Finding Their Stride: A Team of Young Runners Races to the Finish

I randomly found this book in a bookstore one day and was so intrigued that I bought it and read it immediately. I've never run competitively but after reading this book I understand the world of competitive running a lot better than I ever had. I thought the writing was beautiful and found myself folding down pages so that I could go back and jot the quotes down when I was finished reading. This book inspires me to run-- and to keep searching for surprise book finds like this. Thank you, Sally Pont.

Reading this book about my own cross country team, our own stuggles, adventures, and laughter, inspires me. No matter how cynical anyone on this page can be about Finding Their Stride, don't worry Pont, you have made us all proud. In your eloquent style of writing (which parallels your speaking that can always wake us up in the middle of a god aweful boring chapel), you have depicted us all beautifully and given us immortality, the only kind, which Gilgamesh found out was fame. Thank you for everything, for your book, for your coaching, for your inspiration. We'll never forget you.

As a friend of many of the students portrayed in the novel and as a past student of the author's, I found Ms.Pont's book to be an exact reflection of her personality. It amazed me how well she is able to capture her caring and reflective personality in each word of this novel. The detailed images and metaphors that Ms. Pont uses in her novel bring to life each and every character. From a leading characyer like Oliver, to one of the least mentioned jv runners like Sarah, Ms. Pont makes her readers feel as though they are with the team every step of the way. It was impossible for me to put this piece down. Nice work Ms. Pont you have made us proud.

I thoughroughly enjoyed this book. I could not put it down. I found each chapter interesting as they each had their own identity. However they all flowed together very well. I felt the book was interesting to me because I am a runner and have been a coach. I could see both perspectives, that of the runner as well as the author. I recommend this book to anyone who is a runner, coach or parent or someone how is inspired by a heartwarming story.

This is a lovely and loving book about a group of interesting teenaged girls and boys, written from the perspective of someone very involved in one aspect of their lives -- which happens to be that of cross-country coach. As a parent, as a cross-country parent, as a runner, and most of all as a reader who likes good writing, I enjoyed this book tremendously. Started it Monday, finished it Tuesday, loaned it on Wednesday. Like the Madeline Blais story of high school girl basketball players (In These Girls, Hope Is A Muscle), this is, happily, NOT just another typical clunkily written sports book. Kudos to Ms. Pont on a wonderful debut!