To the Limit

Michael Crawley gives runners a unique and illuminating gift: to see themselves through the eyes of a trained anthropologist. The result is a fascinating and multilayered exploration of what it means to endure * Alex Hutchinson, author of Endure *Entertaining and fascinating * Vassos Alexander, author of Don’t Stop Me Now *An immersive investigation into the world of endurance and the people and cultures who do it * Damian Hall, ultra runner and journalist *I’m loving it … packed full of brilliant discussions * Cyclist Online *engaging… [endurance sport] comes to lyrical life in Michael Crawley’s evocations * The TLS *

Michael Crawley is an anthropologist, writer and runner based in Durham. He has run a 2.20 marathon and represented Great Britain in road running. In 2019, Michael was awarded a PhD in anthropology by the University of Edinburgh, following fifteen months of research living and running alongside runners in Ethiopia. His book Out of Thin Air: Running Magic and Wisdom from Above the Clouds in Ethiopia won the prestigious Margaret Mead Award in 2022.