Writers On the Run

WOtR 1 – Brendan O’Meara

Writers On the Run
Writers On the Run
WOtR 1 - Brendan O'Meara
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In September, I traveled to Eugene, Oregon to talk with Brendan O’Meara, author of the 2025 biography titled The Front Runner, The Life of Steve Prefontaine and, as of April of this year, a marathoner. When I asked Brendan where he would like to run, he proposed the woodchip trail on the edge of the University of Oregon’s campus known as Pre’s Trail. We talked about his book, about the accomplished and tragic life of Oregon’s most famous runner, and about his writing process. 

Brendan (brendanomeara.com) is also the host of the amazing Creative Non-Fiction Podcast, which you can find on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and anywhere else you listen to podcasts. The podcast has an active Instagram account, @creativenonfictionpodcast, and Brendan maintains a Substack called Pitch Club (https://welcometopitchclub.substack.com/). The paperback version of The Front Runner is available November 2. 

What the listener cannot see:
Clear skies, it is one of the last summer days of 2026 in Oregon. We set off from the spot known as Pre’s Trailhead, running east. The trail travels through trees until opening up with Autzen Stadium’s massive colosseum walls looming to the north. We cross a small wooden bridge and continue on wood chip trail until bordering the hurtling cars of I-5. We turn and follow the Willamette River back to the west through an open field before entering Brendan’s favorite section of the trail, where young trees reach overhead forming a leafy tunnel. The light at the end of the tunnel grows wide and we pass through another open field and then the same grove of trees where we started. All told, we run just over 4 miles.