My reflections from “Endure” by Alex Hutchinson
If you haven’t heard of Alex Hutchinson’s book, it’s a fascinating one that’s worth a read. I recently read it and found myself talking about it with many people. While that doesn’t guarantee it will spark your interest, hopefully you learn some interesting things from my reflections below. The fundamental basis of “Endure” is whether our athletic limits are based on physical or mental barriers. It is filled with an amazing amount of data and insights that pull you back and forth between the two viewpoints. Spoiler alert: there is still no clear answer.
My favorite things learned
This book was overloaded with information – almost a miniature textbook. I’ve read and listened to a good amount of information about similar things and these stood out the most for me.
Roger Bannister’s sub-4 minute mile didn’t exactly open the flood gates
If you’ve read almost any motivational book, you may have heard the story of Roger Bannister breaking the 4 minute mile. The basic synopsis is that people thought it was impossible and that it would never happen. In 1954, Bannister did “the impossible” and on the heels of that, hundreds did it within the following year. Once other people knew it was possible, they no longer had the mental barrier in place and could push themselves harder.
What Hutchinson states is that in actuality John Landy, “was the only other person to join the sub-four club within a year of Bannister’s run”. Only four others followed suit in the year after that. Instead of taking only a year for 300 runners to run sub-four, it took until 1979 (25 years later) for that to happen. Given how many times I had heard the former, it was quite a shock to read that. It doesn’t discredit the impact that Bannister had, but instead deflates much of the exaggeration that is out there.
Our muscles don’t produce lactic acid
This is yet another “tale as old as time“. Having run track from middle school through college, I have heard about lactic acid build-up in legs for a LOOOOONG time. It turns out that lactic acid is a hangover from the early 1800s from Swedish chemist Jöns Jacob Berzelius. He was the first to draw the connection between muscle fatigue and the lactic acid that was found in hunted stags. In actuality, it is lactate that is found in our muscles. The book elaborated more on this, but it was surprising to me, given how commonplace it is for runners and coaches alike to cite lactic acid build up.
Heatstroke and dehydration are mutually exclusive
I spoke with my wife about this, and she didn’t seem too surprised. My take on her reaction: either she’s a genius or I’m not very intelligent (likely both). Regardless, this was pretty shocking to me. One example that was used was the story of Alberto Salazar’s 1978 Falmouth Road race compared to his 1982 Boston Marathon (the “Duel in the Sun”). In the former, he had heatstroke but wasn’t dehydrated and in the latter the opposite happened. In both races, he was rushed to the medical tent and he was even read his last rites after Falmouth.
I have always assumed that the two were connected, mostly because I had never done any real research to know the difference. What I learned in “Endure” is that dehydration is a greater concern in long races and heatstroke is most common in shorter races. The big difference is your body temperature, which is primarily determined by your “metabolic rate” – how hot your engine is running. There are more fascinating details in the book, which is another reason to pick it up if that peaks your interest.
Icing may actually have no effect
Again, I was confronted with something that I understood to be a fact, only for that to be dispelled once again. After citing a few studies where athletes were tested for actual muscle fatigue after spending time in various temperature baths, no scientific proof was found. What is woven throughout this book in multiple ways is the impact of belief that something works. Icing is no different. For people who believed they felt better, then there was no reason to stop the practice. For those who don’t like ice baths, there was no compelling reason to start.
I’ve heard a lot about a Dutchman named Wim Hof who has entire courses on ice baths (among other things) and I’ve been intrigued to learn more. His name has come up in countless podcasts that I’ve listened to and I recently picked up his book. I’ll be sure to review his book once I finish.
What sets apart Kenyan runners from the rest of us
Kenyans have appeared to dominate distance running for as long as I can remember. There are a number of explanations that you hear: living at elevation and physical giftedness among them. What Hutchinson talks about is more focused on the mentality of Kenyan runners. In training sessions, they often run as hard as possible with the lead pack until they can no longer keep up and start jogging. Western runners tend to have a more measured approach, running within their perceived capacities so they can finish strong. Despite the obvious differences in the two approaches, the latter does not tend to produce any breakthrough performances. Without leaving it all on the line, runners/athletes/people will find it much harder to surprise themselves with big improvements and unexpected results.
I can’t say that I totally relate with this notion, but I did have somewhat of a breakthrough performance in Philly during my last marathon. After following my first “legit” training cycle, I thought I was in reach to get a Boston qualifying time (~3:05) so I went for it. I was aiming to run around 7 minute mile pace, and did so for the majority of the run. The lactate (not lactic acid) in my legs got the better of me around mile 23, but I was still able to take more than 30 minutes off my previous personal record.
So should I read this book or not?
I am personally very happy that I read this book and found so many things in it to be fascinating. Ultimately Hutchinson does not have a definitive answer to what limits our performance, but the back and forth is very thought-provoking. I always find books that help with personal growth to be among my favorites, and I would add this one to my list. My hope is that you find this brief reflection to be helpful in deciding to either pick this book up or leave it where it is. Stay tuned for more book reviews in the future!