Running to Extremes by Lisa Tamati – Badwater, the Gobi, the Sahara & the Himalayas

Running to Extremes by Lisa Tamati – Why Do You Do It?

It's the question Lisa Tamati gets asked more than any other.

Why would you run 217km through Death Valley — twice? Why would you race across the Gobi Desert? The Egyptian Sahara? Why would you line up for La Ultra — 222km nonstop over two Himalayan mountain passes at altitude, a race so brutal that most who start it don't finish?

Running to Extremes is Lisa's answer to that question. And the truth is more complicated, more human, and more compelling than "because it's there."

This is the sequel to Running Hot, and it picks up where that story left off. Lisa is no longer the unknown Kiwi turning up to desert races hoping to survive. She's back at Badwater for a second crack, chasing a better time through the furnace of Death Valley. She's lining up for the Gobi March — days of self-supported racing across one of the most remote landscapes on earth. She's returning to the Sahara. She's running 100km through the Blue Mountains and the wild high country of New Zealand.

And then there's La Ultra.

138 miles. Nonstop. Two Himalayan passes above 5,000 metres. Altitude sickness, hallucinations, electrolyte collapse, and temperatures that swing from scorching to freezing in a single stage. La Ultra nearly broke her. The account of that race — the preparation, the acclimatisation, the physical disintegration, the crew holding her together mile by mile — is some of the most gripping endurance writing you'll ever read.

But this book isn't just race reports.

Lisa pulls back the curtain on what it actually takes to compete at this level. The training. The injuries. The mental preparation. The gear that works and the gear that fails. The nutrition that keeps you moving and the moments when your body simply refuses. There are practical tips for runners at every level — whether you're training for your first half marathon or eyeing up an ultra.

More than anything, this book captures what draws people to endurance sport. It's not about winning. It's about finding out who you are when everything is stripped away — when you're alone, broken, and the only thing keeping you moving is the decision to take one more step.

Lisa writes with the same honesty and directness that defined Running Hot. No ego. No polish. Just the real, unfiltered story of what happens when an ordinary person from a small town in New Zealand decides to take on the most extreme races on the planet — and keeps showing up.

What readers say:

"I was riveted, hooked, and couldn't put this book down. Her race accounts really do convey the struggle, the challenge, and the camaraderie."

"Inspiring read. Makes you realise if you are determined enough and do the work required you really can achieve what seems out of reach."

"Good read. Excellent adventures by this remarkable woman. Nice tips throughout the book too."

"Really strong and motivating. The La Ultra chapter had me on the edge of my seat."

Who this book is for:

If you're a runner — any distance — this book will fire you up. If you love real adventure stories told without ego or exaggeration, this is your book. If you read Running Hot and wanted more — here it is, and it's bigger, harder, and higher.

This is the second book in Lisa's trilogy. Running Hot tells how it all started. Relentless tells the story of her greatest challenge — fighting to save her mother's life.

Signed copies available — contact support@lisatamati.com for personalisation requests.

Hear Lisa's stories on the Pushing the Limits podcast: https://www.lisatamati.com/ptl-podcast/

All books: https://shop.lisatamati.com/collections/books