The story of the woman who shocked the running world in 2002 when she won the sport's most grueling race-135 miles from Death Valley to Mount Whitney-beating her closest competitor by 5 hours!

"One of the greatest athletic achievements I have witnessed in 20 years of extreme sports." -Chris Kostman, race director, Badwater Ultramarathon

One year after her astonishing victory at the Badwater Ultramarathon, Pam Reed again made distance running history when she braved the hottest weather in years-135 degrees-to successfully defend her title. How does this 100-pound mother and stepmother of five muster the endurance and courage for the 28-hour climb from the hottest desert floor on Earth to the shadow of the continental United States' tallest point?

In The Extra Mile, we watch this ultramarathon champion seek balance in her life as a wife, mother, athlete, and entrepreneur. With astonishing candor Reed tells of her 15-year battle with anorexia. And she helps us understand her passion for ultrarunning-to discover how far the human body can be pushed. The success of Dean Karnazes's book, Ultramarathon Man, and Reed's TV appearances have demonstrated the public's fascination with this growing sport. Reed's book will be an inspiration to women everywhere.

PAM REED , has twice won the Badwater Ultramarathon, the world's toughest running event. She is the American women's record-holder in the 24-hour run (138.94 miles) and 48-hour run (220 miles). Reed has been featured on 60 Minutes, CNN, and The Late Show with David Letterman, as well as in the New York Times, Sports Illustrated, and Runner's World.