Endure: Mind, Body, and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance
Featuring a foreword by Malcolm Gladwell
Writing from both the cutting edge of scientific discovery and the front-lines of elite athletic performance, National Magazine Award-winning science journalist Alex Hutchinson presents a revolutionary account of the dynamic and controversial new science of endurance.
The capacity to endure is perhaps the key trait that separates champions and determines great performance in any field – from a 100-meter sprint to a 100-mile ultramarathon, from summiting Everest to acing finals. But what if everything we’ve been taught about endurance was wrong? What if we all have more potential than we think to go farther, push harder, and achieve more?
Blending cutting-edge science and gripping storytelling in the vein of Malcolm Gladwell – who forewords the book – Hutchinson reveals that a wave of paradigm-altering research over the past decade suggests that the seemingly physical barriers you encounter are mediated as much by your brain as by your body. But it’s not “all in your head.” For each of the physical limits that Hutchinson explores – pain, muscle, oxygen, heat, thirst, fuel – he carefully disentangles the delicate interplay of mind and muscle by telling the riveting stories of men and women who’ve approached (and sometimes surpassed) their own ultimate limits.
As the longtime “Sweat Science” columnist for Outside and Runner’s World as well as a frequent contributor to The New Yorker and New York Times, Hutchinson draws on his background as a former national-team long-distance runner and Cambridge-trained physicist. But the lessons he draws from traveling to labs around the world and trying out new endurance-boosting techniques like electric brain stimulation and brain endurance training are surprisingly universal. Endurance, he writes, is “the struggle to continue against a mounting desire to stop” – and we’re always capable of pushing a little farther.
Part of what holds this extreme diversity together is the notion, introduced by Tim Noakes, of a "Central Governor," a self-defense mechanism that keeps us from harming ourselves. Some of the success of top athletes might be linked to an ability to ignore the urging to slow down and instead to keep going at full speed.
The very long duration examples of endurance, such as pulling a sled across Antarctica, or an alpine-style month-long mountain ascent, are interesting as extremes but are obviously very different from a hundred meter dash, a marathon, or even a multi-day run. It's not so obvious that there's a "Central Governor" at work when the limits of survival are exceeded. Also one wonders what happened to the central governor while reading news stories of high school football players collapsing and sometimes dying during or soon after practice from heat stroke or overuse of muscles (rhabdomyolysis and compartment syndrome).
The text is filled both with details of lab experiments and with stories of individuals pushing the known limits. Special attention is given to the two hour marathon along with other "barriers" which have been crossed, such as the four minute mile.
The book as a whole is a handy compilation, made up in part from the author's web posts at OutsideOnline. It's great to have so much information in one handy package.
Hutchinson shares anecdotes--about all levels of athletes as well as some of his own throughout the book, which is divided into 3 sections. In the first section, he reviews the history of endurance and gives background on different theories regarding endurance, the second section tells stories of athletes who have pushed their limits beyond what we mere mortals would think is normal, and in the third section, he shares research into pushing beyond the limits. Hutchinson is a big believer in the power of the mind and he shares his thoughts on that as well.
I completely enjoyed Endure and even if you're not a science nerd like me, there's something here for everyone who is interested in endurance. You might not find any answers, but then again, you might learn something that will help you run farther and longer. It's probably not a pair of shoes, though.
The history of the science is fascinating. I find his writing engaging as he writes about the scientific dueling among the researchers.
I liked his style and obvious understanding of running.
Should be read by anyone who wants to get a better understanding of mental and physical endurance
Hutchison's book is a well crafted story of endurance. Told through the eye of a trained journalist and runner, not only does Hutchison explains endurance, he transmits his passion for passion it.
Written with passion, the stories and reports behind endurance will make you ponder about your physical limits
Highly recommend to anyone who exercises regularly or is simply considering it.
This book is not for everyone. If your bent is more towards 'broscience' or interesting but completely untested anecdote; or, you're looking for a simple guide to improve your performance - it's not for you. For those who may be interested in a fascinating analysis of the often incredible limits to human performance (and not just in running performance) - this is THE book you need to read.
"Run a lot of miles
Some faster than your race pace
Rest once in a while".
Clearly, this book is un-put-downable.