You may have heard of this guy. He is threatening to make ultra-running mainstream and for good reason. You know that look of disbelief you get when you tell someone who does not run at all about people who can run 100 miles? Well that's the same kind of look you get when you tell people who run 100 miles about Kilian Jornet.

I was really pleasantly surprised by this book and I had no reason to believe it would not be a great read but I actually found it a brilliant read.

The guy is only 26, he has done more than most runners would dream of in a lifetime but he writes about it in a way that really exposes how he feels about running in the mountains. I know we all like to say stuff like "without running my life would be a void" but in reality our life wouldn't be a void, we'd have something else to occupy our time, cycling or guitar playing or something. With Kilian I worry that if he didn't have the mountains and running he might actually die.

Hence the title I guess.

He is clearly very competitive and writes in depth about what it is like to constantly be racing others, however much of the book is on some of his "FKT"s such as running across the Pyrenees, the Tahoe Lake circular and climbing Kilimanjaro. He also talks in depth about his first Western States 100 race which, by his standards didn't go very well (He didn't win or get a course record).

He is very creative with his words without being wanky.

A great and inspirational read for anyone wanting to know what it is like to be in the mind of ultra running's most elite sportsman.

RunningandStuff