A Mile at a Time: A Father and Son’s Inspiring Alzheimer’s Journey of Love, Adventure, and Hope, by Travis and Mark “Mace” Macy and Patrick Regan. Charlesbridge, 2023. Reviewed by trail runner Laura Clark. Laura is an avid mountain, trail and snowshoe runner who lives in Saratoga Springs, NY, where she is a children’s librarian.
“Life’s a team sport” – Travis Macy
I have always enjoyed being active, but as a pre-Title IX female, opportunities for team sports were limited at best. However, as Travis Macy pointed out in a recent email to me, life itself is a team sport. As runners, we sometimes join club teams, but most of our training is a solo experience. And while the “me time” aspect is vital to our well-being, so is the motivation and camaraderie that comes from a group experience.
And this is the message conveyed in the Macys’ life-changing book, A Mile at a Time. Co-written by ultrarunners Travis and Mark (Mace) Macy, the pair team up with family and friends to tackle Eco-Challenge Fiji, billed as the world’s toughest race, produced by Mark Burnett, creator of Survivor. Written through a combination of Travis’ narrative and Mace’s dictation as well as entries from his personal Alzheimer’s journal, their journey together is both touching and powerful.
The allure of an adventure race lies in the fact that it is an adventure into the unknown. If you sign up for a marathon, you have a pretty good idea of the course and know whether you should focus on trail, mountains or pavement. But the components of an adventure race are tackled on a day-to-day basis. Guaranteed you will need map and compass expertise, boating, biking, running, and rock climbing experience as well as an ability to assemble and dissemble all your gear. And that’s just for starters. Then add in the hiccup that Mace had developed early-onset Alzheimer’s disease the year before. This 400 mile, 11-day trek through the jungles of Fiji is challenging enough, let alone for someone with Mace’s diagnosis.
Determined to be the same old Mace, this tough competitor resolved to maintain his long-standing streak with his eighth go-around at Fiji. He and his son reversed roles, with Travis resigning from his competitive team and forming a team with his father. The big lesson in any adventure race is as with any work or sports team, not everyone possesses every skill set to an equal degree. So while Mace needed help with once automatic technical aspects, he led the pack when it came to uphill running and community building. Throughout this journey and during many more to come, his family and team learned to focus on strengths, not losses, and use a positive mindset to redirect options. It is a matter of shifting goals, but still having them, of adjusting your interests as abilities change.
And here is where this book moves from an ultrarunning book to a mindful living book, where, by placing your aspirations in the hands of your teammates, you are encouraged to be your best and present “you.” Travis speaks of Carl Jung’s “two halves of life,” where we move from a focus on self to an interest in contribution and community. As I am definitely in the second half and recovering from some medical issues, I finally get it. I have learned to continue with running and race directing by making modifications and asking friends for help. When I get stuck, I find myself turning to the Macys’ appendix of spot-on tips for getting on with life and caring for those in distress.
As a librarian with everyday access to the written word, I limit my personal collection to those books I know I will want to consult again and again. A Mile at a Time is one of those.
You can purchase this book on Amazon.com.
