A Hundred Reasons to Run 100km reflects a personal journey that will strike a chord with anyone intrigued by the prospect of trying an ultramarathon. The idea for this book was born 10 days before author Margreet Dietz did a 100km race. While finalizing her physical preparations, she also wanted to ready herself mentally as best as possible. An experienced 3:07 marathoner and five-time Ironman finisher, she knew endurance athletes ponder the question, Why?, during the most challenging moments in an event. It's good to have an answer. In this book on ultrarunning, you'll find plenty of inspiration, practical tips, and the key reason to run 100km-because you can. UltraRunning magazine editor Tia Bodington: "There's something special about 100km. It's not 'only 50' miles, which is eminently do-able if you're the least bit trained. It's not the epic 100-mile distance, which carries you through the night and into the next day. Sixty-two miles pushes you over the edge into the realm of philosophy; you have to dig deep to get it done, but you're still showered and in bed by midnight, to lie there and contemplate what amazing thing you've just accomplished."
Marathon & Beyond editor Richard Benyo: "It is the common ultra-distance to virtually every country that competes in ultras. Of course, in most of the world ultras are contested on the road, and the 100km is a perfect distance, a perfectly rounded number for countries, most of 'em, that use the metric system."
Professional endurance athlete, coach and Badwater Ultramarathon finisher Jen Segger: "Prepare properly and you will enjoy the experience that much more. Dedicate yourself to the journey because, honestly, it's about the whole process-not just the race itself!"
Reviews:
"The book is a very good read-very intuitive for someone who is a veteran of ultramarathons or for those who are attempting their first century distance. I like the breakdown into 100 reasons. During a marathon a person lives through one lifetime, but during an ultra an athlete lives through a few lifetimes. All of us have broken down the ultras by distance markers or time frames. How wonderful to divide the 100km race into 100 reasons (one for every km) in the century race!"
- Nadeem Khan, director of communications, International Association of Ultrarunners
"I have read it from cover to cover and thoroughly enjoyed it! There's so many things that resonated with me having questioned my participation in events (even if they've reached only half of a 100km)."
- Roger Shirt, Squamish Titans running coach and former University of British Columbia's cross-country team member
"If you're on the fence about running a 100km, or wondering what your motivation for ultra-running is or should be, Margreet's book is a must-read. Rather than simply listing reasons, Margreet lays out a beautiful and compelling story on each easy-to-read page. This is a perfect addition to any ultra-running library!"
- Ben Greenfield, owner of www.EndurancePlanet.com
"A Hundred Reasons to Run 100km is a funny, inspirational, motivating read that uses the author's personal experience rather than sterile advice. Dietz uses personal experience in both her life as a writer and a runner to drive the point home and, like her, I believe there are many parallels between ultra-running and life. In the book, Dietz asks, "How do you know you're ready to do something you've never done before? The only way to really find out is to try."
The stories have a good mix of humour, motivation, practical tips and facts about the local running community.
While running 100 kilometres may not be on everyone's bucket list, I would recommend this book to anyone with a passion for running longer distances and anyone interested by the prospect of trying an ultra-marathon."
- Jessica Glowacki in IMPACT Magazine
