Jamie is a serial adventure travel fund raiser, who has previously run across Canada and before that some bike ride home from the far East. Indeed he set up his own charitable foundation, Adventureman.org supporting a cause rooted in his own childhood illness.

The story reveals him as a lovable character and a bit of a clown, but his previous exploits point to a determined and successful man.  Whilst I’m not a fan of charity runs, this is far from one. 

Unsupported and pushing his belongings in a trolley he takes the best part of a year to ‘run’ from the West tip of US to the Eastern tip, via a deep Southernly loop through twenty four states. He visits a number of children’s hospitals along the route, with his journey being  illuminated by the varying seasons, and meetings with many people and characters along the way.  He shies away from any detailed planning, relying on the kindness and support of those he meets on his route. He’s not from the typical ultra runner mold, but tells a story of adventure, endurance and challenge. 

‘Dream big’, they say.  The cover depicts him dressed as his alter ego ‘ Adventureman’ and the title belies a glorious second part to the book.  I won’t reveal the ending but the record breaking isn’t done in the USA.

The human dynamics of the first adventure contrast acutely with the second; such a contrast in style and ethos from the self-propelled transient lifestyle of the America run to the ultimate recording breaking run, and a very powerful experience for him and his team. 

Like any ultra run – stick with it.

Buy Running America here

About the author: Joe Faulkner is the man behind NAV4 Adventure with a long history of off-road running, adventure racing and mountain skills training. He created The Great Lakeland 3 Day Mountain Trial, Haweswater Half Marathon and the Tour de Helvellyn.

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“We only have one life and when it’s gone, it’s gone. You will never get the chance to do the things you talked about doing and that is why I grab every opportunity that comes my way”

There it is – Boom !  ….. right between the eyes, those words have landed on their intended target and have me mentally reaching for my diary, thinking of all the things I need to do and feeling panicked that there just isn’t enough time. This is of course the point of this book, Kevin Webber goes under the banner of just an ordinary bloke going about his ordinary life when he gets delivered some extraordinary news “You have between three to four years to live” and with those 9 words, Kev’s life was to be defined by Before and After prostate cancer diagnosis. 

What turns Kevin’s epithet of being an ordinary guy on its head is how Kevin reacts to this news. In England alone one man dies every hour from prostate cancer and Kevin has made it his mission to get the message of early diagnosis and treatment to every man.

Whilst Kevin is evangelical about the importance of this message, nearly seven years post-diagnosis the significance of this message is still at the front of pretty much every day planned – the narrative that accompanies the crusade is the extraordinary achievements that he has undertaken. There are only a few in a lifetime of running who have racked up the miles, the days, the weeks, the years of back-to-back running from races from the Equator to the Arctic and in “Dead Man Running” Kev narrates in an easy style the many highlights and the challenges that these years have brought.

Kev regales readers with great anecdotes of what it feels like to succeed and achieve lifetime ambitions, at the same time tempering euphoria with the reality of knowing that his cancer diagnosis will leave his wife without their planned future hopes and dreams and his children without a Dad. He brilliantly describes the growing group of friends and supporters who provide a network that keep re-appearing at different times throughout the chapters and in far-off places. Kev gives us “warts and all” stories of being in the chemo-suite during regular trips to the hospital and then talks of a deadly black cobra dropping from a tree onto the path right in front of him in Sao-Tome. He talks of the death of his father and of fear of being arrested for “pooing” in Alaska. 

It is this contrasting of the profound, the ridiculous, the tragic and the joyous that makes this book a great read. 

If you are an ultrarunner you will easily relate to the consistent themes of the challenges that play out in your head and in the field. Or, if you are facing or have faced a life-changing event of such enormity that every part of you is challenged beyond what you could previously have dreamt of. Or, if you are walking down a path of mediocrity wondering “Is this as good as it gets?”, then this book will show you how an “ordinary guy” in the face of extraordinary circumstances can turn extract joy and fulfilment from every day and use the brutality of his prognosis to save the lives of others. 

Kevin Webber will be signing copies of his book on the RunUltra stand (J12) at The National Running Show.

Dead Man Running is available from 6^th September. Pre-orders and orders are available from Pitch Publishing and other booksellers. Priced £19.99

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By Dan Stinton

Blur vs. Oasis? City vs. United? Hall vs. Kelly? You have to choose one to support, right? Will I have made a decision after reading Damian Hall’s book, In it for the long run? It’s a story many of us wish we could tell: how he rose to ultrarunning stardom in his late thirties.

Kicking off with an overview of the history of ultrarunning, from the impressive to the historic (and often highly unlikely) ultra-distance claims, it paints an impressive account of the development of the sport, particularly the emergence of the bigger UK challenges. 

An avid interest in traveling, mountaineering and hiking soon led Damian to discover the Pennine Way, around the same time he entered parenthood and began delving into the world of running. His job as a journalist/author gave Damian the opportunity to write about his early ultrarunning exploits with The Wall, Race to the Stones and his first 100-miler: the Cotswold Way. Even at this point it’s clear he had a talent for running with high-ranking placings and a clear passion to win.

After falling into the wrong crowd (a group of ultrarunners called the Bath Bats), he soon starts taking on bigger challenges and picking up top positions in high profile events, but also taking on more extreme solo challenges. We hear tales of sacrificing time with family, ultimately leading to the decision to change career and become a full-time runner/coach. It’s a fascinating insight into his life and the friendships he’s developed through ultrarunning. There’s so many big ultrarunning names mentioned in his book and it’s lovely to see such a sense of community and support between them.

You soon start to see the determination when Damian sets his mind to something: one example being the Paddy Buckley Round.  After a first attempt in around 25 hours, he went back in 2019 and broke the record with a time of 17:31:39; amazingly a large part of it unsupported but finishing off with an adrenaline-fuelled, frantic final leg with Michael Corrales. If that wasn’t enough he went and completed another record-breaking winter solo round unsupported in 2020.

Damian’s writing style is engaging, funny, with lots of in-jokes and sarcasm which make it a thoroughly enjoyable read. Before you start, it may be worth a look at Damian’s Instagram page and familiarising yourself with his word bingo to prepare yourself for a barrage of words like bobbins, bimble and lumps.

Anyone who follows Damian’s exploits will be aware of his passion for the environment and how he brings this into his world of ultrarunning. For example his recent Coast-to-Coast record he worked to minimise the carbon footprint for the attempt, using local pacers, fuelling on a vegan diet and even picking up litter along the way. A later chapter is dedicated to the environmental crisis we face which makes for some sobering reading and one for us all to reflect upon. But don’t worry, it soon returns to tales of running over large lumps.

Damian’s book feels very relevant right now.  We’ve all been through our own version of life during coronavirus and it’s really interesting to see how he (and many in the ultrarunning scene) have continued to strive for achievement in the running world in the absence of races. It closes with a chapter of contributions from fellow ultrarunners asking the all-eternal question: why do we do ultrarunning (in particular personal challenges rather than events), which is a great way to finish the book. A highly recommended read.

You can buy it here.

Have you read In it for the Long Run? Don’t agree with this review? What’s your opinion? Add your own comment to this review and share your experience and passion for running with others.

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About the writer: Dan is a Peak District based runner collecting mud and scrapes in and around Glossop. He likes nothing more than escaping into the Dark Peak and then writing about how difficult it was.

All images by Dan Stinton.

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By Ally Whitlock

I have to admit that when I first picked up One Track Mind, I was a bit sceptical. I mean, how much can you write about running round & round a track for 24 hours?

The scenery doesn’t change and you don’t really go anywhere.

But this isn’t just a story about running around a track.

Michael Stocks story starts as he stands on the starting line of a 24-hour track race. He is aiming to run more than 150 miles within 24 hours to fulfil his dream of being selected to run for Great Britain.

Part one sets the scene at 11:59am, a minute before the race starts. The heavy grey clouds, the driving rain, the tents pitched around the perimeter of the running track. It’s here I learn that the race is being held at Tooting Bec Athletics Track. I spent my teenage years living a mere 500 metres from the Tooting Bec. I only ran on the track once though when I came last in the 800m at my school sports day in 1993.

I instantly feel an allegiance to Michael, I can picture exactly where he is.

12:00 and the race starts. It’s clear that this is not a narrative about running for 24 hours around an athletics track, rather a reflection on how Michael came to be standing on the starting line in the first place.

As the minutes tick by, we learn about all the planning and preparation that has gone into this race. We learn about his race tactics, his feeding schedule and what he is eating and drinking. He talks of his training and the practicalities of the race.

We meet the other runners on that wet track, the 85-year-old Geoff Oliver and the 78-year-old Patricia Seabrook. Mari Mauland, Sarah Morwood, Susie Chan and Marco Consani among others. As Michael says, everyone out there has a story to tell.

But far more interesting than a mere report on the race, Michael subtly weaves his life story around that track.

We meet the non-exercising, cigarette-smoking younger Michael. Michael the muscular gym-goer. The corporate high-flying Michael and Michael the runner.

We meet his wife, Jane, a constant presence at the side of the track. We learn how he realised he couldn’t live without her and proposed to her after stepping off a plane from South Africa.

We meet his Mother-in-Law, Eve, one of his biggest fans who’s stood on the sidelines cheering him on at many previous races but who is sadly nearing the end of life.

We meet the friend who hates running and camping and spends 24 hours in a tent at an athletics track in the firing rain to crew him.

We meet his coach Norm and the professionals he seeks advice from.

But as the minutes’ tick by, most of all we meet Michael.

As he runs around the track, we learn about him. About what drives him, his goals, his ambitions and even his struggles. And that is the part of the narrative that stands out for me the most. Michael isn’t an elite ultra runner. He is 49 years old, he dreams of running for team GB and knows to do so he will have to run the race of his life.

This is a story of sheer determination, perseverance and hard work.

He has the same fears and worries that the rest of us do. He worries about the other runners in the race before reminding himself that all he needs to do is focus on his own performance.

He has failed before, he has missed his goal. He knows what disappointment feels like. He’s been injured, unable to run.

He suffered from nausea, he walks. We hear the negative voices and doubts in his head. We learn how he reframes his thoughts to get rid of them. Turning negative language and connotations of darkness and suffering into positive words of light and brightness.

He shows us the mental tools he uses to make it possible to keep going for 24 hours straight, acknowledging that his mind is as important as his legs in achieving his dream.

As a runner myself, there is so much I can take from Michael’s story. I was nodding my head in agreement and understanding time and time again. Focus on the mile I am running, not those to come. Don’t worry about anyone else’s race, only my own. Reframe negative thoughts into positive. And most importantly, bad patches will pass!

Overall, I really enjoyed reading this book. It was engaging, inspiring and thought-provoking. It shows just how much work goes into a race performance like this.

At one point Michael says, I may only have travelled 400 metres around this track, but I have been on a 100-mile-long journey. And that’s what this book is. It’s not a story about running around a track, it’s a story about a life’s journey.

About the writer: Ally is a photographer & entrepreneur based in Croydon, South London with a love of all things photography, coffee, gin, books, running & the great outdoors.

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By Conrad Wild

Why take the train when you can run?

Gavin Boyter is no stranger to a long run, having already written about his exploits running from John O’Groats to Land’s End in Downhill From Here.  In Running the Orient, he takes his aspirations into Europe with a run along the route of the Orient express, taking in Paris, Strasbourg, Munich, Vienna, Budapest, Bucharest and Istanbul.

Such a journey across the heart of Europe promises variety, as we follow Boyter through villages, towns, cities, forests, alongside rivers and over mountains. Accompanying him on this journey is his girlfriend and sole support crew, Aradhna, and their trusty(ish) campervan, Roxy.

I haven’t read a lot of books from the ‘travel journal’ genre, nor do I often read running books, despite being a keen runner. So it was with some trepidation that I picked this one up. I was pleased to see an introduction from his girlfriend, Aradhna. Support crews are crucial to endeavours such as this and very often are an all too ‘invisible’ part of the story (more on this later).

Boyter’s challenge starts with converting their new (old) Mazda Bongo into the fully-fledged state of the art campervan that will support him on his journey. ‘Vanlife’ is very much on trend at the moment and Boyter covers the challenges of it well.

Going to the loo (aka digging a hole) becomes a part of the daily routine, and there is always the challenge of where to park up for the night – we see often the kindness of strangers in offering hospitality, as well as the less salubrious places to spend the night.

Other challenges include navigation (I get the feeling he didn’t have a precise route in mind!), where his path is often stymied by unexpected obstacles from rivers, to fences and even border officers in one amusing episode.

He is also not adverse to a spot of unassuming civil trespass when the need arises and let’s face it, we’ve all been there! And what running adventure could be complete without a Mexican stand-off with a herd of cows (not to mention feral dogs and wild boar).

Boyter is very thorough in his narrative and for me he is a little too thorough. We get quite literally a day by day account of his journey, which for me started to make the book a more arduous read than it ought to have been. Also, the footnotes. So many footnotes! Seemingly in a quest for detail, the author provides a lot of footnotes, many of which could have been part of the main narrative (and indeed enriched it), and others which could have been done away with altogether.

I found the latter half of the story (Eastern Europe) more engaging than the first half, perhaps because for me there is much more a sense of mystery and adventure around Romania and the Carpathians, and former Soviet Bloc countries. So, if you find yourself struggling through some sections, it’s worth skimming if it means reaching some of these later chapters.

A recurring theme is Boyter’s relationship with his partner and support crew, Aradhna, and here is where I think the book misses a trick. There are constant references to Aradhna’s trials and tribulations, but these are very much from the author’s point of view. I think the story would have benefitted hugely from being interspersed with her narrative. Perhaps this could have replaced the recurrent ‘Tips for Multi-Day Runners’ sections, which in my opinion would have been better placed in the Appendices.

Overall, I found this book enjoyable, engaging, arduous and frustrating in equal measure. More judicious editing and the inclusion of a narrative from his support crew would have made for a much more satisfying read.

Running the Orient By Gavin Boyter is published by Great Northern Books.

About the writer: Conrad Wild has walked/jogged/ran some 30 ultramarathons, as well as a spoonful of DNFs and a marathon in a multi-story car park. These days, when he hasn’t got his head stuck in a book, he can be found jogging around his local woods with his spaniel, Jack.

Have you read Running the Orient? Don’t agree with this review? What’s your opinion? Add your own comment to this review and share your experience and passion for running with others.

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All photos courtesy of Gavin Boyter

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A new and updated version of Wild Running has been published this year. The book features 200 trail runs across the UK. They have been chosen by authors Jen and Sim Benson for the great running terrain and scenic beauty.

There are routes for all levels of runners, from gentle, easier-going runs to tough ascents and trail routes in remote locations. The book covers six areas of the UK, England south west, south and east, central and north, as well as Wales and Scotland.

Jen and Sim Benson are runners, photographers and authors. You can buy the book on Amazon and at wildrunning.net for £16.99.

Photo credit: Fiona Outdoors

Pros: What’s good about the Wild Running guidebook

The book looks and feels high quality. There are numerous beautiful photographs that will easily entice runners to take to the trails in new areas, or to further explore their own region or country. 

It’s clear that the authors have put a huge amount of work into researching and choosing some of the best trail runs in the UK. They have also run all the routes and offer point-by-point details, as well as small maps, so readers can follow the routes too.

There is a great spread of running routes across the UK. If you are visiting a new area of the country or you want to explore your own region or country on foot, the book is ideal.

The authors have written a few pages of informative introduction to trail running. There is a brief history of running, the story about how the authors met and became keen runners together and how they have explored and written the book.

There are useful tips on getting started with trail running and how to build fitness. Another page aims to show runners 10 ways to be wild and safe. One tip worth noting is that the routes in the book are described for fine, summer conditions.  It continues: In poor weather [the routes can be vastly different, particularly those in high and mountainous areas, presenting a considerably tougher challenge.

As well as being split into regions and countries, the book has lists of best for routes. This is a really nice touch because it means you can choose a route according to what you like to see and do, as well as the type of trail running you enjoy.

There are routes that are identified as: Best for beginners, best for fastpacking and ultra distance, best for urban escapes, best for summits and views, best for coast and beach, best for rocks and scrambling, best for wildlife, best for wheels, best for islands, best for woods and forest, best for wild swimming, best for history and culture and best for weekends.

The photographs are beautiful and plentiful.  As much as this is a useful guide to running trails, it’s also a coffee-table style book. I have enjoyed flicking through the different regions and countries, admiring the variety of scenery revealed in the photos and making a list of places I would like to run.

The book makes me feel that trail running in new areas is accessible. I have spotted routes that I would like to do in my home country of Scotland and also further afield. Before discovering the Wild Running guidebook, I have relied on friends to tell me about – or show me – their favourite trail routes, as well as using a variety of walking guidebooks and websites. Now there is a book I can use to plan my own trail runs.

I also like that the book explores wilder areas. The authors have obviously taken a lot of time to travel to all regions and to some remote and wilder places. This means that the book doesn’t just list the most obvious or popular routes in an area. While I have spotted routes in Scotland that I am already familiar with, there are plenty more that I have not run.

The authors have also done as much as they can to give details of how to follow the routes. There is a brief overview of the route, as well as a small map with each run. Further information can be found by going to the Wild Running website, where there is a download of more detailed route information, a GPX file and also an interactive OS map of the route.

As well as being a great product to buy for yourself, I think that the Wild Running guidebook would be a lovely gift for a running friend.

The authors picked five great wild trail runs in Scotland.

Photo credit: Fiona Outdoors

Cons: What’s not so good about the Wild Running guidebook

There is very little not to like. The only criticism I can think of is that the book will definitely cost me money because I now want to travel to see many new places on foot. 

Conclusion

The Wild Running guidebook is inspiring, informative and very useful. It has been sat on my bedside table for many enjoyable hours of bedtime reading and planning. I have been compiling a list of routes I would like to run and new places to visit. This is a great buy for trail runners of all types and fitness levels.

About the writer: Fiona is a keen runner, preferring off-road and hilly to flat and road. She lives in Scotland where the weather is fickle so needs to be prepared for all conditions.

Have you Wild Running? Don’t agree with this review? What’s your opinion? Add your own comment to this review and share your experience and passion for running with others.

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By Dan Stinton

After 50 hard miles at Wendover Woods in 2016, I crossed the line after a final lap in the dark, feeling fantastic to have finished my first 50-miler.  My friend, Michelle, was there at the finish line.  It was great to see her and have some support after such a long day running through the woods.  After a couple of minutes of chatting, suddenly, she was ignoring me and staring over my shoulder.

“It’s Vassos!” she said excitedly, “Shall I go and speak to him?”.  All my ultra-glory faded rapidly and I suddenly felt very unimportant indeed.

“Bloody Vassos…” I thought as I stood there munching through my hard-earned chilli…

That very race features later on in Running Up That Hill, Vassos Alexander’s latest book which explores the highs and lows of going that bit further.  It’s great to read someone else’s perspective on a race you were at yourself and he captures the experience fantastically. 

For those that don’t know, Vassos Alexander was the Sports presenter on The Chris Evans Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2.  He now continues to report all things sport moving with Chris and a number of the team over to Virgin radio earlier this year.  He’s had various roles in the media including reporting during a number of Olympic Games.  He’s also the co-host of a free weekly podcast focussed around parkrun.

After a foreword by Chrissie Wellington and a short intro, the book begins at the pre-race briefing for Spartathlon, a 153-mile footrace reliving the footsteps of Pheidippides who, in 490 BC, ran from Athens to Sparta to seek help in the war between the Greeks and the Persians.  The Spartathlon becomes the umbrella race as Vassos gradually recounts his experience during various chapters spread throughout the book.  It doesn’t feel disjointed and works well to create a sense of suspense about the outcome of the race and the people he meets along the way.

Vassos has a great writing style and intersperses humour along with serious messages about the challenges of ultra running, both physically and mentally.  Part of what I love about ultra running is that there is always a tale to tell as something bizarre/funny/horrific (delete as applicable) seems to happen on these journeys. Vassos has many a tale to tell – from his encounters with Mick the flatulent Australian to a ridiculous-sized ankle at the Dragons Back race in Wales which could potentially have been cured by a magic-wand!

This isn’t just Vassos telling us about his races though, throughout every chapter he includes interviews and recalls discussions with many of the big names in ultra running including (not the full list); Scott Jurek, Jasmin Paris, Marcus Scotney, Dean Karnazes, Killian Jornet, Debbie Martin-Consani and several others.  This works well and gives a great insight into their character, their achievements and what continues to drive them to run long.

There are also a few colour pages in the centre of the book showing pictures of the various races covered, including the obligatory ultra runners horrific-foot image.  Thankfully, this only takes up a small part of a page.

Conclusion

At a little over 200 pages this isn’t a particularly long book and is a nice comfortable read.  If you’re new to the world of ultrarunning, this will give you a great picture of many big names and races and you’ll come away knowing a lot more about the scene and who’s who.  Experienced ultra runners will enjoy the stories from these epic races and interviews with many of the great runners around the world.  A thoroughly enjoyable and recommended read.

Back to that race in Wendover – as a final punch in the kidneys, whilst I thought I’d finished a couple of minutes ahead of Vassos, it emerges in chapter 17 that two miles into the last lap he doubled back to see his wife and kids and then went back out to finish the race…

The post Running up that Hill – Vassos Alexander Book Review appeared first on Run Ultra.

By Alice Morrison

I notice the silence first. There is sound – the rising of my own breath and the gurgle of feet on wet grass– but no noise. The suffering comes next: a trickle, then a seep, then a torrent. I do not fight it. It is why we are here.

Jonny Muir is a runner and a writer and captures the poetic and heroic nature of ultra running with skill and artistry. This is his fourth book and it is about running in the high places of Scotland.

It’s a big beast of a book with a mix of personal experience, anecdote, history and information. His love for Scotland and for the sport shines through. His love for the mountains sometimes gives way to hate, but his obsession with them continues.

He introduces us not only to the runs that Scotland has to offer but to the great characters that have undertaken them over the past decades, and his tales of heroism are theirs as well as his own.

His own heroics are pretty impressive. He takes on Ramsay’s Round, often called Scotland’s ultimate challenge. It’s a 60-mile circuit of twenty-four mountains ending (of course!) on Ben Nevis and by the end of which you will have climbed the equivalent of Mount Everest – arguably with worse weather.

The cut off time is 24hours and the joy of the round is its simplicity – human v mountains – and also its challenges. The Highlands throw everything at him as he makes the attempt.

What happens? No, I’m not going to spoil it… buy the book and find out.

This book is a great read, full of fabulous facts; true, tall tales; lashings of courage and all of it wrapped in excellent story telling. It will be my go-to birthday and Christmas present for quite some time.

But be prepared, once you read it, if you’re not already lucky enough to live there, you’ll be heading to Scotland.

The post The Mountains Are Calling Review appeared first on Run Ultra.

By Elsa Trujillo

Marathon and ultra running legend and coach Rory Coleman is now a book author. In his latest adventure on paper he lays bare the reasons why he first took up running and how it profoundly changed –and saved- his life. As Coleman himself says in his introduction, this is a life story, a story about finding redemption and purpose in running.

WHO IS RORY COLEMAN

If you live and run in the UK, Britain’s Most Extreme Runner should not be a stranger to you, having run over 1000 marathons and 200 ultras. Yes, you read that right.

As examples, he ran 28 marathons in 28 days for the 2013 Stoptober campaign to encourage smokers to quit; in 2002 he ran a marathon between every stadium in the UK’s Premier League, 660 miles; in 2004 he ran 1,275 miles from London to Lisbon via France and Spain in 43 days, and he has multiple entries in the Guinness Book of Records.

He’s a well known running trainer and performance coach specialising in MDS training, a race he is fascinated with and has run 14 times to date.

WHAT’S IN THIS BOOK

A Rebel and a Runner is Coleman’s honest account of what set him on a running path back in 1994 when, as a heavy drinker and smoker in his early 30s, he decided to turn his life around and ran his first 100 steps in his work clothes.

A year later, he ran his first London Marathon and his first ultra. In 1999 he was hooked on the Marathon des Sables in the Moroccan desert for life.

He writes about his early years and the lifestyle choices that eventually led to the turning point where his only salvation was to run. And run he did. His running CV is an astonishing and lengthy list of running exploits around the globe which he describes in detail, including emotions, favourite soundtracks and stats.

There are chapters on first successes, different ultras, MDS and the Desert Cup in Jordan, the Premier League feat and the London to Lisbon run, the Stoptober campaign, but also plenty of personal details and confessions about who he is, what drives him and all the things he’s done as a runner.

CONCLUSION

If you’re looking for some advice on how to run a regular marathon, an ultra in a hot desert, or just plain run, this is probably not the book you were looking for. If you don’t run, or like me come apart at the seams after a 10k (but still dream about an ultra), this book is a good way to get into the mind of someone that has the concentration and will power to run a marathon practically every day of his life, either for work or for pleasure.

This is a book about what inspired one person to run, how he got to it and how he keeps doing it day after day, including the highs and the lows. Coleman does not set out in this book to be liked, he is honest about his choices, his views on running and other runners, his obsession with being fit and his ambition to be the best.

I run and I read and I really enjoyed this book. I found I am nothing like Rory Coleman, as a person or as a runner and I still enjoyed this book and would recommend it.

The post A rebel and a runner – Rory Coleman book review appeared first on Run Ultra.

Book review by James Eacott

Still Not Bionic is the second book by Ira. His first, ‘Fat Man to Green Man: From Unfit to Ultramarathon’ was well received. I haven’t read his first book, but knowing how well received it was – and that you didn’t need to have digested that to read Still Not Bionic – I tucked into his second publication…

Who wrote it?

Ira is – as he describes himself – an ‘unremarkable man and unremarkable ultra runner’. I find that most ultra running books these days are either biographies of amazing runners with incredible personal stories – Dean Karnazes, Scott Jurek, Kilian Jornet et al – or they come from more of a ‘Race Listing’ stance such as Ian Corless’ Running Beyond and Tobias Mews’ 5 Races To Run Before You Die.

Ira’s book, however, sits in its own sparsely populated camp. He talks of the ‘real-world’ ups and downs of being a middle-of-the-pack ultra runner and I think most of us will really get him.

Photo credit: Ira Raney.

What’s Still Not Bionic about?

It starts where Ira’s first book ended. He’s just completed the 45-mile Green Man Ultra around Bristol and is looking for the next big thing when he sets his sights on the dreamy distance of a 100 miler. The classic distance of 100 miles grabbed Ira (as it has many of us) and so he begins plotting his route towards the Centurion Running South Downs Way 100.

Early in the book, Ira introduces his struggles with depression for which I applaud him, yet it was with surprise that – even as early as Page 20 – I read: What I do remember, with vivid clarity, is driving down a country road and fixating on the truck approaching me on the opposite side. And then steering my car across the white line into its path.

He’s honest and real about his mental health, but this isn’t a dark book or one for those looking for a complex dissection of mental health in sport. It’s enough to make you say ‘I get what you’re saying’. Mental health issues are commonplace in endurance sports and it needs to be talked about more. Well done, Ira, for addressing it head on.

If reading about what I have been through helps even one person face up to their denial [of having a mental health issue, then it’s been absolutely worth writing this.

Mission accomplished, Ira.

Anyway, back to the book.

His journey continues through wonderful descriptions of the Highland Fling, the Bath Running Festival Marathon and the Green Man Midnight Express (the Green Man ultra route, in reverse, starting at midnight). He also tackles 100 laps of a 400m track (25 miles) with his good mate Paul, as well as a night run from glamorous Weston-super-Mare to his home in Bristol. He then ticks off the Country to Capital before his greatest pre-100 event: Transgrancanaria.

It was his rather painful experience of Transgrancanaria where I felt like I bonded with him most. He really bit off more than he could chew and his time in the Canaries is something all of us who’ve pushed boundaries can relate to. He returned battered and bruised, mostly mentally, and turned his attentions to the SDW 100.

Again, like most of us, I related to his apoplectic rage with his wife around the small matter of fitting in training with his family and life commitments.

By the time he finally set out on his SDW 100 conquest, I found myself really backing him, willing him to do it. He recounts the adventure just as most of us would experience it. He captures the highs, the lows and the nuances that make the sport of ultra running so great.

I won’t say how it ends – you’ll have to read it.

What I liked

As much as I enjoy books by the elite of the sport, it’s difficult to relate to their accomplishments. Their achievements and the world they live in as professional athletes is more fiction than reality for most of us. Ira, however, occupies the world that the rest of us live in.

The relatability of the book is what I enjoyed most. I got his feelings. I understood how he often doesn’t want to run. I understood his guilt at fitting runs into his life at the sacrifice of other commitments; how tough it is dealing with injuries, DNS’s and DNF’s.

Summary

It’s a warm, real and humorous account of life as an ultra runner that’s hugely relatable. I see more books like this being published as the sport grows.

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