Running / Triathlon books you would recommend

Abhainn · 06-10-2008 12:55pm #1

Ok my second book case in my study is rather bare. I do not own any books on running or triathlons - not good.
As my birthday is coming up soon:D and some people want pressie ideas.

So all aspects of the topics mentioned above would be welcome to I can pass on.

Thank you!

MCOS · 06-10-2008 2:30pm

Hi,

When I rowed I used to have lots of rowing books. I've only read a couple of running books but Dean Karnazes - Confessions of an all night runner was an easy but inspirational read. I decided to check out triathlons recently so bought 2 books. Triathlon 101 which is good for a novice and Triathletes Training Bible - Joe Friel which is like studying the sport for your leaving cert! I haven't finished the latter yet as I'm just back to college and haven't the time. I read Lance Armstrong - Its not about the Bike during the summer on hols and really enjoyed it.

MCOS

tunney · 06-10-2008 2:40pm

To counter the LA book, read David Walsh's books.

For sports:
* Lore of Running by Tim Noakes
* Championship Swimming
* Paleo diet for athletes

thirtyfoot · 06-10-2008 3:32pm

If you can get your hands on Peter Snell's "No Bugles, No Drums". Its old, not fantistically written but interesting to see how an Olympic 800m champion did 22 mile runs once a week and basically trained like a marathoner for most of the winter and then like a sprinter for the racing season. Also, to all those trying to fit in their training with work, when Snell was training for Olympic glory he would run to work and run home.

Closer to home you could read Coghlan's book, Chairman of the Boards - Master of the Mile and when you do never ever again complain about being injured and say something is impossible. His story of running 2:25 (well after he retired) in NYC was interesting and typical Coghlan.

Sonia's book is out and I have only started and flicked through it but what I've read looks very good and very honest. Did you know when she went to Villanova first she came home that summer and went on the piss (by her standards) and stopped running. Mad, if she had drifted away like so many scholarship athletes we may never have had all those great days down through the years. Also, she was more inspired by Kenny Dalglish than Eamon Coghlan!

Also, I've been recommended Bradley Wiggins new book, In Pursuit of Glory. Some pretty shocking insights into the life of an Olympic cyclist and his battles with depression and drinking.

vegas elvis · 06-10-2008 9:25pm

What i talk about when i talk about running by Haruki Murakami is a great read written in the style of a marathon / triathlon training log.
I was always a fan of muakami's novels but never realised he was into running, turns out he's run about 30 marathons and a few triathlons.

Krusty_Clown · 06-10-2008 9:46pm

vegas elvis wrote: »

What i talk about when i talk about running by Haruki Murakami is a great read written in the style of a marathon / triathlon training log. I was always a fan of muakami's novels but never realised he was into running, turns out he's run about 30 marathons and a few triathlons.

I'm reading this at the moment. It's a very entertaining read. Not much by way of advice, but I find myself time and again saying 'hey, he's describing me/my life!'. Definitely recommended, for some light relaxing reading.

pgibbo · 07-10-2008 4:25pm

Likewise, I am reading and enjoying the Murakami book at the moment.

"Every Second Counts" is a good follow on to "It's Not About the Bike". I read both in the last few weeks and enjoyed them.

I think that Danny Dreyers "Chi Running" is a very good book. I bought it after I did a Chi Running seminar with Caitríona McKiernan.

Also, if anyone knows any good books regarding cycling technique and training plans for Triathlon distances, that would be great.

I have Total Immersion also and found it very helpful. It's easy to read and has plenty of drills and sessions too. A similair book for cycling would be great.

Racing Flat · 07-10-2008 9:54pm

To learn about training and how to improve, from least to most complex:

Competetive Runners Handbook - Bob Glover
Advanced Marathonin - Pete Pfitzinger
The Jack Daniels book, can't remember the name
The Peter Coe book - Better Training for Distance runners or something like that
The Lore of Running - Tim Noakes

To read about other runners:
The Perfect Distance (think that's the name, a book about both Seb Coe and Steve Ovett, excellent) by ? Pat Butcher
Haile's ?auto biography
The Flying Kiwis (about the New Zealand runners of the 70's)
Steve Scotts autobiography.
Catherina McKiernan's book.

I wasn't gone on Paula Radcliffes book - a bit too open/honest about her relationship with her boyfriend/husband, a bit too intense, a bit too boring, bit of a chore.

I wish Jerry Kiernan would write a book, or Pat/Dick Hooper...

tunney · 08-10-2008 9:10am

The Barefoot runner. Leaves you realising that you should shut The f*ck up, HTFU and just run.

belcarra · 08-10-2008 1:07pm

>The Perfect Distance (think that's the name, a book about both Seb Coe and Steve Ovett, excellent) by ? Pat Butcher

I think I've seen her on Eastenders...didn't look much like she was into running tho'...

wilson8862 · 08-10-2008 8:25pm

Feet in the Clouds, by Richard Askwith. Great book about fell-running in the U.K, and about the author's obsession with completing the Bob Graham Round (kind of a Holy Grail of fell-running).

thirtyfoot · 08-10-2008 11:05pm

Racing Flat wrote: »

The Perfect Distance (think that's the name, a book about both Seb Coe and Steve Ovett, excellent) by ? Pat Butcher
...

I used to love Coe and dislike Ovett. After this book I got a new found respect for him, a charachter who didn't give a sh*t. Coghlan wasn't too liking towards him in his book.

Great story in one of the British papers in the summer. Coe told of when he came back from his run on xmas morning once he was uneasy and edgy and finally said to his father he was going out for a 2nd run as he was sure Ovett would have gone for a 2nd run on that xmas day.

Years later, Coe met Ovett in Australia I think and asked him on that xmas day years ago did he go for 2 runs to which Ovett replied "you only went for 2 runs............"

pgibbo · 09-10-2008 4:08pm

tunney wrote: »

To counter the LA book, read David Walsh's books.

For sports:
* Lore of Running by Tim Noakes
* Championship Swimming
* Paleo diet for athletes

Hi tunney,
I was just wondering which of the David Walsh books? Is it one of these 2:

From Lance to Landis: Inside the American Doping Controversy at the Tour de France
Inside the Tour De France

Cheers.

Seres · 09-10-2008 4:25pm

Tingle wrote: »

I used to love Coe and dislike Ovett. After this book I got a new found respect for him, a charachter who didn't give a sh*t. Coghlan wasn't too liking towards him in his book.

Great story in one of the British papers in the summer. Coe told of when he came back from his run on xmas morning once he was uneasy and edgy and finally said to his father he was going out for a 2nd run as he was sure Ovett would have gone for a 2nd run on that xmas day.

Years later, Coe met Ovett in Australia I think and asked him on that xmas day years ago did he go for 2 runs to which Ovett replied "you only went for 2 runs............"

great running ancedote

shels4ever · 12-10-2008 3:07pm

Tingle wrote: »

If you can get your hands on Peter Snell's "No Bugles, No Drums". Its old, not fantistically written but interesting to see how an Olympic 800m champion did 22 mile runs once a week and basically trained like a marathoner for most of the winter and then like a sprinter for the racing season. Also, to all those trying to fit in their training with work, when Snell was training for Olympic glory he would run to work and run home.

Closer to home you could read Coghlan's book, Chairman of the Boards - Master of the Mile and when you do never ever again complain about being injured and say something is impossible. His story of running 2:25 (well after he retired) in NYC was interesting and typical Coghlan.

Sonia's book is out and I have only started and flicked through it but what I've read looks very good and very honest. Did you know when she went to Villanova first she came home that summer and went on the piss (by her standards) and stopped running. Mad, if she had drifted away like so many scholarship athletes we may never have had all those great days down through the years. Also, she was more inspired by Kenny Dalglish than Eamon Coghlan!

Also, I've been recommended Bradley Wiggins new book, In Pursuit of Glory. Some pretty shocking insights into the life of an Olympic cyclist and his battles with depression and drinking.

I'm reading Eamons book at the moment, Its a really good read

A bit off topic but does anyone know did he sign books, would love to get it signed as he's a total legend, i remember meeting him at a XC race i was runniugn when i was about 16 a couple of years before he ran he's 3:58 at 40 and he was great with all our team. Signed my top at the time which my mum washed

..

tunney · 13-10-2008 9:04am

pgibbo wrote: »

Hi tunney,
I was just wondering which of the David Walsh books? Is it one of these 2:

From Lance to Landis: Inside the American Doping Controversy at the Tour de France
Inside the Tour De France

Cheers.

Yip. Lance to landis is a good read. but really its just about lance.

Krusty_Clown · 13-03-2009 1:23pm

For anyone following Pfitzinger and Douglas' Advanced Marathoning programs (or thinking of doing so), I just got notified that the second edition of the book came out recently.

Comparing the 18-week 55 mile program to the original, it seems to include more lactate threshold sessions (in fact the very first session is an LT), more runs at PMP (almost every three weeks), slightly more overall mileage, but also recommended strength exercises etc.

The first book (in my view) is excellent, and helped me understand the importance of specific sessions, as well as providing an range of training programs.
There's some excertps here, but also on Amazon.com.

Peckham · 13-03-2009 1:47pm

hhhmmm, wonder if it's worth buying the 2nd edition as I already have the 1st. Interesting that they have changed some of the training programs.

TFBubendorfer · 13-03-2009 4:37pm

Training books I have followed:

Brain Training for Runners (by Matt Fitzgerald)
Running your Best (by Ron Daws - excellent, but 2nd hand only)
Running the Lydiard Way

I can recommend all of those.

RJC · 13-03-2009 4:58pm

A good book I picked up last year was 'Eating for Endurance'.

It is very good on the food types (grammes/kg of body weight) you should be taking on board and the sections on racing nutrition (gels, carb drinks and food) and carb loading during the taper period are excellent. I realised that I was woefully under fed for serious training and during the taper. It is written in an accessible way but is slightly angled towards the american weight loss market (as in de-bunking weight loss myths) but not so much that it is a distraction.

I have also owned and gotten something (or lots of things) from:

What I talk about when I talk about running
Ultramarathon man - Confessions of an all night runner
Feet in the clouds
Brain Training for Runners
The Lore of Running - this one will give you at least 12 months of sitting on the bowl toilet reading!!

ultraman1 · 13-03-2009 7:28pm

'A Step beyond;a difinitive giude to ultra running, is a good read....

Esroh · 13-03-2009 10:19pm

Found Eamon's and Sonia's books very honest and wish all the athetes onthe ditch over their careers would read them.
But the best running book I ever read was Emile Zatopek's autobiography.The 2 run story above sounds like it could be his.

RoyMcC · 13-03-2009 11:04pm

wilson8862 wrote: »

Feet in the Clouds, by Richard Askwith. Great book about fell-running in the U.K, and about the author's obsession with completing the Bob Graham Round (kind of a Holy Grail of fell-running).

+1 - makes pussies out of us road runners and demonstrates what endurance actually is.

Four Million Footsteps - Bruce Tulloh's run across the USA coast-to-coast

Training For Speed - Charlie Francis. Read with an open mind and this is a fascinating and instructional book by the great, though discredited, coach of Ben Johnson.

RacoonQueen · 15-03-2009 11:01pm

So, i was shopping on Amazon and thought I'd have a look in here for tips on what to buy...I could end up spending 200 quid 'cos of you feckers. :pac:

GoHardOrGoHome · 16-03-2009 12:49pm

mp1972 wrote: »

So, i was shopping on Amazon and thought I'd have a look in here for tips on what to buy...I could end up spending 200 quid 'cos of you feckers. :pac:

I've just bought Advanced Marathoning (Pfitzinger?), The Lore of Running - Noakes (wowsa, that's a big book), Going Long and Be IronFit. I've also borrowed Murakami's book (from my sister, not Murakami).

The Be IronFit book is more about time management and it's actually very useful for that sort of thing.

Have to organise my time to fit in reading about training in addition to fitting in the training itself!

I'll report back on what I thought of the books. Not committing myself to a deadline though! Not organised enough for that!

showry · 16-03-2009 1:06pm

For cycling I can't recommend Tim Krabbe's The Rider enough.
It's hard to desribe without making it seem dull but it's a brilliantly written account of a one day bike race in the 70s from one of the rider's point of view.
It'll make you want to go out and take on your nearest climb.

I loved the Murakami book because I love Murakami, not sure if it taught me a lot about running. I have the Danny Dreyer book but haven't got past the second chapter yet.

Another great cycling read is The Escape Artist by Matt Seaton.

eliwallach · 16-03-2009 1:11pm

shels4ever wrote: »

I'm reading Eamons book at the moment, Its a really good read

A bit off topic but does anyone know did he sign books, would love to get it signed as he's a total legend, i remember meeting him at a XC race i was runniugn when i was about 16 a couple of years before he ran he's 3:58 at 40 and he was great with all our team. Signed my top at the time which my mum washed ..

Eamonn was in attendance and signing his book at the DCM Expo last year.
When I saw him I was awe-struck.
I bought his book and he shot the breeze with me for (what seemed like) a couple of minutes. Really nice guy and genuinely interested in my first marathon attempt.
He then proceeded to the signing and asked me my name. I said "Tom", to which he near wet himself with excitement!
"Tom I've been waiting for you since 12:30 today (it was now 16:45)".
I was the smuggest boy at the Expo right then! Eamonn Coughlan waiting for me :eek:!?
He reached back and picked up another book (seemingly) set aside and proceeded:
"I signed this book to Tom earlier but his name was Jim"

.
He then wished me well and I left slightly deflated, but with a (pre-) signed copy of his book in my hands.

So, yes he does autographs.

RacoonQueen · 16-03-2009 6:55pm

That made me laugh.

buck65 · 17-03-2009 9:43am

Can't believe this was omitted
Running with the buffaloes - Chris Lear
about a season with the Colorado uni cross country team in 1998 season , great insight into the training and dynamics of a squad.

BTW Tunney I thought the Barefoot runner was a badly written book, sure Bikila was a great runnerbut the author just destroys it all, who really cares about a guy's wife coming on to the coach at a party - just full of this nonsense and f all about the training or schedules. Plus there were alot of errors re times for distances etc, at one relay Bikila ran a 400m in 4 minutes!?

limerickleader · 17-03-2009 3:31pm

buck65 wrote: »

Can't believe this was omitted
Running with the buffaloes - Chris Lear
about a season with the Colorado uni cross country team in 1998 season , great insight into the training and dynqamics of a squad.

+1

Great read. Definitely my number one book on running.

Lemon · 17-03-2009 5:19pm

A really good book that really helped me has been 'The Complete Book of Running for Women' by Claire Kowalchik. It covers everything from getting started, nutrition, injury, what to wear, periods, pregnancy and has training programmes for everything from 5k to Marathon....I really recommend it!

Running / Triathlon books you would recommend

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