In 2024, I read the book Bravey: Chasing Dreams, Befriending Pain, and Chasing Big Ideas by Alexi Pappas. This book fits in the category of memoir, autobiography, sports, and mental health. Alexi is a runner, Olympian, filmmaker, actor, and writer. Well, I do not find it embarrassing to admit I had never heard of Alexi Pappas before! Maybe it shows how I have cut back on social media or pop culture? She represented Greece in the 2016 Summer Olympics. Maybe I should have known her because she has 160k followers on Instagram? I cannot be certain but this may be the same runner I came across one day and had send the post to a friend – she was running with a professional runner – but who was this celebrity?
Knowing the book Bravey was not focused primarily on “running” it was still a worthwhile read. My commentary below will only focus on the “running” parts.
- One criticism for the book I came across was how she complains about being allowed to be in only one high school team sport at a time. Isn’t that a universal rule? We must be missing some context in her story to trigger the complaints. “Boys were allowed to be in both sports,” I believe she stated. Looking back, I’m sure I’ve heard of that. But I will agree with critics, somewhat. It is unfair to those teammates who show up to practice, day in and day out, only for Ms. Speedster to show up to meet, take someone’s spot in the invitational simply because they are faster on paper, and score the team some points. I can’t see how you bond and forge relationships with your teammates in a relay when you skip practice for another sport’s practice. Yeah, as a coach wanting the team to win, you would be stupid not to play your good cards, I get that. But as a hard-working runner who may or may not place, I would still like to be given the opportunity to try to place, but if I’m replaced by someone who doesn’t show up to practice? That’s not ethical.
But the main point that I believe Pappas was trying to get at was being too young to specialize in one sport over the other and Alexi Pappas did not want to choose. Unfortunately, that’s a tough decision that happens all the time – Band or sports? Art or dance? - I further did not like her high school coach because she said she missed one practice to fulfill academic duties as a class student council representative. She said she was kicked off her track team. Maybe we don’t know the full story. Obviously, if the coach really had that lack of patience when it comes to academics – then that’s terrible.
I recall one time in high school freshman biology, there was a 7th hour or after-school study session to come in to learn the crawfish anatomy we had dissected. It was the same day as a track meet, the Catholics’ league finals sort of thing. As a freshman, with little running talent at the time, probably suffering from shin splints, and torn between events, I think going into it, I knew I wouldn’t be racing but only going to support my teammates. I also had done poorly on the quizzes on the dissection chapter and we the final test was upcoming. Instead of leaving early with the rest of the team, I stayed for the biology review for my grades’ sake. I probably did not fare well on the test anyways. I felt much regret for missing the race. I think my coach said something along the surprise of me missing but he certainly was not mad. I think I didn’t realize that it was normal to leave 7th hour early with the rest of the teammates to make it to a race; that that was acceptable and wouldn’t count against my attendance. Of course, this is a different scenario than what Alexi Pappas experienced with her coach; still reminded me of this memory. - Next, let’s discuss cheering teammates. She showed up. When not participating in the race! My high school coach had us cheering other on when we were not actively getting ready for our own race. It is a great mindset to be taught. Now I love being a spectator.
- Lastly, I think it is so fantastic that she became an Olympian despite not finishing her high school track career. It was fun to read the behind-the-scenes experience of the Olympic village. Maybe I don’t watch enough TV or social media to learn what the Olympics are like from that perspective. And I believe she has a good message to share – that you do not need to be an all-star at a young age to accomplish big things in the future.
Running With Your Heart 
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