I was on Twitter today and I saw a post about the best running books out there. I thought this was quite a coincidence because I am finishing up on my favorite running book now (again, I might add). Of course, I posted my three favorites. But, long after I posted, I realized that I have read a lot of books about running and I have my favorites. Since I am in the middle of writing my own fitness book (that is also a running manual) I thought I should post about my top five running books.
Born to Run
This book is by Christopher McDougall and is about the first Copper Canyon 50 mile trail run in Mexico with the famed ultra running tribe of the Tarahumara. I bought this book on a whim. I got it at an airport in New York because my flight was delayed by a few hours (what a shock, fricking JFK).
The book brought a whole new world of running to me and changed me forever. It was a mix of story, science and training tips. I learned about ultra running and it was three months after reading this book that I ran my first 50 K ultra trail marathon. It was a time that I also suffered with a lot of injuries and did not know the reason why. That book taught me about barefoot and minimalist running. Of course, always willing to try something new, I started running barefoot. When I realized I did not like it, I made my first pair of huarache running sandals and have been using them ever since. Guess what: I haven’t been injured in over ten years.
I have read the book three times and am motivated every time. It is a great book and a must for any running library.
The Lore of Running
This book is by Tim Noakes, a Australian doctor and runner. His book covers just about everything one may need to ever know about running. The book is broken into sections including physiology, history, training, gear and injuries just to name a few things it covers. The book is not a casual read. It is over a thousand pages long and can be very dry, but it is a must for any runner or running coach. I have tried to read it from cover to cover and never made it. But whenever I am trying to figure out how to solve an issue, it is the first book I go through (even before the Internet). The history he writes about is also very interesting.
The only issue I have with the book is that it does not come in a hard cover. The book is over $50 (though it has come down in price lately) and has rather flimsy binding. It is in two pieces right now. Also, he does have multiple editions (though there has not been a new one in a while) so you may be buying it a few times (the new edition included barefoot running and ultra marathons, so I bought it). A must for your library.
The Runner’s Handbook
This book(s) by Bob Glover comes in two additions: beginners and competitive. I bought and read both. They are an easy read and can be read cover to cover. Though I do not believe in some of the things that Glover says, he does have some very interesting insights. I still use his books when designing training and when dealing with some injuries. I also like his speed workouts and hill training. But this is an old school book that deals with some of the older theories.
But, they are cheap. And they are worth it. Not a must but good to have.
Relentless Forward Progress
This is the ONLY book I have found that goes over all aspects of ultra running for beginners. I have read many books on ultra running but from the eyes of the experienced runner. This book is by Byron Powell and his words have gotten me through my first hundred. Heck, it has gotten me through any race that I have suffered or ran into issues. It goes over everything from nutrition and hydration to elevation to just surviving a race. It is an awesome book. It teaches you how to train and test out things you would not normally do in a 10K or marathon (like how will my stomach handle pizza while running?). How much water should I drink? How many calories an hour should I take in per hour? How am I going to stay awake after 20 hours on my feet? Most of this you will find out during your training if you follow his tips.
I will not lie: I read this book when I started running ultra marathons and have not looked at it since I got a few under my belt. But it is good to read and something that will help the budding ultra runner.
Fixing Your Feet
The first race I ran was directed by a woman named Nancy Shura-Devin. She is what I always want to be as a runner. She has done the Badwater 135 (that crappy one through Death Valley) umpteen times. She is awsome. One thing she is really good at is foot care. I heard from a load of people that she knew everthing about fixing feet (I was her friend on Facebook and saw it). I also saw her during races that she was not organizing. She is awesome (yes, a double awesome). I realized I needed to learn about feet.
John Vonhof wrote the book called Fixing Your Feet. He just wrote another edition and I am going to have to buy it. This book is amazing. It is not a book that can be read from cover to cover. I did, though. It helped because when I ran into an issue, I was able to find it. I learned how to fix blisters, deal with my Achilles and trim and care for my toe nails. That is only the tip of the iceberg. It is an awesome manual that belongs in every collection. Heck, I will go out on a limb and say it should be with you when running any race.
Warning: you will be doomed. I am pretty sure, as technology evolves, you will need to buy multiple editions as they come out. I did and it was worth it.
Conclusion
These are just manuals I use (though Born to Run might not be considered a manual, I did use the theories inside). They are in my library and I have read and/or referred to them many times. There are other books about running that I think are inspirational and educational also. In my next entry, I will review some of my favorites.
Follow me on Twitter @RunninFewl
Pictures courtesy of:
RunningCompetitor.com
Amazon.com
