The Summit Seeker by Vanessa Runs is a light and empowering read. Vanessa beautifully describes her development as an ultra runner and how what she learned from her sport transformed her perspective on her life experience. It also goes the other way. Often, it is her life lessons that inform her running and inspire her athletic goals. It is this alchemy, that makes The Summit Seeker so readable to athletes and non-athletes alike.
Vanessa, herself has a passion for books and reading and discusses the influence literature has had on her self image. Readers will be able to relate to her, having shared the experience of books changing lives. Travelers will enjoy her runner’s-eye view of the cities she lives in over her life and her descriptions of planning and running her ultras through the trails of national parks. Athletes will appreciate her disclosure of cultivating the ultraurnning attitude and the insight into the psychology of preparing for a race or a challenge. Non-athletes will find her encouragement, grace, and vulnerability inspiring.
I would especially recommend this book for young adults. The young adult non-fiction market is less generous to our young people than the fiction market. The Summit Seeker, is a rare gem in this area. Vanessa shares an unvarnished and edgy look at growing up, coming of age, and finding her feet, her voice, and her bliss.