To the Edge

June 11, 2001
Journalist Johnson chronicles his participation in one of the world's toughest endurance races, the 135-mile Badwater Ultramarathon, and his simultaneous emotional reckoning with family members and himself. Johnson, who had never run a regular marathon, entered the race after his brother, a highly respected athlete, committed suicide. He recruited his sister and nearly estranged living brother to help him. In the first section, Johnson describes learning about and preparing for the race. As a journalist and a participant, he met many interesting Badwater participants (the paraplegic runners especially stand out) and offers insight into the phenomenon of ultramarathons, exploring questions like "Why does Badwater exist... and persist? Why does it capture the imagination?" After a strong start, though, this part goes on too long. The fascinating second section details the actual race and affords an inside look at an endurance runner's thoughts. Johnson deftly blends excitement, tension, grief and humor. He describes his feelings on one evening of the race, blister crisis in check: "The world was surprising and filled with eye-opening wonder, and the simple act of moving through it had become a source of joy." Johnson occasionally relies on a cliché or two, but they are offset by lovely passages that make his unusual experience familiar and immediate to the reader. Photos. (July)Forecast:The book should do well among the boomer fitness crowd, especially runners. The quality of the writing, the national advertising campaign and the six-city author tour will boost sales further.

March 15, 2001
Endurance runner Johnson, a reporter for the New York Times, is no thrill seeker. He trained for and ran the 135-mile Death Valley marathon as a means of escaping the pain of his sister's suicide.

Copyright 2001 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

June 1, 2001
Ultramarathons are a supreme test of physical endurance and mental fortitude--and that's when the course is flat, the weather pleasant, and the runner supremely prepared. The Badwater Ultramarathon in Death Valley offers 130 miles of potentially lethal heat, 40-mile-per-hour headwinds, and lightning storms. Despondent over the suicide of his older brother, " New York Times "reporter Johnson decided to compete in the Badwater as a kind of personal grief therapy (his brother was a gifted athlete). He enlisted his sister and another brother to help him train--no easy task for a one-time "fat boy" who had never even attempted a half-marathon. To keep the narrative moving and to prevent the introspective focus from becoming narcissistic navel gazing, Johnson provides plenty of detail about this demanding sport, including revealing interviews with other ultramarathoners. He's also honest with the reader. If the 54-hour experience failed to deliver what Johnson expected in the way of enlightenment, it was not without rewards, both physical and spiritual. A remarkable saga.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2001, American Library Association.)