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Everything You Want Is on the Other Side of Hard: A Memoir
From the fastest runner in the world over fifty—and maybe the planet’s most determined underdog—an inspiring tale of resilience, redemption, and personal transformation that recounts Ken Rideout’s rise from a childhood cradled in poverty and criminality to a thriving job on Wall Street to struggles with addiction to athletic superstardom.
Born into a broken family just outside of Boston, Ken Rideout’s early life was marred by drugs and crime. At just eighteen, he found himself working as a corrections officer in a prison where his stepfather had been incarcerated, and his brother would later serve time. Despite the bleak expectations set by his family, Ken harbored dreams far beyond the confines of his upbringing.
Ken’s broke free from the gritty streets of Boston to the high-stakes world of Wall Street, where he carved out a successful career with top firms like Cantor Fitzgerald and Natixis. Yet, beneath the veneer of success, he battled a decade-long addiction to opioids, spending his hard-earned wealth on pills. The turning point came with the adoption of a daughter from overseas—a wake-up call to become the father and man he always dreamed of being.
Running became Ken’s salvation. With unwavering determination, he willed himself to run vast distances. In three years, Ken transformed from a “running nobody” to the world’s fastest marathoner over fifty. His Win—or die trying. In the book, Ken shares his awe-inspiring achievements, including winning the Masters’ Marathon World Championships in Chicago at age fifty-two and conquering the Gobi March ultra-marathon, one of the world’s toughest races. Through sheer resilience and grit, Ken rewrote his story.
Everything You Want Is on the Other Side of Hard is for anyone ready to fight for the life they want—because, as Ken has proven, it’s possible to turn the impossible into reality.
Born into a broken family just outside of Boston, Ken Rideout’s early life was marred by drugs and crime. At just eighteen, he found himself working as a corrections officer in a prison where his stepfather had been incarcerated, and his brother would later serve time. Despite the bleak expectations set by his family, Ken harbored dreams far beyond the confines of his upbringing.
Ken’s broke free from the gritty streets of Boston to the high-stakes world of Wall Street, where he carved out a successful career with top firms like Cantor Fitzgerald and Natixis. Yet, beneath the veneer of success, he battled a decade-long addiction to opioids, spending his hard-earned wealth on pills. The turning point came with the adoption of a daughter from overseas—a wake-up call to become the father and man he always dreamed of being.
Running became Ken’s salvation. With unwavering determination, he willed himself to run vast distances. In three years, Ken transformed from a “running nobody” to the world’s fastest marathoner over fifty. His Win—or die trying. In the book, Ken shares his awe-inspiring achievements, including winning the Masters’ Marathon World Championships in Chicago at age fifty-two and conquering the Gobi March ultra-marathon, one of the world’s toughest races. Through sheer resilience and grit, Ken rewrote his story.
Everything You Want Is on the Other Side of Hard is for anyone ready to fight for the life they want—because, as Ken has proven, it’s possible to turn the impossible into reality.
304 pages, Hardcover
Published March 10, 2026
71 people are currently reading
426 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 14, 2026
I first heard this author as a guest on a podcast, which led me to pick up his book. I also loved the title and it really did fit his life.
What I appreciated most was the candid and transparent look at his life. He owned every second of it and didn't play the victim card, even in situations where he truly was the victim.
After listening to this audio, it's apparent he has had quite a life. In the podcast he mentioned that he traded one addiction for another, and that definitely came through in the book. I liked the way he talked about his family. His wife sounds like his perfect match and she keeps him focused on the straight and narrow...we all need someone like that.
I enjoyed this one. It had grit and heart....so 4 stars.
What I appreciated most was the candid and transparent look at his life. He owned every second of it and didn't play the victim card, even in situations where he truly was the victim.
After listening to this audio, it's apparent he has had quite a life. In the podcast he mentioned that he traded one addiction for another, and that definitely came through in the book. I liked the way he talked about his family. His wife sounds like his perfect match and she keeps him focused on the straight and narrow...we all need someone like that.
I enjoyed this one. It had grit and heart....so 4 stars.
March 16, 2026
I think you’ll want to run through a brick wall after reading this book. It was so captivating and motivating, I couldn’t put it down. His story goes from a childhood in Boston surrounded by parental abuse & neglect, crime & addiction, to his own struggle with opioid addiction, to becoming an elite marathoner later in life. The way he writes makes you feel like you’re there as it’s happening.
(An added bonus that I loved quite a whole lot, was the way he described his wife. It was genuinely so precious how much he loves her and honors her throughout the book)
Because I’ve immersed myself in many of his podcasts/YouTube videos, I could almost hear his voice reading this book to me as I read it. However, *beware - lots of cussing.*
(An added bonus that I loved quite a whole lot, was the way he described his wife. It was genuinely so precious how much he loves her and honors her throughout the book)
Because I’ve immersed myself in many of his podcasts/YouTube videos, I could almost hear his voice reading this book to me as I read it. However, *beware - lots of cussing.*
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I am so grateful for the day that Ken Rideout said to himself: "I think I want to share my story with others" because the result is a powerful read that I tore through in almost one sitting before work. There is something to be said for the road to excellence, more than excellence itself. Rideout reminds readers that we can start from almost anywhere, and that success is about far more than money. Trauma is the great equalizer, and Everything You Want Is on The Other Side of Hard is a story about the level playing field of Ken Rideout's life in its grips. It's a book about running, ultramarathoning, and addiction. More than all of these though, it's the story of someone who didn't just go through trauma but grew through it.
If you're looking for a how-to manual, this really isn't it. If you're a fan of reading about how other people did something to create a success blueprint for yourself, it is like rocket fuel. It is easy to say that Rideout had advantages because he had a job that paid well, but the thing about trauma is that it can take every privilege we have and upend it completely (I say this speaking as someone who has CPTSD). In fact, Rideout sharing his story is courageous because many could see his toughness and grit as a brand and encourage him to veer away from vulnerability. But he goes there. And in doing so encourages other people, men specifically, to do the same. In this way, it's a helpful book for those who steer clear of self-help books but will read memoirs. Everything You Want Is on The Other Side of Hard also just reads like hanging out with a friend who won't leave you behind in the race, encouraging you (his experience on the Gobi March is a prime example of this) to keep going.
I'm a fan of stories of grit, determination, and success defined on one's own terms. The grind/hurt locker/pain cave mean something different to everyone. I'm not an ultramarathoner (yet), but the one thing that I can relate to is the way that running, and seemingly wild goals that scare the crap out of you galvanize the energy of trauma. It's where you meet your most primal, baseline self that experienced the trauma and get to crush the goal and in the process refine a painful past into a diamond casting rainbows from prisms on the world around you. It's one of my favourite things about "audacious" goals he writes about towards the end of the book. It's also the one thing that I've found to be common among most ultra runners, or those breaking records or setting them with the simple mechanics of their bodies. In this way his book is similar to other ultra runners even though it still holds its own in the genre of sports memoir. In a way I find this comforting because while reading some of his story (though my CPTSD is different) I thought "damn, do I ever understand that" when it comes to his need to keep driving.
Rideout offers readers a story about running, trauma, family, work, addiction, and overcoming self-doubt. In this way it's a tome that will resonate with more than just one kind of reader. While looking through the endorsements of the book it's easy for readers to understand that Rideout's success places him in a specific group of achievers. After reading the book however, you're left with the understanding that one of the few things that separates the good from great is mindset. Meaning that it is possible for anyone and everyone hungry for success on their terms. At the heart of it all though, you get to read about a human whose life is bursting at the seams with love: for his wife, his kids, the work he gets to do, people who nurtured him growing up, and more. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and want to thank the publisher for the advance copy from NetGalley.
If you're looking for a how-to manual, this really isn't it. If you're a fan of reading about how other people did something to create a success blueprint for yourself, it is like rocket fuel. It is easy to say that Rideout had advantages because he had a job that paid well, but the thing about trauma is that it can take every privilege we have and upend it completely (I say this speaking as someone who has CPTSD). In fact, Rideout sharing his story is courageous because many could see his toughness and grit as a brand and encourage him to veer away from vulnerability. But he goes there. And in doing so encourages other people, men specifically, to do the same. In this way, it's a helpful book for those who steer clear of self-help books but will read memoirs. Everything You Want Is on The Other Side of Hard also just reads like hanging out with a friend who won't leave you behind in the race, encouraging you (his experience on the Gobi March is a prime example of this) to keep going.
I'm a fan of stories of grit, determination, and success defined on one's own terms. The grind/hurt locker/pain cave mean something different to everyone. I'm not an ultramarathoner (yet), but the one thing that I can relate to is the way that running, and seemingly wild goals that scare the crap out of you galvanize the energy of trauma. It's where you meet your most primal, baseline self that experienced the trauma and get to crush the goal and in the process refine a painful past into a diamond casting rainbows from prisms on the world around you. It's one of my favourite things about "audacious" goals he writes about towards the end of the book. It's also the one thing that I've found to be common among most ultra runners, or those breaking records or setting them with the simple mechanics of their bodies. In this way his book is similar to other ultra runners even though it still holds its own in the genre of sports memoir. In a way I find this comforting because while reading some of his story (though my CPTSD is different) I thought "damn, do I ever understand that" when it comes to his need to keep driving.
Rideout offers readers a story about running, trauma, family, work, addiction, and overcoming self-doubt. In this way it's a tome that will resonate with more than just one kind of reader. While looking through the endorsements of the book it's easy for readers to understand that Rideout's success places him in a specific group of achievers. After reading the book however, you're left with the understanding that one of the few things that separates the good from great is mindset. Meaning that it is possible for anyone and everyone hungry for success on their terms. At the heart of it all though, you get to read about a human whose life is bursting at the seams with love: for his wife, his kids, the work he gets to do, people who nurtured him growing up, and more. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book, and want to thank the publisher for the advance copy from NetGalley.
March 22, 2026
Everything You Want Is on the Other Side of Hard was a very easy book to read, and I truly enjoyed it from start to finish. What stood out most to me was the message about perseverance and pushing through adversity, no matter how hard life gets.
Ken and I grew up in the same area, and for most of my life I believed we came from opposite sides of the tracks. I was a poor kid from the projects, and I always thought he was one of the rich kids. Reading this book opened my eyes. I realized he was a poor kid too, carrying a lot of pain and hardship from his childhood—pain he kept hidden—while I wore mine on the outside. That realization alone made this book deeply meaningful to me.
The message about never giving up really hit home. It reinforces a belief I’ve lived by my entire life and one I’ve passed on to my children: failure is never an option. No matter how many times you fall down, you keep getting up. You never count the person next to you out, because you never know what struggles they’ve faced or what it took for them to get where they are. This book reminded me how true that is.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone going through adversity, starting a business, or competing in sports. Nothing worthwhile comes easy, and no one owes you anything—you have to go out and take it. This book is a powerful reminder that strength is built through struggle, and success is waiting on the other side of hard.
Ken and I grew up in the same area, and for most of my life I believed we came from opposite sides of the tracks. I was a poor kid from the projects, and I always thought he was one of the rich kids. Reading this book opened my eyes. I realized he was a poor kid too, carrying a lot of pain and hardship from his childhood—pain he kept hidden—while I wore mine on the outside. That realization alone made this book deeply meaningful to me.
The message about never giving up really hit home. It reinforces a belief I’ve lived by my entire life and one I’ve passed on to my children: failure is never an option. No matter how many times you fall down, you keep getting up. You never count the person next to you out, because you never know what struggles they’ve faced or what it took for them to get where they are. This book reminded me how true that is.
I would highly recommend this book to anyone going through adversity, starting a business, or competing in sports. Nothing worthwhile comes easy, and no one owes you anything—you have to go out and take it. This book is a powerful reminder that strength is built through struggle, and success is waiting on the other side of hard.
March 16, 2026
I read The Other Side of Hard by Ken Rideout with a mix of awe, understanding and laughter. Ken and I go way back, and this book filled in some of the blanks that I couldn’t quite grasp initially.
I can’t deny that the book is powerful. Ken tells his story with real intensity and honesty, and the way he describes pushing through hardship and building discipline is genuinely motivating.
The strength of the book is how raw it feels. It’s not polished into something fake or inspirational in a cheesy way—it’s more like someone sitting across the table telling you exactly how things looked from their side of the street. And honestly, even the parts that made me roll my eyes are part of what makes the story feel real.
Ken has written a compelling book. If the goal was to show how hard experiences shape a person—and how much grit it takes to change your trajectory—he absolutely pulled it off.
I can’t deny that the book is powerful. Ken tells his story with real intensity and honesty, and the way he describes pushing through hardship and building discipline is genuinely motivating.
The strength of the book is how raw it feels. It’s not polished into something fake or inspirational in a cheesy way—it’s more like someone sitting across the table telling you exactly how things looked from their side of the street. And honestly, even the parts that made me roll my eyes are part of what makes the story feel real.
Ken has written a compelling book. If the goal was to show how hard experiences shape a person—and how much grit it takes to change your trajectory—he absolutely pulled it off.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Everything You Want Is on the Other Side of Hard: A Memoir by Ken Rideout is one of the best memoirs I have read this year. I sat down to page through the book and ended up reading the entire book after dinner one night. I was absolutely engrossed in the story.
Ken shares about the challenges of his early life, his addiction, his time as a Wall Street Trader, healing from trauma, and his amazing story of running and being the fastest 50+ runner in the world. For me at the heart of the story is a man who was willing to change ,transform, and not let his past define his future. I was very inspired by Everything You Want Is on the Other Side of Hard by Ken Rideout and highly recommend. This will be a book I will not forget and be a favorite of 2026!
I was gifted a copy and not required to write a positive review.
Ken shares about the challenges of his early life, his addiction, his time as a Wall Street Trader, healing from trauma, and his amazing story of running and being the fastest 50+ runner in the world. For me at the heart of the story is a man who was willing to change ,transform, and not let his past define his future. I was very inspired by Everything You Want Is on the Other Side of Hard by Ken Rideout and highly recommend. This will be a book I will not forget and be a favorite of 2026!
I was gifted a copy and not required to write a positive review.
October 25, 2025
I just finished reading "The Other Side of Hard," and I'm still reeling from the experience. This book is more than just a story—it's a raw, unapologetic look at the human condition. With unflinching honesty, the author takes you on a journey through the darkest moments and the most triumphant victories.
The writing is masterful, weaving together vivid imagery, complex characters, and themes that will haunt you long after you turn the last page. You'll laugh, cry, and maybe even scream at the pages. It's a rollercoaster of emotions, but the kind that leaves you feeling seen and understood.
The writing is masterful, weaving together vivid imagery, complex characters, and themes that will haunt you long after you turn the last page. You'll laugh, cry, and maybe even scream at the pages. It's a rollercoaster of emotions, but the kind that leaves you feeling seen and understood.
March 17, 2026
Absolute five-star book. This is the most raw and emotional memoir I’ve read since David Goggins’s Can’t Hurt Me. Rideout goes to even darker places, including abuse, neglect, addiction, and even greed, then uses that as a backdrop to showcase a truly inspirational story of transformation.
This isn’t just the best memoir or biography I’ve ever read, it easily lands in my Top 5 favorite (and most important) books of all time. If you’re like me, and love stories of people overcoming obstacles and accomplishing amazing feats, you’ll be hard pressed to find anything more incredible or inspirational than this one.
Rideout, you’ve made a fan for life.
This isn’t just the best memoir or biography I’ve ever read, it easily lands in my Top 5 favorite (and most important) books of all time. If you’re like me, and love stories of people overcoming obstacles and accomplishing amazing feats, you’ll be hard pressed to find anything more incredible or inspirational than this one.
Rideout, you’ve made a fan for life.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Everything You Want Is On The Other Side Of Hard is a motivating, moving, powerful, touching, raw, and gripping memoir! This book is truly wonderful. I love that this memoir showcases how what we are born to impacts us but does not define our future. Ken Rideouts story is a double comeback: one of outward success from nothing while battle invisible struggles....and one later comback of working each day to overcome all challenges internal and external. This book is truly about survival, overcoming, and thriving. It is a much needed story.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
An addiction is something that is more powerful than the individual it has taken over. To break those addictions, you need help and reminders of why you're done with that shit. That's what this book means to me.
For all of the personal challenges Rideout has given himself, I hope that his story as a father and husband is the one that ultimately is his greatest victory.
May he be an inspiration to others for those hoping to heal.
For all of the personal challenges Rideout has given himself, I hope that his story as a father and husband is the one that ultimately is his greatest victory.
May he be an inspiration to others for those hoping to heal.
March 11, 2026
Great Book
Great book. Ken lived an absolutely crazy life. Started out with a rough upbringing to making tons of money and winning marathons. Oh, and he battled addiction to pills. Once you start reading you won't want to stop.
Great book. Ken lived an absolutely crazy life. Started out with a rough upbringing to making tons of money and winning marathons. Oh, and he battled addiction to pills. Once you start reading you won't want to stop.
March 20, 2026
I really didn’t know what this book was going to be about. But us it went on, I started to feel the need to go exercise and run. Much like Ken does in the book. I understand he’s from the Boston area, but the language just killed me too much profanity.
March 14, 2026
What an incredible memoir! I got the privilege of meeting Ken in London and he’s a genuinely kind guy too! This book has inspired me in so many ways , and I know it will inspire many others too!
March 19, 2026
It was a very interesting journey Ken went through. I didn't give the book 5 stars primarily because it felt like it took a really long time to tell the story.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews