Endure : mind, body, and the curiously elastic limits of human performance

From the National Magazine Award-winning Runner’s World columnist, frequent New Yorker online contributor, and Cambridge-trained physicist: a fascinating and definitive exploration of the extraordinary science of human endurance and the secrets of human performance, for fans of The Sports Gene, Born to Run, and Grit.From running a two-hour marathon to summiting Mount Everest, we’re fascinated by the extremes of human endurance, constantly testing both our physical and psychological limits. How high or far or fast can humans go? And what about individual potential: what defines a person’s limits?For years, physiology determined the answer: heart size, lung capacity, and muscle strength. But over the past decade, a wave of dramatic findings in the cutting-edge science of endurance has completely overturned our understanding of human limitation. Endure widely disseminates these findings for the first time: It’s the brain that dictates how far we can go — which means we can always push ourselves further.Alex Hutchinson presents an overview of science’s search for understanding human fatigue, from crude experiments with electricity and frogs’ legs to sophisticated brain imaging technology. Going beyond the traditional mechanical view of human limits (like a car with a brick on its gas pedal, we go until the tank runs out of gas), he instead argues that a key element in endurance is how the brain responds to distress signals - whether heat or cold, or muscles screaming with lactic acid - and reveals that we can train to improve brain response. "THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Foreword by Malcolm Gladwell Limits are an illusion: discover the revolutionary account of the science and psychology of endurance, revealing the secrets of reaching the hidden extra potential within us all. "A voyage to the outer reaches of human capacity." -- David Epstein, author of Range "Reveals how we can all surpass our perceived physical limits." -- Adam Grant The capacity to endure is the key trait that underlies great performance in virtually every field. But what if we all can go farther, push harder, and achieve more than we think we're capable of? Blending cutting-edge science and gripping storytelling in the spirit of Malcolm Gladwell -- who contributes the book's foreword -- award-winning journalist Alex Hutchinson reveals that a wave of paradigm-altering research over the past decade suggests the seemingly physical barriers you encounter as set as much by your brain as by your body. This means the mind is the new frontier of endurance -- and that the horizons of performance are much more elastic than we once thought. But, of course, it's not "all in your head." For each of the physical limits that Hutchinson explores -- pain, muscle, oxygen, heat, thirst, fuel -- he carefully disentangles the delicate interplay of mind and body by telling the riveting stories of men and women who've pushed their own limits in extraordinary ways. The longtime "Sweat Science" columnist for Outside and Runner's World , Hutchinson, a former national-team long-distance runner and Cambridge-trained physicist, was one of only two reporters granted access to Nike's top-secret training project to break the two-hour marathon barrier, an extreme quest he traces throughout the book. But the lessons he draws from shadowing elite athletes and from traveling to high-tech labs around the world are surprisingly universal. Endurance, Hutchinson writes, is "the struggle to continue against a mounting desire to stop" -- and we're always capable of pushing a little farther."-- Provided by Freading "Reveals how we can all surpass our perceived physical limits." ?Adam Grant "This book is AMAZING!" ?Malcolm Gladwell Limits are an illusion: a revolutionary book that reveals the secrets of reaching the hidden extra potential within us all Foreword by Malcolm Gladwell The capacity to endure is the key trait that underlies great performance in virtually every field?from a 100-meter sprint to a 100-mile ultramarathon, from summiting Everest to acing final exams or completing any difficult project. But what if we all can go farther, push harder, and achieve more than we think we're capable of? Blending cutting-edge science and gripping storytelling in the spirit of Malcolm Gladwell?who contributes the book's foreword?award-winning journalist Alex Hutchinson reveals that a wave of paradigm-altering research over the past decade suggests the seemingly physical barriers you encounter as set as much by your brain as by your body. This means the mind is the new frontier of endurance?and that the horizons of performance are much more elastic than we once thought. But, of course, it's not "all in your head." For each of the physical limits that Hutchinson explores?pain, muscle, oxygen, heat, thirst, fuel?he carefully disentangles the delicate interplay of mind and body by telling the riveting stories of men and women who've pushed their own limits in extraordinary ways. The longtime "Sweat Science" columnist for Outside and Runner's World, Hutchinson, a former national-team long-distance runner and Cambridge-trained physicist, was one of only two reporters granted access to Nike's top-secret training project to break the two-hour marathon barrier, an extreme quest he traces throughout the book. But the lessons he draws from shadowing elite athletes and from traveling to high-tech labs around the world are surprisingly universal. Endurance, Hutchinson writes, is "the struggle to continue against a mounting desire to stop"?and we're always capable of pushing a little farther "The capacity to endure is the key trait that underlies great performance in virtually every field--from a 100-meter sprint to a 100-mile ultramarathon, from summiting Everest to acing final exams or completing any difficult project. But what if we all can go farther, push harder, and achieve more than we think we're capable of? Blending cutting-edge science and gripping storytelling in the spirit of Malcolm Gladwell--who contributes the book's foreword--award-winning journalist Alex Hutchinson reveals that a wave of paradigm-altering research over the past decade suggests the seemingly physical barriers you encounter as set as much by your brain as by your body. This means the mind is the new frontier of endurance--and that the horizons of performance are much more elastic than we once thought. But, of course, it's not "all in your head." For each of the physical limits that Hutchinson explores--pain, muscle, oxygen, heat, thirst, fuel--he carefully disentangles the delicate interplay of mind and body by telling the riveting stories of men and women who've pushed their own limits in extraordinary ways. The longtime "Sweat Science" columnist for Outside and Runner's World, Hutchinson, a former national-team long-distance runner and Cambridge-trained physicist, was one of only two reporters granted access to Nike's top-secret training project to break the two-hour marathon barrier, an extreme quest he traces throughout the book. But the lessons he draws from shadowing elite athletes and from traveling to high-tech labs around the world are surprisingly universal. Endurance, Hutchinson writes, is "the struggle to continue against a mounting desire to stop"--And we're always capable of pushing a little farther."--Publisher's description If You Want To Gain Insight Into The Mind Of Great Athletes, Adventurers, And Peak Performers Then Prepare To Be Enthralled Byalex Hutchinson's Endure--bear Grylls. From The National Magazine Award-winning Runner's World Columnist, Frequent New Yorker Online Contributor, And Cambridge-trained Physicist: A Fascinating And Definitive Exploration Of The Revolutionary New Science Of Endurance And The Secrets Of Human Performance. Alex Hutchinson, Ph.d., Reveals Why Our Individual Limits May Be Determined As Much By Our Head And Heart, As By Our Muscles-- From The National Magazine Award-winning Runner's World Columnist, Frequent Newyorker.com Contributor, And Cambridge-trained Physicist: A Fascinating And Definitive Exploration Of The Science Of Endurance And Peak Performance-- Mind And Muscle. The Unforgiving Minute ; The Human Machine ; The Central Governor ; The Conscious Quitter ; Two Hours: November 30, 2016 -- Limits. Pain ; Muscle ; Oxygen ; Heat ; Thirst ; Fuel ; Two Hours: March 6, 2017 -- Limit Breakers. Training The Brain ; Zapping The Brain ; Belief ; Two Hours: May 6, 2017. Alex Hutchinson ; Foreword By Malcolm Gladwell. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. "From the National Magazine Award-winning Runner's World columnist, frequent NewYorker.com contributor, and Cambridge-trained physicist: a fascinating and definitive exploration of the science of endurance and peak performance.";"If you want to gain insight into the mind of great athletes, adventurers, and peak performers then prepare to be enthralled byAlex Hutchinson's Endure"--Bear Grylls. From the National Magazine Award-winning Runner's World columnist, frequent New Yorker online contributor, and Cambridge-trained physicist: a fascinating and definitive exploration of the revolutionary new science of endurance and the secrets of human performance. Alex Hutchinson, Ph. D., reveals why our individual limits may be determined as much by our head and heart, as by our muscles." "If you want to gain insight into the mind of great athletes, adventurers, and peak performers then prepare to be enthralled byAlex Hutchinson's Endure"--Bear Grylls. From the National Magazine Award-winning Runner's World columnist, frequent New Yorker online contributor, and Cambridge-trained physicist: a fascinating and definitive exploration of the revolutionary new science of endurance and the secrets of human performance. Alex Hutchinson, Ph.D., reveals why our individual limits may be determined as much by our head and heart, as by our muscles"-- Provided by publisher "From the National Magazine Award-winning Runner's World columnist, frequent NewYorker.com contributor, and Cambridge-trained physicist: a fascinating and definitive exploration of the science of endurance and peak performance"-- Provided by publisher Hutchinson provides a fascinating and definitive exploration of the revolutionary new science of endurance and the secrets of human performance. He reveals why our individual limits may be determined as much by our head and heart, as by our muscles