The Rise of the Ultra Runners

A Journey to the Edge of Human Endurance

Adharanand Finn

An electrifying look inside the wild world of extreme distance running.

Once the reserve of only the most hardcore enthusiasts, ultra running is now a thriving global industry, with hundreds of thousands of competitors each year. But is the rise of this most brutal and challenging sport—with races that extend into hundreds of miles, often in extreme environments—an antidote to modern life, or a symptom of a modern illness?

In The Rise of the Ultra Runners, award-winning author Adharanand Finn travels to the heart of the sport to investigate the reasons behind its rise and discover what it takes to join the ranks of these ultra athletes. Through encounters with the extreme and colorful characters of the ultramarathon world, and his own experiences of running ultras everywhere from the deserts of Oman to the Rocky Mountains, Finn offers a fascinating account of people testing the boundaries of human endeavor.

Adharanand Finn is the author of Running With the Kenyans, which was shortlisted for the William Hill Sports Book Award. He is an editor at the Guardian and a freelance journalist. He currently competes with the Torbay Athletic Club in Devon, U.K., where he lives with his family. Follow him on Twitter at @adharanand.

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Endorsements & Reviews

"Finn explores what drives an endurance athlete to travel by foot across desolate miles day and night on steep terrain, enduring extreme and even life-threatening conditions. A vivid memoir sure to resonate with marathoners and all interested in ultrarunning." Booklist

"Documenting 18 months of training and 10 ultramarathon finishes, Finn leaves no stone unturned in his journey to understand ultra running. Any reader who has wondered about his or her own limits will revel in Finn's stories of the grit and determination it takes to finish one of these races." Shelf Awareness

"Finn penetrates some of the most fascinating running communities across the world to learn from and train with the individuals that shape them. From Oman to Colorado, Finn offers a vivid glimpse into one of the world’s fastest growing and most mind-boggling disciplines." Runner’s World, “Best Books for Runners in 2019”

"A riveting, thought-provoking, and often funny journey deep into the heart of the fastest-growing corner of the endurance world, from running’s foremost cultural explorer. If you’ve ever wondered what draws people to venture beyond 26.2 miles—or been tempted yourself—The Rise of the Ultra Runners is a must-read." Alex Hutchinson, author of 'Endurance'