Running Man

Charlie Engle’s “moving and fascinating account of the highs and lows of his life as an ultramarathon runner, from drugs to prison and back again, is inspiring and uplifting” (Publishers Weekly) as he describes his globe-spanning races, his record-breaking run across the Sahara Desert, and how running has helped him overcome addiction. Having hit bottom with a near-fatal six-day binge that ended in a hail of bullets, Charlie Engle turned to running, which became his lifeline, his pastime, and ultimately, his salvation. Using running as a means for self-discovery during recovery from addiction, Engle went on to compete in marathons—and when marathons weren't far enough, he began to take on ultra marathons—races that went for thirty-five or fifty miles or more. Traveling to some of the most unforgiving places on earth to race, Engle began by tackling races in China and then traveled to North Africa to run across Algeria's Sahara Desert.