Falling Forward: Tales from an Endurance Saga

Falling Forward is a beautifully written story of one man's quest for individual accomplishments in the sport of long distance running (marathons, ultra-marathons, and Iron Man.)

His most spectacular exploit was running three ultra-marathons...on three consecutive weekends he ran 100 miles, 100 miles, and 50 miles in Arkansas, Kansas, and Texas respectively, and on the fourth weekend he won his age division in a big 5K in yet a fourth state. Indeed, in the three years following the resignation of a long held professorship, he ran a dazzling array of races. In the process he set several age-group records and won the Tennessee State Running Tour championship.

And he's over sixty.

Smith draws on this race saga to write a book of genuine adventure, one accessible to runner and non-runner alike. He writes like he runs, with a sharp eye for the details surrounding him -- and he embraces all, taking the reader along for the journey.

His story deals honestly with the stark reality of pushing endurance to the limit. The experiences are at time poignant and funny, at other times painful and scary, but always human and personal. Falling Forward covers a lot of territory.