New Book, Grand Trail, Celebrates the Ultrarunning Lifestyle

Press release from ATRA corporate member VeloPress.

A new book, Grand Trail: A Magnificent Journey to the Heart of Ultrarunning and Racing, shares the stunning beauty and raw emotions of ultrarunning, paying tribute to the passion and splendor of the sport and lifestyle. Filled with powerful photographs and intimate stories from brothers Frederic and Alexis Berg, Grand Trail portrays ultramarathon champions and their extraordinary world. See excerpts, an entire chapter, and two photo galleries at velopress.com/grandtrail. Grand Trail is now available in bookstores, running shops, and online.

Grand Trail features the icons of ultrarunning—people, places, and races—in spectacular color and black-and-white photography by Alexis Berg. Exploring iconic courses like Western States, Hardrock, and Marathon des Sables, alongside personal portraits of heroes like Kilian Jornet, Emelie Forsberg, and Scott Jurek, Grand Trail is as inspiring as it is beautiful.

Grand Trail: A Magnificent Journey to the Heart of Ultrarunning and Racing

Grand Trail: A Magnificent Journey to the Heart of Ultrarunning and Racing

In its pages, Grand Trail shares the indescribable feelings that spring from running free in a wild place, alone in thought or sharing the miles with another of the tribe. The simple beauty of the task. Stunning views of the world’s most beautiful trails. Faces lined with exhaustion in gritty aid stations. The unguarded gaze of a spent runner who only half hears the concerned whispers of his wife. The overwhelming emotion of the finish line after countless hours of silence. The agony that melts in the relief of the finish. The dazed bliss of exhaustion. The sadness of a journey completed.

Grand Trail offers an enchanting encounter with the people, places, and emotions that make ultrarunning special:

  • Intimate interviews: Kilian Jornet, Emelie Forsberg, Anna Frost, Anton Krupicka, Stephanie Howe, Scott Jurek, and eight ultramarathoners from around the world. Read the Scott Jurek profile at velopress.com/grandtrail.
  • 13 iconic courses: Western States, Hardrock, Marathon des Sables, Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc, Transgrancanaria, and races in Asia, Australia, and Europe. Download the Marathon des Sables chapter at velopress.com/grandtrail.
  • Stirring photography: Breathtaking landscapes of the world’s most beautiful trails, moving portraits of ultrarunners, and remarkable scenes from races. See two photo galleries at velopress.com/grandtrail.
  • Vignettes on trail running: Culture, history, training, night running, nutrition, and how the body bends to the miles.
Grand Trail: A Magnificent Journey to the Heart of Ultrarunning and Racing

Grand Trail: A Magnificent Journey to the Heart of Ultrarunning and Racing

Frederic Berg is a journalist and ultrarunner. His performances include finishing two legendary trail races, the Diagonale des Fous (three times) and the Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc (once), plus a dozen other ultramarathons. Alexis Berg is a journalist and a professional photographer focused on trail running. He was the official photographer of the 2015 Ultra-Trail World Tour, travelling around the world to photograph the people, scenery, and race action. His work has been published in a dozen magazines including National Geographic and UltraRunning as well as by iRunFar and Strava.

VeloPress is the leading publisher of books about ultrarunning. Focused on cycling, triathlon, running, and swimming, VeloPress books help committed athletes achieve their goals of going faster and farther. VeloPress authors are top experts in their fields and their clearly illustrated books help athletes develop the knowledge, fitness, and skills to meet any challenge. VeloPress also celebrates the inspiring athletes and personalities of endurance sports through fascinating, in-depth memoirs and beautifully written and photographed history books.

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