Failure is an Option

by Matt Whyman

‘We’re not at parkrun any more,’ I mutter to myself, quietly longing for the presence of nice marshals in high-visibility vests.

Failure is an Option is the story of an average runner who sets out to discover just how far he can go. With the support (and misgivings) of his family, and aware that his quickest years are behind him, Matt Whyman leaves the Saturday morning 5K to push towards 100-mile ultramarathons and beyond. By slowing things down to run a very long way, he joins a growing number of men and women from all walks of life striving to do something extraordinary.

A newcomer to a world that can often seem off-limits, Matt finds his feet as an ultrarunner by learning the hard way. He battles monster hallucinations on endurance races spanning day and night, loses himself on tantalising trails across landscapes far from home, and forges bonds with fellow competitors in which small, kind gestures mean more than any medal. Determined to touch the boundaries of his running world before it starts to shrink, ultimately Matt sets his sights on a six-day mountain ultra that even hardened veterans consider to be the most formidable on earth: the Dragon’s Back Race.

Brimming with good humour, honesty and joy, Failure is an Option pits ambition against ability to uncover human truths that resonate with us all. A mid-pack competitor who could win prizes for enthusiasm – if nothing else – Matt takes us on a journey far beyond his comfort zone and with no guaranteed outcome of success. The results are entertaining from start to finish, often very funny and at times deeply moving.

Genres: Audiobook, Nonfiction

Audible Audio

Published April 8, 2022

About the author

Matt Whyman is an award-winning novelist and non-fiction writer. He has co-written bestselling books with some of the world’s leading figures in sport, high performance and popular culture including Gareth Southgate, Matthew Syed, Billy Connolly and Sir David Attenborough as well as the Mercedes-AMG Petronas F1 Team.

Reviews

[Charlie Massey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Matt Whyman's book falls loosely into that category of "my running journey". Some in this category are classic must-reads, and are treasured members of my library: Markus Torgeby, Dean Karnazes, Boff Whalley, Mike Cudahy, Charlie Spedding. And, latterly, Damian Hall. Their books are all about more than the running, and often, in differing ways, get to the heart of the somewhat obsessive, sometimes self-destructive nature of the activity. There are many others, of course, some of which are ghost written or highly edited accounts by "elite athletes", which can be a fascinating insight into the elevated world of elite competition. But there's also a fair amount of dross out there, occasionally self-published accounts of what might have been an interesting tale by an amateur runner, or hastily written accounts by a "celebrity runner". They are best not named and shamed, particularly by a very occasional running blogger such as myself, who doesn't even edit his posts seriously.


So where does "Failure is an Option" fit into the pantheon, and is it worth a read?


It's fair to say that, like myself, Matt Whyman is essentially a running "nobody" who has wandered through life with running as a constant thread from a relatively young age. Big goals get set and obsessed about. Relative failures and successes follow. Lessons get learned or they don't when they should have been. The book has it's central theme an audacious attempt to complete the Dragons Back 6 day Mountain journey across Wales. It is extremely topical as Matt was a starter in the latest, infamous, heatwave dominated, edition of the race. This is just one of many challenges in running that Matt has set himself and prepared poorly for in decades as a runner. (Hint: Matt, if you ever get to read this, just get yourself a coach, and stop being so stubborn. It took me 33 years, but now, 5 years later, it seems so obvious.) Throughout the book, Matt weaves his running story into his private life and he gives a feel of how his family and professional lives interact with his running. There are few traumatic incidents, with one notable exception (no spoilers!), and Matt lives in "comfortable" South East England. So when I got my review copy a few days ago, I immediately suspected that the book might be "one of those".


Happily it is not, and I whizzed through it in little over 24 hours, much as I would a short novel. And therein lies the secret as to why Matt's story is well worth a read. Matt's day job is as writer, a novellist in fact, and his obvious skill in making his running book flow is to leave out much that the rest of us would include. Also his prose is sharp, and some of his insights from "middle of the pack" are thought provoking and very relatable to my own experiences as an aging (more ag-ed these days) runner. For me the book was very easy to pick up and actually quite hard to put down. I thoroughly enjoyed it and needed little time to marshall my thoughts before posting this review.

[Emily Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s a lot of running books out there at the moment as the sport has increased in popularity but Failure is an option is definitely one which stands out amongst the rest.

The book is Matt Whyman’s account of his attempt on the infamous Dragon’s Back race and it manages to be hilarious at the same time as brutally honest. The struggles he has with nerves and technical skills is definitely relatable.
He intersperses the account of his recce days on the route with the story of how he became a runner. His journey from occasional runner who swapped wine for running, to becoming addicted to parkrun . He laughs at himself for his attempts at his first marathon and then the transition to pushing the distance at a more sensible pace.

I love the honesty in the book. Having done ultras before Whyman is clearly not a novice when he sets out to tackle the Dragon’s Back, but then he’s definitely not an elite runner either. He’s approaching 50, lacks navigational skills and constantly wonders if he’s bitten off more than he can chew.
This is definitely a book worth reading, whatever level of runner you are.

[Jorge Miranda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Empecé Failure is an Option poco después de mi segunda lesión entrenando para mi primera media maratón y es impresionante lo acompañado que me sentí en el proceso de recuperación.
Matt cuenta su historia como padre, escritor y corredor. Con reflexiones interesantes sobre por qué los corredores de distancia se inscriben para ellas y los desafíos de entrenar y correr ultra maratones.
Si bien aún no estoy ni cerca de correr una maratón ─mucho menos una ultra maratón─ sus reflexiones y vivencias resonaron mucho con lo que estaba pasando en mis semanas previas de recuperación y preparación.
Considero que es una buena lectura para aquellos que comienzan a explorar el mundo del running o, estando ya en él, buscan una experiencia realista y alejada de la perfección deportiva que muchas veces se vende en las redes sociales.

[Neil S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unlike any other running book I've read before and all the better for that surprise.
Thoroughly enjoyable from start to finish. Indeed it was hard to put down and could easily have been devoured in a single push..........still you need to pace yourself and should savour the journey.

"Failure is an Option" follows the development of an amateur runner through their life long involvement and interest in running. Often sole searching, this semi-autobiographical tale is full of amusing storylines (especially the show stoppers at the end of several chapters (but I won't spoil those surprises, that's for you discover for yourselves as you enjoy the book)), and builds towards an attempt at the infamous Dragon's Back Race along the spine of Wales. Much life learning takes place along the route and many readers will I'm sure gel with the author's struggles, which are portrayed in a very honest manner. Others will make note of the many hints and tips that they can apply to their own running adventures or be inspired to discover just how far they can go too.
A great read for runners and non runners alike.

[Gareth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recently there have been a lot of books published about running, however most of them focus on life as an elite runner. ‘Failure is an option’ is different. It is the humorous story of a middle-aged man who gets the running bug – badly, and this is what makes it such an entertaining read. It takes you on his journey, from coming last at school races, to discovering running isn’t so bad, and progresses from park runs, 10kms, marathons and then extreme multi-day mountain ultra-marathons.

Along the way there are adventures, mis-adventures and more than a few set backs. But all told with whit, humour and self deprecation. You’ll laugh with (or at) the author, cry with him, and learn with him, but no mater what you can’t help but feel inspired. It’s a great read and a book you’ll find yourself saying ‘ohh the next chapter is short, I’ll just read one more….)

[Sarah Laing · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book and found it hard to put down. I really enjoyed reading about his progression from running with his dad (something I did too :)) to tackling ultramarathons. I found it really inspiring for many reasons which I don't want to say too much about and tell you too much about the detail in the book. All I can say is that whether you are currently a runner whatever distance, just need some inspiration or like a good story about someone's journey it has something for everyone.

A very enjoyable book which if you are like me you will finish very quickly and everything will get put aside so you can read it :)

[Chloe Shuttlewood · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book really refreshing as it is so down-to-earth and relatable. Matt Whyman doesn't sugar-coat the sheer effort required to run ultramarathons, and the various setbacks he encounters in day-to-day life. It's so true that there's no such thing as a "perfect" race day; life events get in the way and things happen that you could never have predicted. I loved the way that Matt charts his running career from the very beginning, and what drives him to push further and further. He is totally honest throughout and he certainly made me laugh! I have never run an ultra, only marathon distance, but I must admit that this book did make me wonder whether I could have a go as well. Matt's description of the support received from the running community and the incredible experiences he has had really made me think about entering one... perhaps one day. I hope Matt will write a sequel so that we find out where his journey continues!

[Damien Ayers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining and inspiring.

[Patrick Styles · Rating 5 out of 5]

A refreshingly honest book about a non-professional runner's relationship with running. I found it an incredibly captivating read that was very hard to put down. One of the best running books I've read for a long time!

Matt tells a brilliant tale of going from the challenge of a park run, to greater challenges, culminating in one of the hardest ultramarathons going in the form of the Dragon's back. The story sucks you in and makes you want to take on the challenges for yourself.

[Julia Doherty · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It just goes to show how a normal guy can have superpowers if you put your mind to it…. But it’s ok to say no when things get to stupid!

[Steve Chilton · Rating 4 out of 5]

An entertaining read from a runner who has gradually moved up from parkrunning to ultras. Nicely highlights the issues of having such an obsession, and illustrates well the (ultra)mate experience, which may or not be a success (however you define that). As the title suggest, failure is an option. Definately not a 'how to' book, but it was never meant to be. If the subject matter matters to you then I recommend you read it.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book , it shows what us mere mortals can achieve (or not) if we put our minds to it. A really engaging story of ones mans drive to push for more.
I found this book to be an honest account of the highs and lows of Matt Whyman`s relationship with running, plenty of surprises and laugh out loud moments throughout and also shows the sacrifices needed to reach his targets .The whole book added some authenticity to it because it is narrated by Matt himself , this added to what was a journey of discovering how far you can push yourself and we should all remember that `Failure is an Option`

[Heather Davies · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly recommended. Matt is a professional writer, which no doubt helps, as much with the honesty about himself as the clever similes and metaphors (which he never takes too far, arguably unlike the running!) I may never come close to attempting what he did, but maybe I could pick up the old training plan again, the giving up not being better than the trying.

[Jonathan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic book. Some highs, some lows and as a fellow ultra runner, some definite laugh out loud moments. Recommended without hesitation.

[Lina Arthur · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a very readable account of an ordinary person's journey into ultra-running, describing his failures, successes, and the lessons he learns along the way.
Particularly interesting is the author's account of how he coped with the severe after-effects of a car accident and how this affected his running. His frustrating struggles and discoveries of unexpected ways of dealing with them were some of the most sympathetic moments of the book. Indeed, more could have been made of this - perhaps some insight into dogs and participation in racing, for example.
There were also some tantalising insights into the Dragon's Back race, which led me to seek out further reading on that event to fulfil my interest.
At times, however, it felt as if the author was trying to invite the reader to join him in wry self-mockery, but slightly lacked the insight/humility to do so.
Luckily the field of books about ultra-running is a broad one and everyone is seeking something different. There will be those who enjoy the vignettes of familiar local races, those who enjoy the struggles of the average, those who empathise with the running failures and rejoice in the successes. If nothing else, it certainly shows just how difficult it can be to run 100 miles.

[Ben Cons · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I don’t want to be rude,’ said Emma, ‘but most of these people look like they have a sponsorship deal, and you … don’t.”

Failure is an option is an entertaining and authentic look at Matt’s journey from parkrun to ultra running culminating in his attempt at the 2021 Dragons Back race. Most runners will recognise something about their running journey in Matt’s story full of highs and lows, setbacks and triumphs, all written in a wonderfully easy to read way.

Does he succeed in his ultimate goal? You’ll have to finish the book to find out!

[Huw Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a keen runner, but not elite, I found this a really interesting book. It was great to read a book from a middle of the road runner, who makes what he's writing about seem attainable. There were some really funny parts, in particular the chapter on parkrun, which really struck a cord. Also interesting take on running challenges that don't always go to plan.

[Ludwig Eriksson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lyssnade som ljudbok

Mysig bok om en medelålders man som hittar tillbaka till löpningen och så småningom hittar ultra. Om vikten av att ge sitt allt men också vara tillfreds med sig själv när det inte går som planerat.

[Wendy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Refreshing story of an imperfect journey from Parkrun to ultra trail running. Nice to have self-depricating British perspective (sorry Americans!) that isn't all about how I became the best in the world, but more how little old me overcame my own hurdles.

[Nicola Stott]

Takes you through from running parkruns to ultras and then the challenge of the Dragon's Back. Nicely written.

[Hol · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read

[JC · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed it.

Recommmend? Light to runners
Reread? Soft yes.

[Jennie Collison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I listened to this as an audiobook - I loved the easy to listen, chatty style and the very honest account of his personal running journey (& the effect on him & others). Would highly recommend.

[Dan Angell-Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

inspirational and informative

Simply put - this book encapsulates all that I love about ultra trail running but also brings a very human element to that challenge.

Highly recommended to all runners but also to anyone who wants to enjoy a personal journey.

[RunHikeBikeExplore · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've read/ tried to read a few running books, and this is one of those that are worth reading.

It has the feel of a 'my running journey' book... honest, funny, and at times, in some ways, for myself, relatable.

Enjoyable and recommended