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Runner: The Memoir of an Accidental Ultra-Marathon Champion
Lizzy Hawker is one of the greatest ultra-distance runners Britain has ever produced. She is the first woman to finish on the overall podium of the Spartathlon, one of the world toughest footraces, and has won the legendary The North Face Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc five times in its ten year history, the only person, man or woman, to achieve this.
Lizzy came to the sport almost by accident - she had run a marathon or two, but tried her first ultra, a 40 mile track race, when invited to stay with friends in Wales. One month later she was representing England. Within eighteen months she was the women's world champion for 100km. Not bad for someone who started life in Upminster, had no coach, no gym, and was finishing her PhD.
Runner is the story of her journey and will get inside the head of the physical, mental and emotional challenges that runners go through at the edge of human endurance, in much the same way as Aurum's classic running story Feet in the Clouds by Richard Askwith did nearly ten years ago. Her story, as a self-taught champion, will be an inspiration for anyone who has dreamt of lacing up a pair of trainers and wondering how far they could run.
Lizzy came to the sport almost by accident - she had run a marathon or two, but tried her first ultra, a 40 mile track race, when invited to stay with friends in Wales. One month later she was representing England. Within eighteen months she was the women's world champion for 100km. Not bad for someone who started life in Upminster, had no coach, no gym, and was finishing her PhD.
Runner is the story of her journey and will get inside the head of the physical, mental and emotional challenges that runners go through at the edge of human endurance, in much the same way as Aurum's classic running story Feet in the Clouds by Richard Askwith did nearly ten years ago. Her story, as a self-taught champion, will be an inspiration for anyone who has dreamt of lacing up a pair of trainers and wondering how far they could run.
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 15, 2015
88 people are currently reading
744 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 90 reviews
August 3, 2015
This book had bags of potential and I thoroughly enjoyed the first section. But the whole book needs a bloody good edit, mostly down to structuring and coherence (too many characters referred to but not introduced until chapters later). Also there was too much repetitive philosophical waffle in the last section and an annoying habit of speaking to "you" (who I presume was Richard - are they a couple? Who knows), which I felt distanced me as the reader.
February 8, 2016
This book was recommended as a good read about running so I read it even though I had never heard of Lizzy Hawker. Reading the book, I got the impression that it was self published and not edited by a professional editor. There were parts of it that were really good but most of it was confusing and boring.
The first section of the book is the best, it describes Hawker's first attempt at running the Ultra du Mont Blanc where she was a total unknown with no racing experience and she ended up coming in as the first woman. I enjoyed reading her thoughts on that race and a little about her background and how she became interested in mountain running.
Then the book goes off the rails (trails?) and I could not follow what was going on at all. The format seemed to be for her to start describing a race and then go back in time to another race or another run and then jump back to the original race but not explain very well what the heck was going on. It was very confusing for me, the reader. Hawker also would mention people and not explain who they were and then several pages or chapters later, give the explanation we needed before. There was a character named Richard who I think was her boyfriend and who may or may not have been the same person as Rich. I have no idea. The best part of this section was her descriptions of running in the mountains in Nepal.
The third section of the book is addressed to "you" and I think is supposed to be directed towards Richard/Rich but she never really explains that. It reads like unedited personal musings and is very hard to follow and boring to read.
After reading this book, I admired a lot about Hawker's attitude towards life and running and her humble nature and I was glad that I had gotten to know more about her. I just wished I had read a magazine article rather than this book. I don't recommend it.
The first section of the book is the best, it describes Hawker's first attempt at running the Ultra du Mont Blanc where she was a total unknown with no racing experience and she ended up coming in as the first woman. I enjoyed reading her thoughts on that race and a little about her background and how she became interested in mountain running.
Then the book goes off the rails (trails?) and I could not follow what was going on at all. The format seemed to be for her to start describing a race and then go back in time to another race or another run and then jump back to the original race but not explain very well what the heck was going on. It was very confusing for me, the reader. Hawker also would mention people and not explain who they were and then several pages or chapters later, give the explanation we needed before. There was a character named Richard who I think was her boyfriend and who may or may not have been the same person as Rich. I have no idea. The best part of this section was her descriptions of running in the mountains in Nepal.
The third section of the book is addressed to "you" and I think is supposed to be directed towards Richard/Rich but she never really explains that. It reads like unedited personal musings and is very hard to follow and boring to read.
After reading this book, I admired a lot about Hawker's attitude towards life and running and her humble nature and I was glad that I had gotten to know more about her. I just wished I had read a magazine article rather than this book. I don't recommend it.
March 2, 2016
The first third or so of Runner steams along nicely, quietly, moving back and forth between the 2005 Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc and Hawker's background. She presents herself as an accidental champion in ways that reminded me some of A Life Without Limits—they're both kind of 'oops I stumbled into a race and won. And kept winning.'
After that first third, though... The subtitle of the book is 'A Short Story About a Long Run', and by the second half of the book I was wishing it had been a short story. It's not that it's bad, but the structure isn't nearly as compelling. Some more back-and-forth with long runs (e.g., running from Everest Base Camp to Kathmandu) and background, but lots of 'and then this race happened and then I won this race and then I won that race (didn't win this other one) and then won this one too'. Makes it much more of a bog-standard elite-athlete memoir, which is fine but not as interesting as it might be.
Towards the end Hawker starts a) talking stress fractures and b) addressing numerous comments to 'you', who is never named but presumably a significant other. It's hard to say 'should've ended the book before the stress fractures', but it's sad, too—a bit like setting up the book as the rise and fall of a champion (though 'fall' is probably the wrong word there). The 'you', though, I'm not sure how to take. Probably didn't help that by then I was just ready to be done.
Some of the pictures are pretty stunning, though. And now I'm curious about some of the things she mentions, like Kaihōgyō...
After that first third, though... The subtitle of the book is 'A Short Story About a Long Run', and by the second half of the book I was wishing it had been a short story. It's not that it's bad, but the structure isn't nearly as compelling. Some more back-and-forth with long runs (e.g., running from Everest Base Camp to Kathmandu) and background, but lots of 'and then this race happened and then I won this race and then I won that race (didn't win this other one) and then won this one too'. Makes it much more of a bog-standard elite-athlete memoir, which is fine but not as interesting as it might be.
Towards the end Hawker starts a) talking stress fractures and b) addressing numerous comments to 'you', who is never named but presumably a significant other. It's hard to say 'should've ended the book before the stress fractures', but it's sad, too—a bit like setting up the book as the rise and fall of a champion (though 'fall' is probably the wrong word there). The 'you', though, I'm not sure how to take. Probably didn't help that by then I was just ready to be done.
Some of the pictures are pretty stunning, though. And now I'm curious about some of the things she mentions, like Kaihōgyō...
March 16, 2017
I have read a lot of books on running in my life and this has to be one of my favorites. It is part memoir, part travelogue, and part exploration on how individuals construct their identities. Lizzy is also not only a great runner but also a descriptive, philosophical, and introspective writer. It starts before she became a runner, then follows her from path to becoming a runner, takes you inside her head while she runs some of her most significant races, and finishes by taking you with her through her forced hiatus from competitive running. As a dedicated runner for most of my life, I found myself nodding along often when she described what running meant to her when she could and couldn't run, and more. This book is a must read for any runner, any endurance athlete, or anyone interested in travel and adventure.
September 27, 2019
I liked the parts of this book. Gripping accounts of feats of running. Insights into a stubborn and focussed mind. Philosophical musings. Humility in the face of others’ greater and involuntary hardship.
It just didn’t come together as a book on the whole. Either not a good editing job, or a purposeful choice of a meandering narrative that stresses the journey and not the goal. I found that jarring and detrimental to reading enjoyment.
It just didn’t come together as a book on the whole. Either not a good editing job, or a purposeful choice of a meandering narrative that stresses the journey and not the goal. I found that jarring and detrimental to reading enjoyment.
January 28, 2019
2,5*
I quite enjoyed the start of the book. It was interesting to follow the author from the start of her career to the heights, and then lows. I found the retellings of races and encounters engaging and inspiring.
The last third on the other hand took me ages to finish. I wanted to skip pages and lost all interest.
Not because it was about "failure" - actually I find it fascinating to read how people who are used to functioning handle unexpected crisis. I liked the posts about overcoming your fears, your pain, tiredness and so on. But it was just too "theoretical" for me. Lots of skipping through scenes, plenty of "Henry Thoreau said..." and quotes from all sorts of texts and people about philosophical thoughts. I just didn't click with any of that and so it completely lost my interest there.
Also the last chapters were written with plenty of "You taught me this" or Talking to you helped me" which completely threw me out of the book.
That doesn't make this a bad book, I'm sure there'll be readers who like that bit way more than the practical parts I enjoyed!
It just wasn't for me, being very pragmatic and not prone to get hung up on the question off "who am I?"
I quite enjoyed the start of the book. It was interesting to follow the author from the start of her career to the heights, and then lows. I found the retellings of races and encounters engaging and inspiring.
The last third on the other hand took me ages to finish. I wanted to skip pages and lost all interest.
Not because it was about "failure" - actually I find it fascinating to read how people who are used to functioning handle unexpected crisis. I liked the posts about overcoming your fears, your pain, tiredness and so on. But it was just too "theoretical" for me. Lots of skipping through scenes, plenty of "Henry Thoreau said..." and quotes from all sorts of texts and people about philosophical thoughts. I just didn't click with any of that and so it completely lost my interest there.
Also the last chapters were written with plenty of "You taught me this" or Talking to you helped me" which completely threw me out of the book.
That doesn't make this a bad book, I'm sure there'll be readers who like that bit way more than the practical parts I enjoyed!
It just wasn't for me, being very pragmatic and not prone to get hung up on the question off "who am I?"
March 22, 2016
Wonderfully understated memoir by the ultra runner with vaunted "uncommon endurance." I'd literally never heard of Ms Hawker prior to reading this book. Her achievements are remarkable, but told here with as little fuss as if she was describing trips to the grocer. That said, her stories are fascinating, both in and of themselves and for the calm (but not boring) way in which they're told.
This isn't a how to book for endurance athletes. It's a how to book for exploring, for reflection, for getting outside and leading an unconventional life.
This isn't a how to book for endurance athletes. It's a how to book for exploring, for reflection, for getting outside and leading an unconventional life.
February 19, 2019
The first 25% of the book was great. After that it was confusing and monotonous. She jumped about so much I had no idea where I was with her and it got so boring reading about her runs along mountain trains because they sounded the same. She wrote about people without introducing them and latterly the style changed to address a ‘you’ whose identity I not only didn’t know, by then I really didn’t care. She is a great runner, for sure, I watched her running the UTMB in TV in awe. But she can’t write. So boring I abandoned it and put it in the recycling.
December 10, 2024
All in all, i wouldnt say shes very relatable in comparison to my 'running' journey but the ending (no matter how confusing the random "you" brought up) was pretty lovely to read. Go off then Lizzy
October 23, 2022
Slightly torn on giving this a three, but on the whole I felt slightly too let down by the middle third to score it any higher (I'd probably go 3.5 if I could). Lizzy is an incredible athlete, and the only thing more incredible than some of her feats is her ability to underplay them. She's so understated and humble, you have to go and check elsewhere as to her feats to get a sense of what she's achieved. 100km races are presented as an afterthought squeezed in between bigger adventures; lifelong goals for many such as finishing the ~150km UTMB come across as a bit of a long run (that she wins).
My main problem with the middle third was how disjointed it felt. It jumped between a couple of different timelines, but with no other indication than a change in text font. Given the similar topics throughout, it was hard to reorient as to which storyline you were reading*.
Hawker really pulls it back during the final third however (around chapter 13 onwards), where she moves more beyond describing her life and delves more into her life philosophy and what running means to her, along with how she dealt with numerous hairline fractures. Some of it is written with a direct tenderness to some unnamed partner, with an openness that almost makes you feel like an intruder reading a personal diary. I really enjoyed Hawkers philosophical and mindful approach to this section, and would recommend the book for this alone.
Overall, good, but could have been better.
*Caveat: I was also reading this in a broken manner- it took about a month to read, often in smaller sections which definitely didn't help. I wondered if this was the real reason, but interestingly, in the acknowledgements section at the end, Hawker discusses rewriting the last 2/3 over a 2-3 week period right before sending for publishing, which makes a bit more sense as to why it felt disjointed.
My main problem with the middle third was how disjointed it felt. It jumped between a couple of different timelines, but with no other indication than a change in text font. Given the similar topics throughout, it was hard to reorient as to which storyline you were reading*.
Hawker really pulls it back during the final third however (around chapter 13 onwards), where she moves more beyond describing her life and delves more into her life philosophy and what running means to her, along with how she dealt with numerous hairline fractures. Some of it is written with a direct tenderness to some unnamed partner, with an openness that almost makes you feel like an intruder reading a personal diary. I really enjoyed Hawkers philosophical and mindful approach to this section, and would recommend the book for this alone.
Overall, good, but could have been better.
*Caveat: I was also reading this in a broken manner- it took about a month to read, often in smaller sections which definitely didn't help. I wondered if this was the real reason, but interestingly, in the acknowledgements section at the end, Hawker discusses rewriting the last 2/3 over a 2-3 week period right before sending for publishing, which makes a bit more sense as to why it felt disjointed.
July 24, 2016
Loved the beginning. Rich, descriptive, honest. A vulnerable share of passion vs work and the humbling, austere reality of what it's like to be a sponsored athlete. She documents the balance of sacrifice and fulfillment well and in a humanistic way. Yay- good reading!
This was followed by extensively-documented yet terribly-organized accounts of UTMB and EBC to Kathmandu races. Much redundancy and sporadic jumping around, which made reading somewhat of a confusing chore. Other bits and pieces of races and travels thrown in for added unnecessary confusion. Then, everything got uber weird, as the descriptive writing turned to uncomfortably-intimate-pseudo-love-letter-style prose (presumably to/about her logistical support friend/boyfriend/lover/?) with some strange undertones of deeply reflective semi-Buddhist meditative influence.
Then, it ends.
What I learned: She likes running and milky tea and quoting people when she feels pensive. When running, she typically forgets to eat but always feels better when she does, especially if it's from Richard (love interest/logistical support in Nepal monsoons).
Overall: This is by far the least consistent and weirdly written book I've ever read. Not terrible. Just strange.
This was followed by extensively-documented yet terribly-organized accounts of UTMB and EBC to Kathmandu races. Much redundancy and sporadic jumping around, which made reading somewhat of a confusing chore. Other bits and pieces of races and travels thrown in for added unnecessary confusion. Then, everything got uber weird, as the descriptive writing turned to uncomfortably-intimate-pseudo-love-letter-style prose (presumably to/about her logistical support friend/boyfriend/lover/?) with some strange undertones of deeply reflective semi-Buddhist meditative influence.
Then, it ends.
What I learned: She likes running and milky tea and quoting people when she feels pensive. When running, she typically forgets to eat but always feels better when she does, especially if it's from Richard (love interest/logistical support in Nepal monsoons).
Overall: This is by far the least consistent and weirdly written book I've ever read. Not terrible. Just strange.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 27, 2018
After running a 2 stage ultra-marathon and going back to the reality of a stressful house move, I went to the book shop in the hope of finding a book that could take me to the places I find and look for in a long run. This book was exactly what I wanted and it also helped me find some much needed perspective. It may be one of the most expensive novels I have ever bought as it has sewn the seed for UTMB and poured fuel on the fire of a desire to combine running with exploration further afield.
December 15, 2016
Tahle kniha asi není pro normální čtenáře, ale pro ty, co rádi a co nejdál běhají, je to bomba. Tahle ženská je neuvěřitelná a krásně popisuje, co se v člověku děje při ultrabězích. A protože za sebou pár ultra taky mám, tak musím prozradit, že při čtení mi celé tělo rezonovalo. Akorát já jsem jen ořezávátko, protože jsem ještě ani neuběhl stovku. K té mi zatím chybí 28 km.
June 14, 2015
Thought provoking and reflective work about the trials and tribulations of an inspirational woman ultra marathon runner.
August 22, 2015
I agree with the last review - I really enjoyed the first few chapters but then the book becomes confusing, repetitive and boring!
June 26, 2021
This book is about so much more than only running, this is also a book about life! So much wisdom in this woman!
February 1, 2023
3.5 stars but rounded up.
I'm a marathon runner and stumbled across this book. Bought it on a whim because so many books about running seem to evangelise a method or technique and this one looked refreshingly "normal".
Look i've got nothing but admiration for Lizzy Hawker. I want to cry after 42.195 Km and she just smashes races 160Km again and again. She's a machine.
As for the book, it's an inspirational story if you just look at her results. But there's some really weird editorial choices that get distracting. Frequently she will describe a race until half way and then divert forwards or backwards in time to discuss a different race. Now this can work if there's a reason for the diversion. Maybe it could describe the first occurrence of an injury that comes back to bite her. Or maybe it could describe the first meeting with someone important who she then went on to beat.
In this case the diversions seemed to serve no purpose. Why not just write the "guts" of the book in chronological order?
The other thing that jumps out is her inability or reluctance to describe in detail anything but the race. Her competitors are just "the woman behind me in second" (do they even have a name? What is their nationality?) What does Mt Everest look like? Is it Black? Grey? Covered in snow? How was Antarctica? What did the icebergs look like? Elephant seals? Whales? Even her backstory. Was she good at running as a child? Did she win any races or compete at any level? Or did she just show up and accidentally win the Mont Blanc Ultra? Does she have a boyfriend? Girlfriend? What did they think while she was off running all the time?
In the end I think I just felt a bit sorry for her. Absolute champion of an athlete but strangely distant and I think very lonely.
I'm a marathon runner and stumbled across this book. Bought it on a whim because so many books about running seem to evangelise a method or technique and this one looked refreshingly "normal".
Look i've got nothing but admiration for Lizzy Hawker. I want to cry after 42.195 Km and she just smashes races 160Km again and again. She's a machine.
As for the book, it's an inspirational story if you just look at her results. But there's some really weird editorial choices that get distracting. Frequently she will describe a race until half way and then divert forwards or backwards in time to discuss a different race. Now this can work if there's a reason for the diversion. Maybe it could describe the first occurrence of an injury that comes back to bite her. Or maybe it could describe the first meeting with someone important who she then went on to beat.
In this case the diversions seemed to serve no purpose. Why not just write the "guts" of the book in chronological order?
The other thing that jumps out is her inability or reluctance to describe in detail anything but the race. Her competitors are just "the woman behind me in second" (do they even have a name? What is their nationality?) What does Mt Everest look like? Is it Black? Grey? Covered in snow? How was Antarctica? What did the icebergs look like? Elephant seals? Whales? Even her backstory. Was she good at running as a child? Did she win any races or compete at any level? Or did she just show up and accidentally win the Mont Blanc Ultra? Does she have a boyfriend? Girlfriend? What did they think while she was off running all the time?
In the end I think I just felt a bit sorry for her. Absolute champion of an athlete but strangely distant and I think very lonely.
December 5, 2020
The epic scale of the author's journey (accomplishments included, although she is less than concerned with those) is impressive; no doubt about it. The first half or so of the book felt, at times, oddly uninspired and yet intriguing, owing to her unexpected and wide-ranging experiences, which mostly seem to predict her 'endurance as a lifestyle' life, but are shared with a tinge of detachment and (painfully honest) lack of direction. That's not inherently/entirely a bad thing. I think Lizzy was just being forthright about not often knowing the "why" (of running and various life choices). The final third of the book gets very emotional and philosophical, by comparison. The thread woven throughout, if there is one, is a sense of not answering a/the question, because maybe she/we can't know the answer, and/or it's fluid and different for everyone, even if there are some universal truths hidden within our journeys. She sort of leans into that, comfortably, which is probably uncomfortable for most readers, as would similarly be the case in life. All in all, rather than remaining frustrated by all of this, I ended up appreciating her perspective and intention in writing this. Sure, it could do with another thorough round of editing, but if you can look beyond the technical imperfections/quirks (including some unnecessary repetition and confusion/awkwardness in who she's addressing at times), there is a unique/beautiful story and message here. I'd give 3.5 stars if I could, but am happy to round up in this case.
June 5, 2023
I was very impressed with the author's accomplishments and mental and physical endurance. There were a couple of snippets of the book that really made me think. Overall, however, I didn't really relate to the author and found some of the book was a bit boring.
What I liked: The pieces that really stuck with me from this book were the concept of living intentionally and the juxtaposition between belief and faith that the author describes. Though I found a lot of the rest of the book somewhat mundane, these thoughts really had me contemplating.
What I didn't like: I just did not relate to the author's extreme mental stamina and ability/desire to push through the pain, which I think caused me to be annoyed with her "accidental" winning of her first long race and further success (I know this is probably more about me than about the book!). I found the first parts to be a bit repetitive and didn't feel like I needed to hear about all of the races. The final part had moments of profoundness, but also was a bit confusing at times. There were a few noticeable patterns in her writing style, like how she described everything as being strange and how she would have several short sentences all starting with the same phrase.
What I liked: The pieces that really stuck with me from this book were the concept of living intentionally and the juxtaposition between belief and faith that the author describes. Though I found a lot of the rest of the book somewhat mundane, these thoughts really had me contemplating.
What I didn't like: I just did not relate to the author's extreme mental stamina and ability/desire to push through the pain, which I think caused me to be annoyed with her "accidental" winning of her first long race and further success (I know this is probably more about me than about the book!). I found the first parts to be a bit repetitive and didn't feel like I needed to hear about all of the races. The final part had moments of profoundness, but also was a bit confusing at times. There were a few noticeable patterns in her writing style, like how she described everything as being strange and how she would have several short sentences all starting with the same phrase.
August 15, 2017
A thoughtful book by an eloquent, extremely well-read, well-travelled, self-aware writer... She's giving us an incrediblly intimate perspective on her inner workings and while maybe she won't answer your questions of how one trains to attain such endurance, she definitely shows you what it takes to lead the life that she does.
Infinitely more rewarding to read than books who focus excessively on custom-tailored training plans and nutrition. By the end of it, I felt as though I had glimpsed enough of the author to respect her word and desire her companionship. It's very hard not to be in awe of her strength of character rather than her achievements.
If you want to gain a new perspective on running philosophy, this is a very strong choice, after Born to Run. If you want a book that tells you how to train to become an ultra runner, this isn't it. Ii you want a book that shows you how one of the big names in ultrarunning thinks and lives, then this is it.
Infinitely more rewarding to read than books who focus excessively on custom-tailored training plans and nutrition. By the end of it, I felt as though I had glimpsed enough of the author to respect her word and desire her companionship. It's very hard not to be in awe of her strength of character rather than her achievements.
If you want to gain a new perspective on running philosophy, this is a very strong choice, after Born to Run. If you want a book that tells you how to train to become an ultra runner, this isn't it. Ii you want a book that shows you how one of the big names in ultrarunning thinks and lives, then this is it.
February 16, 2019
I thought this book would be a good story from a female perspective about ultrarunning. It was that, but it was so much more. It was about living in the moment, feeling the 'flow' of a run. The author spends most of the book relating her experience becoming an ultramarathon champion, but she focuses less on the training and more on the act of running, the meditative quality of it and the sheer joy of being present in the mountains. The last few chapters go further, speaking on life, community, solitude and more. I have pages filled with quotes and with other books referenced I want to check out. As a lover of mountains, hiking and running, this book really spoke to me.
A quote: "The world and all of time has been distilled down into this one moment. Now. Nothing else exists. Nothing else matters. All that there ever was, and all that there ever will be, is embraced by this moment and my struggle to keep running through it."
A quote: "The world and all of time has been distilled down into this one moment. Now. Nothing else exists. Nothing else matters. All that there ever was, and all that there ever will be, is embraced by this moment and my struggle to keep running through it."
January 9, 2021
Lizzy leaves her heart on the pages, divulging her thoughts, feelings, and Buddhist philosophies, rather than focusing on the objectively impressive number of running accolades and titles she has earned. It is not the training or racing that Lizzy is passionate about, but the act of running itself. The simple title of the book speaks to Lizzy’s view of her achievements and records; you could categorise her as an ultrarunner, a trail runner, an endurance athlete, but she prefers the distilled essence of what she does, rather than pinning her to any one descriptor.
She does hold parts back from the reader, glossing over difficult times and skimming some details, and the jumps back and forth in time can be a bit disorientating. In the third and final part of the book Lizzy starts addressing “you”, who is assumed to be a close partner, but is never disclosed, and it almost feels like the reader should quietly close the book after part two, leaving them along together.
She does hold parts back from the reader, glossing over difficult times and skimming some details, and the jumps back and forth in time can be a bit disorientating. In the third and final part of the book Lizzy starts addressing “you”, who is assumed to be a close partner, but is never disclosed, and it almost feels like the reader should quietly close the book after part two, leaving them along together.
November 23, 2021
I did enjoy reading this book, although I have only given it 3 stars. I thought the content was brilliant, and so much rang true with me, from things I learnt as a child (although my experiences, especially with work, were a lot ‘safer’), to my learnings as an adult, on the journey rather than the destination and on why I run. However, the book feels like a draft, the order is all confused. It feels like Lizzy wrote it in order and then chopped it up and re-organised the sections without making sure they made sense in the new order. I thought this was a real shame, as you have to kind of give up your understanding while you read, as you don’t have the information when you need it. For example, she talks about her three Everest Base Kathmandu runs with (I think) the third first, then the first, then the second, and sometimes at the same time, without giving you many clues as to which is which.
April 25, 2023
I highly respect Hawkers accomplishments, but did not like this obviously self-published book. It's written as a stream-of-consciousness and bounces between her various athletic pursuits and personal philosophies. I believe the book was supposed to be about her adventures on the UTMB course, but more time is spent on her runs in the Himalaya.
Sometimes, she writes as if she's writing a letter to someone; however, it is never clear who that someone is. Also, she writes of characters who are never introduced to the reader; I never knew who they were or her relationship to them.
The last part of the book was dedicated to her perspectives about life. It read as if I were listening to a bunch of college students sitting around a dorm at night chattering about what they think about life.
While the above is quite negative, I did enjoy reading about the actual races and runs.
Sometimes, she writes as if she's writing a letter to someone; however, it is never clear who that someone is. Also, she writes of characters who are never introduced to the reader; I never knew who they were or her relationship to them.
The last part of the book was dedicated to her perspectives about life. It read as if I were listening to a bunch of college students sitting around a dorm at night chattering about what they think about life.
While the above is quite negative, I did enjoy reading about the actual races and runs.
April 23, 2023
Clearly Lizzy Hawker is a one of a kind runner, able to pick up a pair of trail shoes and 10 days later win a 168km trail race. I enjoyed the first section detailing this journey and her start on the ultra-running scene, but the later sections in Nepal were less vivid, seeming to mainly involve place names and cups of tea that she ran between, with no sense of how on earth you prepare for such feats, or how you physically run for 73 hours straight with no sleep. I appreciated the segment on her injuries for a touch of realism but it all got a bit live-laugh-love from there. I enjoyed Feet in the Clouds and Born to Run much more but this is still an inspiring read.
June 1, 2025
One of the most confusing books I’ve read. It was completely disorganized, repetitive, and hard to follow. The language felt unnatural and the random introduction of an unknown “you” in the third part was weird. There was very little context for anything and the descriptions of races and training were repetitive and mostly boring, and it was hard to visualize anything. While the author wrote about running and some rambling philosophical thoughts, she seemed to manage to avoid writing about anything else in her life and I didn’t feel like I learned anything about her. Her story is inspiring, I’m sure! But this book is a challenge.
September 8, 2019
* * *
3 / 5
Fantastic woman with some incredible achievements that were fascinating to read about. The writing itself was kinda meh. The narrative was broken up weirdly and it didn't seem to be altogether linear (although I could be wrong), and there was a lot of repetitive stuff thoughts about being injured and what running means to the author.
I enjoyed this book a lot, but it definitely could have benefited from some more editing.
Read my proper reviews on my blog: http://atlasrisingbooks.wordpress.com
3 / 5
Fantastic woman with some incredible achievements that were fascinating to read about. The writing itself was kinda meh. The narrative was broken up weirdly and it didn't seem to be altogether linear (although I could be wrong), and there was a lot of repetitive stuff thoughts about being injured and what running means to the author.
I enjoyed this book a lot, but it definitely could have benefited from some more editing.
Read my proper reviews on my blog: http://atlasrisingbooks.wordpress.com
November 3, 2020
I liked parts of this book (mainly the first section) but it started becoming difficult to follow the story line because of the way she jumped around. That made me lose interest and then I got confused in the final section when she started talking to "you" a lot. "You" is not the reader, so I'm not sure who she was referring to.
Basically, I skimmed the last half of the book until I found a story that caught my attention and then I read carefully until it rambled again. Using this method, I finally finished the book. The subtitle is misleading- it is NOT a short story.
Basically, I skimmed the last half of the book until I found a story that caught my attention and then I read carefully until it rambled again. Using this method, I finally finished the book. The subtitle is misleading- it is NOT a short story.
December 27, 2017
I am looking for inspiration as I train for the Boston Marathon. Hawker is an inspirational runner, but because of her injuries that end up limiting her running in the end, she also comes across more human than other ultra runners. Running 26.2 seems super easy when compared to most of the runs that she does. Her description of the mountains has fed my urge to go to Nepal and the Swiss Alps. A great read about running, why we run and endurance.
July 5, 2018
Very inspirational but hard to really relate to someone with such immense strength, I don't think I'll ever be able to understand someone with such strong will power.
I did understand the stress fractures and what it's like to not know if you can run anymore. My own plantar fasciitis has stopped me from running for a few years now and I was hoping this book might inspire me to get back out there. We'll see I guess!
I did understand the stress fractures and what it's like to not know if you can run anymore. My own plantar fasciitis has stopped me from running for a few years now and I was hoping this book might inspire me to get back out there. We'll see I guess!
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