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The Race Within
The Race Within

The Race Within

Passion, Courage, and Sacrifice at the Ultraman Triathlon
By Jim Gourley, Foreword by Hillary Biscay

SPORTS & RECREATION

320 Pages, 6 x 9

Formats: Trade Paper, Mobipocket, PDF, EPUB

Trade Paper, $16.95 (US $16.95) (CA $18.95)

ISBN 9781629370217

Rights: US & CA

Triumph Books (Feb 2015)

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Overview

The Ultraman Triathlon, one of the most remarkable endurance races in the world, is a three-day, 320-mile race that circumnavigates the Big Island of Hawaii. With only 40 competitors allowed in each year, this invitation-only event hosts some of the most superlative athletes on the planet. The Race Within discusses the 30-year history of the sport and race director Jane Bockus, former Pan Am flight attendant who has never done a triathlon, yet has dedicated herself to keeping the event true to its founding spirit for decades. This book follows Jane, her assistants, and a small cast of athletes through an entire year—from the end of the 2012 Ultraman to the 2013 event—and shows how they faced new challenges to the growth and well-being of the event, and were forced to question if old traditions could survive in a world of constantly-evolving sports entertainment. Granted full access to the race and the athletes, author Jim Gourley presents a look at this unique event and examines what it means to truly love sports.

Author Biography

Jim Gourley
See Author
Jim Gourley is an endurance sports journalist whose work appears in various publications and is regularly featured on the website of Foreign Policy Magazine. He is the author of Faster: Demystifying the Science of Triathlon Speed. He lives in El Paso, Texas. Hillary Biscay is the Ultraman World Champion and one of the most prolific iron-distance competitors in the professional women's racing circuit, having completed over 60 Ironman triathlons. She lives in Tucson, Arizona.

Media

February 26, 2015 | Purpose2Play
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Book Signings

Past Events

Feb
13
Jim Gourley - The Race Within ›
Tucson, AZ
4:00pm
Feb
12
Jim Gourley - The Race Within ›
San Diego, CA
6:00pm
Feb
11
Jim Gourley - The Race Within ›
La Mesa, CA
6:00pm
Feb
10
Jim Gourley - The Race Within ›
Oceanside, CA
4:00pm
Feb
09
Jim Gourley and Ultraman World Champion Hillary Biscay - The Race Within ›
Scottsdale, AZ
5:30pm
Feb
08
Jim Gourley - The Race Within ›
Scottsdale, AZ
1:00pm

Press Releases

The Race Within:

Passion, Courage, and Sacrifice at the Ultraman Triathlon

By Jim Gourley/Foreword by Hillary Biscay

 

1 Race, 3 Days & 40 Athletes Chasing the Finish Line at All Costs

 

Contact: Bill Ames, Triumph Books, 312.676.4256, b.ames@triumphbooks.com


 Modern day races have become a public spectacle specializing in everything from biking, running and swimming to crawling through mud and even running from zombies. Spanning across Hawaii’s Big Island, there is only one race that includes a 6.2 mile swim, 261.4 mile cross-country bike ride and a 52.4 mile run all in just three days. Without cameras and reporters charting participants every move, the Ultraman Triathlon may be the last race that is free from product endorsements and commercial sponsorships, and founded in old traditions that rarely survive in modern sports’ mandate to entertain at all costs.

 

With no cash prize, reporters, TV cameras or even a trophy, what is it that drives athletes to complete this brutal course, The Race Within (Triumph Books, February 2015), written by endurance sports journalist Jim Gourley, details the origins of this incredible race and provides an inside look into the planning, training and passion of the organizers, volunteers and athletes. With only 40 contestants, the Ultraman is the most exclusive high endurance race in the world and The Race Within provides an in-depth look into its intensity, including:

 

  • The painful training athletes go through and how they push their bodies past what is natural, sometimes even permanently damaging themselves
  • How the race has survived three decades without media coverage or live sponsorships
  • The physical, financial and social sacrifices triathletes make in pursuit of the finish line
  • A look into the 30-year history of the Ultraman, and race director Jane Bockus’ role in keeping the event true to its founding spirit

 

From the end of the 2012 Ultraman to the 2013 event, The Race Within provides a behind-the-scenes look into the Ultraman and its athletes. This is the perfect book for everyone with an adventurous spirit and love for the true essence of competition.

 

About the Authors:

Jim Gourley is an endurance sports journalist whose work appears in various publications and is regularly featured on the website of Foreign Policy Magazine. He is the author of Faster: Demystifying the Science of Triathlon Speed. He lives in El Paso, Texas.

 

Hillary Biscay is the Ultraman World Champion and one of the most prolific iron-distance competitors in the professional women's racing circuit, having completed over 60 Ironman triathlons. She lives in Tucson, Arizona.

 

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