Dean Karnazes has pushed his body and mind to inconceivable limits, from running in the shoe-melting heat of Death Valley to the lung-freezing cold of the South Pole. He's raced and competed across the globe and once ran 50 marathons, in 50 states, in 50 consecutive days.
In A Runner's High, Karnazes chronicles his return to the Western States 100-Mile Endurance Run in his mid-fifties after first completing the race decades ago. The Western States, infamous for its rugged terrain and extreme temperatures, becomes the most demanding competition of his life, a physical and emotional reckoning and a battle to stay true to one's purpose. Confronting his age, wearying body, career path and life choices, we see Karnazes as we never have before, raw and exposed. A Runner's High is both an endorphin-fuelled page-turner and a love letter to the sport from one of its most celebrated ambassadors.
"A book that will inspire athletes of all stripes, whatever their aches and pains, to hit the ground running." - Kirkus Reviews
"Runners are sure to be captivated by this account of an unconventional endurance athlete who tenaciously challenges physical and mental boundaries." - Booklist
"Fans of extreme sports will consider this a must-read and appreciate the pithy motivational bits peppered throughout ... But the winning tone and message will lend this broader appeal to inspiration-seeking readers and those who appreciate accounts of the gruelling end of human endeavour." - Publishers Weekly
"Full of euphoric highs...a journey into distance running that is much less about sweat than about the emotional terrain that unfolds at the frontier of endurance." - New York Times on ULTRAMARATHON MAN
"[Karnazes'] spirited memoir...can help mere mortals who want to push past their perceived limits or simply jump-start their sedentary lives." - Chicago Tribune on ULTRAMARATHON MAN
"An exhibition of unadulterated courage and mental and physical stamina [for] anyone who likes to read about ordinary people doing extraordinary things." - Boston Globe on ULTRAMARATHON MAN
"Heart-stopping stuff." - The Economist on ULTRAMARATHON MAN
