Customer Reviews

Ultrarunning: My Story

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

A truly enjoyable and at times profound read. As a fellow ultrarunner, I found the parallels between the author's life and my own to be somewhat startling. In fact we unknowingly intersected at his last 100 miler, and my first, with finishes within 5 minutes of one another.

What I appreciate most about Mike's story is the transparent way in which he exposes his own search for spiritual meaning. The supremely difficult struggle to unmask himself, to lose his pretensions and all the false ideas embedded within, is both mirrored and aided by the enormous effort required to complete ultras. This kind of extreme physical endurance lends itself very well to spiritual enlightenment - if one is paying attention. Mike is paying attention, and the result is not a grim struggle for success, as you might expect, so much as it is a joyful acquisition of genuine self knowledge. There is no better gift.

In my opinion this is a far better book than those offered by some of the other "superstars" of ultrarunning, such as Karnazes and Reed (though these are worth reading too). Mike is one of us, the huge majority of mid and back of the pack runners, but he is one of the top leaders in the race for the soul.

For those of us desk jockeys who long for something bigger and better in life -- something more meaningful than shuffling paper, answering the phone and fending off email -- this is one man's unusual and inspiring struggle to take the bull by the horns and do something about it. This book serves as a valuable layman's guide and experiential reference manual of what to expect should we decide to "go the distance." The lure of the book's message is made all the more compelling by the reader's easy identification with the writer - Mike is getting on in years, at the back of the pack; he is one of us. In addition to the physical dimensions of training, nutrition, clothing, gear, mental preparation and hands-on ultra racing experience, this book sets itself apart with original insights on the mental and spiritual expansion experienced by ultra runners and the unexpected renewal of life's lost magic in our post industrial age.

The author may have been successful on Wall Street, but a writer he's not. I'll read just about any running book that I can get my hands on, but almost didn't bother finishing this one. The writing is dry and uninspired, and it lacks a compelling story or useful advice.

"Ultrarunning: My Story" is, among many other things, a great step by step guide to attaining the depth of meaning and experience inherent in running longer distances off-road. It is also exceedingly well-written, highly entertaining, and consistently hilarious. This guy Bouscaren is one to identify with, an ex-linebacker, a far cry from the archetypal stick and weed-eating ultra-marathoner. He really shows how accessible the joy and exhilaration of going long can be to shorter-distance week-end road runners. A great read.

I enjoyed reading Mike's book. It was a collection of stories from his zen like search for self discovery and the quest to become an ultra-runner. In the process Mike discovers it is not the goal but the process that he was seeking.

If you want to learn something about running technique or advice on how to become an ultra runner, then KEEP MOVING.

If you want Once a Runner meets Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance then pony up.

Oh yeah and my non professional medical advice is defiantly do not eat Ibuprofen like MM's like the author does, it is generally not good for your overall health.

I have read almost everything written on this subject and Mike's book is the best, by far; the most literate, the most personal and the most thoughtful. It's a must for anyone who is curious about the unique challenges of this sport.

I am not a runner and I really enjoyed this book. Mike shares his personal challenges thoughout his life and how ultrarunning cleared his path by teaching him to never give up.It is a lesson even the walkers in the world can learn. Read Ultrarunning to find out if you are a pusher or a puller and to set goals for your own victory lap.

This book is great for those of us who run ultras just to finish. Gives a whole new look at ultrarunning. I recommend it, great read and interesting life story.

What a great read, you don't need to be an ultra runner to appreciate this book. Mike sheds light on all aspects of life. He made me laugh out loud, think about my relationships with family and friends, and my own commitments to achieving goals I set for myself. For the endurance athlete, you will find it amazing that Mike put many of the same thougts and feelings we experience into words and paragraphs everyone can understand. Mike's book also makes it very hard to hit the snooze button when the alarm goes off @ 4:00am!

After all the great reviews, maybe my expectations were too high. I feel cheated by this book. It reads like a lightly edited diary, not an inspirational memoir. I learned nothing from it that other, more technically trained ultrarunners could teach me. The spiritualism came off like the musings of a part-time yoga teacher.

I do understand what he's feeling is very powerful, and I also understand the importance of focused running to mindfulness in daily life, and to an altered state that continues on once the running's over. Ultramarathons have clearly brought the author deep emotional experiences. But they have not brought him the ability to communicate their power.

If this were a free read, such as a blog, I wouldn't criticize an amateur writer, who may yet have a wonderful book in him. But I paid $13 for this, and considering what books I could have bought, I consider this purchase a waste of my time and money.