Bravey
In a nutshell
The autobiography of Greek-American Olympian Alexi Pappas, about dreams, pain and big ideas. She writes openly about how the mind affects performance in training and racing. Reviewed by triathlete Tereza Zimovjanová.
Who it's for: Women runners and anyone looking for inspiration in a strong woman's story.
When I had to pick my favourite running book I read this year, Bravey: Chasing Dreams, Befriending Pain, and Other Big Ideas came to mind straight away. It’s the autobiography of Greek-American runner Alexi Pappas, and judging by the author’s Instagram posts, the title roughly means “a brave woman walking (running!) towards her destiny, one who holds her future in her own hands”.
Alexi Pappas is the daughter of Greek-American parents, but she was born and has spent her whole life in the USA. And although she represents Greece (which may be easier than making the American team), she’s certainly no “B-team” athlete: at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro she ran the 10,000 m final and set a new Greek record of 31:36. In the book she writes about her journey to her Olympic dream, but it’s far from being only about running, and it’s definitely not a straightforward guide to becoming a good runner, although thanks to the author’s honest confession and the experiences she shares, every runner can take a lot to heart. Pappas also writes in detail about her mother’s mental health problems, which led to her suicide when Pappas wasn’t even in school yet. Another important theme is the author’s inner conflict between the world of sport and the world of art, where she would like to pursue both, but sometimes you have to know how to choose. And last but not least, she talks about her own depression, which she went through right after her successful performance at the Rio Olympics.
Alexi Pappas
Personally, I liked the view of America, where you find yourself among athletes at an American university. For me it was a return to something I know very well, but for a Czech reader it may be new and enriching: how university sports teams work and how you can fully combine a passion for your field with sport; how big a role team spirit plays even in individual sports and how it can affect performance in training and racing; or how you can think about problems and solve them differently than we usually would back home.
This review is republished with the kind permission of its author, Tereza Zimovjanová. Tereza is a successful Czech triathlete who, after her student “duties” in the USA, fought her way among the world’s best. In 2021 she made the TOP 20 at the World Championships in Montreal, Canada.
