I think most people who are in their 20s – or even 30s+ – can relate to the feeling that wherever you are in life, it’s not where you want to be. Life as a young(ish) adult these days is debt or a job that barely pays the bills or unemployment or relationships that keep getting messy or having no idea where you even want to end up, let alone how to get there – or several of these, all at once. There’s a lot of existential anxiety and depression that has now become par for the course for most people in young adulthood. So the starting point of this book – a recent university grad who is facing adult responsibilities and employment and a rocky relationship who feels depressed and overwhelmed – hit home hard.
But unlike myself and most of the people I know, Downing didn’t force herself to trudge through her days while becoming increasingly burnt out, drinking too much on weekends and eventually taking anti-depressants* to cope with life. Instead she decided to do something completely different. Downing decided there was something she could do that would get her out of her rut – she could run around the coast of Britain, carrying everything she’d need on her back and (mostly) on her own. Never having been a runner wasn’t going to stop her. Details, am I right?
So that’s exactly what she did. This book tells the remarkable story of what it takes to embark on a challenge of this magnitude, the ups and downs, the difficult decisions, and the wonderful helpers she met along the way. It shares the unexpected issues she encounters, the lessons she learned, and how she changed along the way.
One of the things I really appreciated about this book is it’s not a sanitized account that focuses on rigorous training, fancy gear and rigid rules. There’s no self-agrandizing or glamorizing. She shares the doubts, the messy moments, the painful parts, the exhaustion, the financial issues, the cake breaks, the hangovers and the scary bits. Running alone as a woman comes with its own unique set of challenges. Whether we like it or not, being a woman means a greater level of vulnerability. Early on in her journey, Downing made a choice not to adhere to a strict coastline route. She doesn’t mind cutting inland for a bit if it was safer or more enjoyable, even if it meant her route was slightly shorter or longer. This pragmatic approach was a relief to read, because it acknowledged a reality that is a hugely important of any kind of solo journey – particularly as a woman.
I was originally drawn to this book because it reminded me vaguely of The Salt Path, a book I had very much enjoyed. There are similarities – mostly in the ways in which getting outside and learning to survive with very little can help get your mind in order – but it’s also very much its own story. I enjoyed my time spend with such an everywoman who, even while seeming to be just a regular person, managed to do something remarkable. It’s a great read for anyone who is considering doing a similar type of challenging endeavour, anyone who needs a break from the rushing around, or if you just want to spend some time somewhere else in your mind. Very enjoyable!
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* Not that this is a negative coping strategy or done thoughtlessly, more that I see more and more people suffering from legitimate, diagnosable depression who really need anti-depressants. Some of these people may have been able to avoid needing them – or needing them for as long – if they could have left behind a lot of stresses and spent their days outside getting exercise, since nature and exercise are proven treatments for depression, but many would have needed them regardless. And there is a particular moment in your life when your responsibilities are optional and, if you have the support (which many don’t) you can give it up and take to the running path. Once you have a mortgage and children or are on a career path you don’t want to abandon, it’s not something you can really do anymore, so you have to figure out how to be as healthy as you can within the life you have chosen and need to continue. Life is hard, and then there was the pandemic. I’m not minimizing depression or the necessary treatment of it.
Running away from your problems doesn’t solve anything – but sometimes it’s more fun than dealing with them
Elise was spending a lot of time crying on buses. She had just graduated from university; she had a shiny new flat, her first proper job and a budding relationship – and they were all making her utterly miserable. Sitting at work one day, she hit upon the obvious solution:
Run 5,000 miles around the coast of Britain, carrying her kit on her back.
Six months later Elise set off, with absolutely no ultra-running experience, unable to read a map and having never pitched a tent alone before. Over the 301 days that followed she developed a debilitating fear of farmyard animals, cried on a lot of beaches and saw Britain at its most wild and wonderful.
Coasting is about putting one foot in front of the other, even when it feels impossible, and trying to enjoy it too. With heart and humour, Elise explores the thrill of taking risks and putting your trust in total strangers, and learns some home truths along the way. – Goodreads
Book Title: Coasting
Author: Elise Downing
Series: No
Edition: Audiobook
Published By: Summersdale
Released: July 8, 2021
Genre: Non-Fiction, Memoir, Running, Travel
Pages: 320
Date Read: December 4-11, 2023
Rating: 7/10
Average Goodreads Rating: 4.04/5 (1,755 ratings)