Newmarket resident Paul Weston has pushed through plenty of challenges in his life.
The multiple ironman and international triathlete has dealt with the pain that comes with being passionate about sport, along with his own Tourette’s Syndrome and his mother facing Alzheimer’s.
Weston wanted to recount those experiences and challenges —and how he has found ways to persevere.
“They’re all hills we all have to climb, and I wanted to write a book that was humorous in places, that people would recognize, but also quite poignant at the challenges we have to face,” he said.
Weston has released Running Up Hills: An Irreverent Journey Through the Ups and Downs of Life in October. Published on Amazon and by Spotlight Publishing House in print, the book recounts Weston’s experiences and reflections on some of the struggles of his life. It also acts as a follow-up to his first book Running in the Rain - Seriously... How Hard Can It Be?: Effective Strategies for Creating a More Productive and Fulfilling Life, published in 2021.
Part of writing a follow-up book was living up to the principles of his first one, Weston said. But he also found catharsis in writing his latest book.
“I felt like it was a release. Some of the things in the book I’ve never spoken about in my life,” he said.
A former military officer, Weston has led an active life, finishing an ironman triathlon five times. He runs a consulting firm and has become a renowned speaker.
That personal profile has helped him achieve a good reception for his books, Weston said. Both of them have become No. 1 bestsellers, which he attributes to having a lot of people engaged and interested.
“We’re very pleased with the sales,” he said. “I’ve got a reasonable sort of reputation, and when I post on social media I’m publishing a book, a lot of people get interested.”
Weston recounted how his writing has helped him forge bonds, such as others with Tourette syndrome. He recounted flying to New York this month to speak at the Tourettes Association of America annual gala.
“A lot of people read the book and said, ‘Yeah, I feel like I’m part of this community that you’re talking about, and it’s reassuring to know there are other people out there as well,” that’s really the aim of the book,” he said.
Weston said he hopes as people read this book, they see that everyone has hills in life — but they can be taken on.
“If we can actually get to the top of the hill, we’ll feel tremendous about that. We’ll realize what an achievement it is, and those hills shouldn’t stop us from doing the things that we want to do,” Weston said.
There are already ideas going through Weston’s head about his next book, but it will be a few years for that, he said.
For now, Weston said this is a good book for people who want to consider the hills they face in life.
“If you read the book you’ll probably reassured you’re not alone. There are other people facing these things,” he said. “You overcome them, and you can climb to the top of the hill that looks very steep at times. I think it will encourage people to do more with their life.”
You can find the book on Amazon and at Metropolis in Newmarket.
