Running Man: A Memoir
Written by Charlie Engle
Narrated by Charlie Engle
4.5/5
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About this audiobook
After a decade-long addiction to crack cocaine and alcohol, Charlie Engle hit bottom with a near-fatal six-day binge that ended in a hail of bullets. As Engle got sober, he turned to running, which became his lifeline, his pastime, and his salvation. He began with marathons, and when marathons weren’t far enough, he began to take on ultramarathons, races that went for thirty-five, fifty, and sometimes hundreds of miles, traveling to some of the most unforgiving places on earth to race. The Matt Damon-produced documentary, Running the Sahara, followed Engle as he lead a team on a harrowing, record breaking 4,500-mile run across the Sahara Desert, which helped raise millions of dollars for charity.
Charlie’s growing notoriety led to an investigation and a subsequent unjust conviction for mortgage fraud for which he spent sixteen months in federal prison in Beckley, West Virginia. While in jail, Engle pounded the small prison track, running endlessly in circles. Soon his fellow inmates were joining him, struggling to keep their spirits up in dehumanizing circumstances.
In Running Man, Charlie Engle tells the surprising, funny, and emotional story of his life, detailing his setbacks and struggles—from coping with addiction to serving time in prison—and how he blazed a path to freedom by putting one foot in front of the other. “A fast-paced, well-written account of a man who accepts pain, pushes beyond imagined limits, and ultimately finds redemption and peace” (Booklist), this is a raw and triumphant account about finding the threshold of human endurance, and transcending it.
Charlie Engle
Charlie Engle is a world-renowned ultra-marathon runner, having won or placed in some of the planet’s most punishing long-distance footraces. In 2007, Matt Damon produced and narrated Running the Sahara, a film about Engle and his successful bid to become the first person to run 4500 miles across the Sahara Desert. Engle has been featured in Men’s Journal, Outside, National Geographic Weekend, Oxford American, Runner’s World, The Huffington Post, PBS’s Need to Know, NBC’s Rock Center with Brian Williams, The Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and NPR’s All Things Considered. He lives in North Carolina.
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Reviews for Running Man
94 ratings6 reviews
What our readers think
Readers find this title to be an inspiring and excellent memoir that is highly recommended for both runners and non-runners. It offers a personal view on surviving life and showcases the triumph over adversity. The book is candid and provides valuable insights on making choices rather than excuses. Although there was a minor issue with the book version link, overall, readers find this book to be amazing and inspirational.
- Rating: 1 out of 5 stars1/5The link for the book version takes me to Running Man by Stephen King, just an FYI (I didn’t know where else to put this)
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Loved the personal view from this book. Not just about running but about surviving life.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Excellent book , highly recommended it for runners and non runners.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Amazing story of human suffering and triumph over adversity. Inspirational !
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5Extremely inspiring book!!! Best memoir I've ever read. Really worth reading.
- Rating: 5 out of 5 stars5/5It was candid and I enjoyed listening to the audio. It really showed that there are no excuses... only choices..