The Race To Be Myself, by Caster Semenya

Running Book Reviews with Alan and Liz

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The Race to Be Myself is a 4 part memoire where Caster talks about:

1. The beginning: how she grew up, how she liked to hang out with boys and play sports, and what happened in puberty.
2. The rise: How she got into running and eventually decided to be more serious about training. She also talks about getting more serious about school because she wanted to sun with for a university where she could have access to coaches and other resources that would help her be a better runner.
3. The awakening: Her struggles during the years of high level running and all the tests and treatments she ended up doing (and in some cases not doing) in order to be able to continue running.
4. The redemption: The ban from competing in the female category for events from 400m to 1 mile, and what Caster did next.

Mokgadi Caster Semenya, OIB, is a South African middle-distance runner and winner of two Olympic gold medals and three World Championships in the women's 800 meters. She first won gold at the World Championships in 2009 and went on to win at the 2016 Olympics and the 2017 World Championships, where she also won a bronze medal in the 1500 meters. After the doping disqualification of Mariya Savinova, she was also awarded gold medals for the 2011 World Championships and the 2012 Olympics. Since being banned from competing in her favorite race distance (the 800 meters) due to naturally high testosterone levels, Caster ran a 5000m, got married to her wife Violet, and started a family of her own.

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