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I Tried To Run Really Far: The physical and emotional battle of running New Zealand’s 3000-kilometre Te Araroa Trail.
Lewis Matthews is an adventurer and personal trainer from Somerset, in the United Kingdom. In 2018 he had the crazy idea of running a 3000km trail the length of New Zealand.
The stunning Te Araroa trail encompasses beautiful beaches, pristine rainforest, vertiginous mountains and active volcanoes. It is a challenge to hike, let alone run. Nevertheless, this is what Lewis – with his support team of Jill, Phil, and their trusty Toyota van, Gerty – found themselves doing in January 2020.
‘I Tried to Run Really Far’, tells the story of this epic adventure as Lewis, setting out to break the trail record of 53 days, battles extreme physical and mental challenges – and some extra ones thrown in by Nature for good measure.
It is an openly emotional account, sparing no detail of the gruelling difficulties – the failures as well as triumphs – involved in such an undertaking. Lewis set out to push his personal boundaries, raise money for a charity dear to his heart, and inspire others to find progress in their lives. Did he succeed? Read on to find out.
The stunning Te Araroa trail encompasses beautiful beaches, pristine rainforest, vertiginous mountains and active volcanoes. It is a challenge to hike, let alone run. Nevertheless, this is what Lewis – with his support team of Jill, Phil, and their trusty Toyota van, Gerty – found themselves doing in January 2020.
‘I Tried to Run Really Far’, tells the story of this epic adventure as Lewis, setting out to break the trail record of 53 days, battles extreme physical and mental challenges – and some extra ones thrown in by Nature for good measure.
It is an openly emotional account, sparing no detail of the gruelling difficulties – the failures as well as triumphs – involved in such an undertaking. Lewis set out to push his personal boundaries, raise money for a charity dear to his heart, and inspire others to find progress in their lives. Did he succeed? Read on to find out.
315 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 2, 2022
10 people are currently reading
20 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
July 5, 2022
Ok most will probably not understand a one star for such an epic run
I am however not rating the run, i am rating the book
I love reading ultra running stories, but they need to be well written
This book was neither a full-on information on food, trails, weather, shoes, equipment story.. which i would not have preferred, that is not the kind of book i am after
But neither was this a well written, moving tale
Its was actuall Quite boring
Way too many quotes- to-live-by too
Did not even bother to read the epilogue
I so much prefer anna mcnuff's book on the trail!!!
She had way more fun too i think...
I am however not rating the run, i am rating the book
I love reading ultra running stories, but they need to be well written
This book was neither a full-on information on food, trails, weather, shoes, equipment story.. which i would not have preferred, that is not the kind of book i am after
But neither was this a well written, moving tale
Its was actuall Quite boring
Way too many quotes- to-live-by too
Did not even bother to read the epilogue
I so much prefer anna mcnuff's book on the trail!!!
She had way more fun too i think...
December 26, 2022
An inspiringish read
I love the idea this adventure was chosen for charity. But I don't get why running it would be more beneficial than hiking it. Te Araroa is an exciting NZ treasure and I think I'm a bit put out(!?) that because of the running/time pressure, the author wasn't able to appreciate it fully because of the mentality needed to get through each day. Massive achievement though and I like the friendships strengthened.
I love the idea this adventure was chosen for charity. But I don't get why running it would be more beneficial than hiking it. Te Araroa is an exciting NZ treasure and I think I'm a bit put out(!?) that because of the running/time pressure, the author wasn't able to appreciate it fully because of the mentality needed to get through each day. Massive achievement though and I like the friendships strengthened.
April 23, 2023
DNF. Although I gave it a good over-50-percent! I understand that was quite a journey fir the author. But as a book - the thoughts were repetitive, the words tedious, the adventure (that I like, meeting people and learning new things) almost non-existent. I read another book of someone who run in the other direction and I read it with a smile, laughter even. This one was more of a technical account, step by step description with some new reflections. By half I just couldn’t go further. And this is no a review towards the journey and the run, I’m sure it was spectacular. But the book if it was not.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews