Alone on the Wall


Alex Honnold - 2015
    Already one of the most famous adventure athletes in the world, Honnold has now been hailed as "the greatest climber of all time" (Vertical magazine).Alone on the Wall recounts the most astonishing achievements of Honnold’s extraordinary life and career, brimming with lessons on living fearlessly, taking risks, and maintaining focus even in the face of extreme danger. Now Honnold tells, for the first time and in his own words, the story of his 3 hours and 56 minutes on the sheer face of El Cap, which Outside called "the moon landing of free soloing…a generation-defining climb. Bad ass and beyond words…one of the pinnacle sporting moments of all time."

Life's Too Short to Go So F*cking Slow: Lessons from an Epic Friendship That Went the Distance


Susan Lacke - 2017
    She was a young, overweight college professor with a pack-and-a-half a day habit and a bad attitude. He was her boss, and an accomplished Ironman triathlete. She was a whiner, he was a hardass. He had his shit together, she most assuredly did not. Yet Susan and Carlos shared a deep and abiding friendship that traversed life, sport, illness, death, and everything in between.Amusing and poignant, Life's Too Short To Go So F*cking Slow is about running and triathlon, growth and heartbreak, and an epic friendship that went the distance.

Barefoot Running and Minimalism: Everything You Need to Know to Make the Healthy Transition to Minimalism and Barefoot Running (Runner's World Essential Guides)


Scott Douglas - 2011
    By introducing a thick layer of cushioning and an elevated heel between the foot and the ground, modern running shoes alter natural running form. But modern running shoes alter form in ways that lead to injury. Therefore, getting back to a more natural running gait by running in little-to-no shoe will lead to improved form, which should lower injury rates.A key reason to run barefoot or in minimalist shoes is to allow your feet to work more naturally, free from the confines and controls of overly engineered running shoes. Unfortunately, too many runners, eager to run more naturally, have gone too far, too fast, from one extreme to the other. The realities of modern life have weakened our feet, ankles, and lower legs, and our bodies have adapted to the shoes we have worn for most of our lives; if we suddenly start running in little-to-no shoe, our bodies are not prepared for the new stresses.Runner's World Essential Guides: Barefoot Running and Minimalism provides historical context, thoughts, advice, and tips on making a healthy transition. The foremost authorities on running on the planet show you how to ease into a transition from conventional running shoes to barefoot running or minimalist shoes, starting with some simple at-home tests to see if your feet already have the strength they need to handle little-to-no shoe. You’ll learn a step-by-step process for safely moving away from doing all your running in big, bulky shoes, including guidelines on how to introduce barefoot running into your regimen.Whether you want to learn more about the barefoot craze that’s swept the nation or you want to introduce barefoot running into your training plan, this indispensable guide contains everything you need to get started!

The Ultra Mindset: An Endurance Champion's 8 Core Principles for Success in Business, Sports, and Life


Travis Macy - 2015
    Most famously, he won one of the country's marquee ultra-distance events: Leadman, a high-altitude series of super-long-distance races, culminating with a 100-mile mountain biking race and a 100-mile trail run. Macy accomplished it without exceptional strength, speed, or flexibility, and without high-tech performance labs or performance-enhancing drugs.His secret? A precise and particular outlook he calls the "Ultra Mindset," principles for daily life that are neither mysterious nor the sole province of ascetics or elite athletes: embrace fear, rewrite stories we tell ourselves, and master the art of seeking help, among others. By applying the principles such as "It's All Good Mental Training," "When you have no choice, anything is possible," and "Never quit...except when you should quit" to other areas of life, anyone can find success that otherwise would have seemed impossible.Coauthored with award-winning running writer and journalist John Hanc, The Ultra Mindset blends exciting personal memoir with actionable, research-based advice. Dramatic stories of Macy's far-flung experiences in the professional endurance-racing world lead into relevant mindset principles, reflective self-assessments, mind- and body-enhancing workouts and activities, and compelling case studies. Macy's stories keep the pages turning as you forge your own winning outlook for success in business, sports, and life.

Start Your Engines: My Unstoppable CrossFit Journey


Sam Briggs - 2020
    This is the story of how she got to the top, and battled with everything she had to stay there. Sam’s memoir takes in the whole story, from being kicked out of ballet lessons as a child but being accepted on the boys’ sports teams, to working as a firefighter in West Yorkshire for ten years, tackling dangerous and adrenaline-fueled situations on a daily basis, and to taking up CrossFit at the comparatively ancient age of 27. Sam tells of what it took to become champion a mere three years later, and after a year out with a broken patella. Despite the numerous setbacks and debilitating injuries that have plagued her in the years that followed, when most other athletes would have thrown in the towel, Sam has fought, and continues to fight, to be the very best that she can be. Start Your Engines is the story of how, with a combination of grit, training and dogged motivation, it’s never too late to achieve your dreams.

Blanket of Stars: Thru-Hiking the Camino de Santiago


C.W. Lockhart - 2018
    The 800-kilometer journey along the Camino Frances provides a scenic backdrop to ponder midlife crisis and chronic illness, an empty nest and marital woes, military service and posttraumatic stress, rage and grief, heartbreak and fear - And the way forward. El Camino de Santiago, known fondly as The Way, is a matrix of trails with starting points across Europe leading to the sacred relics of Saint James the Apostle in Santiago de Compostela, Spain. Often considered a Catholic pilgrimage, this ancient route predates Christianity. The Way continues to evolve, attracting spiritual seekers with and without religion, thru-hikers, fitness junkies, history buffs, and the curious. Armed with humor and grit and a backpack named little Agnus, Lockhart tackles emotional and physical obstacles, shares adventures with pilgrims from all over the world, mothers traveling teens, endures blisters and bicycle seats and embraces the glory of Mother Nature and the intrinsic spirituality of peregrination. She finds herself transcending from a human being on a spiritual quest to a spiritual being on a human quest.

I Am Duran: The Autobiography of Roberto Duran


Roberto Duran - 2016
    In his own words, and for the first time, Roberto Duran tells his unbelievable story in I Am Duran: The Autobiography of Robert Duran. From the mean streets of Panama to the bright lights of Las Vegas, blazing a trail through the golden decade of boxing, Duran, in unflinching form, dispels myths and lays bare the cost of conquering the world. He also returns to the debacle that entered sporting folklore during his rematch with Sugar Ray Leonard, when he uttered the infamous words 'no mas' - no more.Starting life in abject poverty as the illegitimate son of a serving US soldier, Duran quickly realized that his fists could both protect him on the streets and put food on the table. His reputation in and out of the ring travelled the corridors of boxing power on the day, for a bet, he knocked down a horse with a single punch.From his stunning debut in New York to the glorious defeat of Sugar Ray Leonard, the world titles and the chaos that ensued after the No Mas encounter, Duran's explosive life in the ring was matched only by the volatility outside of it, as he lurched from kingmaker to bankruptcy, before the ultimate ending of a bloody comeback and, finally, redemption.

The Complete Running and Marathon Book


Hugo Wilkinson - 2013
    Ideal for runners, personal trainers, coaches, and students, The Complete Running and Marathon Book features detailed anatomical artworks, user friendly step-by-step sequences, advice on optimum techniques and injury prevention, as well as guidance on running psychology.

Do Life: The Creator of 'My 120-Pound Journey' Shows How to Run Better, Go Farther, and Find Happiness


Ben Davis - 2012
    Depressed, addicted to food, and morbidly obese, he thought he’d lost all hope. But after a Christmas Eve conversation with his grandmother, Ben promised himself that he would finally take control of his life. Ben decided to “do life,” and so can you. He started running—slowly at first, but as the pounds came off and his outlook on life started to change, he went faster and further. At first, he couldn’t run a mile, but before long he was running five, ten, and then twenty miles at a time. His father and brother joined him, and as a team they ran a marathon and went on to complete one of the hardest physical competitions in the world, the Ironman. Throughout his journey, Ben captured his transformation in a series of YouTube videos, inspiring countless others around the world to “do life” along with him. In Do Life, Ben shares more of his personal story--from his lifelong struggles with food and obesity to each goal that he set for himself along his journey, including the pitfalls, setbacks, and hard won victories. But in Do Life, Ben does more than tell his story. He illustrates how you can use his techniques to start living your own life to the fullest, whether that means making a complete transformation, losing weight, or simply running further. Running taught Ben how to “do life” and here he teaches you what he’s learned along the way—how to set aside crippling fear and self-doubt, finally find your smile, and ultimately share it with those around you. By sharing his discovery of what was holding him back and how he was able to push forward, Ben will teach you how to break free from any obstacle and live the life you’ve always wanted. Do Life isn’t just about diet or exercise, depression, or addiction—it’s about stepping out of your ordinary life and becoming who you want to be. It’s the story of one man who decided to live life his way. And it could be your story, too.

Unthinkable: The True Story about the First Double Amputee to Complete the World-Famous Hawaiian Ironman Triathlon


Scott Rigsby - 2009
    Scott has since become an inspiration to hundreds of thousands of physically challenged and able-bodied athletes the world over. "Unthinkable" documents Scott’s remarkable journey. From the scene of the devastating crash that claimed both of his legs, and his subsequent battle with depression and alcohol addiction, through his dawning realization that God has a greater plan for his life, readers will be inspired. From his decision to participate in the Ironman competition, to the moment he crossed the finish line, readers will engage with Scott’s unthinkable courage, determination and faith. "Unthinkable" releases simultaneously in both hardcover and softcover. A portion of the proceeds will go to the Scott Rigsby Foundation, a Georgia-based non-profit organization dedicated to inspire, inform, and enable physically challenged individuals with loss of limb or mobility to live an active lifestyle.

Feet in the Clouds: A Tale of Fell-Running and Obsession


Richard Askwith - 2004
    With personal narrative by one of the participants of fell-running—a sport that little is known about, but one that also boasts mass-participation—this fascinating account of arduous circuits, week-long marathons, and pounding the mountainous trails of the Lake District and Snowdonia is a unique and compelling account of stamina and courage that stretches the limits of belief.

Accidental Ironman


Martyn Brunt - 2014
    Having spent 10 years scaling the lower echelons of the sport, the time has come for Martyn Brunt, one of Britain's least successful athletes, to reveal all about how he got involved in all this nonsense in the first place.

Reborn on the Run: My Journey from Addiction to Ultramarathons


Catra Corbett - 2018
    Catra is the first American woman to run over one hundred miles or more on more than one hundred occasions and the first to run one hundred and two hundred miles in the Ohlone Wilderness, and she holds the fastest known double time for the 425-miles long John Muir Trail, completing it in twelve days, four hours, and fifty-seven minutes.And, unbelievably, she's also a former meth addict.After two years of addiction, Catra is busted while selling, and a night in jail is enough to set her straight. She gives up drugs and moves back home with her mother, abandoning her friends, her boyfriend, and the lifestyle that she came to depend on. Her only clean friend pushes her to train for a 10K with him, and surprisingly, she likes it—and decides to run her first marathon after that.In Reborn on the Run, the reader keeps pace with Catra as she runs through difficult terrain and extreme weather, is stalked by animals in the wilderness, and nearly dies on a training run but continues on, smashing running records and becoming one of the world's best ultrarunners. Along the way she attempts suicide, loses loved ones, falls in love, has her heartbroken, meets lifelong friends including her running partner and dachshund TruMan, and finally faces the past that led to her addiction.

Never Wipe Your Ass with a Squirrel: A Trail and Ultramarathon Running Guide for Weird Folks


Jason Robillard - 2013
    Includes A LOT of rather obscure tips, so even expert runners will find something useful. This is the table of contents: Introduction Why DO people run trails? What is a trail? Technical versus nontechnical trails How does trail running compare to other activities? Trail etiquette Trailcraft Elements of good running form Run efficiently Difference between road running gait and trail running gait Uphill technique Downhill technique Pooping What to drink Food Food before a run Food during a run Gear Shoes Carrying water Know where to find water Cell phones Personal location beacons Personal protection Flashlights and headlamps Familiarity with Local Weather Patterns Check the weather forecast Natural weather predictors What to do in a severe thunderstorm Stretching and rolling Learning to fall Prepare for trouble First aid kit Why you should run ultras The different race options Choosing your first ultramarathon Elevation profiles How much do ultramarathons cost? What about fatass races? The difference between road and trail ultras Taking the leap and signing up for your first ultra Learn all you can about the race Finding the time to train for ultras Balancing life commitments Is there such thing as a perfect career for ultramarathons? Picking a race Learning about the race Give me a training plan! How do I choose a training plan? Using heart rate as a training tool Do I have to follow the plan religiously? Listening to your body Overtraining Training partners Training run conversations How to get rid of that annoying training partner The art of experimentation Speedwork Fartleks Hill repeats The long run Crosstraining Course specificity training Periodization Losing weight for race day Race etiquette Runner personalities Race strategy Run/walk strategy So how do you get faster? Walking technique? Speeding up strategy Fasting while training Gluttony training Thermoregulation Electrolytes Chafing Shave the junk or rock the ‘fro? Foot care Popping blisters Running with dogs Training in various bodily states Night running Sleep deprivation training Learning when shit’s about to go bad Racing as training Coaching and ultramarathons Does body type matter Pacers Crew Some additional ultrarunning tips About us

Trail Blazer: My Life as an Ultra-distance Runner


Ryan Sandes - 2016
    Since bursting onto the international trail-running scene by winning the first multistage race he ever entered – the brutal Gobi March – Ryan has gone on to win various other multistage and single-day races around the globe. Written with bestselling author and journalist Steve Smith, Trail Blazer – My Life as an Ultra-distance Trail Runner recounts the life story of this intrepid sportsman, from his experiences as a rudderless party animal to becoming a world-class athlete, and includes details on his training regimes, race strategies and aspirations for future sporting endeavours.Sports enthusiasts will enjoy the adrenaline-inducing trials and tribulations of one of South Africa’s most awe-inspiring athletes, while endurance-sport participants – from beginners to aspirant pros – will benefit from his insights and advice. As Professor Tim Noakes says in the Foreword to this book: ‘However much we might think we know and understand, there are some phenomena which now, and perhaps forever, we will never fully comprehend. We call such happenings “enigmas”. Or even miracles. Ryan Sandes is one such.’