The Great Run: Conquering the Sleeping Dragon Within: Life's Lessons on the Run

Everyone said it couldn't be done; even internationally renowned sports scientists such as Dr. Tim Noakes. Certainly no one had done it before, though many had tried: to run the Great Wall of China, end-t0-end, non-stop. It would mean running a full marathon for every one of 100 days, with time off only for sickness and injury. The journey would start in the Gobi Desert, cross the jagged Tiahang Shan range, and end at the Bo Sea. It would involve blood-boiling heat and mummifying sandstorms, soul numbing mountain nights, incidents with bandits and draconian officials, pig's-head soup and large-scale environmental devastation. But no one had counted on the tenacity of South African nature lover Braam Malherbe. In running the main intact section of the Great Wall, 4,200 kilometers end to end, Braam and his running partner David Grier set a new world record. But he would have to call on reserves far deeper - physically and emotionally - than even he realized he had. China was never going to let him off lightly; then again, it would not leave a worthy traveler unmoved or unchanged. What began as a running away, from long-buried childhood trauma, family suffering and loss, as well as hurt felt for the state of the planet, would eventually become a journey towards inner peace and understanding. It concludes with the writer running into a new vision of healing the planet, step by small step, one person at a time. This is his story of running wild. Editorial Reviews Review Most Inspiring! The Great Run by Braam Malherbe is an amazing story about and by this man who refuses to hear the word Impossible. Since he was twelve growing up in South Africa he was called to the wild and did his first monumental climb into the mountains and stayed for a week communing with nature and felt the call to save the earth. His next run at 17 was from Plettenberg Bay to Cape Town for which he raised enough consciousness and money to save Langebaan Lagoon from environmentally destructive construction of a jetty. At 31 he ran from Tsisikamma National Park to Table Top Mountain National Park to raise money to stop poaching in national parks. But he still felt called to conquer more: something that no person had ever done and which was deemed impossible. He and his friend David Grier accomplished the impossible: they ran the entire length of the Great Wall of China, which had never been done before and will never be done again because China has now forbidden it. The planning had to be precise because of the inclement weather conditions during certain times of the year, and the entire fete had to be accomplished in four months, running a full marathon every day! The book details the personal quest and the enormous way Braam's entire psyche was changed as he made this grueling run, deciding as he daily faced possible death, what was truly important in life. The book is magnificent and you can experience life-changing moments also as you share his. He is an excellent writer and always runs for a cause to help humanity and the earth we live on. About the Author BRAAM MALHERBE is an adventurer, author and motivational speaker. He is best known for the 2006 'Miles for Smiles' challenge in which he and David Grier ran, walked and climbed the entire 4200 km length of the Great Wall of China in just 98 days and raised awareness and money for Operation Smile, Braam has dedicated his life to making a difference. Braam is committed to being an asset to the earth and to assist others who share that commitment. Braam is currently planning his next challenge a challenge that faces us all: how to fix the mess we've made of our home, planet Earth.