On a recent late november morning i interviewed ultrarunner and race adventurer charlie engle by phone while he was out for a run. Then a soaring tale, almost too big to believe of using self taught skills for such a running prowess like no other. With the disclaimer that i am not giving life advice. In running man, charlie engle tells the surprising, funny, and emotional story of his life, detailing his setbacks and strugglesfrom coping with addiction to serving time in prisonand how he blazed a path to freedom by putting one foot in front of the other. Starting on august 3, charlie engle ran for 27 hours straight to celebrate 27 years of sobriety. Running man by charlie engle overdrive rakuten overdrive. In running man, charlie engle tells the gripping, surprising, funny, emotional, and inspiring story of his life, detailing his setbacks and struggles from coping with addiction to serving time in prison and how he blazed a path to freedom by putting one foot in front of the other. Now, he has his sights on a new project, a new adventure he calls 5. Nothing else made me feel so clean, so focused, and so happily spent, he writes in running man.
Hes remained sober from a debilitating alcohol and drug addiction for 26 years. Host, matt duhamel talks with engle about resiliency and the possibility of redemption even though society thinks you dont deserve it. It follows him to wondrous and painful placesfrom triumphant determination on andean peaks to desperation on the streets of wichita, from camaraderie in the middle of the gobi desert to despair and community in a west virginia federal penitentiary. Aug 05, 2019 starting on august 3, charlie engle ran for 27 hours straight to celebrate 27 years of sobriety. Apr 08, 2020 charlie engle has run across the sahara. Charlie engle runs 27 hours to celebrate sobriety running. Charlie engle talks writing, running, sobriety, prison. In 2007, matt damon produced and narrated running the sahara, a film about engle and his successful bid t. The running career of charlie engle grounded runner. Charlie engles fraudfunded sahara run will he get 111. Charlie engle ultraendurance athlete keynote speaker running the sahara memoir. Running man, by charlie engle is more than just a must read it is a bible into the soul of destructive behavior and finding oneself through raw self reflection, to dig deep and find redemption and recovery.
He is also a speaker and the author of the memoir called running man. Charlie engle was born on september 20, 1962, to mother rebecca ranson and father richard engle. Charlie engle writer, runner, recovering addict and keynote speaker. It was while he was in jail that he became known as the running man as he pounded the prison yard, and soon his fellow inmates were joining him, finding new hope through running. Specifically, he gets complete strangers to appreciate the fact that over 1 billion people in the world lack access to clean water and sanitation, and donate money for it but not by asking them to. Charlie engle is a worldrenowned ultramarathon runner, having won or placed in some of the planets most punishing longdistance footraces. Most of us cant relate to the feats charlie has accomplished, but we can all learn from his experiences and his wisdom. Who better to discuss this topic than someone who has mastered the art of ultraendurance suffering, charlie engle. Stream and download audiobooks to your computer, tablet or mobile phone. His parents were students at university of north carolina at chapel hill unc when engle was born. Charlie engle from crack addict to running the sahara to prison hero charlie engles third act.
Most of us cant relate to the feats charlie has accomplished, but we can all learn from. Beginning with marathons, then ultramarathons, eventually running 4,500 miles across the sahara desert, documented in the movie running the sahara. Buy this book firsttime author engles fascinating account of the high and low points of his life as an. Charlie engle running man corte madera book passage. The word pain comes up quite a bit in ultramarathoner charlie engles memoir running man. Charlie engle the running man believed ultrarunning is a great method of selfdiscovery, which fundamentally improves ones mental health. Charlie is famous for his hbo special running the sahara in which he and his band of running comrades ran over 4,600 miles across the sahara desert, the most unforgiving piece of terrain on the planet. There is pain in blisters the size of coasters, pain in exhausted quad muscles, pain in a. In running man, charlie engle tells the gripping, surprising, funny, emotional, and inspiring story of his life, detailing his setbacks and strugglesfrom coping with. Add it to your collection of running documentaries.
The high that i experienced after a long, hard runthat effervescence of endorphins that had eluded me for so longwas purer and sweeter than any pleasure i had ever felt on drugs. Now, in his brilliantly written and powerful account, engle tells the story of his life and how running has brought him so much pleasure and peace. Charlie engle and the mindset behind extreme endurance. Then theres charlie engle a man who has run across deserts, summited icecovered volcanoes, swam with crocodiles, overcome crack addiction and survived a stint in federal prison. Running man today only dm me a pic of you running and ill reply with a special discount code to use on charlieengle.
I try not to take myself too seriously despite the fact that i undoubtedly take on serious challenges. I love adventure and i am fueled by testing myself to do things that push the far reaches. This is a propulsive, raw, and triumphant story about. Charlie engle runs 26 hours to celebrate 26 years of sobriety. In 2007, matt damon produced and narrated running the sahara, a film about engle and his. Dec 14, 2018 running with his wife astacianna in ponce, puerto rico. In eighth grade, engle ran his first mile in under five minutes for the first time. Charlie engle is running man blue ridge outdoors magazine. I always appreciate getting to stretch my legs out with. Charlie engle talks writing, running, sobriety, prison reform. Charlie engle has run extreme distances for many reasons. I often joke that if you do enough crazy things and too often find yourself in the heart of bizarre, improbable and sometimes dire circumstances, someone might just pay you to write a book. Man runs 26 hours to celebrate 26 years of sobriety.
Charlie engle, aka the running man, is living proof that storytelling is what mobilizes people to rally around a cause. In running man, charlie engle tells the gripping, surprising, funny, emotional, and inspiring story of his life, detailing his setbacks and strugglesfrom coping with addiction to serving time in prisonand how he blazed a path to freedom by putting one foot in front of the other. Its a fascinating ultrarunning backstory coming in through the public news. Mar 02, 2017 in running man, charlie engle tells the gripping, surprising, funny, emotional, and inspiring story of his life, detailing his setbacks and strugglesfrom coping with addiction to serving time. Running man i was a bit familiar with charlie engle having watched the documentary running the sahara after its release in 2009. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Since starting with a swim in djiboutis lake assal, ive covered over 3,800 km nearly 2,500 miles all humanpowered movement. Running man is charlie engles rigorous and humane reckoning with his own extraordinary life. Sep 27, 2016 who better to discuss this topic than someone who has mastered the art of ultraendurance suffering, charlie engle. Nov 28, 2016 the word pain comes up quite a bit in ultramarathoner charlie engles memoir running man. From addict to running man with charlie engle switch4good. About 10 minutes before engle and others started running.
In the time of covid19, we could all benefit from a bit of self. Charlie engle runs for his life, once again the new york. Running man by charlie engle is an refreshing raw and unfiltered look at someone who lives with addiction. Running man is charlie engle s rigorous and humane reckoning with his own extraordinary life. Charlie engle has had difficult challenges in his life, drug and alcohol addictions and even incarceration.
This is a propulsive, raw, and triumphant story about finding. Charlie engle is an ultramarathon runner, an adventureseeker, a global explorer a philanthropist. Charlie engle describes how he got easily addicted to alcohol and drugs early in life and from them on is always fighting those demons. Were filling in for running man this week, which girlfriday and i take on, roulettestyle. In running man, charlie tells the gripping, surprising, funny, emotional, and inspiring story of his life, detailing his setbacks and strugglesfrom coping with.
Hes been through drug and alcohol addiction, 16months in federal prison, and numerous ultramarathon runs including a 111 day run through the sahara desert and 6 countries. Charlie served 16 months in prison for bank fraud, overstating his income on a home loan, and other charges. Read charlie s memoir a compulsively readable, remarkably candid memoir from world class ultramarathon runner charlie engle. But fear not, your trusty running man crack dealer aka gummimochi will be back next week, keeping you in recaps. Sep, 2016 in running man, charlie engle tells the gripping, surprising, funny, emotional, and inspiring story of his life, detailing his setbacks and strugglesfrom coping with addiction to serving time in prisonand how he blazed a path to freedom by putting one foot in front of the other. I had read his memoir running man and wanted to know more about certain themes and topics his book raises. Firefox chrome 2 or use brave browser which has builtin adblocking, available for windows, linux, macos, android and ios. Charlie engle runs for his life, once again the new york times. In running man, charlie tells the gripping, surprising, funny, emotional, and inspiring story of his life, detailing his setbacks and strugglesfrom coping with addiction to serving time in prisonand how he blazed a path to freedom by putting one foot in front of. I was a bit familiar with charlie engle having watched the documentary running the sahara after its release in 2009. In this episode, were talking to the writer, runner and recovering addict, charlie engle, who i met many years ago over our shared love for running, but whose story blew me away. The running man charlie engle on proper suffering the.
Running man book by charlie engle official publisher. Aug 05, 2018 charlie engle decided to run 26 hours to celebrate his 26th year of sobriety. In running man, charlie engle tells the surprising, funny, and emotional story of his life, detailing his setbacks and strugglesfrom coping with addiction to. Known to many as the running man, charlie managed to go from. Its a powerful and inspirational ultrarunning documentary. In running man, charlie engle tells the gripping, surprising, funny, emotional, and inspiring story of his life, detailing his setbacks and. Charlie engle decided to run 26 hours to celebrate his 26th year of sobriety. Charlie engle, the addictturnedultrarunner who joined two buddies to run 4,300 miles across the sahara chronicled in the film running the sahara, was found guilty of 12 counts of bank, mail, and wire fraud in october, 2010, supposedly using illgained mortgage money to finance the sahara expedition. Running man by charlie engle audiobook listen online.
Nov 18, 2016 charlie engle runs for his life, once again. Charlie engle writer, runner, recovering addict and. While we are adfree, the stream hosts are known to show ad popups. Running man book by charlie engle official publisher page. Storytelling is about show, dont tell take it from. This was the second year in a row that the 56yearold held the event to advocate for and support. One man told me he would soon be running from maine to florida. I might be called running man, but i am not a running machine to be able to keep pace and on schedule, i have to ride my bike for lots of the mileage. A compulsively readable, remarkably candid memoir from world class ultramarathon runner charlie engle chronicling his globespanning races, his recordbreaking run across the sahara desert, and how running helped him overcome drug addictionand an unjust stint in federal prison. The point i made in the column is that theres something wrong with a system that sends charlie engle to.