Everything You Want Is on the Other Side of Hard

Synopsis

Brought to you by Penguin.Born into a broken family just outside of Boston, Ken Rideout grew up in a household persistently scarred by drugs and crime. At just eighteen, he found himself working as a guard in a prison where his stepfather had been incarcerated, and his brother would later serve time. Despite the bleak expectations set by his family, Ken harboured dreams far beyond the confines of his upbringing.Ken eventually broke free from the gritty streets of his youth to the high-stakes world of Wall Street, where he carved out a successful career. Yet, beneath the veneer of success, he battled a decade-long addiction to opioids, spending his hard-earned wealth on pills. The turning point came with the adoption of a daughter from overseas—a wake-up call to become the father and man he always dreamed of being.Running became Ken’s salvation. With unwavering determination, he willed himself to run vast distances. In three years, Ken transformed from a ‘running nobody’ to the world’s fastest marathoner over fifty. His mantra: Win—or die trying. In the book, Ken shares his awe-inspiring achievements, including, at age fifty-two, winning the Masters (50+) Marathon World Championships in Chicago and conquering the Gobi March ultra-marathon, one of the world’s toughest races. Through sheer resilience and grit, Ken rewrote his story. By publishing this book, he will now help readers to re-write their story too.Praise for Ken Rideout“Ken is the most driven person I know. Incredible life story, athlete, family man, business mind, personal ethics, work ethics, friend. Run for office, Ken!” – Andrew Huberman“Ken Rideout’s life story about his time working in a Boston penitentiary to becoming a highly successful investor and broadcaster is the stuff of movies. As the combination of Rich Roll and Dave Goggins, his achievement in marathons and family inspire me.” – Dr. David Sinclair“Ken’s story of metamorphosis is one of the most compelling, improbable, and inspirational tales I have ever heard.” – Rich Roll“Ken Rideout is the rare motivator whose message is backed by a life of extraordinary experience. Social media is a grossly oversaturated space, filled with hucksters and bullshit artists and pseudo-inspiration. Ken Ridout is the thunderclap that drowns out that noise with essential lessons from his truly unbelievable life of hardship and achievement.” – Casey Neistat“I came across one of your posts and you were saying ‘you gotta exercise like your life depends on it because it does.’ I’m right there with you, brother. I appreciate you, man, I appreciate all your hard work. I was really inspired by going on your Instagram page so I’m gonna hit the gym and do my best to run through a wall now.” – Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson© Ken Rideout 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026