Available Formats
Running with a Police Escort: Tales from the Back of the Pack
By (Author) Jill Grunenwald
Skyhorse Publishing
Skyhorse Publishing
3rd January 2017
United States
General
Non Fiction
Track and field sports, athletics
Popular medicine and health
Popular psychology
796.42092
Hardback
252
Width 152mm, Height 229mm
454g
In the fall of 2012, quirky and cat-loving Cleveland librarian Jill Grunenwald got an alarming email from her younger sister: her sister was very concerned with Jills weight and her overall mental and physical health. Having always struggled with her weight, Jill was currently hitting the scales at more than three hundred pounds. Right then, Jill looked in the mirror and decided that she needed to make a life-style change, pronto. She enrolled in Weight Watchers and did something else that shethe girl who avoided gym class like the plague in high schoolnever thought shed do; Jill started running. And believe it or not, it wasnt that bad. Actually, it was kind of fun.
Three months later, Jill did the previously unthinkable and ran her very first 5k at the Cleveland Metropolitan Zoo. Battling the infamous hills of the course, Jill conquered her fears and finishedbut in dead last. Yep, the police were reopening the streets behind her. But Jill didnt let that get her downbecause when you run for your health and happiness, your only real competition is yourself.
Six years and more than one hundred pounds lost later, Jill is still running and racing regularly, and she is a proud member of the back of the pack in every race that she has entered. In Running with a Police Escort, Jill chronicles her racing adventures, proving that being a slow runner takes just as much guts and heart as being an Olympic champion. At turns heartbreaking and hilarious, Running with a Police Escort is for every runner who has never won a race but still loves the sport.
Skyhorse Publishing, as well as our Sports Publishing imprint, is proud to publish a broad range of books for readers interested in sportsbooks about baseball, pro football, college football, pro and college basketball, hockey, or soccer, we have a book about your sport or your team.
In addition to books on popular team sports, we also publish books for a wide variety of athletes and sports enthusiasts, including books on running, cycling, horseback riding, swimming, tennis, martial arts, golf, camping, hiking, aviation, boating, and so much more. While not every title we publish becomes a New York Times bestseller or a national bestseller, we are committed to publishing books on subjects that are sometimes overlooked by other publishers and to authors whose work might not otherwise find a home.
Every new runner worries that she will finish last in her first race. Jill Grunenwald has actually done it and is here to report that last place isnt nearly as bad as it seems (unless theyve already boxed up the bananas). Read Jills fun and feisty memoir for the inspiration, for the laughs, and for the truth about what its like at the back of the pack. She may not be fast (yet), but shes a blast, and shell motivate you to run, too. Jennifer Graham, author of Honey, Do You Need a Ride Confessions of a Fat Runner
What does a serious runner look like Someone who follows a training plan, runs regardless of weather, travels to races, keeps track of her times, and would never call herself a jogger. Jill Grunenwald looksand runslike a serious runner. Rachel Toor, author of Personal Record: A Love Affair with Running
Running with a Police Escort is a manifesto for every out-of-shape middle school girl who came in last running the mile and decided from that point forward that she was just not meant to be a runner. In this hilarious and relatable tale of the journey from couch potato to half marathon, Jill Grunenwald will inspire you to lace up your running shoes, step out of your comfort zone and laugh your way all the way to the finish line. Jill Angie, author of Running With Curves and Not Your Average Half Marathon
Running with a Police Escort is for anyone who has ever struggled with any challenge, physical or mental. Her stories of racing at the back of the pack are relatable to any runner, but even if youve never considered running at all, youll want to read this book. Jills love of Cleveland and her hilarious asides will keep you turning the pages to find out what happens in the next race. Stephani Itibrout, PBS Digital Innovator and Cleveland Rite Aid Marathon Ambassador
Jill Grunenwald is fantastic at conveying the heart of an authentic runner. She humorously voices the lessons, fears, joys, race-day blunders, and head games every runner can appreciate. Running with a Police Escort is a relatable reminder of how the passion and influence of the run can take root and shape life, allowing one to reach beyond their wildest expectations. Jackie Dikos, columnist for Runners World and author of the forthcoming Finish Line Fueling
No matter the challenge, readers witness her walking and finishing last with dignity. Readers can count on Grunenwald to be honest about herself and others, and sprinkled in the chapters are fun references to writers such as Joyce Carol Oates and Stephen King (she is a librarian, after all). This autobiography will appeal to and inspire those struggling to get healthy. - Publisher's Weekly
"Whether shes writing about setting goals, finding the best sports bra (Strap. That. Shit. Down), or getting out of a running slump, self-proclaimed slow runner Grunenwalds chatty, confessional style will entertain readers and perhaps even inspire them to lace up, tooReaders will find that the authors unique perspective from the back of the pack challenges preconceived notions as it encourages stepping outside of ones comfort zones. - Booklist
"[Jill] also is upbeat and funny. She's positive and sassy, a fun voice to read with an inspiring story to tell." -Women's Running magazine
Every new runner worries that she will finish last in her first race. Jill Grunenwald has actually done it and is here to report that last place isnt nearly as bad as it seems (unless theyve already boxed up the bananas). Read Jills fun and feisty memoir for the inspiration, for the laughs, and for the truth about what its like at the back of the pack. She may not be fast (yet), but shes a blast, and shell motivate you to run, too. Jennifer Graham, author of Honey, Do You Need a Ride Confessions of a Fat Runner
What does a serious runner look like Someone who follows a training plan, runs regardless of weather, travels to races, keeps track of her times, and would never call herself a jogger. Jill Grunenwald looksand runslike a serious runner. Rachel Toor, author of Personal Record: A Love Affair with Running
Running with a Police Escort is a manifesto for every out-of-shape middle school girl who came in last running the mile and decided from that point forward that she was just not meant to be a runner. In this hilarious and relatable tale of the journey from couch potato to half marathon, Jill Grunenwald will inspire you to lace up your running shoes, step out of your comfort zone and laugh your way all the way to the finish line. Jill Angie, author of Running With Curves and Not Your Average Half Marathon
Running with a Police Escort is for anyone who has ever struggled with any challenge, physical or mental. Her stories of racing at the back of the pack are relatable to any runner, but even if youve never considered running at all, youll want to read this book. Jills love of Cleveland and her hilarious asides will keep you turning the pages to find out what happens in the next race. Stephani Itibrout, PBS Digital Innovator and Cleveland Rite Aid Marathon Ambassador
Jill Grunenwald is fantastic at conveying the heart of an authentic runner. She humorously voices the lessons, fears, joys, race-day blunders, and head games every runner can appreciate. Running with a Police Escort is a relatable reminder of how the passion and influence of the run can take root and shape life, allowing one to reach beyond their wildest expectations. Jackie Dikos, columnist for Runners World and author of the forthcoming Finish Line Fueling
No matter the challenge, readers witness her walking and finishing last with dignity. Readers can count on Grunenwald to be honest about herself and others, and sprinkled in the chapters are fun references to writers such as Joyce Carol Oates and Stephen King (she is a librarian, after all). This autobiography will appeal to and inspire those struggling to get healthy. - Publisher's Weekly
"Whether shes writing about setting goals, finding the best sports bra (Strap. That. Shit. Down), or getting out of a running slump, self-proclaimed slow runner Grunenwalds chatty, confessional style will entertain readers and perhaps even inspire them to lace up, tooReaders will find that the authors unique perspective from the back of the pack challenges preconceived notions as it encourages stepping outside of ones comfort zones. - Booklist
"[Jill] also is upbeat and funny. She's positive and sassy, a fun voice to read with an inspiring story to tell." -Women's Running magazine
Jill Grunenwald is the author of the blog The Year of the Phoenix and the host of the Kickstarter-funded podcast Running with a Police Escort. Looking to change her lifestyle, she began running in 2012 and since has finished more than two dozen races. She lives and works in Cleveland, Ohio.