Running The World: 196 marathons in 196 countries, one record-breaking adventure

by Nick Butter

'Superb - a great book to fuel your wanderlust.' Mark Beaumont

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In 2019, Nick Butter became the first person to run a marathon in every country on Earth. This is Nick's story of his world record-breaking adventure and the extraordinary people who joined him along the way.

On January 6th 2018, Nick Butter tied his laces and stepped out on to an icy pavement in Toronto, where he began to take the first steps of an epic journey that would see him run 196 marathons in every one of the world's 196 countries. Spending almost two years on the road and relying on the kindness of strangers to keep him moving, Nick's odyssey allowed him to travel slowly, on foot, immersing himself in the diverse cultures and customs of his host nations.

Running through capital cities and deserts, around islands and through spectacular landscapes, Nick dodges bullets in Guinea-Bissau, crosses battlefields in Syria, survives a wild dog attack in Tunisia and runs around an erupting volcano in Guatemala. Along the way, he is often joined by local supporters and fellow runners, curious children and bemused passers-by. Telling their stories alongside his own, Nick captures the unique spirit of each place he visits and forges a new relationship with the world around him.

Running the World captures Nick's journey as he sets three world records and covers over five thousand miles. As he recounts his adventures, he shares his unique perspective on our glorious planet, celebrates the diversity of human experience, and reflects on the overwhelming power of running.

Genres: Nonfiction, Biography, Audiobook

304 pages, Paperback

Published March 5, 2020

Reviews

[my.bookshelf.87 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of Nick Butter's mission to run the entire coast of Great Britain, running a minimum of one marathon per day (usually two). 200 marathons in 128 days! Living in a camper van for the duration of the journey with his friend, girlfriend, and their dog, this also becomes a story of the endurance of relationships.

I enjoyed hearing about the different places they visited and encounters they had with supporters along the way. It was surprising to learn that he runs on a broken shin bone at one point... I personally think that's more stupid than admirable though. Overall it was an inspiring read, but not inspiring enough for me to attempt myself!

[Cian Aherne · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredible feat of human endurance. Not really a running book but definitely a marathon book! Such a journey, a great insight into world travel … every single country!

[Nicola Whitbread · Rating 4 out of 5]

An insane and incredible achievement, Nick runs the entire coastline of mainland Britain in record breaking time, regularly running double marathons every day. His account is without ego and is instead refreshingly honest and humourous, open about pain and injury, logistics, people power and poo stories. Kudos to his friend and one-man support crew Andy, who is frankly a comedian and whose occasional wry comments had me laughing out loud as I listened to this while out running.

[Owen Chengun · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m not sure what I was expecting, but it is quite literally a diary of the expedition, at times it got a tad tedious to read similar things over and over. That being said, the diary element shows the full highs and lows of what is an incredible feat. It’s remarkable how 47 mile days become so normalised in their eyes, insane!

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a book and what a truly inspirational man. Just shows if you put your mind to it can do anything. X

[James McNeill · Rating 2 out of 5]

Will add I didn't finish the book. I couldn't. Whilst the task is no doubt brilliant! It just made for dull reading, "I ran in this country, I met this person on a bus, it was cold/warm".... Repeat

[Mark Salmon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Big book so took me a while. Enjoyed not only the running parts but the brief history of the countries visited . Actually ran with Nick in Weymouth park run I think .

[Anne Macnamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Didn’t want it to end so may have to start again! Loved following Nick’s adventures as he ran around the world and this perfectly summarises his adventures. The running is the heart of the book, but it’s the people and kindness of strangers that stands out wherever in the world Nick finds himself that makes this such a great read.

[Peter Hackett · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I've ever read. An amazing account of culture and the lives of people from every country around the world with a massive running challenge thrown in.

[Fiona · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a story! 196 marathons, in less than two years - incredible. Having only started running last year, I'm really enjoying books around the subject as it wasn't something I'd have read before. When I saw this appear on Netgalley I jumped at the chance to read it and I'm so glad I did!

It was a pleasantly easy to read memoir full of interesting details about his trials and tribulations in the more extreme countries and conditions but also filled with funny, light hearted moments (I feel like the story about the cheetah alone is worth reading the book for!). I found the ending with his final run and those important people mentioned throughout the book emotional and you could tell Nick was proud of himself and so grateful for his team.

I hope people outside the running community get the chance to read it too, as I don't feel it's only for runners - it's a story everyone will be able to enjoy.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced digital copy in exchange for my honest review

[Hannah]

Couldn't get on with this one and after 50 pages, I'm afraid I'm done. Apologies to my colleague who gave it to me after he'd read it, thinking I'd enjoy it because I enjoy running. Very kind, but I also enjoy good writing and this is not an example of that. Very clunky in expression throughout, lots of talking about logistics, snobby attitudes to some of the places he visited but ultimately I just don't get WHY he decided to spend 2 years of his life and £100k doing this bizarre and colossal challenge which must have made his carbon footprint absolutely gigantic. The actual running seemed like an afterthought, almost an inconvenience, he talked about it so little - I didn't get any sense of passion for the sport or what he got out of it.

So, to sum up, I just don't get it and there are too many other books I want to read to plough through one I think is basically a dud. Just because you can run, doesn't mean you can write well about running.

[Liam Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a way to learn more about the world. This is some book, documenting an incredible journey. With a snippet on each and every one of the 196 countries the author ran in, you learn about differing cultures, and sadly sometimes extreme poverty and danger, but also the amazing similarities in kindness across the world. A brilliantly written book that will surely inspire anyone to immerse themselves in the culture of new countries.

[Koosje · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book felt like one long Instagram caption. I was very excited to read this book but I found myself exhausted half way through. Though Nick Butter adventure is an interesting one, the book doesn't seem to capture that.

[Becki · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love running and I love travelling so loved this book! What a dream adventure and all for a good cause too.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book in a South African airport and read the last half of it while travelling from Kenya through Ethiopia into Somaliland with a running injury. I have to say, dealing with airport bureaucracy with a limp while reading this book had me going "oh someone understands!". The book isn't exactly about running, it is more about the logistical and mental feat of trying to get this mammoth task done. He captured the experience of constant travel perfectly (though 100% he could not have done this in COVID-19 times for administrative reasons alone). Including the kind of travel that has you questioning your life choices.

Bizarrely, though I bought the book for the running, and found little of it (Butter just seems to be able to run, without thinking about it too much, I envy him this) I did enjoy the drama of the record chase. He is dashing from place to place and you feel him growing in the process of encountering all these people and overcoming all these non-physical hurdles. The fact that he keeps jamming marathons between all of this is almost more impressive than the marathons alone.

For me, one thing was oddly missing: Any kind of back story for Butter. Why does he run? For how long has he been running? He talks about his own personal growth and change in thinking about the world, and so that made me wonder more about the starting point (as much as the journey).

It was an interesting book, to understand that this romantic notion could be turned into a reality through a shit ton of logistics work and the incredible kindness of friends and strangers all over the world. I’m glad he decided to do it. It has me thinking I have to get this running hijab on in Somaliland (yes I have one) and bust out a limpy run (albeit on a treadmill). Also, I'll remember to pester my husband about his prostate.

[Si Gates · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely spectacular book, in 'Running The World' Nick Butter embarks on running a marathon in every U.N. recognised country on earth (all 196 of them) within a 2 year period, raising £200,000 for Prostate Cancer charity. From running in -25° in Canada to 50°plus in Kuwait, from laps of the Kabul UN compound in Afghanistan to the Pyongyang International Marathon in North Korea, from an uninterrupted 26.2 miles along the sand of a Bali beach to innumerable laps of the tiny St Peter's Square in the Vatican City. As well as the running element, you also get to see the world away from the newspaper headlines, and the warmth and generosity Nick experiences in some very troubled countries is wonderful to read. It's a fantastic journey told with humour and empathy, and has certainly helped motivate me to lace up my own running shoes this cold, dark January! An instant favourite, and highly recommended!

[Ellie Robinson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Run Britain - Nick Butter
5*

Wow, I listened to the audio book and hearing Nick and Andy talk through their adventure was definitely an amazing way to take in what they achieved.

Nicks fearless abandon for adventure is contagious, making me think I could join him one day and run a marathon without considering that I can’t run 1 miles down the road without needing to stop 10 times.

He documents his journey in such an honest and compelling way, I went back on to his Instagram to see the photos so I could fully relive it with it. I came across this book via a recommendation on Instagram and I’m so glad I found him and this book. I’m now a signed up member of the 196 foundation and eagerly follow along on social media to await the next big adventure.

If you like books about determination, achieving when it feels impossible and pushing through your barriers. This is the book for you. Highly recommend.

[Lynda · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, I'm not a runner and have never run a marathon, but I enjoy reading about endurance athletes. In "Running the World", author Nick Butter recounts his quest to run in every country in the world - 196 per the Guinness book of World Records. This was an easy book to read in different sittings and so it took me a bit of time. I found the book got better the further into it I got. I do wish each chapter had a map indicating exactly where the country is located. He added a map of the region with the highlighted countries at the start of each section, but it would have been more helpful to see each country designated on the map, rather than just a list under the highlighted map. And a few rough stats - population and capital, e.g - would have been a nice addition. His quest was an amazing challenge and I hope the book helps make up for the tremendous costs to get to and be in all the different countries.

[Graham Brownett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Having followed Nick Butter’s incredible marathon escapade from the beginning I was eager to read his book and what a wonderful book it is. It is the remarkable story of a remarkable man undertaking a remarkable journey on behalf of Prostate Cancer UK. He was inspired to run a marathon in every country in the world by a man called Kevin who had been given a terminal diagnosis, whilst running the Marathon des Sables in the Sahara. Nick condensed nearly two years of constant travel in every country in the world into 436 pages of interesting, informative, amusing anecdotes and stories. The book could have been twice as long without losing its interest, I really didn’t want to finish it. It is hard to believe the book has been written by a guy who is first and foremost a runner, the writing is equal to any professional author or journalist - perhaps there is another book in there somewhere.

[D L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Running the World is ultra-runner Nick Butter's account of his two-year challenge to run a marathon in every country in the world. It is a brilliant book about all he had to cope with in his admirable quest and how he completed this through various financial means and the kindness of people around the world.
It is full of stories of what he had to cope with whilst moving from one country to the next and the determination required to complete it. Some of these are poignant and occasionally dangerous which help to appreciate his cause, whilst some, such as having to complete a marathon in the Vatican City help to show how he was going to stop a nothing to get the run completed.
This book was provided by Netgalley for an honest review

[Philip Beasley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read the final 3 pages whilst wiping tears from my eyes.
You might expect a book by an ultra distance runner which documents his 196 marathons in 196 countries to be about running but you’d be wrong. Yes there are paragraphs about running but mostly this is a human story about cultures, people and emotions.
From difficult countries - Djibouti, Comoros, Yemen - to the surprising ones - Somalia, Kiribati, Bolivia - to the enjoyable ones - Bhutan, UAE, Lesotho - Nick’s honesty of his highs and lows and the detail about each place and the people he encounters is riveting. And all with the backdrop of supporting Prostate Cancer UK and living a life fulfilled.
It made me want to be that fit, it made me want to see the world and it fuelled my wanderlust. I loved it.

[Trinity Buckley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a bit of an epic read but definitely worth it! Nick Butter must be superhuman to achieve something so impressive, it makes you wonder where the limits of human endurance are.

There were some fairly dull countries, some interesting countries, some countries I'd never heard of (and neither had Nick until the challenge) and some facts about certain countries that were quite surprising, but Nick certainly left the most exciting/dangerous/scary and seemingly impossible countries to last and I could hardly put the book down by that stage.

Inspiring.

[Agnieszka · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found out about Nick Butter, and his extraordinary challenge to run a marathon in every country of the world to raise funds for Prostate Cancer UK through the travel reality show Destination X. I read the book with great enthusiasm and thoroughly enjoyed the story. However, I felt the writing could benefit from a stronger editor. Despite the writing style and repetitions the book was still an enjoyable read, and full of new knowledge and information. I highly admire Nick’s endurance and drive. I wish I had known about the challenge at the time to be able to follow it in real time.

[Luke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book naturally sparks an interest in travelling and running, but is a lot more than that too.

I had the pleasure of meeting Nick (and Andy) in Sierra Leone so knew some of the great stuff he’d done already. He is obviously an inspiration to runners and probably to must people on the planet, but I didn’t expect the book to have such a profound impact on the way I see life.

It made me think about my pre conceptions of people and how these are almost always wrong. Also the power of the six degrees of separation theory and since reading this it has made me want to say hi to people more. Finally, the idea of ‘not waiting for a diagnosis’ is very poignant yet is a great way to live and and I hope I will live my life with that in the back of my mind more.

As for the book I was surprised how interesting it was. At times it was enthralling reading along genuinely wondering if he would be able to complete the challenge or even stay alive.

[Becky Rowan · Rating 5 out of 5]

As far as writing goes, Nick Butter is clearly an endurance runner. That said, however, even knowing how things turn out I was still on the edge of my seat for the final few marathons and constantly worried about Nick’s health and safety. This was an inspiring read about mental and physical endurance, the community running provides, and the humanity that ultimately binds us all.

[Olwen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed the first parts of this major achievement, reading about the amazing adventures the author experienced. But like him, the endless repetition of run...sleep....travel....run became rather repetitive. I let the author run ahead about the time he left South America, and let him leave me behind.

A great book if you're seeking some inspiration for your own running adventure.

[Bronwen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nick tells some fantastic stories in this book but I found it difficult to pick up. At times, it felt a bit slow and repetitive. However, it's a good one to pick up every now and then, and you can really jump back in at any point. It's an incredible achievement, for a good cause, and the final chapter is very moving.

[Mari · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best books I have read. Inspirational, motivational, uplifting, honest, shows the highs and lows of long distance running, likewise gives insights to different countries in the world. Nick Butter's writing style is highly enjoyable. I will definitely re-read some sections of the book again at somepoint.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book I’ve been dipping in and out of since November. A recount of Nick’s adventures in running a marathon in all 196 countries.

In a year where we can’t travel, it has been lovely to “explore” all 196 countries!

Hope to go to his speaking tour later this year!

[Léo de Riedmatten · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow! What an incredible journey and achievement! Of course the book ends up being a bit repetitive at times, but reading it over a long period of time instead of speeding through it made it more palatable. Overall, I’m left feeling so inspired!! Bravo Nick 💪🏽