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Loading... Finding Ultra: Rejecting Middle Age, Becoming One of the World's Fittest Men, and Discovering Myselfby Rich Roll
Penguin Random House (244) Loading...
Sign up for LibraryThing to find out whether you'll like this book. No current Talk conversations about this book. Can't decide between 2 and three stars. Tempted to say the guy is a psycho. Who would want to do the things he did to his body? Doing 5 Ironman type competitions in 5 days? That is 100% crazy. But You can't help being impressed that he was 40 and out of shape and changed his lifestyle to be this superfit endurance guy. But His out of shape didn't really seem that extreme (maybe 30 lbs overweight?). And he was a competitive swimmer growing up. Yes I know you can be completely unfit and still not be obese, but having a mere 30 lbs extra is the difference between him before and after becoming (I assume) Mr. Zero body fat, extra lean guy. But He is a vegan. Which is surprising. As an not particularly healthy eating vegetarian of 27 yrs (yum! cookies don't have meat!), I am interested in what he eats to sustain himself through the grueling workouts. I am intrigued, but doubt I will ever find kale and beetroot smoothies a great way to start the day. But You never know. Interesting and inspiring It seems many aspects of Rich's talent are glossed over with lots of focus on what he did deliberately. One disappointment is that its difficult to take away from the book the key factors in Rich's situation that allowed him to overcome his obstacles. Basically he just did, which leaves the reader wanting to learn how to change wanting. Really good information and motivation about eating a all vegetable diet I listened to this audiobook, narrated by the author, mainly while out running – maybe I was hoping it would provide inspiration! In this memoir of sorts, Rich Roll describes how on the eve of his 40th birthday, he realised that he needed to change his health drastically – overweight, unfit and scared of dying early, Rich transformed himself into an ultra fit, vegan triathlete and this book tells how it did it. I should have enjoyed this – it had all the hallmarks of a book I would love. I am fascinated by people who find the mental and physical strength to push their body and achieve things way beyond the capability of most of us mere mortals. And running five Ultra-triathlons in less than a week is way beyond impressive by any standard you care to use. But…I never really enjoyed this book. Having overcome alcohol addiction and some years later deciding to turn his health around, it is difficult not to be impressed by what Rich Roll has done. But for me, there was too much whining – things didn’t always go well for Rich, but that applies to everyone – and he had a distinct ‘why me’ tone to his voice (both literally and on the page). And there was too much spirituality attached to fairly mundane events. For example, in Hawaii Rich is confronted by an angry homeowner, annoyed to find Rich trespassing on his property (to clarify – Rich was not actually trespassing; he thought he had found a quiet place to relieve himself during an Ultraman race). But instead of seeing this as something that could happen to anyone anywhere, Rich decides that this is karma for not respecting the island. And when approached by an alcoholic woman who wants to party, of course he decides that this woman must be some kind of angel sent to show him the kind of life he could have wound up living. Also, while fully respect the author’s vegan lifestyle choice, I disliked his dismissive attitude to anyone who doesn’t share the same values. The whole thing just came across as a big ego-trip, and honestly I was pretty pleased to finish it. Oh well, onto the next one… no reviews | add a review
Sports & Recreations.
Nonfiction.
HTML: An incredible but true account of achieving one of the most awe-inspiring midlife physical transformations ever In October 2006, the night before he was to turn forty, Rich experienced a chilling glimpse of his future. Nearly fifty pounds overweight and unable to climb the stairs without stopping, he saw where his sedentary lifestyle was taking him. Most of us look the other way when granted such a moment of clarity, but not Rich. Plunging into a new way of eating that made processed foods off limits and prioritized plant nutrition and daily training, Rich morphedâ??in mere monthsâ??from out-of-shape midlifer to endurance machine. Ninety days into his physical overhaul, Rich left the house for a light jog and found himself running a near marathon. It was time to scale up his goals. How many of us take up a sport at age forty and compete for the title of the world's best within two years? Finding Ultra recounts Rich's remarkable journey to the starting line of the elite Ultraman World Championship competition, which pits the world's fittest humans against each other in a 320-mile ordeal of swimming, biking, and running. Following that test, Rich conquered an even greater one: the Epic5 Challengeâ??five Ironman-distance triathlons, each on a different Hawaiian island, all completed in less than a week. This is more than an inside look at a series of jaw-dropping athletic feats or a practical training manual for those who would attempt a similar transformation. Yes, Rich's account rivets and instructs, providing information that will be invaluable to anyone who wants to change their physique; but this book is most notable as a powerful testament to human resiliency, for as we learn early on, Rich's life has posed numerous physical and social challenges, including a fierce battle with alcoholism. Ultimately Finding Ultra is a beautifully written portrait of what willpower can accomplish. It challenges us to rethink what we're capable of and urges us, implicitly and explicitly, to "go for No library descriptions found. |
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Google Books — Loading... GenresMelvil Decimal System (DDC)796.42The arts Recreational and performing arts Athletic and outdoor sports and games Olympic sports Track events, running; General track and fieldLC ClassificationRatingAverage:
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I then went and, the first night, consumed an entire wedge of cheese, and the other, a big CookieTime cookie the other, so the message obviously didn't sink in, but hey.
This was a pacy, well written memoir. I don't think it's in the same league as BORN TO RUN or NORTH but regardless was a good read. Roll can be quite full of himself, but he knows that, and I adored the way that he talked here and there about his family with such love and affection. What I so admire about Scott Jurek's (or, rather, his ghostwriters') writing though is that he never comes off as preachy. And Roll kinda does at points. Which is especially annoying because he tries to distance himself from the "political" and "hippie" vegans.
Side note: of course Rick Horgan edited this... ( )