Marshall Ulrich: Running On Empty

Running On Empty by Marshall Ulrich is probably the best running book since Born To Run, and it  appropriately features a Foreword by Christopher McDougall himself.

If you wonder why this balding guy (he looks a bit like Emil Zatopek) is called Endurance King, this book will go a long way towards answering your questions. He is not just an ultrarunner, but also a mountaineer with Seven Summits under his belt and one of the most experienced adventure athletes out there.

The book mainly focuses on the story of how he ran across America in 52 days, but it briefly discusses various other issues and topics as well, including people like Charlie Engle.



The comprehensive Appendix reveals several interesting facts, like that he didn't drink any water at all during his epic transcontinental run, but he did pop several medications like statins for high cholesterol, asthma prevention, antibiotics, prescription sleep aid and an anti-inflammatory injection for his plantar fasciitis. Yes, he suffered from tons of issues, but he didn't quit - what a tough dude!

In a recent interview, Mr. Ulrich who will celebrate his 60th birthday on July 4th 2011, mentioned planning new adventures like a circumnavigation of Death Valley with a friend, and a secret project involving "long HARD days of another discipline covering mega distance." (RAAM?)

Get this book and read it now, you won't regret it - highly recommended.