I finished reading Like Father, Like Son. My story on running, coaching, and parenting by Matthew Centrowitz (Sr.).
It’s a great book. But, don’t expect flowing prose and vivid sentences of filled with imagery. Matthew Centrowitz Sr. is runner, not a writer. And, that is exactly why this book is so good. It’s raw. It’s authentic. It’s a book that anyone – including you – could aspire to write.
The book’s title is a solid synopsis of its content. This is a book on running, coaching, and parenting. What gives it depth is that it is a book on running at the University of Oregon during it’s heyday, on coaching from one of the top collegiate coaches, and on parenting to the reigning 1500m Olympic Gold Medalist.
This book is a great history – similar to many of the books I enjoy. It recounts stories of running for Bill Bowerman and Bill Dellinger (“Just call me Bill”) at the University of Oregon. The cast of characters include legends such as Frank Shorter, Alberto Salazar, and Steve Prefontaine. These were the contemporaries of Centrowitz Sr.. Written from the point-of-view of the author, these stories are fresh even if the facts will be known to most readers. There are flashes of youthful bravado, which the seasoned reader (ahem, older like me) can relate too and find humor.
But, I’d ask you to consider reading this book differently. Consider reading it as a book on parenting and raising children.
In the final chapters of the book, Matthew Centrowitz Sr. focuses on his role as a parent. He is the dad to a daughter (an accomplished athlete) and son – Matthew Centrowitz Jr. the reigning 1500m Olympic Gold Medalist and one of the best middle distance runners in the sport today. Given his elite running background, you would think that Centrowitz Sr. would be heavily involved in the daily coaching on his son. You might even think that from the book’s title; however, the reader will find this is not the case.
Centrowitz Sr. had a bad dad growing up who vanished from his life at an early age. For many, this situation creates a recurring cycle of deadbeat dad to their kids. Role models are powerful – even deadbeat ones. Fortunately, Centrowtiz Sr. breaks this cycle. He spends much of his teenage and young adult years filling the father-figure void left by the absence of his own dad.
When Centrowitz Sr. has his own children, he behaves differently as the reader will discover. By all accounts, Centrowitz Sr. becomes a great dad who applied the same discipline to parenting as he applied to running – showing up on the hard days, logging the miles, managing pain/disappointment, and listening/learning/getting better every day.
There’s a quotation in the book that Centrowtiz Sr. receives from an early coach.
“When you become a dad, put your medals away in a drawer.”
Makes you think. Let your children measure up to themselves and their goals – not chase yours or even your unfinished dreams. Like most great advice, this is hard to do. Maybe that’s why it takes a runner to pull it off.
-George
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Reviews with images
More than distance running….more than captivating!
On the surface, the stories that Matt Centrowitz offers are about running, providing just enough detail to keep readers on the edge of our seat. However, the crux of his message is about mission commitment, self-discipline, overcoming adversity and the joy of doing something in life that you really love and maybe are even good at. His approach to these stories is powerful…and that’s an understatement.The subtle power in Matt’s writing is the way he translates lessons learned on the track, into developmental guidance that’s applicable ANYWHERE in life. His conversational writing style takes the complexity of training and mental preparation, and places them within emotional reach of any reader, even if you’ve never set foot on a track. And he does so without lecturing or condescension. I can hear his insights resonating in my swimming, my previous IBM career and my leadership coaching business. Essentially, anyone who has ever faced a difficult challenge will find lasting value in his words and he can back them up.Full Disclosure: I had the pleasure of running “with” Matt during his freshman year at Andrew Jackson High School in Queens, NY, before he transferred to Power Memorial. “With” really means I was one of the mediocre teammates who usually saw Matt before and after the workouts, because during the workouts he was too far ahead of me to see. I remember watching in awe as he powered through those workouts like a bull, as we asked ourselves, “How can he be THAT strong?”Having lost direct contact since high school, while following his career from a distance, it’s no surprise that he crafted a stellar career as a record-setting world class runner and coach over these past 50+ years. He seemed superhuman back in 1968 and has consistently shown those who thought this was an “exaggeration”, to be quite wrong.This book captures the depth of that physical and mental strength, and a lot more. It fits the bill for reading on a relaxed Saturday afternoon at home, a stressful day at the office, or a reflective moment before a good workout.
Top reviews from the United States
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Reviewed in the United States on January 2, 2019
Reviewed in the United States on December 12, 2020
The subtle power in Matt’s writing is the way he translates lessons learned on the track, into developmental guidance that’s applicable ANYWHERE in life. His conversational writing style takes the complexity of training and mental preparation, and places them within emotional reach of any reader, even if you’ve never set foot on a track. And he does so without lecturing or condescension. I can hear his insights resonating in my swimming, my previous IBM career and my leadership coaching business. Essentially, anyone who has ever faced a difficult challenge will find lasting value in his words and he can back them up.
Full Disclosure: I had the pleasure of running “with” Matt during his freshman year at Andrew Jackson High School in Queens, NY, before he transferred to Power Memorial. “With” really means I was one of the mediocre teammates who usually saw Matt before and after the workouts, because during the workouts he was too far ahead of me to see. I remember watching in awe as he powered through those workouts like a bull, as we asked ourselves, “How can he be THAT strong?”
Having lost direct contact since high school, while following his career from a distance, it’s no surprise that he crafted a stellar career as a record-setting world class runner and coach over these past 50+ years. He seemed superhuman back in 1968 and has consistently shown those who thought this was an “exaggeration”, to be quite wrong.
This book captures the depth of that physical and mental strength, and a lot more. It fits the bill for reading on a relaxed Saturday afternoon at home, a stressful day at the office, or a reflective moment before a good workout.
More than distance running….more than captivating!
Reviewed in the United States on December 12, 2020
On the surface, the stories that Matt Centrowitz offers are about running, providing just enough detail to keep readers on the edge of our seat. However, the crux of his message is about mission commitment, self-discipline, overcoming adversity and the joy of doing something in life that you really love and maybe are even good at. His approach to these stories is powerful…and that’s an understatement.Reviewed in the United States on December 12, 2020
The subtle power in Matt’s writing is the way he translates lessons learned on the track, into developmental guidance that’s applicable ANYWHERE in life. His conversational writing style takes the complexity of training and mental preparation, and places them within emotional reach of any reader, even if you’ve never set foot on a track. And he does so without lecturing or condescension. I can hear his insights resonating in my swimming, my previous IBM career and my leadership coaching business. Essentially, anyone who has ever faced a difficult challenge will find lasting value in his words and he can back them up.
Full Disclosure: I had the pleasure of running “with” Matt during his freshman year at Andrew Jackson High School in Queens, NY, before he transferred to Power Memorial. “With” really means I was one of the mediocre teammates who usually saw Matt before and after the workouts, because during the workouts he was too far ahead of me to see. I remember watching in awe as he powered through those workouts like a bull, as we asked ourselves, “How can he be THAT strong?”
Having lost direct contact since high school, while following his career from a distance, it’s no surprise that he crafted a stellar career as a record-setting world class runner and coach over these past 50+ years. He seemed superhuman back in 1968 and has consistently shown those who thought this was an “exaggeration”, to be quite wrong.
This book captures the depth of that physical and mental strength, and a lot more. It fits the bill for reading on a relaxed Saturday afternoon at home, a stressful day at the office, or a reflective moment before a good workout.
Images in this review
Reviewed in the United States on February 6, 2017
Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2024
Top reviews from other countries
Steve Bl
The book chronicles the unique life of Matt Centrowitz as ...
Reviewed in Canada on September 30, 2017
Dave P.
Such a great book. True insight into the centrowitz family
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 17, 2017
