The Runner: Four Years Living and Running in the Wilderness

'The most beautiful book I ever read.' – Rune Larsson, ultra-distance runner Markus Torgeby was just 20 years old when he headed off into the remote Swedish forest to live as a recluse and dedicate himself to his one true passion: running. He lived in a tent in the wilderness, braving the harsh Swedish winters – for four years. This is his story. A talented long-distance runner in his teens, Markus Torgeby excelled in training, but often failed inexplicably in competition. Pressurised by his coach and consumed by the suffering of his MS-afflicted mother, he chose to do something that most of us only dream of: escape the modern world. In his stripped-back lifestyle in the woods, surviving with the bare minimum of supplies and enduring extreme cold, he found salvation and ultimately his true direction in life. An international bestseller, this extraordinary book is a powerful exploration of running, resilience, loss, and self-discovery.

Table of Contents:
Introduction Prologue Öckerö The Woods Tanzania Going Back Ten Years Later Some Final Thoughts Acknowledgements

About the Author :
Markus Torgeby is today considered an authority on long-distance and trail running. He now lives with his wife and children in Jämtland, Sweden, not far from his former home in the forest.

Review :
The most beautiful book I ever read. A strikingly honest account of stripping back life to its bare essentials to understand what's important. Some beautiful descriptions of nature and survival. Few people have the courage to be true to the person they really are... A fascinating story about a man dedicated and entirely devoted to his true love, running. A fascinating account… nothing but extreme. This stirring treatise of living (and running) simply will inspire those struggling with finding their place. Torgeby's memoir offers a powerful testament to simplicity, the quest for inner peace, and the liberating joy of running Compelling… it made me long to be outside running. Beautifully written… a compelling real-life story of a young man who moved into the forest in northern Sweden at age 20 so that he could run and escape modern life. Poetic, direct and honest. Read it! There is nothing superfluous or pointless in this book. Only heart and taut verbal muscle. A frank, vivid and muscular memoir. His story will stun you and teach you about running, escape and life itself. Engaging, smart, and full of adventure. This book vividly illustrates the power of running, nature, and the human soul in overcoming obstacles and finding joy. Celebrates the sheer instinctive naturalness of running. Torgeby has reached the runner's promised land, a place of complete physical freedom. The whole book twitches with his urge to outrun the world, to escape the track and return to the trees. At its best, reading The Runner is like following a deer in flight. Torgeby's claustrophobic rage evaporates when he's on the move, his problems fall behind the rhythm of his heart and limbs. Stunning ... riveting ... This is no "Hello trees!" feel-good memoir of life beneath nature's benevolent canopy. Instead, de-clutter, stop buying things you don't need and run like a maniac are the lessons to learn.