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.

A Journey to the Edge of Human Endurance

The Rise of the Ultra Runners

Cassandra Tang

If happiness wasn’t in comfort, was it somehow to be found in being uncomfortable? Was there some need for those of us with no suffering in our lives, to find some? Because it made us appreciate our homes and our comforts more? Or did suffering a little somehow make us stronger, more fulfilled human beings?

It’s always interesting to push your boundaries. If you always succeed you don’t know where your limits are.

Only those who will risk going too far can possibly find out how far one can go.

Rather than trying to catch people, pass them, stay ahead, rush, rush, rush, I can take my time and experience the journey. If I had done the whole race like this, perhaps I could have enjoyed it. Why do I always have to race the whole time?

The Rise of the Ultra Runners quotes

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