Adharanand FinnRecensioni

Listened to this when camping in the mountains. Very recommendable. Quite an eye opener.

Ever wonder what an “Ultra” race is? These races generally are from 50-100 miles long and can take place over a track, a trail, or even Mount Everest. The runners are often quirky, driven, and focused. Obsessed too – maybe just a little.

The author describes his foray into the ultramarathon world and muses upon human endurance, doping, self-image, and morals, among other things. I will say that I was a bit dubious when he started running, as he didn’t really describe a strict training regimen per se. Yes, he is suffering during many races, but not many people would choose to abuse themselves the way he did to write a book. I’m alternately impressed and doubtful at the same time. That being said, we do learn (as he did) from his mistakes, such as wearing new shoes for the first time in a race and failing to fuel properly. The basic rules of ultras are the same as marathons, along with a healthy dose of mental fortitude plus a little insanity.

The racers are eager to share stories (and in some instances, their homes) with Finn, both before and after races. The author is adept at describing his transformation from a regular runner to one that can cover 100 miles despite hallucinations and excruciating pain. Some of the descriptions of the “pain cave” (an ultrarunner term) made me cringe, then allowed me to feel grateful that an ultramarathon was not in my future. He becomes stronger physically and mentally as the book progresses. One good example he describes is about finding a place to sleep. During races that last more than a day, runners must bed down for the night before running again in the morning. Finn tosses and turns as he sleeps on the ground, or in his clothes. Later on, he comes to realize that he can sleep anywhere, because he has evolved to be comfortable with less. Finn often says that he may be becoming like the ultrarunners he is studying, then disavows that statement by saying how far he still has to go figuratively, before he can truly call them his tribe.

As in most elite sports, these athletes embrace pain and suffering. It is such a big part of their lives that if/when they become injured, they must come to terms with the fact that they may not know who they are without ultras in their life. One runner notes that she feels utterly bereft and needs to learn how to live a normal life, one without hours spent in motion.

Those who may enjoy this book the most are runners; however, anyone interested in hearing about how the human body can be forced to exceed boundaries will learn a lot from RISE OF THE ULTRARUNNERS. It is definitely a departure from most of the running books on the market.

I love running and reading about running, but I didn't enjoy this book at all. It was so boring and pointless--could easily have been shortened to a 10 page article. The only reason I finished it was that I am 40 weeks and 3 days pregnant, and this book helped me fall asleep despite my pregnancy induced insomnia.

nonfiction (sports memoir / running). I am not very familiar with the sport of running, and would not have picked this up if I hadn't been looking for a "stretch" book, but this was interesting. I did skim parts here and there and here again, but overall enjoyed it and gained an appreciation for the natural abilities of Kenyans and the stamina of anyone who trains to run marathons.

Finn, and his wife and two children, move to Kenya so he can train for a marathon. What will he learn about running, and about Kenyan running culture? How fast will he get? This makes for a fun combination of a travel book and a running book.

I would have liked it more, though, if Finn had been a more serious runner, and didn't play stupid quite so much. For example, coming into it he claims to think that all Kenyan runners run barefoot all the time, which he would have seen was false from any photograph or any of the hundreds of running magazine articles on Kenyan runners. He's a runner, but he only runs every few days, taking off weeks or months at a time. When he moves to Kenya, he's only running up to 3 miles at a time. Maybe this was deliberate sandbagging so his improvement in Kenya would be more dramatic? But no, he keeps this schedule up even after moving his whole family to Kenya! He also deliberately runs stupidly, possibly so the book has more drama? He refuses to wear a watch, for example, in training or races, unlike everyone else, and makes any number of other dumb mistakes. Since there's no new information in this book (and what there is is of questionable accuracy), these details make the project annoying to any serious runner.

> One woman tells me, as we sit on the grass, that she thinks running is like getting drunk in reverse. With drinking, it feels great at first, but then you start feeling awful. With running, you feel awful at first, but then, after you finish, you feel great.

> After the race in Eldoret, I decide I need to ratchet up my training. I'm still in my old mindset, training every other day, treating running as a side activity.

> "I'm going running," I say. "Why?" she asks. It's a good question, but right now, just before a run, is not the best moment to try to answer it. Right before you head out running, it can be hard to remember exactly why you're doing it. You often have to override a nagging sense of futility, lacing up your shoes, telling yourself that no matter how unlikely it seems right now, after you finish you will be glad you went. It's only afterward that it makes sense, although even then it's hard to rationalize why. You just feel right. After a run, you feel at one with the world, as though some unspecified, innate need has been fulfilled.

> I must be the only runner here without a watch. Before I came to Kenya, I had naively imagined everyone racing along without a thought for anything as controlling and analytical as a stopwatch.

> in the West we're stuck on a conveyor belt going the wrong way. In 1975, for example, thirty-four marathons were run in under 2 hours 20 minutes by American runners, twenty-three by British runners, and none by Kenyan runners. By 2005, however, there were 22 sub-2:20 marathon performances by Americans, 12 by Britons, and a staggering 490 by Kenyans.

> "Thirty-eight kilometers. We leave at five in the morning." "Yeah, sure. Sounds good." Sounds terrifying, is what I mean. That's almost twenty-four miles. I've never run more than thirteen miles before.

> The cook passes a tray with a mound of ugali on it through the window from the adjoining kitchen, then a pot of sukuma wiki , which is basically stewed kale

> A daily diet of run, eat, sleep, run. In Iten alone there are around one thousand full-time athletes living like this—in a town with a population of just four thousand people [Wikipedia says the population is over 42,000]

> At three miles I begin to wonder how fast I'm running. I made a late decision not to wear a watch. Anders thought I was mad, but I've done every training run without one, and the Kenyan runners at the Kimbia camp didn't think it was a problem. Just run how you feel, they said.

> The long, straight lines cutting across the parched landscape seem to stretch on farther than before. The gentle wind and the soft pat, pat, pat of my feet are the only sounds. I swing a few glances behind me, but there is no one as far as I can see. Just the long path already traveled, empty, as though I'm the last runner on earth. I have an energy gel in my back pocket. I had planned to take it at eighteen miles, but now, at fifteen miles, it's all I can think about

> As I round the last corner, the beautiful, arched finish rises up to meet me. The clock ticks on to 3 hours 20 minutes. And then I'm there. I've done it.

Adharanand Finn, a casual runner who "might have been really good" and also a writer for Runner's World magazine, sets out to realize the dream of many runners, visit what one journalist has called "The Halls of the Mountain Kings," the town on the edge of the Rift Valley that is the epicenter of the Kenyan running explosion. Over the past 15 years, Kenyans from one particular ethnic group, the Kalenjin, have nearly completely dominated distance running from the 10K to the marathon. Their dominance, challenged only by their geographic neighbors from Ethiopia, has become so overwhelming that some major marathons have offered considerable incentives to encourage runners from other countries to try to break the hold of Kenyans over top places.

Finn is able to live and run in Iten, Kenya, the county seat town where many of the best runners train at a variety of training camps. His goal is to discover the "secret" of Kenyan running success. As the spouse of a Kalenjin former runner for the past 30 years, I have lived and worked within the culture and was prepared to dislike this book, as so many brief visits by "running investigators" have led to vacuous descriptions of children running six miles to school, uphill both ways no doubt(ever wonder why they never build the schools near anybody's house? yeah, I'm being sarcastic) and the possibility that the running culture comes from the Kalenjin's history as cattle raiders or their habit of drinking soured milk. However, Finn's book is actually well-written, entertaining, and inspiring. Finn is culturally sensitive to realize that he is missing things socially, and this sensitivity and humble attitude is disarming. He also puts a serious effort into his running, but is realistic about his own goals and puts the focus on the dual theme of his own struggles as a runner and the stories of the Kenyans he meets and trains with. I don't think he's right to so completely dismiss the possibility of some as-yet unidentified genetic factor in Kenyan success, but that's really not the point of the book. It's a great read that I would recommend to anyone with even a passing interest in running or in Kenya.

Started very weak, I had concerns about the colonialist to be in first few chapters. however once the story moved to Item & Eldoret, the Kenyans were presented as more human & less super hero or other.

I ended up really liking it & agree with the assessment that Be. Colm O'Connel is one of the few mzungu not exploiting the Kalenjin.

I enjoyed this book much more than I thought I would. I thought the premise was interesting, but I'm not a runner and running sounds so utterly unappealing to me. Finn made me see why someone might want to run and also gave a good glimpse into a particular segment of a particular society (runner in Kenya) that I didn't really know anything about - and his descriptions of Kenya made the landscape sound appealing and beautiful (something I hadn't thought about Kenya before).

I picked this up during the Olympics, after watching the Men's 800 meter race, won by Kenyan David Rudisha. This made the book that much more engaging to me, especially since Finn trains in the Kenyan town of Iten, where David Rudisha is also training.

If you like "triumph of the wills" type stories, I think you will enjoy this one (even if you don't like running!)

What is it about the Kenyans? In the world of running they are the crazy-fast superstars. They seem to shatter world records as an afterthought and amass place medals with a regularity that is astonishing. But what is their secret? Is it their training, their diet, their running equipment (or lack thereof)? Or is it some special magic that only Kenyans possess? Author Adharanand Finn is determined to find out.

Finn is a runner and a freelance writer for the UK version of "Runner's World". As such, he is fascinated by the Kenyans. So much so that he decides to go to the source and see for himself what they are doing and how they are doing it. Uprooting his young family (kudos to his wife!) for an extended stay in Kenya, Finn immerses himself in the world of Kenyan running. Running and training alongside elite runners and hardworking hopefuls, Finn sets himself the goal of running the Flouspar race - a 13.1 mile half marathon (uphill all the way) - that has developed into a rite of passage for Kenyan runners.

Interesting, poignant, and at times funny, this book immerses you in African culture and the cult that is Kenyan running. A great book to read for any runner but non-runners interested in African culture shouldn't pass this one by. Photos at the beginning of each chapter make the stories all the more personal and interesting. So what is it about the Kenyans? Their barefood running? Their ugali diet? Their training regime? Or is it just that nebulous quality known as 'heart'? To find out, read this book.

An interesting read about what it's like to live and train in Kenya from the perspective of a UK runner. The book addresses some of my questions about why Kenyans are such great runners and why they didn't dominate the longer races until the last 20 years or so. Recommended for anyone interested in running or life in Africa.

British author Adharanand Finn spent six months living in Kenya with his wife and three young children trying to discover the reason that Kenyans dominate the world in running and attempting to learn to run like a Kenyan. No, he wasn't a world class athlete or even a serious amateur runner. Finn is a journalist at the "Guardian" with additional regular assignments from "Runners World". As a youth, he ran with a local club in Northampton, England. In college in Liverpool, Finn joined the running team but failed to take training seriously and simply participated. As an adult with a wife and three children, training was an indulgence that time did not permit.

Although describing himself as an "overweight office worker," Finn never gave up his dream of training really hard and running really fast. This dream became a reality after he won a 10K charity race in Devon with his personal best time of 38 minutes and 35 seconds. (Kenyans commonly run sub 30 minute 10Ks.) His sister-in-law, who lived in Kenya, suggested that he run the Lewa Marathon, one of the toughest marathons in the world, run across a wildlife conservancy in Kenya. In the glow of his victory in the local charity run, Finn gave serious thought to the invitation. With the enthusiastic support of his wife, the whole family moved to Kenya.

Kenyans dominate distance running, particularly those of the Kalenjin tribe. By living near and training with elite runners, Finn gained insight into reasons for their success.

* Life style, culture, genetics and drive distinguish the Kenyan runners. They devote themselves to running. It's a vocation rather than an avocation. Running is one of the few ways to escape a life of poverty, creating the need to excel. A lack of alternatives fuels the drive to win.

* Kenyans run, eat and sleep. They train in groups and, for races, live in training camps. Training is about two runs a day, with total rest in between. Kenyans will sleep as much as sixteen hours a day.

* The diet of Kenyan runners is high in carbs. Ugali, the national food, predominates. This is a porridge or dough made of maize.

* Genetically, the Kenyans are lean and built well to run. Males are generally below 130 lbs. The Kalenjins live at altitude and children grow up running everywhere they need to go. Running is a way of life.

"Running with the Kenyans" is a well-written narrative of the difficulties of integrating Finn and his family into the local culture and his path to completing the Lewa Marathon. You don't need to be a runner to enjoy this story.½

Running with the Kenyans by Adharanand Finn

This was one of my favorite reads of the year so far. My perspective is not that of an athlete by a long shot, but the idea of going to Kenya and running across the country was so intriguing. Still, the running information was interesting, especially the different attitudes and beliefs of Kenyans compared to Americans. (Although, the author is British) The relationships between coaches and athletes were different. The biggest part of the story for me was the author and his wife making the decision to move to Kenya for this adventure, taking their two children with them. This is a great story for both runners and armchair adventurers. I found myself missing these people when I finished the book.

If you’re interested in running and travel, you’ll want to read this book. It’s the story of a guy from England who, wondering what it would take to become a better runner, packs up his family and moves to a small town in Kenya to figure out the secrets of the best runners out there.

The secrets, as it turns out, are not very surprising, and are a combination of factors rather than one single thing. Lifestyle plays a huge role in producing top runners; Kenyan children in rural areas live hard, physically-demanding lives, and often run miles every day just as a way of getting to and from school. When they choose to become athletes, they have an extremely high level of dedication because achieving success can change their lives so dramatically; even a relatively small amount of prize money can allow them to vastly improve their families’ standards of living. And once some runners have achieved such success, it sets off a spiral of positive reinforcement: more people are driven to become runners, and their families are willing to make sacrifices so that they can dedicate their lives to training. Other factors are mentioned as well: barefoot running, and diet, and so on.

These “secrets” are mainly presented in an anecdotal way; there are occasional mentions of scientific studies, but that’s not the driving force of this book. Mostly, Finn just talks to people and considers what he sees. This makes for a very easy read, but it did occasionally lead me to have doubts about his conclusions. He largely rejects the idea that the specific subgroup of Kenyans that excels most in races, the Kalenjin, has some sort of genetic advantage, at least partially on the grounds that this would diminish their achievements and discourage other competitors. He also confidently asserts the benefits of a low-fat diet, when I’d thought that recent science had rejected this idea. There’s no doubt that the standard western diet leads to a lot of health problems, but I’d thought that it was now seen as more a matter of refined carbohydrates and specific types of fat. I’m certainly not an expert on the matter, and I may be completely wrong—but Finn isn’t an expert either, and he presented no convincing evidence to support his position and make me change my views.

So, this has to be viewed as more a travelogue and memoir than as a serious work of scholarship on Kenyan athletes. And I don’t think that’s a problem, as long as you go in with the right expectations. As a travelogue, I'd say it’s only average in terms of writing and depth of observation, but the interesting premise of going to train with the Kenyan runners is enough to make it a worthwhile read in my eyes. I don’t really know of another book like this, though I do have Toby Tanser’s More Fire on my TBR pile.

Ultimately, I found this a quick and interesting read, but was left feeling that I wanted to get a little bit deeper into this world. Finn focuses pretty exclusively on the runners he meets and the runs he participates in, but one of my favourite parts was actually his description of his daughters’ first day at the local school. I would have liked to read a bit more about life in Africa, both his own life and that of the locals. Maybe because he was a foreigner and only lived in Kenya temporarily, I didn’t feel like I really came away with a great understanding of what life was like for a Kenyan runner. We heard about life in the training camps, but I wanted to know more about the runners’ childhoods and their families as well. I didn’t feel as connected to the people described here as I did to the ones in, say, Stephanie Nolen’s 28: Stories of AIDS in Africa. I’m left hoping that someone like Jacques Steinberg (You Are an Ironman) or Liz Robbins (A Race Like No Other) will eventually write a book profiling a small group of Kenyan runners in the leadup to a major race. In the meantime, though, Finn’s book has the advantage of actually existing; it’s a quick and easy read, and worth the time if you’re interested in the topic.½

I enjoyed reading about what the author experienced in Kenya and the glimpses we were able to see of daily life for Kenyan runners. On the other hand, I quickly got tired of the author's search for the secret to Kenyan running success.½

Adharanand Finn, or just Finn, moved his family to Kenya for six months in hopes of learning the secrets of Kenyan runners. Is it their barefoot running style or just plain necessity that has set the Kenyans as the gold standard in distance running? Finn sets out on his ambitious journey to not only run with the Kenyans, but also to compete.

Finn's book fell flat for me. The story started out well, an English mid-pack runner sets out with visions of grandeur to become one with the Kenyan running lifestyle. However, once Finn arrives in Kenya the story becomes dull and repetitive. Most chapters of the book went something like this: Finn meets world famous athlete, running times are shared, everyone eats and Finn goes to sleep. Next Chapter: Finn goes out for a run and is slower than everyone else, but is improving. Next Chapter: Finn meets world famous athlete, running times are shared, everyone eats or watches television, and Finn goes to sleep. Rinse, Repeat. I think another reviewer put it best... this would have been a brilliant magazine article, but there was just not enough content to keep the reader interested for the entire book.½

I really wanted to love this book. I've lost track of the number of times I've watched Kenyan runners head for the finish line of a race I've barely started. Adharanand Finn moves his young family to Kenya and trains for a marathon with some of Kenya's elite runners in an effort to figure out their secret. It's an intriguing premise, but the characters Finn meets are so indistinguisable and his writing is so flat (and sometimes downright ungrammatical) that by the time I was two-thirds of the way through this book, I didn't care how Finn did in the marathon. This is a book that should have been a magazine article.

It was okay. I liked some of the culture things but it didn't seem like a very deep book. The running was a bit inspiring.

This book was more informative, interesting, and fun than I had anticipated. I learned a great deal about running, the names and race times of the athletes, the theories of running, rural Kenya and why many rural Kenyans run on a daily basis, racing injuries and treatments, the author and his family in Kenya, how the author's training was progressing, and a host of other things. Along the way I was entertained and enlightened. This book delivered all I needed and more. Recommended to those with an interest in sports ( running in particular), and Kenya.

What makes the Kenyans (male and female) the dominate long-distance runners in the world? Author and runner Finn, wanted to find out. He and his family moved to Iten, Kenya for months, forming friendships, learning about the culture and what motivates Kenyans to race. Finn ran with world champions, learned to eat Ugali, changed his own running style, trained at running camps and finally ran the Lewa marathon. The book is as much travelogue, exploration of current Kenyan culture and mindset as it is about running and racing at the world class level. Learning how Finn's wife and children attempted to fit into their new surroundings makes the reading experience more interesting and creates a book that isn't just about running. Runners of all levels will find pleasure in reading "Running with the Kenyans".

I am not a runner---in fact, I hate running---but I am loving this book. The author went to live in Kenya with his family in order to explore how the Kenyans were so successful in their running endeavors, earning all sorts of records. The book follows the author's explorations of the culture of running in Kenya as he immerses himself in the lives of elite Kenyan runners while also aiming to run one of the toughest marathons there is, a hot race along a tough Kenyan course. The pacing of the book is perfect to maintain the reader's interest--I've had trouble putting it down. Like the book about the barefoot runners from a few years ago, this is a running book that will fascinate even those who would never run by choice...and perhaps tempt them, someday, to try.

Finn decides to move his family to Iten where he will run with Kenyans and learn their secrets. All of the "secrets" that he discovers have been theorized about before, but still it was interesting to read about the mentality that surrounds running in the Rift Valley. It made me think about how I approach running, especially since my PRs are nowhere near the author's "plodding" times never mind the mind blowing paces that even the slowest of the Kenyan athletes run. A particularly apropos book to be reading the week that the Kenyans swept the mens and womens races in Boston.