The 27th Mile

“The 27th Mile captures the deeply personal moment when the thing that once defined you is suddenly out of reach. Dimity writes with honesty, humor, and so much heart. This book is a companion for anyone navigating the loss of a long-held identity–and a hopeful guide to discovering who you are beyond what you do. It is tender, wise, and profoundly relatable.”–Siri Lindley, World Champion Triathlete, coach, and author
“The 27th Mile speaks to the heart of every athlete who’s had to pause, pivot, or let go. It’s a compassionate guide for rediscovering yourself when running no longer defines you–and proof that there’s still joy and purpose beyond the miles.” –Elyse Kopecky, three-time New York Times bestselling coauthor, Run Fast. Eat Slow, Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow, and Rise & Run
“As any runner knows, not being able to run, or moving on from a running career, is one of the hardest and painful things that can be experienced. As a woman hanging on to her running by a thread, I am comforted to know that there is a guide waiting for me when I reach the end.” –Kara Goucher, two-time Olympian and author of Strong
“Dimity McDowell’s The 27th Mile is far more truthful and helpful than that old runners’ canard, “There is no finish line.” In fact, we all stop running at some point–whether from burnout, injury, or aging. McDowell understands that we must grieve first, but then get going again. You don’t have to keep running; you must keep moving. Sadness gives way to revival and new life-sustaining practices. Yes, you can.“–Amby Burfoot, 1968 Boston Marathon winner/longtime Runner’s World editor/author, Run Forever
“Every runner’s nightmare: the day when it ends, when the body says the glory days are gone or even worse, when it says ‘no more’. It’s like losing your best friend. Preparation is everything so read this now!”
–Kathrine Switzer, pioneering marathon runner and author
“Nearly every runner will, at some time or another, find themselves unable to run due to injury or other unwanted circumstances. In The 27th Mile, Dimity McDowell put words to the grief that runners feel when they’re forced to give up an activity that’s so much more than mere exercise, it’s also a source of community, identity, and release. THE 27th MILE offers comfort, commiseration and useful coping advice to waylaid runners. Whether their break from running is temporary or permanent, runners involuntarily separated from their beloved sport will find support and a sense of hope in McDowell’s book.”
–Christie Aschwanden, author of Good to Go: What the Athlete in All of Us Can Learn from the Strange Science of Recovery
“Runners tie their identities to their hobby like few others. It serves us well–until it doesn’t. Then what? The grief and loss are real when running is no longer an option. The 27th Mile is the gentle, kind, and sound advice we didn’t know we needed in order to move on to the next phase of life.”
–Erin Strout, journalist and author
“So many titles exist about the joy of running or how to become a runner, but rarely has there existed a book honoring the choice and/or necessity to take leave of the sport. Not only does she pay homage to all that the sport has done for her and her community, but Dimity also takes time and space to honor her own body and spirit, inviting other longtime runners to offer their stories as well. When you are ready to make that decision, make sure to read this first.”
–Mirna Valerio, runner, adventurer, and author of A Beautiful Work in Progress
“This is not just a book; The 27th Mile offers a community in which we rethink our relationship with running and are given both tools and permission to thrive with or without it.”
–Deena Kastor, Olympic Medalist, New York Times bestselling author of Let Your Mind Run

Dimity McDowell grew up in Minnesota, where she disliked running. She only ran for the shuttle run and mile-test in the Presidential Physical Fitness Tests and never received a certificate of high performance. In college, she was recruited to the rowing team, where she found her athletic groove. Her first somewhat enjoyable run was a two-mile jog to the boathouse.

After graduating and moving to New York City, running became central to her life. With a salary as an editorial assistant that barely covered rent, let alone a gym membership, she ran laps around Central Park hundreds of times and completed her first marathon, the 1997 New York City Marathon. During her time in New York City, Dimity worked on staff for Women’s Sports + Fitness, Self, ESPN: The Magazine, and Sports Illustrated for Women before becoming a freelance writer.

McDowell enjoyed a successful freelance career, focusing on sports and fitness, until the rise of the internet impacted print magazines. In 2007, McDowell, then a mother of two young children, and her colleague Sarah Bowen Shea, mother of three, trained for and ran the Nike Women’s Marathon. Dubbed the “Marathon Moms,” they blogged about their training for the Runner’s World website and wrote a feature for the print magazine, which led to their first book, Run Like a Mother (2010).

McDowell and Shea founded Another Mother Runner to foster a supportive online community for women. As the community expanded, so did AMR. The duo published two more books, launched a podcast, developed training programs tailored for busy women, and organized retreats.

Today, McDowell resides in Denver with her husband, two children, and two dogs. Although she no longer runs, she enjoys long day hikes and bike rides, continuing to live by the motto she often shares with the Another Mother Runner community: keep moving forward.

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