Finding Ultra, Revised and Updated Edition: Rejecting Middle Age, Becoming One of the World's Fittest Men, and Discovering Myself Paperback – May 21, 2013

This is one of the most helpful books I've read in a long time for surprising reasons. It reminded me to put pride aside, try hard if it's really important, set a goal and and don't give up, remember to rest, and how important it is to use food for fuel. I've never run a race, but this book is applicable for whatever "race" you are running in your life. The chapter "There are no finish lines", is, in essence the best, most succinct summary of every self help book I've ever read. The author is humble and open about his struggles and even his arrogance at times. This book has been an unlikely but indispensable resource for me as I struggle through my own "ultra marathon" of grief and depression. I think of this book when I don't want to get up and run or go to the gym. Our health is everything, and my mental health depends on moving my body. Most of us don't have the luxury and opportunities that the author had in this book, but the life lessons can be applied to anyone's journey, no matter the situation. I am grateful to Rich Roll for this book. I dislike using the overused cliche, but it really has changed, maybe even saved my life.

The incredible number of people that Rich has directly helped through this book and now through his podcast is simply astonishing. It's even more incredible than even his athletic accomplishments. This book is not a 'how to' and I think that people may be disappointed by that, but it is in fact much much more. It opens a world that many of us simply do not know exists, especially on the east coast. He provides just enough information imbedded into his own personal story to allow the reader to start on their own journey. He is on a journey too and it is incredible to watch his life keep improving as he expands Jai and the ecosystem of wellness around him. He is improving our lives through it and I am forever grateful. His podcasts allow this book to keep expanding its reach. I cannot recommend checking that out enough.He touches on heart rate for training, veganism, juicing, Vitamix, gluten!, effects of dairy on running (I had asthma my whole life until I read this and stopped eating cheese, took one week to fix and Rich 1 and 25 years of doctors 0), marathons, ultra marathons, racing in general (there are tons of them out there, I had no idea), other athletes and trainers that are equally inspiring, yoga, meditation, GMO, writing, training methodologies, fixing health problems from within, dealing with addiction. He provides just enough inspiration and tools to change your life forever and those around you. So thank you Rich.I picked your book up a few years ago, a day after I walked out of my apartment hung over and incredibly confused as to why there were so many people outside and police barriers. They were running a half marathon that started one block from my apartment and I had no idea it was going on. I was upset at them because they were blocking the entrance to Starbux. Well I've run that race twice now, some half marathons, a 100 mile relay race...going to keep improving and getting closer to 100% vegan every day. Plants. Thanks Rich.

Finding Ultra certainly is an interesting book. Rich Roll is a phenomenol athlete, no question about it. Gifted and talented genetically, no question. However, his diet is very advanced. Many of the food items discussed are either not readily obtainable or not realistically affordable. To boot, it appears that Rich supplements like crazy. In fact he has a whole side business of supplements and recovery products that fit in with the extreme plant diet. If the diet works, why the need to supplement? Basically, the diet is scant on protein, but the question of the healthiness of the foods he eats and recommends is without doubt. The foods certainly are healthy. Everyone should at least try to incorporate as many of Rich's food recommendations as often as possible.Some things I did not like about the story - we here have an obviously nice, talented, and charming person, movie star looks, all the right things. But then again, we don't hear any real remorse where he nearly killed someone due to his callous and viciously intoxicated driving. There's an actual tone of glee in the book's voice as he describes a supposedly "lost" conviction for his first DUI, thus letting him avoid a mandatory jail sentence. There are ways to convey deep remose for the wrongs one has done. However, the book doesn't really display this. Second, as other reviewers mention, we basically see an obsessive compulsive addictive personality, driven to abnormal extremes in just about every facet of life, whether it be diet, exercise, time spent "on the bike" and in pursuit of other activities. He certainly wasn't a blessing, and was what I read as quite a pain in the butt to the closest people around him while he was drinking. He was extremely fortunate and very lucky to have family and friends that cared for him and supported him through a really intense, expensive, and lengthy rehabilitation process which no question saved his life. Unfortunately for most readers, the same luck, love and opportunity simply would not be available. So he's a lucky guy.Now some good things about the story. For all of Rich's faults, he is a fun, flawed, interesting, inspirational, talented, unique person with gifts certainly worth admiring, and lessons certainly worth considering. He makes exercise sound gruesomely fun, and the more of it, the better. He brings a whole new wicked focus into the plant based vegan diet. This enthusiasm is very cool.Just remember, this is a very hard act to follow. Rich's compulsions are not average at all. His is an experiment of one among many plans which might work or might not for any number of people. I think that's the bottom line on the book. As Rich says, "Nothing changes if nothing changes."