The Longest Race

A Lifelong Runner, an Iconic Ultramarathon, and the Case for Human Endurance

By: Ed Ayres

Narrated by: Richard Waterhouse

First and foremost a book about running, The Longest Race takes listeners alongside ultramarathoner Ed Ayres as he prepares for, runs, and finishes the JFK 50-mile race at a then record-breaking time for his age division - 60 and older. But for Ayres, this race was about more than just running, and the book also encompasses his musings and epiphanies along the way about possibilities for human achievement and the creation of a sustainable civilization.

Looking back over a lifetime of more than 50 years of long-distance running, Ayres realizes that his running has taught him important lessons about endurance, patience, and foresight. These qualities, also hallmarks of being human, likely helped humans to survive and thrive in the evolutionary race - and, Ayres posits, they are qualities absolutely necessary to building a sustainable society.

Grounding each step of his argument are vivid details from this particular race and other moments across his long running career. These experiences take us far beyond the sport, into new perspectives on our origins as future - and what it means to be a part of the human race. In the end, Ayres suggests, if we can recapture the running prowess and overall physical fitness of our "wild" ancient distance-hunting ancestors, we will also be equipped to keep our bodies, our society, and the entire world running long into the future.

©2012 Ed Ayres (P)2012 AudioGO

Required reading for JFK50 miler participants!

This has everything I love about running memoirs - a runner's personal journey through the sport, an incredibly detailed historical and course account of a specific goal race, and general tips on training and nutrition. I am planning to run this race later this year, and Ayres' segment-by-segment recall of the course was so descriptive that I could visualize it. This book specifically focused on Ayres' running of the 2001 race and the tone felt after 9/11. It seems especially relevant today, now 20 years later, as our country yet again processes major social, health, and cultural tragedies from 2020. This was a fun read - I will pick it up again before I run the race myself!

Running Info and Liberal Propaganda

What did you like best about The Longest Race? What did you like least?

This book did have some good moments and interesting running information. However, the book was overall a little boring and contained a lot of liberal politicizing. I also didn't like the way the author keeps subtly attacking Born to Run and barefoot running.

Not what I expected

Maybe it was how this book was narrated, but I just couldn’t get into it. It felt very choppy—going from the run and then discussing aspects of the human condition and change and historical events that (maybe) predicted or (maybe) were the result of the changes the author described. The connections and conclusions seemed forced at times.

Interesting, relaxing listen of a runners mindset and a glimpse into the sport

Views on environment, climate change, running as a lifestyle and possibly the most popular sport, running as a natural part of human evolutionary hostory. Clears away the fad of high tech electronics for training.

Brilliant use of comparative metaphor with climate change

I was not expecting this book to be as deep as it is. This is a awesome use of ultra running as a metaphor for our exploration of natural resources and the toll that takes on our bodies and planet.