In 'Endure', Alex Hutchinson explores the limits of human endurance, combining cutting-edge science with gripping personal stories. From athletes pushing their physical boundaries to the mental fortitude required for extreme challenges, the book uncovers what truly drives us to persist against all odds. Hutchinson delves into fascinating research that reveals how our brain's perception of pain can influence performance. With insights from psychology, physiology, and sports, this riveting narrative invites readers to rethink their own limitations. Are we capable of far more than we ever imagined? The answer awaits within.
By Alex Hutchinson
Published: 2018
"Pain is inevitable; suffering is optional. It's not about how hard you push, but how well you understand the limits of your own endurance."
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • "Reveals how we can all surpass our perceived physical limits." —Adam Grant Limits are an illusion: a revolutionary book that reveals the secrets of accessing your hidden extra potential Foreword by Malcolm Gladwell The capacity to endure is the key trait that underlies great performance in virtually every field—from a 100-meter sprint to a 100-mile ultramarathon, from summiting Everest to acing final exams or completing any difficult project. But what if we all can go farther, push harder, and achieve more than we think we’re capable of? Blending cutting-edge science and gripping storytelling in the spirit of Malcolm Gladwell—who contributes the book’s foreword—award-winning journalist Alex Hutchinson reveals that a wave of paradigm-altering research over the past decade suggests the seemingly physical barriers you encounter as set as much by your brain as by your body. This means the mind is the new frontier of endurance—and that the horizons of performance are much more elastic than we once thought. But, of course, it’s not “all in your head.” For each of the physical limits that Hutchinson explores—pain, muscle, oxygen, heat, thirst, fuel—he carefully disentangles the delicate interplay of mind and body by telling the riveting stories of men and women who’ve pushed their own limits in extraordinary ways. The longtime “Sweat Science” columnist for Outside and Runner’s World, Hutchinson, a former national-team long-distance runner and Cambridge-trained physicist, was one of only two reporters granted access to Nike’s top-secret training project to break the two-hour marathon barrier, an extreme quest he traces throughout the book. But the lessons he draws from shadowing elite athletes and from traveling to high-tech labs around the world are surprisingly universal. Endurance, Hutchinson writes, is “the struggle to continue against a mounting desire to stop”—and we’re always capable of pushing a little farther.
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“Pain is inevitable; suffering is optional. It's not about how hard you push, but how well you understand the limits of your own endurance.”
Endure
By Alex Hutchinson
Discover a world of knowledge through our extensive collection of book summaries.
Alex Hutchinson is a seasoned author and journalist known for his insightful explorations of sports, health, and the intersection of science and human performance. He is the author of the acclaimed book "Endure: Mind, Body, and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance," which delves into the science of endurance and the mental aspects of pushing beyond physical limits. Hutchinson's writing style is characterized by its blend of rigorous research and engaging narrative, making complex topics accessible to a broad audience. He has contributed to numerous prestigious publications, including The New York Times, The Globe and Mail, and Outside Magazine, where his work often reflects a deep curiosity about the capabilities of the human body and mind.
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