This is the story of a man who rides his bike across the country and you won’t remember the riding. I think that’s generally how bike touring is: you remember what happens between pedal strokes. The Memory of Running is the story of Smithson (Smithy) Ide of East Providence, RI. He has spent the last two decades drunk, fat, and alone. His mentally ill sister disappeared decades earlier and his parents get in a car crash. Smithy finds his childhood 3 speed Raleigh in the garage at his parents’ house and walks out on his life.
This is a common story, where someone passes years not living intentionally then has a crisis of faith when something bad and unexpected happens. I like that Smithy didn’t decide to ride his bike across the country (although the story is set up in a way that this is obvious to the reader); he decides to go for a bike ride to try to relive some of the joy of his childhood and never turns back.
The story is told in the past and the present. Each chapter alternates between telling the story of his sister up until her disappearance and telling the story of Smithy’s daily life. His parents originally bought him a bike to help find his sister when she would get lost so riding naturally brings up memories of his sister and he sees her all across the country. He also redevelops a relationship with his childhood neighbor. This was the only story line I didn’t care for as it felt a little too convenient, but human relationships can be very different when there is significant physical distance between people so I can understand how this came about because Smithy had lost his whole family and needed someone at home to lean on.
This was a quick and enjoyable read. It is simply told which I appreciate but I’m not sure that it really touched me in the way that it seemed like it was trying to do. I would recommend it if you like stories about someone who has finally decided to live intentionally.
