Finding Ultra, Revised and Updated Edition

December 1, 2013

While occasionally disjointed with an ego-heavy narrative, Roll's title presents a story of drastic physical change that will be inspiring for those wanting to reject the notion that health and athletic boundaries cannot be broken past middle age. (LJ Xpress Reviews, 3/22/13)

Copyright 2013 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2012
Roll chronicles his transformation from an out-of-shape, middle-aged man to a top ultra-endurance athlete. As a young adult, Roll was an intensely focused competitive swimmer. But upon entering college, he became addicted to alcohol and left swimming. After a long journey to sobriety, Roll married and settled into a sedentary life. Awakening to his poor health in his early 40s, Roll radically changed his exercise and eating habits. First a vegetarian, Roll quickly became vegan and is evangelical in his zeal for a plant-based diet. Throughout the book, Roll includes advice on how to move to a vegan diet in a nutritionally sound manner. Not good at slowly easing into things, Roll returns to running and makes his first race a half Ironman and his second an Ultraman. Roll's complete transformation to an ultra-athlete is clear when he and a friend undertake the EPIC5, where they complete five consecutive Ironman-distance triathlons in seven days. Roll's story is a remarkable journey of overcoming mental, emotional, and financial barriers to fulfill a personal quest.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2012, American Library Association.)