I like books. I like running. I love books about running! I asked my Mom vs. Marathon Facebook friends to recommend their favorites and they delivered!
Thanks so much to everyone that contributed today; it’ll be a while before I run out of reading material. (Thank you, I’ll be here all night, don’t forget to tip your waitress.)
Okay, no more messing around. Here’s the list in no particular order:
4:09:43 by Hal Higdon – Wendy
Mile Markers by Kristin Armstrong – Honore and Lisa
Zen and a Half Marathon by Jeff Davenport – Ruth
Got to Live by Jay Danek – Alana, “Very good book, very inspirational. He lost his father then started walking, then running then trail runs. He tells you a lot in the book.”
The Long Run by Matt Long – Jodi, “Loved this book.”
My Life on the Run by Bart Yasso – Sara, who promises it has “humorous parts” and says that “Bart Yasso is really funny from the times I’ve spoken with him.” (I like funny books.)
Eat and Run by Scott Jurek – Lauren and Ashley
On the Run from Dogs and People by Hal Higdon – Hal Higdon, “…published in 1971, still in print, reprints a number of articles I wrote for Sports Illustrated back in the 1960s.” He also says you can get an autographed copy from www.halhigdon.com. And he recommends 4:09:43, of course!
Running and Being by Dr. George Sheehan – Catey, who is loving this books, and who also loves Dean Karnazes’s books.
Onward! by Brook Kreder – Runner’s Re’treats’
Marathon Woman by Katherine Switzer – Heather, “It was an amazing read and I had no idea how much she’s done for the sport after Boston.”
I Run, Therefore I Am Nuts by Bob Schwartz – Kristin
An Accidental Athlete by John Bingham – Kristin
The Lola Papers by Amy L. Marxkors – Kristin
Honey, Do You Need a Ride by Jennifer Graham – Kristin
Sex, Lies, and Triathlon by Leib Dodell – Kristin
Can’t Swim, Can’t Ride, Can’t Run by Andy Holgate – Kristin, who says it also has a sequel.
Iron Wars by Matt Fitzgerald – Kristin
14 Minutes by Alberto Salazar – Kristin
Marathon Man by Bill Rodgers – Kristin and Jessica, who says, “I really like how he lets you inside his marathon mind.”
Staying the Course by Dick Beardsley – Kristin
Duel in the Sun by John Brant – Kristin
Running with the Kenyans by Adharanand Finn – Kristin
(And here are the books I’ve read and recommend: Racing Weight; Run Less, Run Faster; Hansons Marathon Method and Hansons Half Marathon Method; both Run Like a Mother books; Born to Run; Elite Minds; What I Talk About When I Talk About Running; Sole Sisters; and A Life Without Limits are not included in this list because I’d already read them. If you haven’t, I recommend them all.)
What are we forgetting?! Add your recommendations in the comments. And feel free to share the list with your running buddies.
12 comments
If you are including books by triathletes then Finding Ultra by Rich Roll is pretty good.
Cool. Thanks, Sybil!
Glad that 4:09:43 sits at the top of the list–even though “in no particular order.”
It was the very first to be suggested on my Facebook post! 🙂
I would add:
Ultramarathon Man
Running with Buffaloes
Awesome. I will check these out!
Once a Runner and Again to Carthage by John L Parker. Both great.
More great book ideas! Thanks!
‘Flanagan’s Run’ by Tom Mcnab was an awesome read! I loved ‘Onward!’ too!
Dude! So many books, not enough time to read!
Great lit, I loved Katherine Switzer’s Marathon Woman. I really enjoy autobiographical books.
I need to read this!