[ARETE] Steele review of Abdi's world

[Obdriveway]

It is a really engaging book.


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On Wednesday, December 29, 2021, 2:59 PM, Duncan Jamieson via Sport_literature_association <sport_literature_association at lists.ku.edu> wrote:

All, 
Please find below and attached William Steele's review of Abdi Abdirahman and Myles Schrag, Abdi's World:The Black Cactus on Life, Running and Sport.ThanksDuncan

AbdiAbdirahman with Myles Schrag. Abdi’s World: The Black Cactus on Life,Running, and Fun. Flagstaff, AZ: Soulstice Publishing, 2021. 228 pp.Paperback. $19.95

 

Reviewedby Willie Steele

 

Eventhe most casual fans of men’s American distance running are familiar with thenames of the great athletes who have performed well on the world stage. BillyMills, Jim Ryun, Gerry Lindgren, Steve Prefontaine, Frank Shorter, Bill Rogers,and Alberto Salazar, for instance, were the marquee names for the United Statesfrom the 1960s to the 1980s. More serious fans remember the few bright spots oftalent during the lean times of the 1990s, a time when Bob Kennedy and ToddWilliams often battled each other on the track for recognition as America’s toprunner. But none of these athletes was able to accomplish what Abdi Abdirahmanwas able to do at the Olympic Trials marathon in 2020: qualify for five Olympicteams. And while some of the aforementioned athletes placed higher at theGames, some even winning medals, none ran at such a high level for as long asAbdirahman has.

            In his biography, Abdi’s World:The Black Cactus on Life, Running, and Fun, the acclaimed runner providesinsight into his life as a Somali immigrant who began running seriously at PimaCommunity College in 1995 after being encouraged by some friends to try out forthe cross country team. From there, “The Black Cactus” as he’s known to hisfriends and fans, competed for the University of Arizona where he finishedsecond at the 1998 NCAA Cross Country Championships, before later signing acontract to run for Nike.

            Unlike many runner’s biographies, Abdirahmandoesn’t lay out his training plan. In fact, in the book’s Preface, he says, “Idon’t always pay attention to my Garmin GPS watch and I’ve never kept atraining log” (ix). Rather than diving into specific details of training andracing, the Black Cactus divides his story into six parts, all Olympic years,including 2016 when he missed making the team for the Rio De Janeiro Olympics.Each part focuses on a lesson Abdi learned through his running: possibilities,belonging, belief, humility, perseverance, and unity. 

            Although these lessons are rooted inhis running experience, Abdirahman weaves in stories of his family’s escapefrom the political turmoil in his native Somalia, the immense pride he has inhis American citizenship, his friendships with runners of all nationalities,and the fun he’s had training and competing around the world. While casualrunners will never come close to the world class times the Black Cactus has hadfor nearly thirty years, they will likely connect with his love for the sportand the relationships he has formed through it. The most poignant of thesereflections is when he details his relationship with training partner andhousemate, Ryan Shay, who collapsed and died during the marathon trials for the2008 Beijing Olympics. 

            And while the book is largely Abdi’sown story, he invites his friends, training partners, fellow competitors, andcoaches to speak about him as well. Two-time Olympian Ryan Hall, legendarycoach Joe Vigil, and coach Mike Smith are just a few of the voices who offerinsight into what makes the Black Cactus unique. Abdirahman also incorporates numerousinterviews from magazines, websites, and podcasts, allowing readers tounderstand where he was at various points in his career. 

             Beyond running, the book explores thechallenges of being a Muslim in the United States after 9/11. Along with hisown story, Abdi draws from the experiences fellow Olympians Bernard Lagat andMeb Keflezighi, both of whom are African born American citizens, to explore thecomplexities of their lives and what it means for them to “be American.”

            In distance running, an elite careerof more than a decade is extraordinary. For a runner like Abdi Adbirahman tomake five Olympic teams is the stuff of legend.  Distance running fans will appreciate thestory of someone who has been world class for a long time, has stood on thepodium of prestigious races like the New York City Marathon, and who has had alot of fun along the way. 
Remember to smell the roses as you recumber past

Duncan R. Jamieson, Ph. D.
Professor of History
Book Review Editor
AETHLON: The Journal of Sport Literature
Ashland University
Ashland, OH  44805
USA
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