What would you guys say are the must-read running books? Books that any true runner absolutely should read, either fiction or training related. I'll start it off with...
Once a Runner
Running with the Buffaloes
Daniels Running Formula
Not sure what others would qualify. Noakes' Lore of Running maybe? Not sure, but what does everyone think?
Bowerman and the Men of Oregon by Kenny Moore
In Quest of Gold by Jim Ryun
No Bugles, No Drums, Peter Snell, Garth Gilmore
Sub 4:00, Alan Webb Chris Lear
Tale of the Ancient Marathoner (Jack Foster’s Own Story) World Publications
Zatopek, Zatopek, Zatopek Bob Phillips
Paula, My Story So Far Paula Radcliffe
The Running Saga of Walter Stack Bob Bishop
The Greatest (the Haile Gebreselassie Story) Jim Denison
Running Wild Gordon Pirie
The Impossible Hero (Biography of Gordon Pirie) Dick Booth
Deek, the making of Australia’s World Marathon Champion Robert de Castella
Gerry Lindgrens Book on Running, autographed Shadow of Gerry Lindgren
Marathoning Bill Rodgers, with Joe Concannon
A Cold Clear Day (Buddy Edelen Biography) Frank Murphy
The Long Hard Road, Part 1-Nearly to the Top Ron Hill ,
The Long Hard Road, Part 2-To the Peak and Beyond Hill
The Self Made Olympian Ron Daws
Corbitt - the Story of Ted Corbitt Long Distance Runner John Choades,
Running Tide Joan Benoit
Running to the Top Derek Clayton
Pre Tom Jordan
Sebastian Coe David Millar
John Walker, Champion, Ron Palenski
Throwing Free Wolfgang Schmidt
Lasse Viren, Olympic Champion Rolf Haikkola
The Frank Shorter Story World Publications
Olympic Gold, Frank Shorter, with Marc Bloom
On the Run Marty Liquori, with Skip Myslenski
Always Young, the George Young Story Frank Dolson
The Unforgiving Minute Ron Clarke, with Alan Trengrove
In Quest of Gold, the Jim Ryun Story Jim Ryun, with Mike Phillips
Brendan Foster Brendan Foster and Cliff Temple
Fast Track,Suzy Favor Hamilton and Jose Antonio
Ultra Marathon Man Dean Karnazes
Ovett, an Autobiography Steve Ovett
Steve Scott, the Miler Marc Bloom
Breaking Through Harry Cordellos
Go For It Gayle Olinekova
In the Long Run , Bob Schul
Dave Wottle Story World Publications
Inside Track Carl Lewis, with Jeffrey Marx
Marathon Clarence DeMar
In the Long Run Steve Moneghetti
Kip Keino (the Olympic Series) Wayne Coffey
Staying the Course: A runners toughest race Dick Beardsley & Maureen Anderson
Tulloh on Running Bruce Tulloh
Zola, the Autobiography of Zola Budd Zola Budd, Hugh Eley
Paul Tergat, running to the limit Jurg Wirz
A Journey Just Begun, Cathy Freeman story -Adrian McGregor
Slaying the Dragon Michael Johnson
The Golden Mile Herb Elliott
Why Die, Percy Cerutty story Graeme Sims
Bowerman, and the Men of Nike Kenny Moore
Ellison “Tarzan” Brown Michael Ward
The Extra Mile Pam Reed
A Clean Pair of Heels Murray Halberg
Barefoot Runner, the life of Marathon Champ Abebe Bikila Paul Rambali
The Jim Ryun Story Cordner Nelson
American Miler, Glenn Cunningham story Paul Kiell
Steve Cram, the making of an athlete Roger Tames
The fastest old man in the World, the Derek Turnbull Story Vince Boyle
That's a heck of a list, but how did Advanced Marathoning stay off of it?
I was only listing biographies and autobiographies. I have ADVANCED MARATRONING under training and technique.
If you would like that list I can post.
good list, but many of those are definately not must read running books.
broken arrow,
please post your comprehensive list.
it would be great to see.
This of course is your opinion. I have been involved in running and collecting running books for 50 years, and I read the good, the bad and the ugly.
broken arrow what about The Silence of Great Distance which is my favorite.
Daniels Running Formula Jack Daniels
Running the Lydiard Way Arthur Lydiard, Garth Gilmore
Arthur Lydiard Master Coach Garth Gilmore
The Winning Edge Brooks Johnson
Running with the Buffaloes Chris Lear
Train Hard, Win Easy, the Kenyan Way Toby Tanser
Road to the Top Joe Vigil, Phd.
Van Aaken Method World Publications
Master Running Guide Hal Higdon
Improving Your Bill Squires
Advanced Running Book Corder Nelson
How They Train – Long Distances Track and Field News
High Performance Training for Track and Field Bill Bowerman
Training for Young Distance Runners Larry Greene, Russ Pate
Explosive Running Michael Yessis
Complete Guide to Running Jim Alford, Ron Hill
Runners Training Guide World Publications
Lore of Running Tim Noakes, MD. The Young Runner World Publications Guide to Sprinting World Publications The Running Body World Publications Running with Style World Publications
Hurdling & Steeplechasing World Publications Step up to Racing World Publications
Finnish Running Secrets World Publications
Long Distances Jess Jarver
Sports Illustrated, Track & Field Running Events James Dunaway
Runners Handbook Bob Glover, Jack Shepard
Guide to Distance Running Bob Anderson, Joe Henderson
Dr. Sheehan on Running George Sheehan
Exercises for Runners World Publications
The Complete Runner World Publications
Inside Running, Basics of Sports Physiology David Costill
Advanced Marathoning Pete Pfitzinger
Running to the Top Arthur Lydiard
The Complete Book of Core Training Brungardt
Run with the Best Tony Benson, & Irv Ray
Run to Win, training secrets of the Kenyan Runners Jurg Wirz
Run Strong Kevin Beck
Master the Art of Running Malcolm Balk & Andrew Shields
Running Within Jerry Lynch & Warren Scott
Boston Marathon Tom Derderian
The Boston Marathon World Publications
Boston, a Century of Running Hal Higdon
Run with the Champions Marc Bloom
The Perfect Mile (Roger Bannister) Neal Bascomb
The World History of Track & Field Athletics Roberto Quercetani
The Milers Corder Nelson, Roberto Quercetani
The Golden Milers Norman Giller
1976 Olympics Runners World
Tracks Greatest Champions Corder Nelson
The Marathon Footrace David Martin, Roger Gynn
The World of Marathons Sandy Treadwell
Target 26 Skip Brown, John Graham
Guiness Book of the Marathon Roger Gynn
On the Road – the Marathon James Shapiro
The Marathon Norman Giller
Marathons, the Ultimate Challenge Dolphin Books
Running with the Legends Michael Sandrock
Dipsea, the greatest race Barry Spitz
Best Efforts Kenny Moore
Through the Tape Brian Lenton
The Incomplete Book of Australian Distance Running Brian Lenton, autographed
The Masters of the Marathon Rich Benyo
World Record Breakers in Track and Field Gerald Lawson
The Olympic Games Sports Illustrated
The XXIII Olympiad – Los Angeles US Olympic Committee
1980 Olympics – Track & Field Track and Field News
1972 Olympic Games World Publications
Olympic Images – 1976 World Publications
Marathoner (four editions) World Publications
Runners World Pictorial – 1971 World Publications
Runners World Pictorial – 1972 World Publications
Runners World Pictorial – 1973 World Publications
1973 Marathon Handbook World Publications
1974 Marathon Handbook World Publications
1975 Marathon Handbook World Publications
The African Running Revolution World Publications
The New York City Marathon (25 years, 69-94) Peter Gambacinni
London Marathon, the history of the greatest race on Earth John Bryant
Kiwi’s can Fly, autographed by Lydiard & John Walker Ivan Agnew
A World History of the One Lap Race Roberto Quercetani
A World History of Long Distance Running Roberto Quercetani
Bannister and Beyond, The Mystique of the Four Minute Mile Jim Denison
The Olympic Marathon David Martin & Roger Gynn
Boston Marathon, 100 years Tom Derderian
Duel in the Sun John Brant
26.2 Marathon Stories Kathrine Switzer & Roger Robinson
26 Miles to Boston Michael Connelly
The Last Protest, Lee Evans in Mexico City Frank Murphy
Boston Marathon & Beyond Rich Benyo
Marathon & Beyond Rich Benyo
The Chicago Marathon Andrew Suozzo
The Purple Runner Paul Christman
Runners and Other Ghosts on the Trail John L Parker
On the Run from Dogs and People Hal Higdon
Once a Runner John L Parker
Spaghetti every Friday Bob Fletcher
Thirty Phone Booths to Boston Don Kardong
The Zen of Running Fred Rohe
Elite Runners of the Road - Pictorial Clay Shaw
Ultramarathoner James Shapiro
The Running Foot Doctor Steven Subotnick
The Best Running Trails of the San Francisco Bay Area Barry Spitz
Meditations from the Breakdown Lane Jim Shapiro
My Run Across the United States Don Shepard
Why We Run, a Natural History Bernd Heinrich
The Female Runner World Publications
Age of the Runner World Publications
Run Gently Run Long World Publications
The Runners Yoga Book Jean Couch
Adventure Running Jerry Schad
Chasing the Hawk Andrew Sheehan
Shoes for Runners World Publications
Athletes Feet World Publications Club Running World Publications Running with the Elements World Publications
The Varied World of Cross Country World Publications
The Runner’s Guide to the Meaning of Life Amby Burfoot
Ten Million Steps; the incredible journey of Paul Reese Paul Reese
The Silence of Great Distance; Women running Long Frank Murphy
I forgot to add, if you are interested in any of these titles, I may be able to help you locate it.
Life at these Speeds, baby!
broken arrow wrote:
This of course is your opinion. I have been involved in running and collecting running books for 50 years, and I read the good, the bad and the ugly.
Does this comment mean you own all the titles you've listed? Your list is, umm, exhaustive & impressive.
Tomorrow, I'll go thru & see which I have that aren't mentioned.
Yes, I have all of the titles that I have listed.
Slaying the Dragon by MJ is horrible. HORRIBLE.
The title of the Wolfgang Schmidt book is *Thrown* (not "throwing") Free--and it's about a thrower, not a runner.
Get the Jack Lovelock bio if you can. I believe it was written by the same guy who co-wrote Ron Clarke's "The Lonely Breed," which I recommend hugely--maybe my candidate for best book of all. (Sorry, don't remember the co-author's name, and too lazy to Google it for you--Garth somebody, maybe?)
broken arrow,
could me send me your email and ill reply to that, there are a few on the list I am interested in getting
I have a lot of cool kids running books on my site - two that I have written and illustrated. They're fit of kids of all ages.
Last night I put a mini- review up of "CoCo Loves to Tri" by Michele Bredice Craemer. It's on my front page and it's a great little book for any child who you want to inspire to enter an event or who has entered an event.
Here are my books: Treasure of Health and Happiness, story of a child who is afraid to enter first fun run and more - This story is about the child who needs encouragement - chapter book
Happy Feet, Healthy Food- my kids' fitness journal, info book
Michele's books: CoCo Loves to Tri - kids picture book, Pellie Runs a Marathon, Kids picture book. Michele's books all have lessons about sportsmanship, competitive fun and reaching goals
Slow Days, Fast Friends, by Erik Brooks - hippo and cheetah - what a pair!
Izzie's Race Day - a whirling story - one of my favorites from England
Mike and the Bike - no running but great CD soundtrack that kids love
All of the above books would be treasured by kids and will help inspire them to stick with their physical activities
Oh, I forgot two more children's picture book.
See Mom Run
Run, Dad, Run