through some real and metaphorical difficulties, is to sell it short. The content is as interesting as the way the various narratives are sewn together and this, to me, makes it a unique, fantastic read. Easily this is one of the most engaging and sophisticated books I've read in a long time.
Without getting into too much detail regarding the book, I think it is the vulnerability and courage that emerges from Daniloff that appeals most to me. As one who has made mistakes (who hasn't?), I like to keep them to myself and well in the past. So there is something noble about an author who can trudge through all of the wreckage of a history muddled by alcohol and share it with the rest of us... and more importantly, in an artful way.
Maybe we have not gone as deeply into the abyss, maybe we haven't logged as many miles or run as many notable marathons as Daniloff, but it matters not. This is a well-written story that is deeply engaging on a human level. As a reader, I am thankful for his candor, for his not making this book into a formulaic/predictable cautionary tale, and for attempting to relate to his reader in a palpable and memorable way. There were many moments I found myself chuckling and many more when I felt (viscerally) the shame/regret/sadness that a recovering person feels. And remarkably, this is one of the most non-narcissistic running books I've read in a while, which is really something considering the subject matter. I think this a testament to Daniloff's skills as a writer.
In my humble opinion, runners and non-runners alike can take something away from Running Ransom Road. By those who have struggled with various manifestations of addiction and found their own paths to sobriety, as well as those who simply wish to delve into the real recovery of a person who found peace and healing on the road. The mistakes, the hard work of running, the pain, joy and love are all found in this book. I look forward to what Daniloff has in store next.
Without getting into too much detail regarding the book, I think it is the vulnerability and courage that emerges from Daniloff that appeals most to me. As one who has made mistakes (who hasn't?), I like to keep them to myself and well in the past. So there is something noble about an author who can trudge through all of the wreckage of a history muddled by alcohol and share it with the rest of us... and more importantly, in an artful way.
Maybe we have not gone as deeply into the abyss, maybe we haven't logged as many miles or run as many notable marathons as Daniloff, but it matters not. This is a well-written story that is deeply engaging on a human level. As a reader, I am thankful for his candor, for his not making this book into a formulaic/predictable cautionary tale, and for attempting to relate to his reader in a palpable and memorable way. There were many moments I found myself chuckling and many more when I felt (viscerally) the shame/regret/sadness that a recovering person feels. And remarkably, this is one of the most non-narcissistic running books I've read in a while, which is really something considering the subject matter. I think this a testament to Daniloff's skills as a writer.
In my humble opinion, runners and non-runners alike can take something away from Running Ransom Road. By those who have struggled with various manifestations of addiction and found their own paths to sobriety, as well as those who simply wish to delve into the real recovery of a person who found peace and healing on the road. The mistakes, the hard work of running, the pain, joy and love are all found in this book. I look forward to what Daniloff has in store next.
January 27, 2014
No longer do I run from my demons, but run with them. We pace each other, the past and me. And some days, I go faster.
That statement was made in the prologue of this memoir, I realized then I'd enjoy this book.
I won't pretend or act like I know what it's like to go through the things Caleb went through before writing this book. I will acknowledge though, that I have a few demons that I still need to deal with. They're just not the same as Caleb's demons of drugs and alcohol. The book chronicles his ups and downs as he runs races in locations that are central to his destructive past and how he essentially used running as one of his main recovery tools. During the different chapters he recounts his bad deeds in the town he's running through, some of the stories are raw. He holds nothing back and let's everyone see the vulnerable bits of his former life.
I think my favorite chapter was when he was recounting the Marine Corp Marathon, where he finally realized that he focused too much on the numbers and let it go. He ended up finishing shortly after his goal time and he was ok with it, something he wasn't able to accept before.
This book made me realize how much I've missed running regularly due to the cold weather and snow we've had this winter. I can't wait for the spring.
That statement was made in the prologue of this memoir, I realized then I'd enjoy this book.
I won't pretend or act like I know what it's like to go through the things Caleb went through before writing this book. I will acknowledge though, that I have a few demons that I still need to deal with. They're just not the same as Caleb's demons of drugs and alcohol. The book chronicles his ups and downs as he runs races in locations that are central to his destructive past and how he essentially used running as one of his main recovery tools. During the different chapters he recounts his bad deeds in the town he's running through, some of the stories are raw. He holds nothing back and let's everyone see the vulnerable bits of his former life.
I think my favorite chapter was when he was recounting the Marine Corp Marathon, where he finally realized that he focused too much on the numbers and let it go. He ended up finishing shortly after his goal time and he was ok with it, something he wasn't able to accept before.
This book made me realize how much I've missed running regularly due to the cold weather and snow we've had this winter. I can't wait for the spring.
November 20, 2012
Like a weekend long run, Caleb Daniloff's "Running Ransom Road" starts off sluggish and without enthusiasm. From the start it is clear that Daniloff has a rare and astounding ability to craft original, artful sentences. However, as a fellow marathon runner, I wondered why I should care about a thirtysomething man training as a non-qualifying participant for The Boston Marathon. Daniloff needed to pull in the reader earlier by describing rock bottom, by detailing the low points in his addiction-filled past and contrasting that with his new determination to run his first marathon. The illustrative, vibrant prose kept me reading, and I am glad I stuck with the book.
Also like a weekend long run, Daniloff's narrative found its groove eventually. The legs of the story loosened, the proper stride was found. Daniloff's writing style was finally matched with an equal narrative, and I was hooked the rest of the way. The story built as Daniloff went in to further detail about his former drug and alcohol abuse. The last two chapters humanize Daniloff in a way that makes his story about more than addiction, running, and redemption. By the end of the book Daniloff unwinds a universal narrative about the distances we all run to find acceptance--from our colleagues, from our families, from our friends, and, most importantly, from ourselves.
Also like a weekend long run, Daniloff's narrative found its groove eventually. The legs of the story loosened, the proper stride was found. Daniloff's writing style was finally matched with an equal narrative, and I was hooked the rest of the way. The story built as Daniloff went in to further detail about his former drug and alcohol abuse. The last two chapters humanize Daniloff in a way that makes his story about more than addiction, running, and redemption. By the end of the book Daniloff unwinds a universal narrative about the distances we all run to find acceptance--from our colleagues, from our families, from our friends, and, most importantly, from ourselves.
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