Running with Swords: The Adventures and Misadventures of an Irrepressible Canadian Fencing Champion

By Sherraine Mackay

Prior to the 2004 Athens Olympics, few Canadians - outside fencing circles - knew very much about Sherraine MacKay, but as the countdown to those games began, her name became more and more familiar, and while the world of fencing had been, up to that time, an esoteric sport at best, it too was suddenly thrust into the limelight.

It helped, of course, that in the last World Cup of the season prior to the Games, MacKay had won gold (her second) that she had been ranked as high as number two, and consistently ranked among the top 10 female fencers in the world over the past five years. It helped that her photo suddenly began appearing in our national magazines and in major daily newspapers across Canada. It helped that she was ebullient, outspoken, quick-witted and funny enough to land a spot reading her Letters from Paris on CBC Radio's The Inside Track with host Robin Brown.

In a surprise upset, a Greek fencer bested Sherraine in Athens, though the Canadian women's team, which she anchored, finished fourth - the best finish ever by Canadian women in Olympic fencing.

Running with Swords, is Sherraine McKay's journal, her own story of her incredible journey from tiny Brooks, Alberta where she was born, to Paris, France where she moved to train for Athens while teaching English as a second language to elite athletes. At once inspiring, thoughtful and brimming with MacKay's sense of humour, it is also the story of young athletes from Canada and around the world, of the sacrifices made in the pursuit of dreams, the friendships forged, and the joy of the game whether on the track, in the field, in the water, on the ice, or on the piste.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 155041982X
• ISBN13: 9781550419825
• Release Date: September 2005
• Publisher: Fitzhenry & Whiteside
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 1.15 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.3" x 9.3"

Customer Reviews

Both a personal memoir and a lively insider's account of the Olympic sports world

Any interested in the sport of fencing will find engrossing RUNNING WITH SWORDS: THE ADVENTURES AND MISADVENTURES OF THE IRREPRESSIBLE CANADIAN FENCING CHAMPION. Author Sherraine Mackay's Olympic dreams and efforts to chase them across Europe made her among the top ten women fencers in the world. From her personal upset in Greece to her success in leading her team to fourth place in the Olympics, RUNNING WITH SWORDS is both a personal memoir and a lively insider's account of the Olympic sports world. Diane C. Donovan California Bookwatch

A book of universal appeal

I am the kind of person who would NEVER pick up a book written by an athlete, am rarely interested in biographies and am wary of "inspirational" literature because of the amount of fluff out there. However, this book crosses so many genres of literature, that it has appeal to all. It was rare to not read a few pages without a smile on my face and even let slip a few guffaws along the way. And i was inspired by her challenge not to let her sport define her and control her sense of value and worth, something we all face whether it be via money, our job or how we look. Overall an honest, humble and candid look inwards at herself and outwards at her environment, all with a great sense of humour that by the end of the book you feel like you have made a friend.

You'll Poke Your Eye Out!

This delightful look at the demanding world of Olympic athlete Sherraine Mackay will provide hours of insight and fun.Written in a fast paced enjoyable witty style this book should prove to be a delight for readers of all ages.Find out about the ups & downs of a dedicated amateur athlete who pays to compete around the globe. Witness the catalogue of sacrifices it takes to reach the top.This book should be an inspiration to all prospective Olympians and athletes of all ages and skill levels....run out and buy it today!