Overview

Despite believing he was bionic as a child, Ira Rainey was far from an elite athlete with superhuman running abilities like the ones he read about in books. He was in fact an overweight and unfit slacker who felt a bit sorry for himself because he had sore feet. Sure he ran a bit, but he also sat around a lot and ate and drank too much. Why? Because he could, and because he was a delusional optimist who thought everything would always be just fine. That was until a friend was diagnosed with terminal cancer and given months to live. It was an event that would push Ira to tackle his apathy towards life and take on the challenge of becoming an ultramarathon runner, pushing himself to go further than he had ever gone before. Award winning, Fat Man to Green Man: From Unfit to Ultramarathon is a warm and humorous account of one man's quest to uncover his true super powers as he journeys from fat to fit, and taking in everything that came between the two. It is a story of fields and friendships; mud and maps; but more importantly learning how to push yourself to achieve what you would never believe you could - and how to deal with the consequences. Fat Man to Green Man is shortlisted for the British Sports Book Awards 2014 (Best New Writer) and won the silver award for running books in The 2014 Running Awards, an award voted for by runners.

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9781910089019

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Reviews

At times laugh out loud funny, at others quite poignant (the parts where Ira faces the impending loss of a dear friend are especially touching) this book is a fun take on one man's journey to becoming an ultra runner, and finding himself in the process. ultrarunnerpodcast.com Rainey's writing style appears to chime well with his running style; both are laid-back and casual (despite the trail miles required) and there is a gentle humour to the book that lifts it considerably. runningmonkey.co.uk It is written in a very readable style, with a gentle, self-deprecating sense of humour which draws you in and makes you want to read page after page without putting it down. Ed Chapman - Ultramarathon runner Fat Man To Green Man is an intriguing, funny and sometimes poignant account of his long-distance running experience to date and is named for the race that forms the core subject - the Green Man Ultra. Bristol Post One man's inspirational race to fitness. The Bath Chronicle The ending? It's not what you will expect, but it will see you re-appraise everything in life you thought was certain. We think you will be inspired and, like us, are certain you may lose a few tears before you reach it. Running Fitness Magazine It's an inspirational tale of Ira's battle with inner demons and ill health...I felt as if I was right beside him... Trail Running Magazine Ira's writing style is insightful and friendly and you get drawn in on the adventure that he embarks on. Suddenly running an ultra seems achievable; you want to be there getting muddy at the Slog and exploring the Green Man route with Bear. So Let's Go Running Magazine So many things are covered here, the back-to-back training runs, the speed work (I was actually a bit intmidated by how fast he can knock out a 5K), the nutrition and weight loss and dealing with injury and recovery. He discovered that he was not bionic but overall he was very capable of running long distances and recalling the tales very vividly. James Adams - Ultramarathon runner and author of Running and Stuff

Author Information

Ira Rainey is a delusional optimist; an average runner; an entertaining writer; and an enthusiastic beer-drinker. When he was young he believed he was - not just wanted to be - but actually thought he was bionic. As it turns out he was sadly wrong. But that kind of delusion never leaves you, which can be quite helpful when taking on huge challenges such as running a very long way. A former bus-driver, computer salesman, journalist and stand-up comedian, he now likes to write, both under his own name as well as others, and makes computers do stuff for money. He lives on the edge of Bristol, and can often be found plodding around the fields, lanes and paths between Bristol and Bath.

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