The longest race : a lifelong runner, an iconic ultramarathon, and the case for human endurance

The longest race A lifelong runner, an iconic ultramarathon, and the case for human endurance

Ed Ayres

Book - 2012

"Among endurance runners, there are those who have run very long distances, and then there are those who have run very long distances for a very long time. Ed Ayres exemplifies the latter; having run in over 600 races across fifty-five years, he is arguably the most experienced American distance runner still competing today. 'The Longest Race' begins at the starting line of the 2001 JFK 50 Mile--the nation's oldest and largest ultramarathon and, like other such races, an epic test of human limits and aspiration. At age sixty, his sights set on breaking the age-division record, Ayres embarks on a course over the rocky ridge of the Appalachian Trail, along the headwind-buffeted towpath of the Potomac River, and past moment...ous Civil War sites such as Harpers Ferry and Antietam. But even as Ayres focuses on concerns familiar to every endurance runner--starting strong and setting the right pace, the art of breathing, overcoming fatigue, mindfulness for the course ahead--he finds himself as preoccupied with the future of our planet as with the finish line of this 50-mile race. A veteran journalist and environmental editor who harbors deep anxiety about our longterm prospects, Ayres helps us to understand how the skills and mindset necessary to complete an ultramarathon are also essential for grappling anew with the imperative to endure--not only as individuals, but as a society--and not just for 50 miles, but in the longest race we are all called upon to run."--From publisher description.

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Subjects
Marathon running.
Long-distance runners > Biography.
Long-distance running.
Runners (Sports) > Biography.
Ultra running.
Published
New York : Experiment [2012]
Language
English
Main Author
Ed Ayres (-)
Physical Description
241 pages : map ; 22 cm
Bibliography
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN
9781615190638
  • Map
  • 1. Boonsboro, Dawn
  • The Start-When Life Begins Again
  • 2. South Mountain
  • The Rush-and the Dilemma of Pacing
  • 3. Appalachian Trail
  • What Are My Running Shoes For? The Journey from Barefoot Hunter to "Boots on the Ground" to Where I Am Now
  • 4. Weverton Cliff
  • The Art of Breathing and the Music of Motion: Do My Feet Have Eyes of Their Own?
  • 5. Keep Tryst Road
  • With a Little Help from Our Friends: The Not-So-Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner
  • 6. Towpath
  • Learning from Quarterbacks: The Slower-Is-Faster Phenomenon
  • 7. Antietam Aqueduct
  • Redemption: A Recovering Strength for the Human Runner-and for the Human Race
  • 8. Killiansburg Cave
  • Becoming a Persistence Hunter: The Long Day of Tracking, the Grateful Kill, the Celebration
  • 9. Snyder's Landing
  • The Energy-Supply Illusion: Carbo-Loading, Body Heat, and Naked Skin
  • 10. A Boiled-Potato Miracle
  • Burning Fat in a Carbohydrate Fire: A Secret of the Inca Messengers
  • 11. Taylor's Landing
  • Negotiating with Fatigue-and Turning Long Hours into Moments
  • 12. Dam Number 4
  • Seeing Around Bends: We Came, We Envisioned... We Got Disconnected
  • 13. Country Road
  • The Blessing and Curse of Competition: Why Vince Lombardi Was Dead Wrong
  • 14. Williamsport
  • If You Fall, Then You Crawl. What Is It About Finishing?
  • 15. Late Afternoon
  • The Fading Light
  • Postscript: 2012
  • Appendix
  • Notes for an Aspiring Ultrarunner
  • Notes
  • Acknowledgments
  • About the Author
Review by Booklist Review

As dawn breaks on a cold November morning, Ed Ayres lines up to compete in the JFK 50, an ultramarathon race that has occurred annually since 1963. From the first quick miles on the road to the slower, more challenging portion on the Appalachian Trail, Ayres takes his readers through the experience of running this historic ultramarathon. Like the expert runner that he is, Ayres perfectly paces his tale and evokes the feeling of being on a long, rambling run with a very good friend. A gifted storyteller, he seamlessly moves between discussing running to exploring larger life issues such as why we run, our impact on the environment, and the effects of the nation's declining physical fitness. The book is well structured, and the conversation is thought provoking, planting questions and ideas that readers will ruminate on long after the last page is turned. Ayres' narrative skill makes this book stand out from other accounts of ultramarathons and is sure to appeal to both runners and nonrunners alike.--Gaus, Eve Copyright 2010 Booklist

From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review

Veteran long-distance runner Ayres, a 55-year competitor in more than 600 races, brings the reader along for his grueling trek on the 2001 JFK 50 Mile, the nation's oldest ultramarathon, explaining some critical insights that enable one to cross the finish line. Ayres starts strong as he ascends in the cold to the Appalachian Trail, descends downhill to the Potomac, sets the pace along the towpath, and fights fatigue passing the Civil War landmarks of Harper's Ferry and the Antietam battlefield. Using Sheehan's axiom of "listening to your body," the author provides runners with crucial information and key tips, ending with his must-have "Notes for an Aspiring Ultrarunner," advising on breathing, nutrition, attitude, technique, training, footwear, and terrain. Revealing, savvy, and fast-paced, Ayres's eloquent book on marathon running is a master class on the priceless life lessons of enduring and conquering obstacles to victory. (Oct.) (c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.

(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Kirkus Book Review

A leading environmental activist and ultramarathoner uses the 2001 JFK 50 Mile as a staging ground for his reflections on running, aging, and saving the planet. Running Times founding editor and publisher Ayres (God's Last Offer: Negotiating for a Sustainable Future, 2000, etc.) was 60 when he decided to run the JFK 50 Mile again, two months after 9/11. He had placed first in the ultramarathon in 1977 and wanted to see if he could still keep up with the younger competitors. His aim was not to set a world record but to determine how much accumulated experience would compensate for the inevitable attrition of age. Ayres admits he is addicted to running, but its importance for him goes beyond the physical--a race of that length is "a ritual of survival." He had been running competitively since high school and recalled how the first JFK 50 Mile, held just months before Kennedy's assassination, was a Cold War response to the president's call for Americans to toughen up. While judging his pace and adjusting the rhythm of his breathing, Ayres speculated about the role played by long-distance running in the pursuit of game and the physical evolution of modern man. He drew parallels between sustaining the planet and maintaining health and vigor as we age, themes that still engage him today. He even had a few moments to muse on such mundane matters as the proper footwear for racing--not boots but flexible shoes that allow feet to sense the trail. Ayres won his age category in 2001, continues to compete at age 71 and intends to run the JFK 50 Mile again this November. The author's broad-ranging interests and accumulated wisdom will appeal to a wide readership, not just runners and environmentalists.]] Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.

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