"Each new page is] more spellbinding than the one before--this is surely one of the most interesting books I've ever read."--Elizabeth Marshall Thomas, author of The Hidden Life of Dogs

When Bernd Heinrich decided to write a memoir of his ultramarathon running experience he realized that the preparation for the race was as important, if not more so, than the race itself. Considering the physiology and motivation of running from a scientific point of view, he wondered what he could learn from other animals.

In Why We Run, Heinrich considers the flight endurance of birds, the antelope's running prowess and limitations, and the ultra-endurance of camels to understand how human physiology can or cannot replicate these adaptations. With his characteristic blend of scientific inquiry and philosophical musings, Heinrich offers an original and provocative work combining the rigors of science with the passion of running.

Author: Bernd Heinrich
Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Ecco Press
Published: 05/07/2002
Pages: 304
Weight: 0.55lbs
Size: 8.08h x 5.46w x 0.73d
ISBN: 9780060958701


Review Citation(s):
New York Review of Books 12/05/2002 pg. 31

About the Author
Heinrich, Bernd: -

The author of numerous bestselling and award-winning books, Bernd Heinrich is a professor of biology at the University of Vermont. He divides his time between Vermont and the forests of western Maine.