Finish Strong: The Dan Russell Story

by Dan Russell;Craig Borlase, Craig Borlase

For twenty-one years Dan Russell trained for four to six hours a day, six days a week in pursuit of winning an Olympic Gold medal in the sport of wrestling. He pushed his body to the limits, enduring brutal weight loss regimens, shattering injuries, personal tragedy and constant inner battles with the voices from his past telling him that he wasn't good enough. With his brother and fellow champion wrestler, Joe, by his side, Dan reached the heights of what could be accomplished in the sport. Dan's Olympic dream was within his grasp. But God had other plans for his life. Finish Strong is the incredible story of a driven man's pursuit of success and finding purpose when all seems lost. It is the story of a wrestler, struggling not just against his opponents in the ring, but to discover what makes a true champion. The lessons from Dan's life teach us that to finish strong we must make the choice to fight for our dreams and embrace the struggle and when we do, the winning will take care of itself.

288 pages, Paperback

First published September 10, 2015

Reviews

[Joyce Yattoni]

I am so happy Kyle recommended this book to me. It is a memoir based on Dan Russell’s wrestling and life story. Having a son who wrestles helped me to really understand what this sport means to the many who attempt to do it. What an inspiring story for everyone. You see Dan didn’t achieve what he thought was his life’s goal, however he learned so much more from the many setbacks in his life. I will be ordering this book for our classroom library especially for all our wrestlers out there.

[Travis]

I really enjoyed this book. As a wrestler it brought back old memories as well as inspired me to be and do better. I could relate to the life lessons that are taught through the challenges of wrestling as well as our need and dependence on a Loving Father in Heaven. I appreciated his stories and how he made them relatable and significant. Wrestler, fan of wrestling, looking to be inspired, this book is for you. It’s great for all readers whether they have been challenged by wrestling or life.

[Derek French]

It's a small world! This book was recommended to me by a UO wrestler, and I discovered that I had talked with Dan's dad Rick for years, since my son had wrestled Rick's team at Newport and Toledo. Also, I worked with one of Dan's "nemesis". If you're a wrestler, you'll enjoy the book. Lot of ups and downs. Hearbreak. But also perseverance. Love real stories of real people.

[Jay Webster]

Inspirational

One of the best books I've ever read! This book is for everyone, and not just for wrestling or sport fans.