Running for my Life: On the extreme road with adventure runner Ray Zahab

by Ray Zahab

In Ray Zahab's world, a comfortable jog is 30 kilometres, a serious marathon is 200 kilometres in extreme conditions, and an honest test of a man's endurance is running through the Sahara Desert ? all of it. Zahab was once a pack-a-day smoker, but through dedication and persistence, he managed to achieve a level of fitness that allowed him to run in some of the world's toughest tests of endurance, including the crossing of the entire Sahara Desert on foot. Running for My Life is the story of a man's journey from a world of partying and hard living to a world of eco-challenges, epic long-distance races, and championships. As a young man, Ray Zahab almost lost himself to excessive drinking and smoking. Then on New Year's Day of the year 2000, he caught a glimpse of where his partying would lead him and decided to turn his life around. Running for My Life is a brave and bold autobiography that follows Zahab's travels down the roads to destruction and redemption. It is a book that documents one man's passion for challenge, distance, and discovery.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography

238 pages, Paperback

First published October 15, 2007

Reviews

[Nola Vorbrich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting and informative

I enjoyed reading about the different places to run in the world. Writer captured the feel of running in the desert or the jungle.

[Chris Helmkay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book about extreme runner, Ray Zahab and his life of running. Very easy and quick read. And inspirational.

[Namratha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Inspiring and fun, can relate to his struggles but not his wins ahahaha

[Meghan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am a runner, who loves to read about running. I read Pam Reed's book, The Extra Mile, and although many other readers hated her book and found no inspiration from it, I loved it. I found not only motivation, but was also able to relate to it in many ways. As for Zahab's book, Running for My Life, I didn't find it as satisfying.

When picking up, Running for My Life, I was very excited thinking this book would be similar to, The Extra Mile, but it was not. Maybe it was because I, like Reed am female and Zahab is male. Both books start out talking about how the authors became athletic. Reed was interested in gymnastics, as I was when I was a child, and then later played tennis. I played varsity tennis through out High School too. Zahab was interested in horseback riding. I also find that I related to Reed, because she is American. Zahab is Canadian.

Anyway, the beginning of Zahab's book is very boring, and hard to get through. I find him quite pathetic, as he is on an unknowing quest to find his passion, and identity. After talking about horse back riding, mountain biking, moving from texas, back to Canada, he finally gets into the running part.

Although, this book started off quite boring, it got better. I find it quite inspiring that this man was quite pathetic, but then transformed himself into something great. And he didn't just start with a little 5k. He started big, very big. It is amazing, that his first Ultra was through the snow and his second was through the sand. The best part of this book is when he goes to Morocco, and runs an Ultra through the dessert. He runs over beautiful sand dunes, in extreme heat. While reading this, I remember my runs on the beach this passed summer. Because my body is use to road running, six miles barefoot on the sand in the heat was an intense workout for me. I couldn't even imagine running further than that.

I was very interested to hear about his experience in Badwater. Pam Reed talks about Badwater in her book and I thought it would be cool to get another perspective on it. Unlike, Reed who won Badwater and competed in it several times, Zahab failed at it. I also was looking for Reed's name through out the book. And there it was in the Badwater section. I loved that Zahab mentioned how he got the opportunity to meet Pam Read and run the same race as her. It showed his respect he had for other runners.

[Kellyann · Rating 2 out of 5]

While I commend the author for his tremendous efforts and successes, this book provided me with zero inspiration and barely kept my attention. Enough comments like "it's hard to put into words" made me want to reply, "well then you shouldn't have written a book". Random race details and surface level descriptions of people and places made for a wooden, thrown together feel.

[J-Carks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I found the writing to be very energetic, making it quite easy to read/follow. A great summer read. Very inspiring story. Would be very motivating for youth (late teens to early-20s); however, there are some expletives in the text.

[Thebestdogmom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome book. Inspirational.

[Christopher Shulgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this because I know Ray a little bit. His voice really resonates and his enthusiasm for challenge and just life in general is infectious. I really enjoyed this book.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick and simple read. Kept my interest. Check out his documentary, Running the Sahara.