Through the exploration of incredible physical feats—some well-known and some only passed around watering holes and campfires—endurance athlete and journalist Shannon Hogan takes us into the world of those who have pushed themselves through the “unforgiving hours” to achieve greatness and redefine modern outdoor adventuring.

From the frozen wilds of Alaska’s treacherous trails to the unyielding currents of Puget Sound and Canada’s Inside Passage, from the rugged majesty of Colorado’s peaks to the vibrant depths of Costa Rica’s rainforests, Hogan offers us an intimate window into the toughest contests in sports. Whether it’s a blistering race across the furnace trails of gold country in the Sierra Nevadas, a grueling swim in frigid water to break the Ice Mile Distance record, or a competition on the biggest triathlon stage with a determination beyond perceived limitations, each journey reveals the resilience and humor it takes to face the unknown with only the guarantee of discomfort ahead. These stories of ordinary women and men who kept going even when things went wrong, especially when the weather and tides did not cooperate, attest to the drive, grit, and patience that exists in all of us. Through exhaustion, setbacks, and moments of darkness and doubt, these athletes prove that greatness isn’t about perfection—it’s about perseverance. Their triumphs, large and small, are a testament to the power of adaptability, passion, and the sheer will to keep going, one breath, one step, one stroke, and one mile at a time.

In the pages of The Unforgiving Hours, you will read the stories of:

• Gunhild Swanson running the Western States 100 Endurance Run five days shy of her seventy-first birthday
• Kelly Danielson and team Sail Like a Girl, the first all-female sailing team to win the Race to Alaska
• Gordon Wadsworth racing the hardest mountain bike race in the world while opting for only one bike gear
• Lynne Cox breaking the record for swimming across the English Channel at age 15
• Yuichiro Hidaka dreaming of eating potato chips while running the Boston Double for the fourth time
• Seana Hogan, the current cycling transcontinental female record holder (set at age 35) fighting the race clock and Father Time to finish Race Across America at age 60
• John Stamstad voyaging to Alaska for an all-night February bike race in the bush of the Last Frontier
• Melissa Kegler training for two years to break the American Ice Mile Distance record in 39.2ºF water
• Chris Jones embarking on The Last Great Race—six 100-mile ultramarathons to be completed over the course of one summer
• And Tina Ament, along with Anne Thilges, crossing the finish line at 16 hours, 18 minutes, and 5 seconds to establish one of the most inspiring records in endurance sports.

Blending top-notch sports writing, armchair adventure and travel, and an insightful thesis on the human spirit, The Unforgiving Hours is an indelible chronicle of odysseys that showcase the determination, creativity, joy, strength, and inspiration at the heart of endurance sports.