My memoir, Running on Empty: An Ultramarathoner’s Story of Love, Loss, and a Record-Setting Run Across America is available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, iTunes, and local independent bookstores. Right up front, let me say thanks to the bloggers who’ve been buzzing about it and helping to get the word out that it’s available in both hardcover and paperback, as well as e-reader editions.
3,063 miles. 52 days. 57 years old.
Running on Empty isn’t your typical running book. Yes, I’m a runner. But I’m also an adventure racer and a mountaineer, as well as a husband, father, son, citizen, speaker, trainer, and guide. It’s about all of those things, too—and Running on Empty isn’t just my story.
In fact, I hesitate to say that it’s a book about me. It’s a book about some of the things I’ve done, sure, but I didn’t do them all alone. This is a book about relationships, good and bad, with friends and family. It’s a book about America and some of its people, places and history, including the history of ultrarunning. In the end, it’s a tribute to the power of friendship and love.
It’s also about defying the age barrier. It wasn’t until my thirties that I discovered my talent for ultrarunning; in my forties, I became an innovator in the sport and also diversified with adventure racing; as I entered my fifties, Trail Runner magazine called me one of the legends of the trail, Outside crowned me “Endurance King,” and Adventure Sports highlighted me as an athlete “Over Fifty and Kicking Your Butt.” Then I started climbing mountains and went up all Seven Summits, including Mount Everest, in my fifties.
I was 57 years old—a card-carrying member of AARP—when I ran across America in an attempt to break the world record set by a man half my age. (Incidentally, I’ll be 60 on July 4, 2011, just a few months after the book goes on sale.)
You can read more about the book on my Web site, where you can see behind-the-scenes extras and excerpts, as well as join the mailing list to find out when I’ll be visiting your area on tour for book signings and other events.
You might also like to read:
- A tongue-in-cheek (mostly) “Top 10” list on running across the United States, in which I convince you to try it for yourself. Or not. (Running Across America: Top 10, 4/26/11)
- My thoughts about writing a memoir, what it’s meant to tell this story and know others will read it (“Running on Empty: What It’s Like to Tell All,” posted 9/28/10)
- Heather’s perspective on the tornado of activity surrounding online promotion of my book: Facebook, Twitter, and blogs—oh, my! (“Running on Empty, Online,” posted 9/2/10)
