Synopses & Reviews
Aand#12288;fun, funny, fist-pumpingand#12288;romp through the thriving new fitness culture of obstacle course racingand#12288; Obstacle course racing is the fastest-growing sport in U.S. history. Every week, thousands of marathoners, CrossFitters, and casual weekend warriors shell out money to run through mud and fire, crawl under barbed wire, scramble over ten-foot walls, and dodge baton-wielding gladiators. Some even sprint through electrically charged wires only to suffer muscle-seizing shocks and faceplant in the muck. Inand#12288;Off Course, Outsideand#12288;journalist and endurance athlete Erin Beresini dives straight into this strange world to reveal a new subculture of military-inspired amateur competition and the industry thatand#8217;s rapidly growing to support it. Having reached a crossroads in her own athletic pursuits, Beresini embarked on aand#12288;journey to train and compete in several obstacle races herself, culminating in the worldand#8217;s first marathon-length event, the grueling Spartan Ultra Beast. Along the way, she met a wild cast of characters, from frat boys to housewives, fitness buffs to financiers to fanatics, and uncovered the sport's biggest scandals, lawsuits, and rivalries.and#12288; As Beresini inches ever closer to her goal and#8212; and gets pretty buff in the process and#8212; she also illuminates the history, psychology, science, and sociology of this new sport thatand#8217;s taking the endurance world by storm.
Review
“Dean is not an athlete of clichés but a man who deeply inhabits his life as a runner. He does that with a really solid sense of humor and an understanding that life…and running…can be very entertaining!”
—Bill Rodgers, winner of the Boston and New York City marathons
“Iron man Dean Karnazes is no mere mortal.”—Time “Running with Karnazes [is] like setting up ones easel next to Monet or Picasso.”—The New York Times “The undisputed king of the ultras, who has not only pushed the envelope but blasted it to bits.”—The Philadelphia Inquirer “A ‘short run with Dean could land you far from home.”—The Washington Post “The indefatigable man."—Esquire “Ultrarunning legend”—Mens Journal “Money and fame aside, Karnazes [is] motivated by a primal need more than anything else.” —Outside
Review
“Running with Karnazes [is] like setting up ones easel next to Monetor Picasso.”
—The New York Times“The undisputed king of the ultras, who has not only pushed the envelopebut blasted it to bits.” —The Philadelphia Inquirer
Review
andldquo;Beresini uncovers the growing sportand#39;s most compelling characters and provides the most authoritative insidersand#39; guide to date.andrdquo; --
Outside Magazine andquot;Beresini chronicles her personal journey as she prepares for her race, detailing the regimen and questioning, in an engaging, self-deprecating style, what such a sadistic undertaking says about the participantsandrsquo; sanity. A fascinating insiderandrsquo;s view of endurance racingandrsquo;s latest craze.andquot; --Booklist
andquot;Funny, fast-pacedandquot; --American Way Magazine
andquot;Obstacle course racing has taken the endurance world by storm and in OFF COURSE Erin Beresini gives us an insider perspective into the conflict and appeal of these masochistic suffer-fests, culminating in her quest to complete the granddaddy of them all, the Spartan Ultra Beast. A must read for anyone currently competing in, or considering taking on, one of these newfangled racing events.andquot; --Dean Karnazes, bestselling author of Ultramarathon Man and 50/50
andquot;Erin Beresini has gone gonzo. In OFF COURSE, she puts herself to the ultimate test in an obstacle racerandrsquo;s world of alphas and ultras, and Tough Mudders. Her narrative has humor and heart, and a carnival of characters. Her sharp reporting puts the reader there. By the end of her riotous narrative, I had to wipe mud from my glasses at least twenty-six times.andquot; --Gary M. Pomerantz, author of Their Lifeandrsquo;s Work: The Brotherhood of the 1970andrsquo;s Pittsburgh Steelers, Then and Now
Synopsis
In his follow-up to the best-selling
Ultramarathon Man—which
Sports Illustrated called “fascinating” and the
New York Times said was “full of euphoric highs”—world-renowned ultramarathoner Dean Karnazes chronicles his unbelievable exploits and explorations in gripping detail. Karnazes runs for days on end without rest, across some of the most exotic and inhospitable places on earth, including the Australian outback, Antarctica, and the Tenderloin District of San Francisco.
From the downright hilarious to the truly profound, the linked stories in Run! create an unforgettable tableau, providing readers with the ultimate escape and offering a rare glimpse into the mind-set and motivation of an extreme athlete. Karnazes addresses the pain and perseverance and also charts his emotional state as he pushes the edges of human achievement. The tales of the friendships hes cultivated on his many adventures around the world warm the heart and are sure to captivate and inspire readers whether they run great distances, modest distances, or not at all.
Synopsis
In his follow-up to the best-selling Ultramarathon Man--which Sports Illustrated called "fascinating" and the New York Times said was "full of euphoric highs"--world-renowned ultramarathoner Dean Karnazes chronicles his unbelievable exploits and explorations in gripping detail. Karnazes runs for days on end without rest, across some of the most exotic and inhospitable places on earth, including the Australian outback, Antarctica, and the Tenderloin District of San Francisco.
From the downright hilarious to the truly profound, the linked stories in Run create an unforgettable tableau, providing readers with the ultimate escape and offering a rare glimpse into the mind-set and motivation of an extreme athlete. Karnazes addresses the pain and perseverance and also charts his emotional state as he pushes the edges of human achievement. The tales of the friendships he's cultivated on his many adventures around the world warm the heart and are sure to captivate and inspire readers whether they run great distances, modest distances, or not at all.
Synopsis
From a young journalist and seasoned athlete, a funny, fist-pumping ride through the wacky world of obstacle course racing (Tough Mudder, Spartan Race, etc)
About the Author
Erin Beresini's sports journalism has appeared in The New York Times, Outside Magazine, Triathlete Magazine, Inside Triathlon, and espnW.andnbsp;She is the former Senior Editor of Competitor Magazine. She currently writes Outside Magazineand#8217;s "Fitness Coach" column. She is a world champion triathlete.
Table of Contents
and#160;and#160;and#160;
1.and#160;and#160;and#160;If Itand#8217;s Brokeand#8195;1
and#160;and#160;and#160;2.and#160;and#160;and#160;The Mud Kingsand#8195;17
and#160;and#160;and#160;3.and#160;and#160;and#160;Mouse vs Mudderand#8195;35
and#160;and#160;and#160;4.and#160;and#160;and#160;Vermonstersand#8195;55
and#160;and#160;and#160;5.and#160;and#160;and#160;Throwing a CrossFitand#8195;75
5.5.and#160;and#160;and#160;Training Dayand#8195;91
and#160;and#160;and#160;6.and#160;and#160;and#160;Hobie Call and the $100,000 Prizeand#8195;105
and#160;and#160;and#160;7.and#160;and#160;and#160;Unleashing the Ultra Beastand#8195;123
and#160;and#160;and#160;8.and#160;and#160;and#160;In the Army Nowand#8195;135
and#160;and#160;and#160;9.and#160;and#160;and#160;Endurance SandMand#8195;153
and#160;and#160;and#160;10.and#160;and#160;and#160;Injury Reportand#8195;169
and#160;and#160;and#160;11.and#160;and#160;and#160;This Is the Endand#8195;195
Post Mudemand#8195;211
Extrasand#8195;231