Review; Running Hot (and giveaway)

A few months ago I was browsing through Amazon and I saw this pop up in the suggestions, there are not too many books about ultra runners and ultra running and so I threw it the old basket and checked out. It sat on my night stand for a while…most books do and then during the late summer I managed to start it and within a week it was done!

I would best describe this as the less flashy more down-to-earth and dysfunctional female version (hey we’re all dysfunctional in one way or another…but I digress) version of Dean Karnazes’ UltraMarathon Man.

The book tells the story of Lisa Tamati, a New Zealander who discovered ultra running by accident. An injury which resulted in a broken back and her doctors telling her she would never run again was followed by cycling through 20 countries in Europe, rafting down the Yukon and hiking through the Arabian Desert…you could say she’s a bit tenacious!

The running side came with her entering and completing some pretty tough races including The Desert Cup a 168km non-stop in Jordan, two stints at Marathon Des Sables; 242km in Morocco and two finishes at Badwater 135.

As you would expect there is plenty of adversity, troubling times, tears, blisters and snot and large portion of joy, laughter and success. She’s not a winner but she’s a finisher and I think this is the appeal of the book. You can empathize and sympathize, it’s written to be read without looking for the hidden meaning and simply to be enjoyed. She loves and lives life’s challenges.

So here’s the giveaway…I have one copy, my copy, to give away (my wife is on a Kindle bender) to one lucky reader. To win simply answer the following question and I will put all the correct entries in a hat and draw one next Wednesday.

The question is; by what nickname are New Zealanders often known?