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TFS Book Review: Pam Reed’s “The Extra Mile”

Posted May 3rd, 2007 at 4:51 PM by Emmy Stocker

Section: Motivation, Books, Special Features, TFS Reviews

pam reed the extra mile With all the hype about Dean Karnazes’ 50 marathons in 50 days journey, it seems anti-climatic to read Elite Ultra marathoner Pam Reed’s new book, “The Extra Mile: One Woman’s Personal Journey to Ultrarunning Greatness”.

But women and men runners of all levels (especially those who have or want to run an ultra) will find motivation and inspiration in Reed’s story. She explains how her passion and hard work helped her overcome obstacles and helped her excel in the Ultra running world. She proves that the Ultra-world is one where women can compete equally with men, and triumph overall (she sites Ultra running great Ann Trason and others).

45 year-old Pam Reed, a mother of 3 boys and resident of Tuscan, AR, is best known for her overall wins at the 2002 and 2003 July Badwater Ultras (a 135 mile run from Death Valley to Mount Whitney, where temps can exceed 120 degrees). She also is the first ultra runner, female or male, to run 300 miles non-stop (“I felt like Tuscan’s Forrest Gump,” she says). Reed covers these events descriptively.

Few readers may realize how prolific Reed’s career has been - she has racked up high-place finishes at more than 100 marathons, 100 ultras (including a 100-mile race grand-slam finish in 1999) and muti-day races. Not only did she set the overall and women’s record for Badwater, but she also holds the 24 and 48-hour Women’s overall and age group records for the track. Reed writes about these accomplishments in context with her busy life as the mother of 3 boys (she has been happily married for 15 years and is also the mother of 2 step-boys). She also devotes a chapter to her work as Director of the Tuscan marathon (she has held this job since 1993).

Reed’s story tells the reader about her 15-year battle with anorexia (she feels that withholding food for so many years gave her an advantage in long distances – “Does that mean my anorexia was ultimately a good thing?” she says, “Absolutely not. It was a very bad thing.”). She gives advice and thoughts about anorexia but concedes that she doesn’t know the answer. Reed covers her athletic upbringing in Michigan’s cold climate, and how this led to her consuming love of running and determination (Reed met her husband Jim when training for the 1993 Canadian and Hawaii Ironmans – these were her first endurance events and proved that she had the talent and drive for long distances).

She also includes a chapter on ‘running as an addiction (a good addiction), the ins and outs of running 100 miles, and race nutrition. (She runs 50 mile races with only fluid calories -don’t try this at home) – she describes her race nutrition.

Readers will also enjoy Reed’s accounts of the Leadville and Grand Teton100 milers, and her supposed feud with Dean Karnazes (how journalists insisted that she was trying to run 300 miles before him – it was his idea and he recently ran 350 miles non-stop to up the ante). Women runners will be inspired by Reed’s words about juggling parenthood, marriage and running (she runs 6 miles, 4 times a day around her kids’ schedules). A fun aspect of the book (besides the photos) are the quotes from her kids, husband and race crew friends. She talks about the vital-ness of her Bad water and race crews (she wouldn’t be able to race without them) and her race goals. For those who are so motivated by her words, Reed includes information on various marathons and ultras.

For more information and/or to purchase Pam Reed’s “The Extra Mile”, please click here.