For those who are part of the ultra running community, Marshall Ulrich needs no introduction. For those who aren't - he is the grandmaster of endurance/extreme running. Having won Badwater (135 miles from Death Valley to Mt. Whitney) Ulrich needed a new challenage and more or less invented the Badwater Quad - that's the Badwater course four times - back to back.
Here's Marshall running Badwater "unasissted" -
Marshall has run (several times over) and won every major ultra since he enetered the scene in the early 90's. He earned his lengendary status with blood, guts and as his new book describes so well - heart.
This book is Marshall Ulrich's account of his epic run across America - from San Fransisco to New York, New York. As the subtite says - 3,063 Miles, 52 Days, 57 Years Old. He's a bad ass. And what makes him such a bad ass isn't his superhuman endurance or pain threshold (although they certainly help) no, it's his ability to truly allow himselt to be human with all the frailities that this brings - to be broken,physically and emotionally, and having the courage to lean on loved ones to help see him through. Marshall shows that true strength is knowing that we're not alone in this world. Marshall has heart and it shines through brightly in his book. Not only is this an account of a great adventure, it is a chronicle of what it took for the race to take place - from training, to gear, to diet - it's all covered and that was my favor part of the book.
I do however have a quibble with Marshall's nutritional approach (ok, as you know I'm a vegan - I have a quibble with near EVERYONE'S nutrional approach)and I think he would have recovered quicker and broke down less (his list of injuries in the appendix is mind blowing)but I am not one to argue with a Grandmaster and a lengend - so I'll leave it at that and if Marshall ever reads this review I hope he forgivess me this rant. If I wasn't in awe (and I was) before I read this book - I would be now. In fact, after reading and getting to know Marshall through his story - I am even more so now.
Thank you Marshall Ulrich - for a life greatly lived.
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information for purshacing Running On Empty can be found here -
http://www.marshallulrich.com/
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