Im finally going to have some time to read! If youve thought that in the last couple of weeks, then youve clicked on the correct link. You might not be able to clock up as many miles as usual during the UK lockdown for the coronavirus pandemic, but this doesn't mean you can't read about the noble art of putting one foot in front of the other.
So, if you are looking to get stuck into a book, here are our top 15 books about running to read in isolation.
1What I Talk About When I Talk About Running
In this memoir, celebrated author HarukiMurakami looks at his life through the lens of running. He reflects on how running has changed his life and his writing, and providesanecdotes of the many races hes taken part in including a 100km ultramarathon.
2Jog On: How Running Saved My Life
Jog On is about the positive impact that running can have on your mental health. Bella Mackie ended her twenties struggling with the heartbreak of a divorce and the underlying mental health problems that caused her anxiety and depression. Then she started torun and things started to change. Through this book, Mackie shares her experience with funny, moving and motivational stories that will help you want to get out there.
3Your Pace or Mine? What Running Taught Me About Life, Laughter and Coming Last
Summersdale Publishersamazon.com
Lisa Jackson started running when she was 31 and since then shes ran more than90 marathons. In this book, Jackson tells her story and the story of the people she has met during this time, from tutu-clad fun-runners to 250-mile ultrarunners. She writes about the importance of embracing the beauty of running whether you are a complete beginner or a veteran, saying that running isnt about the time you do but the time you have.
4Eat and Run: My Unlikely Journey to Ultramarathon Greatness
Scott Jurek was a dominant force in the early days ofultrarunning, winning the prestigious Western States 100 seven years in a row, from 1999-2005. And he did it all on a vegan diet.In Eat & Run, he tells us about his life and career, growing up hunting, fishing and cooking meat every day, beforebeginning his ultrarunning career and vegan diet. In this book, you will find inspiring stories alongside Scott's favourite vegan recipes.
5Running Like a Girl
6.99
Running can be brutal. Weve all been there and, even if we dont want to admit it, we all have those days when you get out there, start running and just hate it all the way. In Running Like a Girl, Alexandra Hemingsley talks about her experience trying to get into running and how awful, especially at the beginning, it can be. This honest, fun and inspirational book will help you to understand that its OK to hate exercising you just need to keep at it and find new ways to motivate yourself.
626.2 Miles to Happiness: A Comedians Tale of Running, Red Wine and Redemption
A book about running written by a comedian:what could be better? RW columnistPaul Tonkinson set himself the challenge to beat the three-hour mark at the London Marathon. In this book, he tells us about his adventure training for it, but also the troubled upbringing that inspired him to run in the first place. Full of wit and hard-won wisdom, Tonky's book will inspire and amuse in equal measure.
7Feet in the Clouds: The Classic Tale of Fell-Running and Obsession
6.81
Feet in the Clouds is a celebration of the obscure Northern sport of fell running, the ancient art of running very quickly up and down a hill ormountain.In this book, Richard Askwith explores the characters, history andrituals that make fell running so special. Alongside interviews with some of the greats of the sport, such as 'Iron' Joss Naylor and Billy Bland, Askwith details his own attempt to complete the gruelling Bob Graham Round, a gruelling 66-mile route in the Lake District that must be completed within 24 hours.
8Fat Man to Green Man: From Unfit to Ultramarathon
amazon.co.uk
Ira Rainey used to be overweight and unfit, and it wasnt until one of his friends was diagnosed with terminal cancer that he realised he needed to drastically reassess his lifestyle.Through humorous and emotional anecdotes, Rainey tells us this story, culminating in an attempt at the Green Man ultramarathon.
9Running with the Kenyans: Discovering the secrets of the fastest people on earth
Adharanand Finn grew up in the English countryside and had always loved running. He started out following a career in journalist but, by his mid-thirties, realised that he still wanted to know how good a runner he could be. So, he moved to Kenya to learn from the best runners in the world. In this book, he tells us about his experience running with the Kenyans, following his dream and what we all can learn from the worlds greatest distance runners.
10Born to Run: The Hidden Tribe, the Ultra-Runners, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
7.72
Christopher McDougall started this book to find the answer to a simple question: why does my foot hurt? To do so, he ventured to find the worlds most secretive distance runners, the Tarahumara Indians of Mexicos Copper Canyons. In this fast-paced running classic,McDougall discusses theTarahumaras unorthodox runningtechnique, why he believes modern-day running shoes are injuring people,and how he turned himself from an injury-prone plodder to someone capable of completing a50-mile race through the Copper Canyons.
11Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner
8.19
In this memoir, we hear the story of Dean Karnazes, an ultrarunner whos taken his passion for running to the next level. To raise awareness of youth obesity and urge Americans take up running and exercise, he ran 50 marathons, in 50 states in 50 days. Karnazes also went on to262 miles in one go, the equivalent of 10 back-to-back marathons. In this book, he answers some of thequestions he routinely gets asked. Chief among them:Are you insane?
12Grit: The Power of Passion and Perseverance
A psychologist looks at the achievements of less gifted people and finds that passionate persistence, aka grit, is their secret to victory. In this book, we learn the science behind 'grit' and the practical things you can do to find yours.
13Once a Runner: A Novel
US$10.23 (40% off)
In this book, John L. Parker, Jr. tells the story of Quenton Cassidy, collegiate runner at the fictional Southeastern University, who dreams to run a four-minute mile. But when he is about to reach his dream, he is suspended by the track team for getting involved in an athletes protest against the Vietnam War. Quenton decides to retreat into the countryside, under the tutelage of his friend and mentor Bruce Denton, and train for the race of his life. Originally published in 1978, this book is a masterpiece of running literature that any runner should read.
14This Mum Runs
7.37
This is the story of Jo Pavey RW contributing editor,mum andfive-time Olympian who won the 10,000m at the European Championships after having given birth just eight months before. Shes been called Supermum, but in this book, Pavey talks about her experience as just the same as every mother juggling a working life and a family. A heart-warming and uplifting book.
15Never Wipe Your Ass with a Squirrel: A trail running, ultramarathon, and wilderness survival guide for weird folks
9.85
A guide to the deepest secrets of trail running and ultramarathons. Runner Jason Robillard offers tips and tricks to running in the wilderness (including the sage advice to never wipe one's ass with a squirrel). Equal parts funny and practical, it's an entertaining guide for runners looking to embrace their wild sides.
Original post:
15 books about running to read when in lockdown - Runner's World (UK)
