So I’ve done the work for you. What you see below is a week’s worth of searching, culling and categorizing of the best, most interesting, most informative, most inspiring books from the vastness of Amazon. In developing the list, I tried to represent most aspects of distance running, while also paying attention to popular items that frequently make it on Amazon user Listmania lists. There’s a little here for everyone. Training, heroes, women’s running books, history books, coffee table books, and much, much more. I’m hoping a few items on the list even surprise you.

I’ve intentionally gone lean with book descriptions (amazon’s already got that amply covered). Think of this list as ‘Amazon-lite’ or ‘Amazon Concentrate’ – a very focused collection of the best Amazon has to offer on the subject of running. I hope you like this list, and I’d love to hear if you’ve got a favorite book that’s not here.

So, without further ado, on to the books!

Best Coffee Table Books

26.2 Marathon Stories by Katherine Switzer I absolutely love this book. It sits proudly on my coffee table. It’s such a beautifully inspiring page turner. Lovely photos with evocative writing. A must have.

Terry Fox & His Marathon of Hope I’ve given this book to many runners as a gift. The story of Terry Fox is becoming well known but his legend is one that should continue to grow. The book is emotionally charged. There are pictures of Terry running, of the prosthetic leg he ran on, of letters he received from children all over the world. It’s a beautiful tribute. If there is one book you should have, it’s this one.

The Trifecta of Training Bibles

These three books are widely regarded as absolute essentials for runners looking to ‘take it to the next level’ in their training and knowledge about running. All are highly recommended.

	The Lore of Running by Dr. Tim Noakes Arguably the book that says you’ve arrived at the ’serious’ running scene. Lore’s got it all.
	Daniels Running Formula by Dr. Jack Daniels Daniels formula explains – like no other – the science behind your runs.
	Advanced Marathoning by Pete Pfitzinger Take your marathoning to that next level.

Heroes & Heroic Performances

	Terry: Terry Fox Marathon of Hope I know this appears in the ‘Coffee Table’ section of this post but it’s just that good. Terry was, in every sense of the word, a hero. Buy this book as a two-part purchase for the amazing pictures and scrapbook images.
	Terry Fox: His Story This is the official biography of Terry Fox. It’ll put words to all the pictures you’ll see in the first book shown above.
	Marathon Woman: Running the Race to Revolutionize Women’s Sports Katherine Switzer is famous for being the first woman to (illegally) run the Boston Marathon. She broke down barriers for women’s running.
	Duel in the Sun Alberto Salazar, Dick Beardsley, and America’s Greatest Marathon From Amazon: Within the running community, the 1982 Boston Marathon is arguably the most memorable race in the modern era. It was a neck-and-neck battle between the favorite, Alberto Salazar, and an upstart at what would be the zenith of a sudden, meteoric rise, Dick Beardsley. Brant, a contributor to Runner’s World since 1985, re-creates the principals’ careers leading up to the race, describes the race itself, and, most significantly, analyzes its aftermath. Neither runner was ever the same again.
	Roger Bannister The Four Minute Mile From the legend who ran the first four minute mile.
	The Perfect Mile
	Alan Webb & the Quest for the Sub-Four Minute Mile Follow high school phenom as he sets out to smash Jim Ryun’s high school mile record.

More Training Resources

	Run Less, Run Faster The book that professes you can maximize your training into a few key workouts per week.
	Brain Training For Runners by Matt Fitgerald Get your head in the game!
	Explosive Running by Michael Yessis Lots of great stuff for building strength and power into your running.
	Treadmill Training for Runners How to train when you’re stuck indoors.
	Healthy Intelligent Training: The Proven Principles of Arthur Lydiard Arthur Lydiard’s principles written in today’s layman terms.
	Total Heart Rate Training Get the most out of your heart and heart rate monitor. Learn the perfect method for identifying how hard you are working.
	Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide by Hal Higdon Hal Higdon is legendary in getting people to finish the distance.
	Running To Win by George Sheehan Another legend of running teaches you how to get the most out of your training.
	Alberto Salazar’s Guide to Running Boston winner and current U.S. running coach. You can’t go wrong listening to what Alberto has to say.
	Alberto Salazar’s Guide to Road Racing
	Running Times Guide to Breakthrough Running A great deal of information packed into a fairly small package. That’s khalid khannouchi on the cover.

Cross-Training

	The Runner’s Yoga Book Yoga is all about breathing, relaxing, core strength and more – all good stuff for runners.
	Core Performance by Mark Verstegen Excellent, excellent excellent book on building core strength. Terrific descriptions with fantastic photo illustrations and training programs. Highly recommended.
	Runner’s World Guild to Cross Training
	Ultimate Weight Training for Runners
	Jumping Into Plyometrics Plyometrics = power = speed. ’nuff said.

By Arthur Lydiard & Bill Bowerman

	Jogging With Lydiard Many people credit Bill Bowerman with starting the jogging movement in the US. However, it was Arthur Lydiard who taught Bowerman about jogging. The rest is history.
	Running With Lydiard
	Running To The Top by Arthur Lydiard
	Jogging by Bill Bowerman One of the books that started it all.

Bios of Elite Runners & Coaches

	Pre If you don’t know who Pre was (Steve Prefontaine), you owe it to yourself to find out. He, like no other American athlete, has inspired millions of aspiring runners.
	Paula Radcliffe Paula: My Story So Far Paula is the world record holder for the women’s marathon. She’s got guts, determination and talent. She also tells a great story.
	Bowerman and the Men of Oregon: The Story of Oregon’s Legendary Coach and Nike’s Cofounder I cannot recommend this book enough. It’s absolutely packed with US running history. It covers (among many things) Bowerman, Steve Prefontaine, the birth of Nike and so much more.
	The Greatest: The Haile Gebrselassie Story It’s very easy to call Haile the greatest. He’s set more records than seems possible – including the last two world records in the marathon. He’s also an amazing, gracious human being. His is a wonderful story of triumph.
	The Perfect Distance – Ovett and Coe: The Record-Breaking Rivalry Ovett and Coe were dominant in a very special competitive way that elevated the sport of running in their generation. This book covers this story, as well as bios of each runner.
	The Man Who Ran Faster Than Everyone: The Story of Tom Longboat Tom Longboat was a native Canadian runner from the early 1900s. He was the dominant runner of his age having won Boston and races too numerous to mention. He is still regarded as a role model for First Nations people in Canada.
	Barefoot Runner: Abebe Bikila Abebe is famous for having won the Rome Olympic marathon while running barefoot. His emergence really opened the door for African distance runners who are today, still dominant on the world stage.

For Beginners & The Back of the Pack

	The Courage To Start by John Bingham One of many books by self-professed ‘Penguin’ John Bingham. If you have doubts whether you can run, John will erase them.
	Marathoning for Mortals by John Bingham John leads you through your first marathon.
	No Need for Speed by John Bingham
	Galloway’s Book of Running by Jeff Galloway It’s possible Jeff Galloway has been responsible for getting more Americans running than anyone else. He’s famous for his run-walk method.
	Running: From Start to Finish by John Stanton of the Running Room John Stanton is the Galloway of Canada. An excellent book covering all the basics of running.
	Absolute Beginners Guide to Half Marathon Training A nice addition to the ‘beginner’ stuff since it focuses on running a half marathon – a great intermediary race to do before tackling 26.2.
	Beginning Runner’s Handbook
	Jeff Galloway’s Marathon: You Can Do It!

Famous Races & Amazing Places

	The Boston Marathon – A Century of Blood, Sweat and Cheers
	Boston, a Century of Running : Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of the Boston Athletic Association Marathon
	New York Marathon: A Race Like No Other
	The Essential Guide to Running the New York Marathon
	London Marathon: The History of the Greatest Race On Earth
	Olympic Marathon Centennial
	The Coolest Race on Earth: Mud, Madmen, Glaciers, and Grannies at the Antarctica Marathon Very cool!
	Great Races, Incredible Places: 100+ Fantastic Runs Around the World This book goes on my wish list.
	From Fairbanks to Boston: 50 Great U.S. Marathons

Fiction

	Once a Runner by John L. Parker Unquestionably the most famous piece of running fiction and very highly rated by all who’ve reviewed it.
	The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner
	Again to Carthage by John L. Parker The follow up to ‘Once a Runner’. Also highly reviewed.
	Running with the Buffaloes: A Season Inside with Mark Wetmore, Adam Goucher, and the University of Colorado Men’s Cross-Country Team
	Life at These Speeds A young runner must overcome tragedy to win.

History & Reference

All of the following books are fascinating takes on the history of running.

	Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen Currently the number one selling running book on Amazon.
	Strides: Running Through History With An Unlikely Athlete
	Running Through the Ages
	Why We Run: A Natural History
	Running Cultures: Racing in Time and Space
	Runner’s World The Runner’s Body: How the Latest Exercise Science Can Help You Run Stronger, Longer, and Faster

Quotes & Inspiration

	The Quotable Runner
	Gigantic Book of Running Quotations
	The Runner’s Guide to the Meaning of Life: What 35 Years of Running Has Taught Me About Winning, Losing, Happiness, Humility, and the Human Heart by Amby Burfoot
	Runner’s Book of Daily Inspiration
	What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami Murakami’s latest is a nonfiction work mostly concerned with his thoughts on the long-distance running he has engaged in for much of his adult life. Through a mix of adapted diary entries, old essays, reminiscences and life advice, Murakami crafts a charming little volume notable for its good-natured and intimate tone. While the subject matter is radically different from the fabulous and surreal fiction that Murakami (The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle) most often produces, longtime readers will recognize the source of the isolated, journeying protagonists of the author’s novels in the formative running experiences recounted.
	My Life on the Run: The Wit, Wisdom, and Insights of a Road Racing Icon by Bart Yasso Many people are familiar with the Yasso 800 workout. Bart created those but he’s done much, much more. Trust me on this!

Running Form/Mechanics/Technique

	Pose Method of Running by Dr. Nicholas Romanov I am a follower of the Pose Method. It’s changed everything I thought I knew about running. Highly recommended.
	Chi Running by Danny Dreyer As passionate as I am about Pose, others are equally passionate about Chi Running.

Books For or About Women

	Running and Fatburning for Women
	Runner’s World Guide to Running and Pregnancy
	Running & Walking for Women Over 40
	Women Who Run
	The Silence of Great Distance: Women Running Long
	Complete Book of Running for Women
	Runner’s World Complete Book of Women’s Running
	Joan Benoit Samuelson’s Running for Women Who doesn’t love Joannie?
	The Nonrunner’s Marathon Guide for Women: Get Off Your Butt and On with Your Training

Injury Prevention & Treatment

	5-Minute-Plantar-Fasciitis-Solution
	Runner’s World Guide to Injury Prevention
	Fixing Your Feet: Prevention And Treatments for Athletes
	The Runners’ Repair Manual: A Complete Program for Diagnosing and Treating Your Foot, Leg and Back Problems

Funny

I Run, Therefore I Am –Nuts! Very funny stuff!

Trail Running

	The Ultimate Guide to Trail Running: Everything You Need to Know About Equipment * Finding Trails * Nutrition * Hill Strategy * Racing * Avoiding Injury * Training * Weather * Safety
	Runner’s World Complete Guide to Trail Running
	Trail Running: From Novice to Master (The Mountaineers Outdoor Expert Series)

Ultra Running

	Ultra Running With Scott Jurek Scott Jurek is legend in ultra-running. If you were to buy one book on the subject, it should be one written by/about him.
	Ultra Marathon Man: Confessions of an All Night Runner Dean Karnazes is either famous or infamous depending on your view of his ability to self promote. That aside, Karnazes has done some pretty cool things and he also has some very positive messages to share.
	50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days — and How You Too Can Achieve Super Endurance!
	The Extra Mile: One Woman’s Personal Journey to Ultrarunning Greatness by Pam Reid Pam Reid is just an unbelievably talented ultra runner. She should be an inspiration to anyone involved or interested in the sport.
	Running Through the Wall: Personal Encounters with the Ultramarathon For those who find the 26.2-mile marathon just not enough, there is the ultramarathon. What makes ultra-runners tick? What goes through their minds at mile 93? How can you train for such a colossal undertaking? These questions and many more are answered in Running Through the Wall, an inspiring collection of 39 personal stories from ultramarathoners.

Free Downloadable Running Book

Gordon Pirie Running Fast and Injury Free Note: This ebook is not on Amazon. Throughout the 1950s the most talked about athlete in Britain was Gordon Pirie. Part of the explanation was that Gordon kept talking about himself and what he might and might not do. Making statements, for example, like the one when he predicted he would smash the world 5000m. record with a time of around 13min. 40sec. some 18 seconds below the then world record. He knew how to ruffle the feathers of his fellow competitors, but he did have talent in abundance. What’s cool about Pirie’s book are his discussions about running form. He was clearly a visionary thinker. Definitely worth a read!

Nutrition, Diet, Weight Management

	Runner’s World Runner’s Diet: The Ultimate Eating Plan That Will Make Every Runner (and Walker) Leaner, Faster, and Fitter
	Endurance Sports Nutrition
	Sports Nutrition for Endurance Athletes

The Corporate Face of Running

	Building the Nike Empire by Bill Bowerman and Phil Knight
	Bowerman and the Men of Oregon by Kenny Moore Very prominent sections of this book are devoted to Bowerman’s role in the building of Nike. A fantastic read.
	Out of Nowhere
	Swoosh: The Unauthorized Nike Story
	Adidas/Puma Sneaker Wars: The Enemy Brothers Who Founded Adidas and Puma and the Family Feud That Forever Changed the Business of Sports

More Book Resources on Complete Running

Check out our archive of running book reviews.

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

I first heard about Run Less, Run Faster and the FIRST training program in a brief Runner’s World article in early 2007 and was intrigued by the training concepts presented. The article discussed a relatively new training program, scientifically proven over a few years and hundreds of runners, based on running three days a week with integrated cross training on the off days. This short note lead me to the Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training and eventually to this book (although at the time of my initial interest the book was not yet available). The concepts presented in this book, while not revolutionary, are definitely a departure from the classic “more miles is better” philosophy and the book has really changed the way I view my approach to training.

Run Less, Run Faster is a quick and easy read (only about 300 pages) that delivers a wealth of solid information at a level that is easy to understand and quickly allows the reader to put in to action the concepts and methods outlined. The book is broken down in to four main sections plus one bonus section:

• Section I: The FIRST Approach
• Section II: How to Follow the FIRST Training Program
• Section III: Performance Factors
• Section IV: Supplemental Training
• Bonus Section: Getting to Boston

This format allows the authors take you though the basics of the program clearly and concisely. The reader will quickly come up speed on the 3plus2 method, the 3 core workouts, and correct pacing for all of the prescribed workouts.

Section I lays out the basics of the plan, steps for new runners, and information on setting realistic goals. In reality, this is just a brief overview of the rest of the book—an introduction to the concepts explored in much more detail further on.

Section II dives much deeper in to the training program. The reader gets a full description of all of the core running workouts, what they aim to achieve, correct paces, and how to run them correctly. In addition to a detailed description of the program, there are plenty of pace charts and training plans to help the reader plan their specific training program. Finally, the authors provide important information on rest and recovery as well as year round training tips and tricks.

Section III covers a few topics that are common to all running programs. These topics include, running in hot and cold weather, training with and avoiding running related injuries, and basic nutrition information. These are all very brief sections but they include enough information to be helpful.

Section IV covers one basic topic—strength training for runners. The reader is given a clear plan that is fairly simple and easy to apply. No expensive weights or benches are necessary and the program, as delivered, should not take an excessive amount of time. A nice addition to any runner’s training regimen.

The last section of the book outlines what is necessary in terms of paces, training, and effort to qualify for Boston. It is broken down into the various age group qualifying times and gives the reader a few guidelines to look for to determine if a Boston qualifying run is possible based on past performance. I really appreciated the realistic view of what is necessary in terms of my current performance to qualify for Boston. Overall, this section is a nice addition to the book.

To me, this is a well written, well documented, and scientifically proven method to run faster on less miles. I am currently using the plan outlined in the book for my training plan for the 2007 Medtronic Twin Cities Marathon, so far the paces, distances, and volume of training have been just right. I really appreciate the change of pace from day to day and the inclusion of various forms of cross training, it really makes the program fun and interesting to work with.

Have you read this book? Why not click on our five-star rating and leave us a comment to let our readers know what you think of it?

[ratings]

Available on Amazon

Runner’s World Run Less, Run Faster

Price: $16.95 (US)/$21.00 (CAN)

The author of this book, Chasing the Hawk: Looking for My Father, Finding Myself,is Dr. Sheehan’s son, Andrew Sheehan, a self-described alcoholic and drug abuser. This book is more than just a chronicle of growing up in large family in the shadow of a famous father. This is the story of a struggling son and a struggling father working together (sometimes voluntarily, sometimes not) to find peace not only with each other, but with themselves as well. After a lifetime of anger, denial, and feelings of abandonment, a father’s love and a son’s admiration comes through.

Along with being a solid book on recovery, forgiveness, family, and faith, it also gives a backdoor view into the world of Dr. Sheehan and his family. It shows him, not as an infallible doctor, guiding the masses to fitness, but rather as a faulted, vulnerable human being. The author works hard to ensure that the many facets of Dr. Sheehan’s personality are shown and the reader gets a full impression of what Dr. Sheehan was about—warts and all.

If you are looking for a running-related book that is about more than VO2 max or heart rate training, this is the book for you. It covers enough running specific information to stay interesting to the avid runner, but also makes great strides in personalizing an icon and delivering a message of love, forgiveness, and hope.

I give it 4 out of 5 stars

Have you read this book? What’s your rating? [ratings]

Book Information
Paperback: 304 pages
Title: Chasing the Hawk: Looking for my Father, Finding Myself
Author: Andrew Sheehan
ISBN: 0385335644
Publisher: Delta; Reprint edition (October 1, 2002)

Writing a book where everyone knows the outcome before it starts must be a daunting task. How does an author build suspense and a compelling storyline when most of the people interested in reading the book know the outcome before it even starts? In “Duel in the Sun,” John Brant crafts three separate stories—Dick, Alberto, and their race—and then intertwines them back together to show how this one event joined both athletes for life.

Within the short 195 pages, the reader is transported from the race to the lives of the runners—both pre- and post-race—and back again. You get a taste of pre-Castro Cuba, growing up with a alcoholic father, finding religious freedom, the depths of drug addiction, and the misery of depression. This book clearly shows that a marathon will take you much further than 26.2 miles and can cost far more than the entry fee.

Bottom line, this book delivers a strong running story balanced by the human side of two elite athletes. I think often, as a spectator, it is easy to forgot that the elite athletes that we look upon with awe and wonder are really just like us. They are human and they face the same problems we do. “Duel in the Sun” makes it clear that both Dick and Alberto were nothing more nor less than human. Brant works hard to show all the different facets that make up who these stars were in 1982 and who they have become today.

I highly recommend this book. I give it 4 out of 5 stars.
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Buy Duel in the Sun at Amazon