best running books...

sideswipe

Couple of books read recently -

Running With The Kenyan's
Really enjoyed it. Part travel log/training log as the Author goes to live and train in Iten to 'discover' the secrets of Kenyan success. Definitely kept me turn the pages. 8/10.

Meditations From The Breakdown Lane
Diary of James Shapiro's trans continental run across the states. Remember Mick Rice recommending it some time ago and managed to pick up a copy in the states recently. It is an old book at this stage (pub. date 1982), while I enjoyed it I was never swept away by it as it's quite ponderous and philosophical. It's also told partly in retrospect so you never really feel that your on the journey with him. Still a worthwhile read. 7/10

Run Wild
Written by Boff Whalley, former lead guitarist for the band Chumbawamba. Very much an anti road running book. Part autobiographical with the focus on his love of hill/trail running. It's set against the backdrop of the New York marathon as he tries to figure out why people would chase a blue line around an urban jungle instead of heading off on a trail into nature. Some interesting perceptions but disagreed with his views quite a bit. 6/10

BornToRun88

Michael Johnson's Slaying The Dragon is a great read.

wrstan

So any fresh recommendations for the 2013 Christmas wish list?

buck65

2014
Just finished Rich Roll's book "Finding Ultra, rejecting middle age". Good read about a guy who on his 40th birthday took a long look at himself and decided to get fit. Alot about living on plants and nuts etc. but informative.

Reading Marshall Ulrich's "Running on Empty", a log of his run across America. Very selfish guy who gives it all up really to run far but very good read so far.

kit3

BeepBeep67 wrote: »

Just got a hold of 'From Boghall to Bethlehem and beyond' The Bertie Messitt story.


Looking forward to reading it, he's a real hero around Shankill and Bray and supported many local events. He was awarded with a life time award at a Bray Runner's night a few years ago so it was great to meet the man. In 1958 he ran 19.4k in the 1 hour outdoor track, that's still 6th on the all time Irish list 18mts behind Treacy.

Mick Rice wrote: »

I met the man a few years ago and have to say I was really impressed. The book is a fantastic read. Lovingly put together by his son as far as I remember. Might be hard to get your hands on but very worthwhile if you can...

Just ordered this on Amazon for the ridiculous price of 4p (& £4 postage).

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/095386121X?psc=1&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00

Pharma

Running with the Buffaloes is the best running book without question.

It was responsible for one of my stress fractures, inspirational.

There's an awful lot of rubbish, I've yet to read a good runners autobiograph, Eamon Coughlans is ok, Sonia's is poor.

Cycling books are better.

ultraman1

Pharma wrote: »

It was responsible for one of my stress fractures, inspirational.
.

Did it fall on ur leg,or a buffalo kick u...

braddun

the person that wrote one of the best running books died while running,from heart attack i think he was 35 or 40 it was a good few years ago

Pharma

ultraman1 wrote: »

Did it fall on ur leg,or a buffalo kick u...

Haha, not quite, it's a relatively light book.

The coach in the book, Wettmore, recommended doing all mileage in singles, I ended up running 15-20 miles a day maxing out at 140 miles one week.

Should have known better as all the characters in the book struggled with injury.

Still a great read.

gerard_65

braddun wrote: »

the person that wrote one of the best running books died while running,from heart attack i think he was 35 or 40 it was a good few years ago

Jim Fixx? He was 52 when he died.
" Fixx was genetically predisposed (his father died of a heart attack at age 43 and Fixx himself had a congenitally enlarged heart), and had several lifestyle issues. Fixx was a heavy smoker prior to beginning running at age 36, he had a stressful occupation, he had undergone a second divorce, and his weight before he took up running had ballooned to 220 pounds (100 kg)".

ultrapercy

books, like most things are a matter of personal taste but for me the best running book is Ghost Runner. In fact it is one of my favourite books of any kind. It is so well written, the central character is so odd and obsessed that he is unlikeable but you cant help but admire him despite his enormous flaws.

NiallG4

Steve Ovetts autobiography is a great read.

ploughon

+1 on Iron War, its a fantastic read.

Other book I don't think that have been mentioned that are worth a read are:

Gerry Duffy's, Tick Tock Ten. (about his deca ironman)

Jeff Galloway, Run till Your 100 ( goes through Run-Walk-Run method, good for a beginners running book).

Two books I keep going back to are;
"Advanced Marathoning" P+D
Chi Running (Dryer, I think)

I just finished reading 80/20, by Matt Fitzgerald, well worth a read. He presents the science behind the argument for running most of your runs at low intensity (80%) and the remainder at moderate to high intensity.

vintage01

Another vote for 80/20 Running.

Very interesting and informative book. Relevant to any endurance athlete. Some funny anecdotes to. Like the guy who took interval training to the extreme.

dna_leri

Anyone read "racing the rain" by John L Parker, the prequel to "once a runner" ?
I just bought the two of them and am debating which to read first.

williestroker1

dna_leri wrote: »

Anyone read "racing the rain" by John L Parker, the prequel to "once a runner" ?
I just bought the two of them and am debating which to read first.

Read 'once a runner' a few years ago and can't really remember much of it:(. Couldn't understand the hype. Not a lot of fictional novels about running I've read are very good.
'feet in the clouds' is the best book I've read about running. If you haven't read it - its brilliant.

KJ

I've just finished Scott Jurek's Eat & Run. I really enjoyed it. Very well written and very insightful.

conavitzky

Recently read Abiba Bikilas biography Barefoot runner. Thought it was a good read with plenty of information about what Ethiopia was like under the leadership of Haile Sellasie (what a nutcase) around the time of the military coup in the country.

Sandwell

williestroker1 wrote: »

Read 'once a runner' a few years ago and can't really remember much of it:(. Couldn't understand the hype. Not a lot of fictional novels about running I've read are very good.
'feet in the clouds' is the best book I've read about running. If you haven't read it - its brilliant.

I read "Feet in the Clouds" quite recently. It really is fantastic. I found his portrayal of the running communities and athletes that he meets along the way much more compelling than his own story but that's not really a criticism. It captures the grass roots nature of the sport better than anything else I've read.

Krusty_Clown

dna_leri wrote: »

Anyone read "racing the rain" by John L Parker, the prequel to "once a runner" ?
I just bought the two of them and am debating which to read first.

Loved Once a Runner. Haven't read Racing the Rain, but the purist in me would suggest going with Once a Runner first, for fear that the prequel may not turn out to be as good, and may colour your subsequent reading and judgement of the classic book. This first few chapters are a little dull, but it rapidly becomes very engrossing.

tang1

Anybody read anything good recently? Like to stock up around Christmas for the year ahead. One i'd highly recommend is 'The Runner's guide to the Meaning of Life' by Amby Burnfoot, only 150 pages long but so much of what he writes can be used in everyday like aswell as running, great read.

Krusty_Clown

Just read Ray Messitt's 'From Boghall to Bethlehem & Beyond' about his father - former Olympian, Bertie Messitt. Have to say I really enjoyed it. I've read some biographies recently that I found really tough going (read more like a list of achievements), but this one by contrast opens with a chapter about how he lead out the Olympic marathon for something like 15 miles, before eventually succumbing to his over-aggressive start and massive disappointment at having to pull out of the race (something you feel that he never really got over). It's a really interesting read, that does a great job of capturing what competitive running (and life) was like in the middle of the 20th century. I run on the roads that Bertie used to train on, so there's an additional level of fascination from my perspective, but even the bits that aren't as relevant to me (his army career, his poetry) are nonetheless very enjoyable to read. Probably not one for the xmas reading list (as it seems difficult and expensive to get your hands on the book), but would make a super present for anyone who ran around that era.

career move

tang1 wrote: »

Anybody read anything good recently? Like to stock up around Christmas for the year ahead. One i'd highly recommend is 'The Runner's guide to the Meaning of Life' by Amby Burnfoot, only 150 pages long but so much of what he writes can be used in everyday like aswell as running, great read.

I got Nathan Fa'avae - Adventurer at heart on my kindle a few days ago. I can't wait to read it. For anyone who doesn't follow adventure racing, Nathan is one of the best in the world. His team is ranked no 1 in the world and 2 weeks ago they finished first in a truely epic race in the world championships in Brazil. He got into a lot of trouble as a kid but really turned his life around thanks to adventure racing. Oh and he suffers from atrial fibrillation but obviously that doesn't let that stand in his way. Hours of pleasure await me

Myles Splitz

tang1 wrote: »

Anybody read anything good recently? Like to stock up around Christmas for the year ahead. One i'd highly recommend is 'The Runner's guide to the Meaning of Life' by Amby Burnfoot, only 150 pages long but so much of what he writes can be used in everyday like aswell as running, great read.

Have the brother getting me this one for Christmas

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Two-Hours-Quest-Impossible-Marathon/dp/0670921890

Letsrun reviews (although probably bias) seem pretty good. Book seems to be more about the state of current elite marathoning rather than the 2 hour question for the most part.

Will report back but could be one if anyone is stuck for present idea's for you around the holidays

TFBubendorfer

williestroker1 wrote: »

Read 'once a runner' a few years ago and can't really remember much of it:(. Couldn't understand the hype. Not a lot of fictional novels about running I've read are very good.

The thing about 'once a runner' isn't the story as such, which isn't up to much.
The thing to take from the book are the one-liners ("the trial of miles, miles of trial")

http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/3264710.John_L_Parker_Jr_

The Muppet

Currently reading Ronnie o Sullivans running and Jay Dicharys Anatomy for runners. I'm finding both very good.

chickey2

Just found this article: 5 novels every runner should read http://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/the-running-blog/2015/jun/18/five-novels-every-runner-should-read
I've not read any of the books but will give some a go.

wrstan

'Tis the season to be jolly alright - Nazis, genocide, child abuse, masochism, war, personal crises ... any happy stories out there!!!

a story driven by the tension between individual freedom and political constraint ... an athlete whose activities and public persona were constantly influenced by outside forces

success threatens to come only at the cost of losing his identity

It is fitting that a novel about masochism taken to an extreme should begin with an 800m race

alongside the personal crises that drive the book’s narrative, the Vietnam draft is a constant and frightening presence

Cassidy is a damagingly committed miler whose success comes at the cost of permanent fatigue, crumbling relationships and a lifestyle similar to that of a cloistered monk

Luighne

Tough as leather by Con Dennehy is well worth a read

DubOnHoliday

I've a copy of Lizzy Hawker's "Runner" http://www.amazon.co.uk/Runner-short-story-about-long/dp/1781311471/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1450263984&sr=8-1&keywords=lizzy+hawker+runner

Its an enjoyable read.... except for the end which is a bit mind numbing

if anybody wants it. Can either post it or hand over in Dublin City Centre.