Book Review: Finding Ultra by Rich Roll


OneGreenPlanet.Org / May 21, 2012 / 44 Comments


Rich Roll

The Book: Finding Ultra

Website: www.richroll.com/finding-ultra

Where to buy: To purchase this book, CLICK HERE!

About the Book: Finding Ultra is Rich Roll’s incredible-but-true account of achieving one of the most awe-inspiring midlife physical transformations ever.

Finding Ultra recounts Rich’s remarkable journey to the starting line of the elite Ultraman competition, which pits the world’s fittest humans against each other in a 320-mile ordeal of swimming, biking, and running.

But Finding Ultra is much more than an edge-of-the-seat look at a series of jaw-dropping athletic feats—and much more than a practical training manual for those who would attempt a similar transformation. This book is most notable as a powerful testament to human resiliency, for as we learn early on, Rich’s childhood posed numerous physical and social challenges, and his early adulthood featured a fierce battle with alcoholism.

Ultimately, Finding Ultra challenges all of us to rethink what we’re capable of and urges us, implicitly and explicitly, to “go for it.”

About the Author: Rich Roll has been featured on CNN and has been named “one of the world’s 25 fittest men” by Men’s Fitness magazine. He is a graduate of Stanford University and Cornell Law School. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and four children and, when he isn’t training or competing, manages the entertainment boutique Independent Law Group, LLP. More information about Rich Roll can be found at richroll.com.

The One Green Planet Verdict: Finding Ultra is an extremely well-written and a very engaging read.

Rich Roll provides a candid account of his childhood and early adulthood, including his struggles with social situations, athletics, and alcoholism. He describes his accomplishments, including his incredible midlife transformation, with unexpected humility and humor. In spite of Rich’s incredible journey, the book’s message is, refreshingly, much more “look at what’s possible” than “look at me.”

A hybrid of biography, how-to, and reference guide, this book is informative, interesting and inspiring. Finding Ultra will make you believe that almost anything is possible, if you’re willing to put in the effort and challenge yourself. A highly recommended read for anyone keen on learning more about the truly life-transforming powers of healthy diet and exercise.

To purchase this book, CLICK HERE!

CONTEST DETAILS: (CLOSED)

You know our verdict, now you decide! The author has generously offered to send a few lucky One Green Planet readers a copy of his new book, Finding Ultra!**

To make our jobs easier, all you have to do is :

1. Follow us on Pinterest (only followers qualify): http://pinterest.com/onegreenplanet/

2. Re-pin this post or click on the “Pin it” button above (below the title of this post).

3. Answer this question in the comment section of this pin on Pinterest or in the update after you click “Pin it” above, Finding Ultra challenges all of us to rethink what we’re capable of and urges us to,  go for it. HOW WILL WINNING THIS BOOK HELP YOU GO FOR IT?”

**Contest open to U.S. residents only

(The opportunity to answer in the comments section below, ended on 5/28/12)

Click here to submit your review.


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44 Responses to “Book Review: Finding Ultra by Rich Roll”

  1. I’m 40 and my wife, Bunny, is 42. We’re five months into going vegan (again, but this time for good). We’re feeling really good about all of our life choices right now, but beyond that we’re not seeing a lot of results. We’re both overweight and that is why we first chose a vegan lifestyle. I was having a lot of back pain due to sciatica and Bunny was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. Our first time around we were seeing decent results. This time around, not so much. We lost a few lbs in the beginning, but quickly plateaued, and that’s where we’ve been since. We are hoping that “Finding Ultra” can help us to continue down our current path, but with quality guidance and motivation. My being one of the pickiest eaters in the world doesn’t help things much either. Hopefully we can get a bit of help in that department as well. We would love to pull a Clinton and get back to our high school weights. Please, please, please and thank you. :)

  2. avatar Joe vaughn says:

    I eat a plant based diet and am training for my first marathon this fall. I’m interested in his advice on training and being vegan

  3. avatar April says:

    I just turned 40, and it would be amazing to have some real life inspiration. Something to help me realize that physical limitations can be a thing of the past. I have tried plant based eating plan in the past, but felt the food recipes I was making were not very flavorful. Yes I added herbs and spices. But to be honest, texture was often an issue. Cooked, mashed, blended, etc. Getting my kids to eat plant based/vegan has also been a challenge. We only buy plant milk though, much to the kids dismay. :)

  4. avatar Stephanie Hughes says:

    OMG This is soooo crazy!! I was totally reading about Rich Roll on Monday! I was googling Vegan diet’s for Atheletes and what is best to eat and so on, and his site came up as one of the first ones! So I clicked on his site and I LOVED IT!!! He is so inspirational and motivational! I truly would LOVE and be honored to win this book! I belive it will help me better myself inside and out and become a stronger healthier athelete!

  5. avatar anita says:

    When will the winners be announced?

  6. avatar Tim says:

    Winning this book will help me go for it by forcing me to slow down my life to read the book. I don’t typically read books anymore with two kids under 3 and two puppies that are each 12 weeks old. So my body never recovers. Reading this book will allow my tendinitis inflicted knees to relax and maybe help with my two probably sprained ankles at the moment. I’m not sure about the muscle in my back that keeps twitching, I may need to train one of the kids or dogs to hold the book for me to help with it.

  7. avatar Jamon Vodraska says:

    My wife and I are expecting our first baby in September. We are both vegetarians and would love to transition to a vegan lifestyle after our baby gets here. Winning this book will help our whole family “go for it” by allowing us the clear minds and consciences to raise an active and healthy child who is aware of the world around him.
    Our whole family will Be able to go for it, and our little guy will always be able to shoot for the stars!

  8. avatar josephine says:

    This book will help me go for it because if Rich Roll, the overweight, out of shape Rich Roll of 2006 can do it I can do it. I can stick with being plant based aka vegan (I have been on and off for 8 or so years, vegetarian for 18) I can train harder I can reach my goals of running a marathon and then an ultra. I need motivation, cold hard motivation and from everything i’ve read Rich Roll’s story would be just that.

  9. avatar jennifer says:

    I am a long distance runner and have been attempting a vegan diet since January. It has sometimes been hard while traveling to find meat free and dairy free options. Also, symptoms of detox have sometimes been tough to train through. I hope this book will give me the inspiration to stay committed to veganism and become plant-strong enough to achieve my fittest and fastest race times!

  10. avatar Amanda Beck says:

    Finding Ultra will help me go for balance – I have often phrase my health (eating & exercise) to myself as a choice between the dedication it, and separately, that creative writing, demands. The more resources I gather to myself I hope to see that what I desire is dedication to myself as a whole, that all parts deserve investment & that I do have the energy to do that work. Show me the integral possibilities & opportunities I that have yet to occur to me!

  11. avatar Martin Coombs says:

    Brendan, Rich Roll, Scott Jurek kinda guys are leading the way for guys like me. Next time someone tells me I need meat protein to be fit I am going to share this book with them! That’s why I want it.

  12. avatar Jamie Hightower says:

    This book just released today! Insane!! Of course, you guys are the first to give it out. I don’t have a story like Rich, though I wish I did but I hope I don’t get to that stage in life. I want the book so it’s a reminder that I don’t go too far ever.

  13. avatar Paul Jones says:

    After living my most of my life morbidly obese, I never considered that sports, fitness, or at the very least HEALTH was something meant for people like me. When I tipped the scales at 435 pounds, needed 7-10 different medications and other medical equipment to function, something had to give. Through a very systematic, painful, emotional, and spiritual process I lost down to around 230 pounds over 6-7 years. I had become vegan, exercised daily, and figure that was good enough.

    Then I found Rich Roll online. And everything changed.

    I realized that though my diet was indeed plant-based, it was far from healthy. Did you know you can be vegan and live on french fries and apple pie? True story.

    Rich and I are about the same age and his starting point was so close to mine, I began to think that maybe – just maybe – there was more for me. Could it be that I actually could be set free from my food addictions once and for all? Was that even possible?

    That was January of this year, weighing in at 230 pounds.

    As of this morning, I tipped the scales at 186 on my way to the fittest I have ever been in my adult life. I’m training for my first triathlon EVER later this year and have nothing but hope for the future.

    Can I be an Ironman? Maybe even an Ultraman one day? I have no idea. But Rich’s life, example, and his story have given me the courage to “go for it”! And I can’t wait to see what the future holds.

  14. avatar BriRi says:

    I became a vegan almost 2 years ago now and at the time I was unhealthy, 50 lbs overweight, and never would have pictured myself running or exercising. The changes to my body though since becoming vegan and starting an exercise routine have been dramatic. I stumbled across ultra-athletes like Rich while researching trail running and have become fascinated by their stories and their accomplishments. I think reading his book will help motivate me to take the next steps in my path towards a happy, confident, and healthy me.

  15. avatar merrideth mallon says:

    Sometimes its not about just riding a bike or running its about being the best you can be – for me thats becoming a healthy role model for my 8 yr old son and these days I need all the positive motivation I can get :)

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