The Rise of the Ultra Runners

I've talked on this blog a lot about how I hate running with a passion that is only equal to how much I love reading about running.  This book was perfect for me.  The author decides to learn about ultrarunning by getting a press pass to run the UTMB, a ultramarathon in the mountains in France.  In order to use his pass, he has to qualify by getting enough points in other ultramarathons around the world.  His journey to learn to love (and survive) ultrarunning and his interviews with the people he meets along the way are the heart of this book. He covers the different types of ultrarunning - running 50-100 + miles at once, running a marathon every day for several days in a row, and running a short stretch of trail or on a track for 24 hours.  Each has its own challenges.  He meets up with some of the best competitors and realizes that their lifestyles help them with their training.  One person lives in a cabin 5 miles up Pike's Peak.  There is no road.  You have to run in to get there and to leave.  Others travel the world racing the hardest trails and mountains they can find. He tries to talk top Kenyan marathoners into trying longer distances without a lot of success. He talks to coaches and health care providers about how to stay fit for this and whether all of this is ultimately healthy or not.I loved this story.  I loved seeing what goes into pushing beyond marathon distance.   I would never do it but I liked reading other people's adventures. This review was originally posted on Based On A True Story