Dirty Inspirations: Lessons From the Trenches of Extreme Endurance Sports

Description

Dirty Inspirations is an inspirational guide for those who want to tap into the energy and spirit that comes from a life lived to the max. Told through the eyes of one of the most diversely experienced female endurance athletes and coaches on the planet, the stories in Dirty Inspirations sell discomfort as a virtue, reinvigorate the already initiated athlete and provide encouragement to those who want to take more action in their lives.

Terri Schneider is an ultra-endurance athlete, speaker, author, coach, and sport psychology consultant. A former 10-year professional triathlete focusing on the IRONMAN distance, she expanded her challenges to include adventure racing with the inception of the Eco Challenge in 1995, as well as ultrarunning and mountaineering. Terri earned a degree in exercise physiology as well as a master's degree in sport psychology with a research emphasis on risk taking and team dynamics. She is co-author of Triathlete's Guide to Mental Training and author of Triathlon Revolution- Training, Technique and Inspiration. While Santa Cruz, CA remains her home base, she spends time each year volunteering in Bhutan while continuing to explore and adventure around the globe, sharing her experiences through her speaking, writing, and photography. For more information, visit www.terrischneider.net.

"Armed with a Master's Degree in Sport Psychology and over 20 years of amazing adventures all over the planet, Dirty Inspirations provides a terrific journey into the mind of an ultra endurance athlete. Both exciting and inspirational...simply a great read for anyone with a taste for adventure and stepping out of one's comfort zone." -Barry Siff, endurance athlete and President of USA Triathlon "Terri is the person you hope is seated next to you on an overseas flight. Not only would she rescue you if the plane went down, but she'd fill you with the richest stories of physical pursuits and adventures in exotic venues. Dirty Inspirations is that overseas flight as Terri packs the book with delightful and penetrating experiences that will help you be a smarter, more understanding, and more devoted athlete and person." -Adam Chase, President of American Trail Running Association, gear and adventure editor, and co-author of The Ultimate Guide to Trail Running "Terri lives and breathes adventure, all the while tuning into the thought-provoking questions that each mile, each mountain, each experience tapping into her highest highs and deepest lows both asks and answers. She's a true adventurer, a thoughtful scholar, and an insightful and introspective woman who lives a raw and exciting life, and this book shares her passion and insights." -Lisa Jhung, contributing editor to Runner's World and author of Trailhead: The Dirt on All Things Trail Running "For everyone who has ever dabbled in extreme-endurance sports, myself included, Terri Schneider is the voice and the Virgil we've been waiting for. She has been all over the world, struggled through countless adventures and every great endurance race we'd all love to try. Dirty Inspirations is a gripping, hard-won, brutally honest, and beautifully written account of that journey." -Daniel Duane, journalist and author of seven books including Caught Inside, A Surfer's Year on the California Coast "Dirty Inspirations takes the reader into the mind of Terri Schneider as she describes how she trains her mind to focus, flow with her body, to overcome doubt and physical discomfort to achieve extraordinary goals in sports and life." -Lynne Cox, inductee into the Swimming Hall of Fame, author of five books including Swimming to Antarctica "When Terri Schneider sets her heart upon something, she makes it happen. Fearlessly adventurous, her exploits are both bold and original, following a path uniquely her own. Terri's stories are gripping, oftentimes harrowing, yet she navigates through seemingly impossible feats of endurance with poise and grace, and she shares her lessons and insights with candor and honesty. Dirty Inspirations is a compelling read and is sure to captivate and motivate you, whether you're a hardened endurance athlete or just someone looking to put a little more spark in your weekend adventure." -Dean Karnazes, ultra marathoner and New York Times best-selling author "Dirty Inspirations is direct and straightforward; if you have any reservations about confidence, taking risks, and exposing your fears, this book is an absolute must read! Terri Schneider's candor and openness is going to expose your vulnerabilities. Athletes seemingly have this shield of invincibility, but Terri hits a raw nerve. Her nuggets of information are not just for the athletic minded; if you want moments of brilliance laced with a bit of doubt, Dirty Inspirations will fulfill your needs." -Dave Scott, six-time IRONMAN (R) World Champion and first inductee into the IRONMAN (R) Hall of Fame "Dirty Inspirations celebrates the unique and hard-earned rewards of the endurance lifestyle. If you like testing your body's limits, you will love this book!" -Matt Fitzgerald, author of Iron War "Terri Schneider shows us through her adventures that every calling we have must be followed. When worn and raw, Terri saw that the true gold we all gain from our down and dirtiest moments is not what we will eventually be able to define like a finishing place or time, but rather the inspiration our soul gains when we go beyond our ordinary and touch the extraordinary that is just waiting to be sparked inside each of us." -Mark Allen, author, speaker, and six-time Hawaii IRONMAN (R) World Champion "Very rarely will a book come along that shares insights such as Dirty Inspirations. It is a celebration of life and a testament to what the human body-and spirit-is capable of enduring. Terri is a master of painting a psychological picture that can only be had by digging deeper than one can imagine. The stories are riveting but, more than that, she shares her deep, innermost thoughts. Inspiring and personal, honest and humble, this book has it all." -Marshall Ulrich, extreme endurance athlete and author of Running on Empty "If you're content with your life as it is, this book is not for you. Reading it will challenge you to question your beliefs about what is possible, see them as limits, and invite you to transcend them. Dirty Inspirations provides practical, time-honored virtues, spiritual vitamins for your athletic soul that will light the fire in your belly while expanding your view of what is personally possible in your life." -Jerry Lynch, Ph.D., athlete and author of The Way of the Champion "In high-altitude mountaineering we used to quote Nietzsche, and that seems a fitting axiom for Terri's stories: 'What doesn't kill you makes you stronger.'" -Rick Ridgeway, film maker, conservationist, and author of six books including The Big Open: On Foot Across Tibet's Chang Tang "What makes Terri so incredible, beyond her ability as an athlete, is her ability to give us a window into what it takes to do these things, and what we can each take from them. Truly inspirational, truly adventurous...and truly empowering... that's Terri." -Ray Zahab, adventurer, author, and founder of impossible2Possible.com "Terri Schneider gives a fascinating glimpse into the minds and motivations of endurance athletes. She vividly describes the ordeals of adventure racing in some of the world's most challenging landscapes, and the huge personal rewards she has gained by pushing her body and spirit to their limits. If you've ever wondered why someone might choose to run 150 miles across the Sahara Desert carrying a backpack, read this book!" -Bryon Powell, founder of iRunFar.com and author of Relentless Forward Progress: A Guide to Running Ultramarathons "Terri seamlessly blends sports psychology and gritty anecdotes from the trail into an approachable invitation into the mind of an ultra athlete. Although I've run for a quarter century, this book had me asking questions I'd never thought to or, perhaps, never dared to ask myself." -Maria Coffey, author of Explorers of the Infinite "Inside each of us there is an inner athlete. Terri walks the talk and lives every day connected to her inner athlete. In Dirty Inspirations, she shares the personal confidence and power that comes from that practice. A must read for those who want to understand both the "why we do it" as well as the 'how we do it' regardless of the suffering and the consequences." -Sally Edwards, professional athlete, educator, businesswoman, author, keynote speaker, and founder of Heart Zones, Inc. "Those of us in the endurance community have known Terri Schneider is the real deal for a long time. I remember watching her race on TV when I was a kid; Terri ranked among the crew of a select few ultra endurance athletes who would inspire my own quest. Through compelling narrative and tangible principles, Dirty Inspirations celebrates and describes what those of us who've been in the thick of it know: pushing our bodies and minds on the race course and out in the mountains teaches us to be better in family, business, relationships, and life in general." -Travis Macy, professional endurance athlete, coach, speaker, consultant, and author of The Ultra Mindset: An Endurance Champion's 8 Core Principles for Success in Business, Sports, and Life "Terri is the master of adventures and ultra racing around the globe and her mental strength has always been her signature characteristic. As you read through Dirty Inspirations, the stories will resonate on so many fronts for those who like to challenge themselves to push beyond. Enjoy the journey of these stories and be inspired to achieve your long-term goals." -Wayne Kurtz, author of Stronger Than Iron, Not Finishing Was Not and Option, Never Say "I Wish I Had", and Beyond the Iron "To say Terri is an endurance athlete greatly undermines the totality of her being. Dirty Inspirations may get you motivated to sign up for an event, but getting into the trenches of this book will definitely get you to question your personal adventure of living every day." -Adam Kelinson, performance nutritionist and author of The Athlete's Plate: Real Food for High Performance "Want to know what's happening inside the mind of an elite endurance athlete? Terri offers a fascinating and insightful look at what drives her-and others like her-to push themselves to the limit physically and mentally. Reading this book may help you to push through those boundaries too!" -Kraig Becker, founder of The Adventure Blog "Terri Schneider's indomitable spirit shines through these well-spun, inspirational stories, lending deep insight into the blood, sweat, and tears of endurance sports. These tales elevate the Virtue of Endurance to new heights, inspiring us to achieve our goals in Sport and the whole of Life." -Dia North, video producer/director and best-selling author