Run to Overcome

Book excerpt: The incredible true story of Meb Keflezighi, winner of the 2014 Boston Marathon! When Meb Keflezighi signed up to run the Boston Marathon in 2014, no one expected him to be the first to cross the finish line. But if there’s one thing Meb knows how to do, it’s overcome. Yet Meb is the living embodiment of the American dream. His family came to the U.S. to escape poverty and a violent war; 12-year-old Meb spoke no English at the time and had never raced a mile. Thanks to hard work and determination, he excelled academically and became an Olympic silver medalist. But it all came crashing down when Meb, a favorite for the Beijing Olympics, fractured his hip and pelvis during the trials and was left literally crawling. That same day, he lost his close friend and fellow marathoner to a cardiac arrest. Devastated, Meb was about to learn whether his faith in God, the values his parents had taught him, and his belief that he was born to run were enough to see him through. Run to Overcome is the story of a true American champion who discovered the real meaning of victory against all odds. Now with an updated chapter after Meb’s amazing finish in Boston.