There is No Wall

'Within the first few pages she made me laugh out loud – and then spring a tear.' –Catherine Gray, bestselling author of The Unexpected Joy of Being Sober

'An extraordinary book.' – Vassos Alexander, sports presenter, runner and author

There Is No Wall is ultrarunner Allie Bailey’s brutally honest and sometimes shocking account of alcoholism, depression and severe mental breakdowns which almost cost her her life.

There Is No Wall is ultrarunner Allie Bailey’s brutally honest and sometimes shocking account of alcoholism, depression and severe mental breakdowns which almost cost her her life.

Told with disarming vulnerability, heartbreaking depth of feeling and dark humour, this isn’t a story about how running saved her – she was already running and at the height of her struggles sometimes even winning 100-mile-plus races. But somewhere between the darkest excesses of the music industry and the simple beauty of the ultrarunning scene, Allie found space to listen, learn and put into practice techniques that would go on to save her life and change it for the better.

There Is No Wall is a story about how doing something you love can lead you to achieve things you never thought possible. Running won’t save you, but it might buy you the time to save yourself.

Allie Bailey is an ultrarunner, coach, speaker and podcaster who has run in some of the most extreme places in the world. She was the first woman to run 100 miles across frozen Lake Khövsgöl in Mongolia and to run the full length of the Panama Canal. She has crossed the inhospitable Namib Desert three times, run the length of the Outer Hebrides and completed a 1,000-mile off-road version of the classic Land’s End to John o’Groats route in just thirty days. Allie has finished over 200 marathons and ultramarathons all over the world, but the most remarkable thing about all of these achievements is that she accomplished most of them while battling depression and alcoholism. Although running ultimately became the vehicle that helped buy Allie the time to recover from a number of severe mental health breakdowns, it did not save her. In fact, there were times when it made her battle all the more difficult. After a seismic mental health crisis in 2021, Allie finally admitted to herself and those around her that she was an alcoholic and started her recovery. She left behind a dream career with major record labels and adventure companies and now works as a coach with a broad range of runners and endurance athletes, helping them unlock their full potential. In 2022, she was named as one of the most inspiring female adventurers in the UK by the Guardian, and she has appeared on numerous mainstream TV programmes including The One Show and Lorraine. She lives in Yorkshire with her rescue dog, Pickle.

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Dispatch

Update: September 2022. Most orders received through the Vertebrate Publishing Adventure Books website are dispatched from Gardners in Eastbourne, UK; some orders (such as signed copies of pre-orders, or limited stock items) are sent from our office in Sheffield, UK. If your order is for multiple items, you may receive more than one package, though we try to avoid this (if applicable, you would only be charged once for shipping). Orders received before 11 a.m. are dispatched the same day; orders received after 11 a.m. are usually dispatched the following business day. You will be sent a notification email when your order has been dispatched. If we are temporarily out of stock of a title we will advise by email.

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Customer Reviews

Based on 11 reviews
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C
Charlotte Yarker
“Brutally” honest, funny and inspiring in equal measure

This book will resonate with ultra runners, but offers an honest look at mental health and personal struggles that will appeal to non-runners too. It's a bold read that lays everything out without self-pity, providing motivation and inspiration for both running and everyday life.

L
Lee

Brilliant read, absolutely loved it

M
Martin

Fascinating read! Being aware of Allie’s running through instagram and podcasts, this was eye opening (like the directors cut giving the true story/meaning!). Painful at times, yet glorious.

I
Ian

I found the writing style exciting and fast-paced. The story itself is harrowing in places and a little too ‘sweary’ for me.
However, I’m glad I’ve read it and hope Allie writes another book; perhaps more on running technique allied with her mental-centric coaching angle woven through it.

C
Customer

Best book I have bought in a very long time! Ali is bloody awesome and this book will help a lot of people. Amazing!