We Loved to Run

By Stephanie Reents
** Publication Date 26 August 2025 **
4 stars



I was a runner. When you’re a runner, you understand what makes people run. Is it the endorphins? The feeling of isolation? The freedom? I don’t know, but I understand what this book conveyed about running.


For a group of young women in college, running consumes their lives during the cross-country season. Every morsel of food that goes in their mouths is counted. Every moment of their lives is focused on the next workout, the next race. For Kristin, her season is being consumed by control. If she can win races, she is in control. Danielle, a senior and team captain, is still fighting demons from her freshman year she would like to forget. Chloe is looking for connection to her teammates, but sometimes she doesn’t understand how to be friends. Harriet is in love. Liv, also in love, but worried. Patricia just misses her pueblo in New Mexico.


The story mostly focuses on Danielle and Kristin. Danielle’s nurturing qualities make her an excellent team leader, until they don’t. Kristin had an awful experience over the summer that she’s trying to outrun. But you can’t outrun or forget the terrible things that happen to you. You have to make peace with them. This is the focus of the novel.


It’s an amazing tale of female companionship, love, relationships, maturing. Watching the women evolve over the course of a season isn’t much time, but so much happens to them. Each of them grows and matures in so many ways. 


The first part of the novel moves rather slowly, and I did worry that I wasn’t going to become engaged with the characters. But as the story unfolds, it becomes so interesting. You want to know why Kristin is so focused and in some ways, so angry. What is Danielle suppressing? Their personal tales make you want to continue to move forward and see if there is any resolution for any of them.


Beautifully written. The end of the novel captures the essence of what these girls live for, running. This novel is about so much more than just the act of putting one foot in front of the other. Although, that is what life is about. Putting one foot in front of the other no matter what. 


Definitely recommend. So happy that I read this one.