Smile, or You're Doing it Wrong cover art

Smile, or You're Doing it Wrong

A Journey from Rock Bottom to Redemption

 Preview

Get 30 days of Standard free

£5.99/mo after trial. Cancel monthly.
Try for £0.00
More purchase options

Smile, or You're Doing it Wrong

By: Andy Glaze
Narrated by: Andy Glaze
Try for £0.00

£5.99 a month after 30 days. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for £13.88

Buy Now for £13.88

About this listen

Ultrarunner Andy Glaze has spent years moving through landscapes that test the limits of the human body—hundred-mile races, multi-day marathons, mountains and deserts that demanded everything. But the toughest endurance challenge Andy faced wasn’t found in any of those miles, it was in rebuilding a life shattered by addiction, institutional abuse, and a childhood full of chaos. This is the unfiltered story of how a kid fell hard but got back up even harder.

From a wilderness rehab program where kids hiked for days without food, to a “therapeutic” boarding school run by predators, Glaze survived places that were meant to break people. But this isn’t just a story about the wreckage. It’s about what comes after.

Firefighting. Fatherhood. Finding peace on trails where every step hurts like hell but heals something deeper. Because the difference between a life ruled by fear and a life guided by possibility comes down to one simple act: taking the first step.

This memoir is about endurance in its rawest form: the endurance to keep moving forward even when it feels impossible, to rebuild a life one step at a time, and to discover that sometimes the only way through the darkness is to keep going—and smile, or you’re doing it wrong.

©2025 Andrew Glaze (P)2025 Andrew Glaze Adventurers, Explorers & Survival Personal Development Personal Success Running & Jogging Inspiring Heartfelt Thought-Provoking
All stars
Most relevant
This works brilliantly as an audiobook. Hearing Andy tell the story himself adds a level of authenticity that would be hard to capture on the page alone. You can hear the honesty, the reflection, and the occasional dry humour in his voice, which makes the whole thing feel very genuine.

A lot of it was completely relatable. The internal conversations, the doubt, the stubbornness, and the strange logic that keeps you moving forward when stopping would probably be the more sensible option. Anyone who spends long hours running will recognise plenty of those moments.

That said, you certainly don’t have to be a runner to enjoy it. At its heart it’s really about mindset, persistence, and how people deal with discomfort and challenge. There’s something in it for anyone.

Andy is also one of those people whose inspiration keeps me running, and in turn running helps me be a better dad, husband, and person. I suspect a lot of listeners will feel something similar.

It’s thoughtful, honest, occasionally quite funny, and a genuinely enjoyable listen. Hearing Andy narrate it himself makes it all the better.

Even better hearing it in Andy’s own voice

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Never did I feel “seen” or heard things “click” in my mind just by listening to a book. Thanks, Andy. Stay awesome.

This book is like a hug from a friend

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I’ve followed Andy on instagram for a few years and admire him immensely as both a person and an athlete, but the impact of this book was still a real surprise to me. It’s very emotional, insightful, full of integrity and honesty. The fact that Andy reads it himself really adds to it too, I was walking through the park openly crying as I listened to his voice break during one section. It’s not a perfect book but to critique a piece of work as personal as this seems mean and unnecessary. It’s a powerful read by a great guy whose outlook on life is a joy to digest.

Inspirational, impressive, authentic

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Amazing and inspiring story of a man who gets through difficult times. Not always with brute force, but with passion and values. A man, who inspires others because he knows, how dark it can get sometimes. Very good reading too by the author.

Inspiring

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
I bought this having seen Andy on social media and his story. I’m not a runner, 99% sure I never will be but he does make me think it could be possible if I really wanted. I didn’t listen for running tips though, I listened for an honest ‘story’ of a life that’s not been without (significant) challenge but a life that’s lived to the full and with the kindness, love and positivity I aim to put into my everyday too. Thanks for sharing your life Andy, I’m sure this book has already inspired more than just that one person!

Not a runner!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
See more reviews