About 

Hi, I’m Troy Salisbury.

 

I didn’t grow up dreaming of marathons. I wasn’t voted “most athletic.” In fact, I once got passed by a guy in a full banana suit and still considered it a personal victory. But somewhere along the way—between stress, family crises, and figuring out how to keep it all together—running became more than exercise. It became survival.

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My first race was the Cooper River Bridge Run in 2014. It was supposed to be a fun family outing. My wife, Jennifer, signed us up with my parents and brother. None of us knew it would set off a chain of events that would change how I faced challenges, heartache, and life itself.

 

Fast forward to the start line of the 2018 New York City Marathon. I stood on the Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge surrounded by tens of thousands of runners, helicopters circling overhead, the city stretched out before me. I felt small… and unstoppable. That moment didn’t erase the struggles—but it reminded me I could get through them.

 

I’ve run through injuries, self-doubt, grief, burnout, and plenty of “what the hell am I doing?” moments. And I’ve learned that you don’t have to be elite to be strong. You don’t need to be fast to finish. You just have to keep going.

 

That’s what this book—and this story—is really about. Not perfection. Not PRs. Just progress, persistence, and occasionally tripping over your own shoelaces and laughing anyway.

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Thanks for being here. Whether you’re a runner, a reader, or just someone looking for a reminder that you’re stronger than you think, I hope you find a little encouragement (and maybe a few laughs) along the way.