What’s an Ultramarathon Like? Before and After Shots Show All

Ultramarathons aren't for the faint of heart. They take runners on 50, 75, or 100-mile gauntlets that beat the body and mind to a pulp. A new book, Grand Trail: A Magnificent Journey to the Heart of Ultrarunning and Racing, offers visual proof of the beauty and harshness that runners only find when they test their limits. Here, in an exclusive excerpt from the book is a series of photos taken immediately after racers completed a 78-mile course through the Charlevoix massif ski area. The book is for sale now here.