The Book Corner

Although I’m not a huge book worm, chapters four through ten of Ultramarathon Man gives me enough mental pep to want to run until I fall flat on my face.  I find it fascinating to read about someone who pushes themselves to extremes and what happens when they do.

Personally, I consider a long run nine miles.  This will change in the Fall when I increase that to 20 miles.  However, I am reading about someone who:

• Runs all night long, stopping by a Taco Bell to refuel or phoning for a pizza delivery at an intersection.
• Stops at an aid station to have his blisters lanced and filled with Krazy Glue.
• Runs a marathon to the South Pole, tucking three heating pads in each shoe to keep his feet warm.

The simplicity and non-materialism of running are spoken of which I’m familiar with, but there are plenty of things discussed that I was not aware of.  Beginning with one extreme, the book logically climbs to another extreme of increasing difficulty of his experiences with the following races:

• A 50 mile race.
• Western States 100 mile race.
• Badwater.
• A marathon to the South Pole.

My interest falters after his 100 mile race as things begin to become repetitive, but it is recaptured at chapter 14 when Dean runs 199 mile relay race by himself.