Host Scotty Sandow sits down with UltraRunning Magazine columnist Jared Beasley, an author and journalist who never expected to find himself embedded in the sport of ultrarunning and just wrote a new book called The Endurance Artist. The book offers an all-access pass to some of the world's most grueling races — and to the mastermind behind them: Gary Cantrell, better known as Lazarus Lake.

The Barkley Marathons is legendary — a secretive, punishing event with book checkpoints hidden in the woods, and an elevation gain equivalent to climbing Mount Everest twice.

And then there's Big's Backyard, where runners tackle a 4-mile loop every hour, on the hour, until only one runner remains.

In The Endurance Artist, Jared uncovers the world of a reclusive figure (Laz) determined to rewrite the rules — challenging our ideas about success, failure and human potential.

The Endurance Artist is available now at bookstores everywhere.

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Thanks to our episode sponsor, Drymax