Official Review: Bigfoot 200 by Ryan M. Chukuske

[ElizaBeth Adams]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Bigfoot 200" by Ryan M. Chukuske.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Have you ever taken on a task that seemed impossible; something so out of the ordinary that others thought you were nuts, loco, out of your mind? Despite the overwhelming odds, something drove you to persevere. Runners are infamous for tackling difficult competitions. Each runner has to decide for himself or herself where the line is between doable and unattainable. In 2017, a group of runners registered to compete in one of the most challenging ultramarathons on the planet. Ryan M. Chukuske, a participant in the race, chose to write a book about his experience and the experiences of his fellow competitors.

Bigfoot 200: Because, You Know, Why the #@&% Not? relates a fascinating tale about a group of people who competed in Bigfoot 200, an ultramarathon that is about 200 miles long and is the first point to point race of this length. The course is staged along the Cascade Mountains, beginning in Mount St. Helens and finishing in Randle, Washington. Participants take turns narrating how they heard of Bigfoot, their motivation for running, and what they recall from each leg of the race. Being someone who enjoys moderate running, I was truly inspired by each individual's dedication and determination to even begin such a feat.

I loved how each race participant that shared had his or her own clear and distinct voice. Becca’s voice was very descriptive, intensely emotional, and filled with expletives, even if the letters were substituted with symbols, just like in the subtitle. I also enjoyed learning about the real drawbacks and risks connected to the race. Runners powered through dehydration, sleep exhaustion, chafing, blisters, trench foot, injuries, and even hallucinations. It was powerful to hear from Megan, the author’s wife, who crewed Ryan for this event. She described the ups and downs of crewing a runner and enlightened the reader to the depth of work involved in supporting your friend or loved one.

One thing I didn’t like, was that there were a couple of times in the introductory pages when it wasn’t clear who was narrating. Helpful headings indicated the current person’s perspective. However, there were a couple of times the text would switch to the main author’s voice without indicating the change. After reading a few lines, you could typically infer that a change in voice had occurred, but it still temporarily took me out of the story. Due to the infrequency of this occurrence, it only slightly lessened my enjoyment of the book. The only other negative thing about this tale is the number of editorial errors. The narrative has a conversational tone and is rather informal. Even with that being considered, there were several mistakes that were unarguably errors.

I would love to give this book 4 stars. It is packed with practical information for ultra marathoners, detailed tips for this particular event, and is entertaining for those who may never take part in something like this. It was inspiring to read about each runner’s journey. No matter how he or she performed in the race, each participant demonstrated the courage to prepare for and attempt something daunting and seemingly impossible. Due to the editorial errors, I must give this book 3 out of 4 stars. I recommend it to running fans, people who like reading inspirational stories, or people who are preparing for their own lengthy race.

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Bigfoot 200
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[Amy747]

I think it would be interesting to read about the same race from different perspectives.

[Nisha Ward]

Races like these are always fascinating to me because of how gruelling they are. It's kind of cool to see them from the runner's perspective, and multiple runners at that.

[AstridAlpha18]

Disappointing to hear the lack of clear narration. Even dedicating a chapter to each one with their name as the title would help, but to throw in main author notes in the middle with no distinction or quick blurb? This may not be the book for me as a runner (I'm a proud couch potato) but I can still enjoy the book as it is refreshing to feel the inspiration and dedication each of these runners had, each contributing their bit and their perspective of the race.