The Road to Sparta

Endurance athlete and author Karnazes (Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner) recounts his participation in the 153-mile race from Athens to Sparta in this engaging memoir. After logging a remarkable list of running accomplishments—including running an ultramarathon across Death Valley in 120-degree heat, running to the South Pole in -40 degrees, and running 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 consecutive days—Karnazes details the difficulties and joys of training for and running the Athens-to-Sparta route. He provides an eye-opening historical refresher course recounting the ancient battle between the Greeks and the Persians, when Pheidippides ran from Athens to Sparta then turned around and ran from Sparta to Marathon, via Athens, in order to deliver crucial information. “My point,” he writes, “is that the annals of history have grossly under-recognized the significance of Pheidippides’s superhuman act.” Karnazes recounts his family history with its Greek roots and explores the deep feelings he develops for the people and landscape of his ancestral homeland. As the author readies for the race, he explains, “For me, the quest was deeply personal. I’d been waiting a lifetime to be standing in this place, and at that moment I saw this more clearly than ever.” This is a remarkable and inspiring memoir that will have casual and serious runners cheering. Agent: Carole Bidnick, Bidnick and Co. (Sept.)
—Publishers Weekly

“Karnazes may just blow your mind about the human body’s capabilities with his new book, The Road to Sparta…An engaging read for runner and non-runner alike.”
—San Francisco Chronicle

“I have logged countless miles in my training over the years, but running 153 miles—nearly 6 full marathons—in under 36 hours is unfathomable to me. Still, that’s exactly what Dean Karnazes did when he completed the Spartathlon in the fabled land of his ancestors. In this remarkable and poignant book, Dean chronicles his attempt to retrace the heroic footsteps of the great Greek messenger Pheidippides and, along the way, reveals something much deeper about the power of running: The road leads us not only toward the finish line, but toward our true selves.”
— Meb Keflezighi, 4-time U.S. Olympian and author of Meb for Mortals

“In The Road To Sparta, Dean Karnazes takes readers on a personal, physical, emotional and spiritual journey as he runs through his ancestors’ homeland. He reveals what defines his life, and, in particular, his passion as a prodigious and successful endurance athlete. He weaves into his story a wonderfully concise history of running in Ancient Greece that places Pheidippides’ 24.48(?) mile run from the battlefield of Marathon to Athens into the context of the age, breathing fresh life into ancient historical figures. This is a thought-provoking and affecting account from someone who truly loves his sport.”
— Frank Shorter, 1972 Olympic marathon champion and author of My Marathon

“A timeless and soul stirring epic, this book is a must read for anyone looking to better his or her life. It provides a healthy dose of inspiration, showing us what is possible and teaching us that the ancient Greek athletes were comfortable being uncomfortable.”
— Joe De Sena, founder of the Spartan Race

“Many years ago Pheidippides made the marathon what is today. Dean Karnazes is the modern day Pheidippides and he has made the ultra-marathon part of the world’s landscape, inspiring thousands along the way to test their limitations, then push past them.”
— Bart Yasso, Chief Running Officer, Runner’s World magazine