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Endure cover art

Endure

Written by: Alexander Hutchinson,Malcolm Gladwell - foreword
Narrated by: Robert G. Slade
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Publisher's Summary

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.

©2018 Alex Hutchinson (P)2018 HarperCollins Publishers Limited

What the critics say

"If you want to gain insight into the mind of great athletes, adventurers, and peak performers then prepare to be enthralled by Alex Hutchinson's Endure." (Bear Grylls)

What listeners say about Endure

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  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
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    3 out of 5 stars
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    2 out of 5 stars

Not an endurance guide

If you’re looking for answers of how to improve your sports endurance this book IS NOT for you. It provides a lot of interesting facts about the research and human performance physiology, not too complex, but you won’t find any applicable validated recommendations for your sports practice. I was expecting interesting endurance stories of athletes and some applicable notions, but...not here. Many interesting and curious facts tough. I struggled finishing it. Well narrated.

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8 people found this helpful

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great read

as a recreational Runner I really enjoyed this book. running for me is more than just the activity in the sport it's the lessons that running bring me outside of it that I think about the most. this book is a great reminder about pushing against one's limits especially in times when you think you can't go on but you actually can. we are all stronger than we know.

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6 people found this helpful

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    5 out of 5 stars
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Inspiring for a non runner and non science geek

I’ve been running with friends this year and wanted to read my first ever “Runner’s” book. It was really good. Inspiring. Interesting. Great narrator. Unique stories. Listened to it while running sometimes too. Nice to think there’s the capacity to do more than we think and that it’s within us. Helpful when feeling tired, nice to listen to while doing chores around the house.

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2 people found this helpful

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interesting

From an amateur athlete's perspective - lots of interesting nuggets to think on when you're training for your chosen sport.

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1 person found this helpful

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Excellent book for anyone who wants to understand the human condition

Great book. Loved how the complex science of human performance is distilled down and fascinatingly explained. The narrator does a great job too - pleasant to listen to.

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Fascinating

This is everything I’ve ever wanted in a book about endurance! If you’re looking for black and white answers or specific how tos, this isn’t necessarily it…but if you want science based evidence, research analysis in language the average non scientist, athlete can understand as well as real life anecdotes and some humor, this is it! The entire book was captivating and thought provoking.

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  • R3
  • 2022-07-17

Runner, cyclist, mountaineer must read!

Must read for anyone interested in endurance sports or human capacity.
Research and studies, anecdotes, historical events about endurance and human exploits covering from mental to fueling for performance.
So much good information and debunking about lots of aspects of sports.
Lots of data to absorb! I'm heading back to review a couple chapters right away.

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  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
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great book on endurance

great book for any endurance athlete. I love Alex Hutchinson's stories. Only complaint was the person narrating the audiobook butchered every Kenyan runner's name.

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Game changer

Would recommend to any athlete
Also just fascinating
You'll like breeze through the book like I did
Definitely one of the best athletic books I've "read"

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  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
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great listening if you want to know physical limit

struggled a little to finish, but glad I did. Learned that I have more inside me than I thought I had

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