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The Extra Mile: One Woman's Personal Journey to UltraRunning Greatness
The story of the woman who shocked the running world in 2002 when she won the sport's most grueling race―135 miles from Death Valley to Mount Whitney―beating her closest competitor by 5 hours!
One year after her astonishing victory at the Badwater Ultramarathon, Pam Reed again made distance running history when she braved the hottest weather in years―135 degrees―to successfully defend her title. How does this 100-pound mother and stepmother of five muster the endurance and courage for the 28-hour climb from the hottest desert floor on Earth to the shadow of the continental United States' tallest point? In The Extra Mile we watch this ultramarathon champion seek balance in her life as a wife, mother, athlete, and entrepreneur. With astonishing candor she tells of her 15-year-long battle with anorexia. And she helps us to understand her passion for ultrarunning―to discover how far the human body can be pushed. The success of Dean Karnazes's book, Ultramarathon Man, and Reed's TV appearances have demonstrated the public's fascination with this growing sport. Reed's book will be an inspiration to women everywhere.
One year after her astonishing victory at the Badwater Ultramarathon, Pam Reed again made distance running history when she braved the hottest weather in years―135 degrees―to successfully defend her title. How does this 100-pound mother and stepmother of five muster the endurance and courage for the 28-hour climb from the hottest desert floor on Earth to the shadow of the continental United States' tallest point? In The Extra Mile we watch this ultramarathon champion seek balance in her life as a wife, mother, athlete, and entrepreneur. With astonishing candor she tells of her 15-year-long battle with anorexia. And she helps us to understand her passion for ultrarunning―to discover how far the human body can be pushed. The success of Dean Karnazes's book, Ultramarathon Man, and Reed's TV appearances have demonstrated the public's fascination with this growing sport. Reed's book will be an inspiration to women everywhere.
272 pages, Hardcover
First published July 11, 2006
37 people are currently reading
688 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 119 reviews
July 3, 2008
Trying not to be snarky. Trying. I couldn't even finish this. I tried. So many times. But it's so disjointed, and the writing is so poor.
I'm sure she's a very inspiring person (I picked up her book wanting to be inspired). But I just couldn't get through it, and I found her as a person so unlikeable for much of what I did read. I think I'll pick up Dean Karnazes book, because I'm terribly interested in ultrarunners, and this one just didn't do it for me.
I'm sure she's a very inspiring person (I picked up her book wanting to be inspired). But I just couldn't get through it, and I found her as a person so unlikeable for much of what I did read. I think I'll pick up Dean Karnazes book, because I'm terribly interested in ultrarunners, and this one just didn't do it for me.
February 16, 2018
Pam Reed is a great runner, but unfortunately this book is boring and meandering.
There's so much description of people she knows, and so little description of racing and training. She writes as if she's just always good and running and goes out and does it - no struggle, no conflict, no anything interesting. It's like: "I decided to do this long race. So I went and did it. I ran for a really long time. Then I won." And maybe that's how ultrarunning is for her. If so, great. But it doesn't make for an engaging book.
There's so much description of people she knows, and so little description of racing and training. She writes as if she's just always good and running and goes out and does it - no struggle, no conflict, no anything interesting. It's like: "I decided to do this long race. So I went and did it. I ran for a really long time. Then I won." And maybe that's how ultrarunning is for her. If so, great. But it doesn't make for an engaging book.
March 7, 2018
I did enjoy reading about Pam's races, her successes, training and life in general. What I didn't like was that the book didn't follow a timeline. It went always back and forth between older events and more recent ones. I like it a bit more organized.
Nevertheless, she is a great athlete and I enjoyed reading her story. It is very motivating and shows clearly that if you want to do something badly there is always enough time in your life to do it.
Nevertheless, she is a great athlete and I enjoyed reading her story. It is very motivating and shows clearly that if you want to do something badly there is always enough time in your life to do it.
January 3, 2010
Pam Reed is an amazing ultra runner, no doubt about it. She won Badwater (135 mile race through Death Valley in July) overall two times in a row and ran 301 miles straight (in 79 hours), among many other great accomplishments. However, she is no writer. I enjoyed the race details in her book. I guess that is what I was looking for when I picked it up at the library. However, she is all over the place in her story, talks about her anorexia, her affair, her personal issues too much. She talks about how she doesn't keep track of her fellow runners/competitors, but then lists all kinds of stats on them. She protests a feud between her and Dean Karnazes, but it seems more like a "thou doth protest too much" sort of thing. She spent a chapter talking about each of her kids and her friends, etc. and I guess I just didn't care. I wanted to hear more racing stories. I liked the running stuff. I admire her ability and accomplishments. I could have done without a lot of the extra fluff though.
August 13, 2011
pam reed is bad ass!
the literary quality of this book might only warrant two stars and i think that's fine; pam spends a lot of time practicing to be a good runner, not to be a good writer. With her multiple badwater wins, 24-hour records, myriad other running accomplishments, plus being a mom and small business owner/operator (tuscon marathon), how could she find time for the thousands of hours it must take to hone one's writing skills? to me this ends up feeling more real than something sensationalized, exaggerated, and embellished (think laura hildebrand).
the literary quality of this book might only warrant two stars and i think that's fine; pam spends a lot of time practicing to be a good runner, not to be a good writer. With her multiple badwater wins, 24-hour records, myriad other running accomplishments, plus being a mom and small business owner/operator (tuscon marathon), how could she find time for the thousands of hours it must take to hone one's writing skills? to me this ends up feeling more real than something sensationalized, exaggerated, and embellished (think laura hildebrand).
November 9, 2018
Enjoyed the look into Pam's life...would have liked more insight into the races she has run, the drama, the story of the race within the race.
Brian
I’m a runner who enjoys telling a story, a shameless plug for my book: Running to Leadville
https://www.amazon.com/Running-Leadvi...
A captivating account about a lost soul, a small mining town and a 100-mile trail race that changes lives.
Brian
I’m a runner who enjoys telling a story, a shameless plug for my book: Running to Leadville
https://www.amazon.com/Running-Leadvi...
A captivating account about a lost soul, a small mining town and a 100-mile trail race that changes lives.
February 23, 2012
This was a pretty good read overall, but mostly because I'm a junkie for running memoirs, and I'm impressed as heck with Pam Reed. She writes with great honesty about her life, her struggles (including anorexia), her triumphs - and I wasn't as put off as other reviewers of this book were by her "defensiveness" at times. I think she has some good reason to be; for someone who's as remarkably accomplished in the sport as she is, few people even in the uber-geeky community of ultrarunning have even heard of her, which is a shame. I agreed with her in tending to wonder how much of her relative anonymity (again, I'm just talking about within the running community; I understand that most of society doesn't give a darn about runners :P ) has to do with her being a woman. But holy cow, Pam Reed beat even all the male competitors at the 135-mile Badwater race through Death Valley in 2002....BY FIVE HOURS. People should know about this woman! What other competitive athletic feats in the world can women be so competitive with men? Ultrarunning is still a sport largely dominated by men, so I was duly inspired by Pam's incredible accomplishments and contributions to the sport.
The writing itself was less impressive - again, not quite as disorganized as other reviews led me to expect, but overall fairly unpolished. Most of the pull quotes from other people seemed oddly placed and often unnecessary or redundant. I found myself wishing at many points the writing could be a little more self-reflective, a little more compelling, and perhaps combed over a little more finely by an editor. Often it felt like a conversational and relatively superficial rehashing of the many races Reed has run over the years. Obviously, though, I was still riveted enough to plow through this book in just a few days :)
The writing itself was less impressive - again, not quite as disorganized as other reviews led me to expect, but overall fairly unpolished. Most of the pull quotes from other people seemed oddly placed and often unnecessary or redundant. I found myself wishing at many points the writing could be a little more self-reflective, a little more compelling, and perhaps combed over a little more finely by an editor. Often it felt like a conversational and relatively superficial rehashing of the many races Reed has run over the years. Obviously, though, I was still riveted enough to plow through this book in just a few days :)
October 5, 2009
I've been on a kick of reading running memoirs this year. I saw this book while searching around and really wanted to read it when I saw that it was a woman's story.
And Reed blew me away with her accomplishments, and she really lets the reader know about about them. And then reminds the reader again. And again. Her writing had voice, which so many memiors have a hard time with, but as I read, I found that I just didn't like her very much. At times, her tone was one of bragging. And, don't get me wrong, she's done things worth bragging about but it's off-putting just the same.
I was also put off with the Dean Karnazes stuff. I didn't know this before reading the book, but apparently there was some media-blown rivalry between the two of them, and Reed spends a fair bit of time discussing it. In fact, she spent so much time talking about what she declared was a non-issue that I rapidly felt that she was trying to convince herself as much as the reader of this. And if she's going up against Dean Karnazes based on personality, then she's going to get blown out of the water. He's one of the nicest people running trails today.
Reed hasn't written any other books, so I don't have to worry about whether I want to read anything else written by her, but in honor of the lack of rivalry, I'm going to read another one of Karnazes's books!
And Reed blew me away with her accomplishments, and she really lets the reader know about about them. And then reminds the reader again. And again. Her writing had voice, which so many memiors have a hard time with, but as I read, I found that I just didn't like her very much. At times, her tone was one of bragging. And, don't get me wrong, she's done things worth bragging about but it's off-putting just the same.
I was also put off with the Dean Karnazes stuff. I didn't know this before reading the book, but apparently there was some media-blown rivalry between the two of them, and Reed spends a fair bit of time discussing it. In fact, she spent so much time talking about what she declared was a non-issue that I rapidly felt that she was trying to convince herself as much as the reader of this. And if she's going up against Dean Karnazes based on personality, then she's going to get blown out of the water. He's one of the nicest people running trails today.
Reed hasn't written any other books, so I don't have to worry about whether I want to read anything else written by her, but in honor of the lack of rivalry, I'm going to read another one of Karnazes's books!
August 11, 2012
After enjoying Dean Karnazes' Ultra Marathon Man so much, I was really looking forward to reading this book by an ultra marathon woman. When she wrote about running and her races, the book was really interesting. Unfortunately, she spent a lot of time whining (in my opinion) about her anorexia and rather quite a bit discussing her disturbing, ego-filled, somewhat neglectful relationships with her husbands and children. Could've done without the girlie angle. If you are going to write about running, write about RUNNING! No one likes a whiner, least of all athletes. She's obviously in amazing shape, but I had a hard time taking her seriously. I enjoyed Karno's book a lot more, even though he seemed to barely manage a thin veil over his huge ego and possibly even his misogynistic views of female athletes.
June 18, 2012
This memoir was one of the most poorly organized and unpolished books I've read. As other reviewers have said, Pam Reed is a runner, not a writer, but still I'm surprised that the editors didn't reorganize her ideas, jazz up her descriptions, and give more coherence to her musings on personal subjects. I read the book to the end and appreciated learning about ultrarunning, but Reed ultimately doesn't provide the reader with the kind of vicarious experience and understanding that a book should.
I would almost recommend this book to people who are interested in ultrarunning simply because it will provide some understanding of the sport while being a really weird reading experience.
I would almost recommend this book to people who are interested in ultrarunning simply because it will provide some understanding of the sport while being a really weird reading experience.
November 1, 2015
My library is running out of titles that I am interested in reading or haven't read on Overdrive, so I picked out "The Extra Mile." Granted I know nothing about ultra-running, but how bad could it be? The answer is...bad. Ms. Reed's book is a mixed up mess that should have been article or two. I found her reference to her ongoing battle with anorexia slightly offensive--she says that anorexia actually helped her because it taught her body to thrive on very little. Not okay to say. Dangerous, even.
September 25, 2012
This was interesting, but I didn't really find myself relating to her as a person or a runner. I questioned her honesty at times. A memoir is the perfect opportunity to show our nitty-gritty selves or to continue to show the world how we'd like them to see us. I'm not sure which one she did with this book.
All that aside, I can't believe all the things she's accomplished in running. It's pretty incredible.
All that aside, I can't believe all the things she's accomplished in running. It's pretty incredible.
September 6, 2018
DNF. Got it from audible and returned it. After listening to her whine about her marriage, then whine about the new guy, then whine about him when she was married to him, then talk for hours about anorexia, I couldn’t deal with her anymore.
I’m sorry you have shitty taste in men, but maybe take a look at you, since you’re the one cheating.
I’m sorry to that you have an ED, but perhaps replacing it with hundreds and thousands of miles of running isn’t so great mentally, either.
Ugh.
I’m sorry you have shitty taste in men, but maybe take a look at you, since you’re the one cheating.
I’m sorry to that you have an ED, but perhaps replacing it with hundreds and thousands of miles of running isn’t so great mentally, either.
Ugh.
December 6, 2020
I found this book to be very inspiring. Running four miles takes on a whole new perspective when you're learning about someone who runs hundreds at a time. I loved her outlook on life, her motivations and her ability to let things go and not bother her.
This book is more about what's written rather than the writing itself. You feel as if you're sitting there listening to her speak, and not necessarily moved by creative prose.
I recommend this to runners who need that little bit of motivation and who want to be completely blown away at what the human body is capable of.
This book is more about what's written rather than the writing itself. You feel as if you're sitting there listening to her speak, and not necessarily moved by creative prose.
I recommend this to runners who need that little bit of motivation and who want to be completely blown away at what the human body is capable of.
July 1, 2024
Excellent first hand account of what an ultra marathon runners life is like. Definitely gives me the kick in the pants I need to start moving again in this direction!
January 28, 2011
It was interesting to read, but just the parts about running (not other parts of her life). I didn't think it was very well written, especially at the end. I actually turned the page back to double check that I hadn't missed something.
July 10, 2011
As a middle-pack runner, I really admire what Pam Reed has archived. But it is hard to appreciate her writing style. Maybe just me, but there is just too much complaining in the book.
February 10, 2024
This book is absolutely awful. I ended up skimming some sections just to finish it, for whatever reason. I love running and would have really enjoyed reading about Pam Reed's training and racing. That is not what this book is. Pam comes across aa incredibly unlikable and probably psychologically unwell from the very beginning. She clearly hates her husband, and even openly acknowledges that they have a bad relationship. She spends way too much time defending herself as a mother. And her discussion of her anorexia is also mostly defensive and a justification for why she's different than other people with anorexia and the rules don't apply to her. She's also repeatedly defensive about her beef with Dean Karnazes, and spends an entire chapter complaining about how wrong a magazine article was about her. The amount of time she spends claiming she isn't crazy and didn't do things just to challenge Karnazes sort of proves the opposite.
On top of all that, the book is very poorly written. It has no structure. It reads like journal entries. She claims the ancient Olympics lasted a thousand years (more like 600) -- not a big deal but annoyed me. And she over and over says things like I finished in around this time or in about this place, even though the records are readily available and she could just look them up. And worst of all, she never even talks about her training, at all! And only vaguely describes her races.
I genuinely wish I'd just gone to sleep an hour earlier last night rather than finishing this trash.
On top of all that, the book is very poorly written. It has no structure. It reads like journal entries. She claims the ancient Olympics lasted a thousand years (more like 600) -- not a big deal but annoyed me. And she over and over says things like I finished in around this time or in about this place, even though the records are readily available and she could just look them up. And worst of all, she never even talks about her training, at all! And only vaguely describes her races.
I genuinely wish I'd just gone to sleep an hour earlier last night rather than finishing this trash.
March 15, 2025
I have read reviewers say that family should really come first and Pam has less emotional storytelling than X... I don't get people anymore! When you read the memoir of Frank Sinatra.. you make comments as such?! "Family should come first, Blue Eyes!" And as far as emotions go..I like it when people tell their stories with details, understanding that not everyone will know a certain jargon. Pam Reed did a great job at reaching out to even newbies. I am reading some chapters to my 9 years old, who definitely does not do ultra running.
It is a plus for me to know that Pam Reed is still running at 63 years.. young. Sometimes, I read a book and research about it's author to find out that the person has retired and became inactive since.. I find that sad. In Pam's case, I feel motivated because I would also like to become a late runner or masters.. and it doesn't bother me at all that I have a very different mentality and energy level to Pam Reed's. I still would recommend this book to runners.
It is a plus for me to know that Pam Reed is still running at 63 years.. young. Sometimes, I read a book and research about it's author to find out that the person has retired and became inactive since.. I find that sad. In Pam's case, I feel motivated because I would also like to become a late runner or masters.. and it doesn't bother me at all that I have a very different mentality and energy level to Pam Reed's. I still would recommend this book to runners.
May 28, 2021
I really enjoyed learning more about this running legend. I thought some of the content regarding her struggle with anorexia could have stood to be looked over by a eating disorder professional, but she made it very clear that her comments were personal and not meant to cover everyone who struggled with such issues. It probably reflects more of the time frame that she wrote her book as well.
Her thoughts and perspective on gender discrimination as an athlete and the challenges of being a working mother were important and issues that STILL need more discussion today.
I appreciated her candor and honesty on her relationships. Her frankness can best be summed up with her statement, "Running can't be separated from the other things going on with me, especially in my closest relationships."
Overall a quick and good read... and well timed for me to coincide with her epic Cocodono 250 finish.
Her thoughts and perspective on gender discrimination as an athlete and the challenges of being a working mother were important and issues that STILL need more discussion today.
I appreciated her candor and honesty on her relationships. Her frankness can best be summed up with her statement, "Running can't be separated from the other things going on with me, especially in my closest relationships."
Overall a quick and good read... and well timed for me to coincide with her epic Cocodono 250 finish.
November 15, 2014
I was a newbie runner in 2012, and when I first took it up, I decided to read some memoirs of great runners, for inspiration and information. Pam Reed’s memoir is the first one I picked up and I’m glad to say it both inspired and informed me, the perfect memoir combination.
Most people probably don’t know what ultra running is, and that’s because it’s pretty crazy. Then again, I’ve heard that all runners are crazy, which I just refuse to believe. ;) If you’re one of those people that think running is crazy, then your mind is about to be blown. Ultra running is running distances further than a marathon which is 26.2 miles. Ultra runners typically run races of 50 miles, 100 miles, or in Pam’s case, even 300 miles! Without stopping! WHAT THE WHAT?! Yeah, talk about making me feel lame when I struggle to run a few miles.
Pam has run so many events and has an overwhelming list of accomplishments and awards. Her biggest accomplishment to date is winning Badwater two years in a row. This race is astounding. Racers run 135 miles in temperatures of about 120 degrees, give or take some degrees. These ultra events are so intense that runners have crews with them who give them food and cool them off, and also typically don’t get any sleep either. Their reward for finishing this race? A belt buckle.
Pam has also run 300 miles nonstop, which took her a few good days. She took this idea upon herself just to show that she could do it. Color me impressed!
Pam’s story is nothing short of astounding. She tackles a lot of issues in this book including Anorexia, being an elite athlete while also being a wife and mother, and the problem of women not receiving due recognition in sports such as ultra running. I enjoyed reading about all of these issues, as well as the casual tone of the book, but enjoyed the racing parts the best. Pam has run all over the world in all kinds of events including 24 hour runs, where racers just run for 24 hours straight to see who can run the most miles in that time frame.
Pam could come off as a bit conceited, maybe a bit crazy at times, but ya know what? I’d take conceited and crazy any day if I had the physical strength, determination and skill that she has. Her story has inspired me to push myself and forgo any limits I’ve placed upon myself, because really? We can do anything we set out to do, even the hardest things, if we want it bad enough. Pam Reed is living proof of that fact.
As for me? I’m going to keep on running my heart out, and I’ll think of Pam when I feel like stopping, and know that I can always, always do more.
-----
Quotes to keep:
“Placing limits on what I think I can accomplish is something I tend not to do. I’ve heard that people are actually able to cover about twice their imagined limit: If you think you can run only 1 mile, you can really run 2; if you think you can run 2, you can run 4… While initially I never thought I would run the distances I have, or in the times in which I’ve done them, I haven’t really put mental limitations on myself either. And truly, I’ve surprised myself.” (p. 7)
“It’s really funny how your energy level and motivation can fluctuate during a race, and the things that give you a boost are weird.” (p. 49)
“I once talked with a woman who believed she could never be a good runner. She said, ‘I’ve tried it, but the whole time I was running, all I could think was, ‘When will I get to stop?’ And I thought, ‘I feel that way lots of times, and I just keep going.'” (p. 55)
“Running is something you’re ready to do, something you want to do, and perhaps even something you’re born to do.” (p.64)
“… desire and commitment are so important in ultra events. There is a certain amount of technique involved in running, but as the distances get longer, the race depends more on the heart than on the legs.” (p.139-140)
“Before a long run, there’s a sudden realization of how impossibly far you have to go. So you have to step back from the long-range perspective and just focus on letting the first mile happen, or the first quarter mile, or even the first step.” (p. 149)
“If you can mentally convince yourself that you can tackle a task, whether it’s running a marathon or cleaning up a room, you can always accomplish it physically.” (150)
“So here is tip number one for any new distance runner: savor the milestones. In your running career, whether you compete at the top level or just make running an enjoyable part of a long, healthy life, you are only a virgin once. Only once will you run your first 10-K, your first half-marathon, your first full marathon, your first ultra. So when you do experience a first, I think it’s really important to stop for a moment to recognize how great it feels.” (p. 172-173)
“Everything was so exciting when I first started. All I cared about was running as much as I possibly could. I would finish one event and think, ‘Well, when’s the next one?’ Whenever it was, wherever it was, I would try to get there just to be on a course again.” (p. 172)
“Athletes in the third category are interesting. These people don’t have to be especially gifted. Physically they may be only average. But they tend to be resilient, and on a given day, for some mysterious reason, they are able to come up with a performance that’s much better than anything they’ve done in the past. It’s like some extra spirit takes hold for a short time and transforms them into stronger and faster competitors.” (p. 206)
“… the mental and emotional elements of running are by far the most important.” (p. 207)
“I think we tend to underestimate our own abilities at all levels. I think of the speech that Ken Chlouber, the race director, gives at the start of the Leadville Trail 100. He says, ‘You are better than you think you are, and you can do more than you think you can.'” (p. 245)
Most people probably don’t know what ultra running is, and that’s because it’s pretty crazy. Then again, I’ve heard that all runners are crazy, which I just refuse to believe. ;) If you’re one of those people that think running is crazy, then your mind is about to be blown. Ultra running is running distances further than a marathon which is 26.2 miles. Ultra runners typically run races of 50 miles, 100 miles, or in Pam’s case, even 300 miles! Without stopping! WHAT THE WHAT?! Yeah, talk about making me feel lame when I struggle to run a few miles.
Pam has run so many events and has an overwhelming list of accomplishments and awards. Her biggest accomplishment to date is winning Badwater two years in a row. This race is astounding. Racers run 135 miles in temperatures of about 120 degrees, give or take some degrees. These ultra events are so intense that runners have crews with them who give them food and cool them off, and also typically don’t get any sleep either. Their reward for finishing this race? A belt buckle.
Pam has also run 300 miles nonstop, which took her a few good days. She took this idea upon herself just to show that she could do it. Color me impressed!
Pam’s story is nothing short of astounding. She tackles a lot of issues in this book including Anorexia, being an elite athlete while also being a wife and mother, and the problem of women not receiving due recognition in sports such as ultra running. I enjoyed reading about all of these issues, as well as the casual tone of the book, but enjoyed the racing parts the best. Pam has run all over the world in all kinds of events including 24 hour runs, where racers just run for 24 hours straight to see who can run the most miles in that time frame.
Pam could come off as a bit conceited, maybe a bit crazy at times, but ya know what? I’d take conceited and crazy any day if I had the physical strength, determination and skill that she has. Her story has inspired me to push myself and forgo any limits I’ve placed upon myself, because really? We can do anything we set out to do, even the hardest things, if we want it bad enough. Pam Reed is living proof of that fact.
As for me? I’m going to keep on running my heart out, and I’ll think of Pam when I feel like stopping, and know that I can always, always do more.
-----
Quotes to keep:
“Placing limits on what I think I can accomplish is something I tend not to do. I’ve heard that people are actually able to cover about twice their imagined limit: If you think you can run only 1 mile, you can really run 2; if you think you can run 2, you can run 4… While initially I never thought I would run the distances I have, or in the times in which I’ve done them, I haven’t really put mental limitations on myself either. And truly, I’ve surprised myself.” (p. 7)
“It’s really funny how your energy level and motivation can fluctuate during a race, and the things that give you a boost are weird.” (p. 49)
“I once talked with a woman who believed she could never be a good runner. She said, ‘I’ve tried it, but the whole time I was running, all I could think was, ‘When will I get to stop?’ And I thought, ‘I feel that way lots of times, and I just keep going.'” (p. 55)
“Running is something you’re ready to do, something you want to do, and perhaps even something you’re born to do.” (p.64)
“… desire and commitment are so important in ultra events. There is a certain amount of technique involved in running, but as the distances get longer, the race depends more on the heart than on the legs.” (p.139-140)
“Before a long run, there’s a sudden realization of how impossibly far you have to go. So you have to step back from the long-range perspective and just focus on letting the first mile happen, or the first quarter mile, or even the first step.” (p. 149)
“If you can mentally convince yourself that you can tackle a task, whether it’s running a marathon or cleaning up a room, you can always accomplish it physically.” (150)
“So here is tip number one for any new distance runner: savor the milestones. In your running career, whether you compete at the top level or just make running an enjoyable part of a long, healthy life, you are only a virgin once. Only once will you run your first 10-K, your first half-marathon, your first full marathon, your first ultra. So when you do experience a first, I think it’s really important to stop for a moment to recognize how great it feels.” (p. 172-173)
“Everything was so exciting when I first started. All I cared about was running as much as I possibly could. I would finish one event and think, ‘Well, when’s the next one?’ Whenever it was, wherever it was, I would try to get there just to be on a course again.” (p. 172)
“Athletes in the third category are interesting. These people don’t have to be especially gifted. Physically they may be only average. But they tend to be resilient, and on a given day, for some mysterious reason, they are able to come up with a performance that’s much better than anything they’ve done in the past. It’s like some extra spirit takes hold for a short time and transforms them into stronger and faster competitors.” (p. 206)
“… the mental and emotional elements of running are by far the most important.” (p. 207)
“I think we tend to underestimate our own abilities at all levels. I think of the speech that Ken Chlouber, the race director, gives at the start of the Leadville Trail 100. He says, ‘You are better than you think you are, and you can do more than you think you can.'” (p. 245)
December 5, 2023
Finished another one! Enjoyed the read but clearly it took me a while to finish. I enjoyed her frankness and honesty. It was refreshing, she didn’t try to make you like her, she just told the truth. I love how she bites of challenges because they’re hard, she shows a lot of grit. Also love how she talks about boundaries and priorities (and how she’s learned them along the way) and that it’s okay to drop out if you have a sick kid at home and need to take care of them. It’s also okay to love something and to do it as a mom. I think it’s cool how she champions for women and female runners. Ultras are always on the back of my mind, I enjoyed reading about her start and career and feel like I have more of an ultramarathon bucket list. 3.75 stars
January 11, 2021
I found the book interesting but not quite as gripping as I'd have wished for. I bought the book to further my enthusiasm for ultra running and I knew the name of Pam Reed but little else. Sadly, throughout the book, I didn't really buy into her as a person and therefore, the journey of her life, the highs and lows, didn't resonate with me as much as it might.
The book is OK, no prizes for highly creative writing, but that's probably unfair, the book exists to tell a story, a narrative of her life with running, as the backbone to the book.
I've read many books on ultrarunning, often re-reading the same book, two, possibly three times. I've only read this once.
The book is OK, no prizes for highly creative writing, but that's probably unfair, the book exists to tell a story, a narrative of her life with running, as the backbone to the book.
I've read many books on ultrarunning, often re-reading the same book, two, possibly three times. I've only read this once.
January 15, 2021
2 stars for an ultramarathoner’s memoir?? Yes, this was pretty bad. I was really interested in Pam Reed’s story since hearing her featured on Ted Radio Hour in 2016. Save yourself the few hundred pages of reading and look up the episode Challenges (I think) because her 5-10 minutes in that is way better than this book. The writing is so disjointed and awkward that I can’t imagine reading it out loud. She seems to take really poor care of her body and has somehow gotten lucky in terms of illness and injury which helped her win so many titles in 100+ mile races. It’s cool how she dominated both men’s and women’s running in the early 00’s, but that was the only good part of the book.
January 27, 2021
Pam Reed is an incredible athlete and this book certainly inspired me to get some more miles in! I loved all her points about women in athletics, especially ultrarunners, reading about her races, and learning about her journey with anorexia. But, as others pointed out, the timeline was a bit hard to follow at times, and she does spend a great deal of time talking about people in her life while the running stories sometimes fell flat. Nevertheless, runners should definitely be familiar with Pam’s amazing career!
May 14, 2020
I agree with other comments that the book was kind of hard to follow and the writing wasn’t very captivating but Pam has done a lot of amazing things with her ultra running career! Wow! I couldn’t believe all the races she’s run (and won) and all the records she has set. Who stays up and runs 300 miles without sleeping??? Pam.
“There is a certain amount of technique involved in running but as the distance gets longer, the race depends more on the heart than on the legs.”
“There is a certain amount of technique involved in running but as the distance gets longer, the race depends more on the heart than on the legs.”
May 26, 2020
I bought this book before reading any reviews. After getting a bit into it, I decided to check them out and all the negatives I read are inline with my thoughts. This book is definitely written by someone who is not a writer. It's choppy and her writing style is not great. She comes across as very arrogant and it's a bit off putting. I gave up reading a little over halfway through cause I couldn't stand to "hang out" with her any longer.
January 5, 2025
Fascinating, to think she went suddenly from obscurity to stardom by winning the Badwater. That just blew me away! And that she just isn’t much bothered by heat and hot conditions! So cool! I liked how she was open about the hard parts of her life—anorexia and divorce, and about her struggle with being a professional runner and a mom. There is no perfect way to balance our lives, but I appreciated her perspective.
August 9, 2020
If you enjoy reading of extraordinary efforts in the most grueling conditions, this book reaches those expectations. Pam Reed (mother of 5) tells her story how she developed into an incredible athlete from an average background. Winner of running events over 100 miles and over 100 degrees, she relishes victory over her competition both men and women. Do you need further inspiration?
December 28, 2025
Unfortunately just because you do really cool things, doesn't necessarily mean you're a super interesting person.
I did enjoy reading about all of Pam's races as I was not previously familiar with her career
I did enjoy reading about all of Pam's races as I was not previously familiar with her career
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