The Longest Race

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

By: Ed Ayres

Narrated by: Richard Waterhouse

Length: 8 hrs and 6 mins

Publisher's summary

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.

Just ok. I didnt love it but I didn't hate it

This book was very average I would give it a 7 out of 10. it's very hard to even describe how the story goes. It's almost like a late aged man's reflection on the world in life.

Agenda driven & preachy

Would you try another book from Ed Ayres and/or Richard Waterhouse?

I won't spend money on another book by Ed Ayres. I didn't have a problem with Waterhouse's narration.

What was your reaction to the ending? (No spoilers please!)

I was grateful that the story was finished - that's all.

What do you think the narrator could have done better?

The narration was fine. No negatives.

What else would you have wanted to know about Ed Ayres’s life?

Oh, how about training & diet preferences, racing strategies and other things that relate to the adventure, the culture and joy of ultra running, rather than preachy, forlorn expressions about how much mankind has screwed up the environment?

Any additional comments?

This felt like an environmentalist's lecture, not so cleverly disguised in a tale about running a race, along with a few other random reflections. I kept hoping it would get better, but it didn't. Now, if I had bought the book with the expectation that it was an environmental lecture, then the added racing framework would have made it an enjoyable lecture. But I didn't want to listen to a sermon on the environment.

Science meets ultra!

This is one of the best written books about ultra running and life. Ayres tells us an amazing running experience with great detail, sprinkled with very smart anecdotes, brilliant facts. and priceless reflections about the past, present and future. I loved this book!

Anthropology?

This book isn’t what I was expecting. He talks a little about his experience being an ultra-runner, but also meanders into how people must have done it in pre-historic times. If you are into that kind of stuff, cool. While it is an amazing accomplishment, I didn’t like the narrators tone while delivering the story.

Good story but too much climate change

Good story overall. I did not like the many references to climate change and environmentalism throughout a story about ultramarathoner.