Second Wind: One Woman's Midlife Quest to Run Seven Marathons on Seven Continents [Paperback]

Cami Ostman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 19, 2010

Second Wind is the story of an unlikely athlete and an unlikely heroine: Cami Ostman, a woman edging toward midlife who decides to take on a challenge that stretches her way outside of her comfort zone. That challenge presents itself when an old friend suggests she go for a run to distract her from the grief of her recent divorce. Excited by the clarity of mind and breathing space running offers her, she keeps it up — albeit slowly — and she decides to run seven marathons on seven continents; this becomes Ostman’s vision quest, the thing she turns to during the ups and downs of a new romance and during the hard months and years of redefining herself in the aftermath of the very restrictive, religious-based marriage and life she led up until her divorce. Insightful and uplifting, Second Wind carries the reader along for the ride as Ostman runs her way out of compliance with the patriarchal rules about “being a woman” that long held her captive and into authenticity and self-love. Her adventures — and the personal revelations that accompany them — inspire readers to take chances, find truth in their lives, and learn to listen to the voice inside them that’s been there all along.

Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: Seal Press (October 19, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1580053076
• ISBN-13: 978-1580053075
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.8 x 8.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #531,662 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Cami Ostman is an author, editor, life coach and a licensed marriage and family therapist with publications in her field. She blogs at 7marathons7continents.com and on the psychologytoday.com blogger team. She has appeared in several publications, including O, The Oprah Magazine, Fitness Magazine, Adventures Northwest, the Mudgee Guardian in Australia, and La Prensa in Chile. Cami is a runner and a dog lover who lives in Bellingham, Washington.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Eat, Pray, Love for distance runners December 21, 2010

By Julee Rudolf VINE™ VOICE

Format:Paperback

Having been a distance runner for over 25 years now, I wholeheartedly agree with author Cami Ostman's contention that participating in the sport is a great way to cure (mentally at least) what ails you. At one point, she converses with a septuagenarian with over 330 marathons under his belt who took up the sport at age 50, which just goes to show it's never too late to start. Although I would not, could not, (should not) have done what she did (in Prague and Africa, for example, and in several other situations), at times, in order to complete her quest, I respect her for achieving the level of comfort-in-her-own-skin required to do them. The fact that after all is said and done she comes up with (in the intro) some pretty darn good words of wisdom about the distance, "The marathon teaches a person to plan, to dream, to push through hard times, to admire unlikely people, to give up the penchant for perfectionism, and to accept life for the messy endeavor it is," shows that she really gets it.

Best of the book: inspiring quotes that begin each chapter, her devil may care attitude, and hope-that readers who need a little push may be encouraged enough by her story to take up distance running. Second Wind is an inspiring book for women about the mental and physical benefits of distance running. Also good: What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami, Swimming to Antarctica by Lynne Cox and The Miracle of Mindfulness by Thich Nhat Hanh.

21 of 27 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars A Different Point of View February 27, 2011

By Atlanta Reader

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

The book is well written, and Cami is surely open with her feelings. But if you're a marathoner, don't read Second Wind. It will just sadden you to know that one of our own acts like she does. Cami sets a goal of running a marathon on each of the 7 continents, her "Vision Quest", to help her overcome issues from her past. Unfortunately, Cami has neither the experience nor work ethic in her training to achieve her goal. Each marathon becomes a battle, mired in self pity and blame. She does complete her objective, but only by cheating, writing her own rules (cheating) and with dismal performances.

And what does Cami learn during her Vision Quest? She learns to revel in the "complex person" who she has become, sharing with the reader such keen insights as her shocking discovery that South Africa still has racial issues despite the end of apartheid. She gains a sense of "entitlement to be nurtured by others", which she thinks is a good thing (I'm not making this up). Cami is so enthralled by the concept of being nurtured by others that by the end of the book, the only thing longer than one of her marathons is the list of people she has imposed herself upon - maybe she was giving the little people an opportunity to participate in her Vision Quest.

The 7 continent goal eventually becomes an obsession for Cami - she has a readiness to cut any corner, lean on any person, plus an unwillingness to accept responsibility for poor outcomes or problems. Cami actually blames the economy for the decline in her business, even while taking repeated long trips and vacations - presumably her clients moved on to someone more reliable. One of my favorite parts is Cami's endless attack (while drinking her Double Short Soy Latte) at a company called Marathon Tours because they wouldn't move her up on a waiting list to go to Antarctica - how could they not understand the importance of her Vision Quest? - it never occurring to Cami that pretty much everyone on the list ahead of her likely shares that same goal. Oh, and also the part where she cries at not getting a finsher's medallion - a tee shirt not being enough for Cami.

It's too bad that Cami's running evolves the way it does. In the beginning, she gains many of the positive benefits that keep the rest of us out on the road. Running seems to help her make strides to overcoming her problems. When the 7 continent goal first arose, Cami could have taken a long term view. She could have learned how to train and run a marathon, properly. She could have spread her events over several years. She could have learned self reliance. She could have proudly upheld ethical standards. She could have had an inspiring story. But she didn't.

11 of 14 people found the following review helpful

1.0 out of 5 stars Oh. My. Goodness. TERRIBLE March 27, 2011

By Maerl

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

I normally would put a book down before finishing it when it is as bad as this one, but I felt compelled to make sure it really was that bad. And YES, IT WAS. Whiny doesn't come close to describing this woman. If I were her husband, I would have run screaming into the night. There is just so much self-centeredness, psychobabble, and "Internal Bitch"iness one should have to hear about. By the end I was hoping she'd fail in her endeavour; I certainly felt she deserved all the bad things which befell her along the way. NO WAY would I recommend this book. I don't like to waste my money, and I definitely felt that I did.