Forums >Running 101>Inspirational Reading
I've read 'Run Like a Mother', 'Train Like a Mother', 'The Courage to Start', and am in the middle of 'No Need For Speed'. Can anyone recommend some more inspirational reading for me? I am wanting to get my hands on as much as possible.
I've read Born To Run by Christopher McDougall. Very interesting reading about how some indian tribes are the worlds best runners and easily can run 100 miles.
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old thread but why not (my suggestions are based on thinking of myself as a runner for a long time and finally getting closer to being a runner in the last 1-2 years):
1. 'The Little Red Book of Running' - Scott Douglas
I have found this quite useful and inspiring in that he simplifies things and gets to the point, answering the questions that a beginner/intermediate runner might have. Bits of running wisdom.
2. I used to read a bunch of George Sheehan in college. I remember his books/essays as mostly all being very inspirational. 'Running and Being' is one particular book that comes to mind.
3. 'Advanced Marathoning' - Pete Pfitzinger and Scott Douglas (depends if this is the kind of inspiration you are looking for)
4. 'Born to Run' - Christopher McDougall (mentioned by creative_79)
5. 'Eat and Run' - Scott Jurek
6. 'Daniels' Running Formula' - Jack Daniels (again, depends on if this is the kind of inspiration you want)
7. 'What I Talk About When I Talk About Running' - Haruki Murakami
A non-runner friend of mine found this book excruciatingly boring. I can see why but I really enjoyed it. He's an excellent writer.
8. 'Once A Runner' - John L. Parker
The dialogue might be offputting at first but the book definitely gains momentum. I ran track in high school so I connected with it. A lot of people don't.
MTA: And blogs, lots of blogs. A few here - http://www.runningahead.com/forums/topic/c3bc2f8c013f4e0abec9a878b8dd0256/0
(Not keeping up with 'Angry Jogger' so much any more).
Excellent suggestions.
Although Dean Karnesas is a controversial ultra runner and self-promoter, I found his book inspirational: "Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner". And, it's on Kindle.
Excellent suggestions. Although Dean Karnesas is a controversial ultra runner and self-promoter, I found his book inspirational: "Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner". And, it's on Kindle.
I rather be poked with a red hot poker over and over and over again than to be made to read anything again that he has put on paper. He has got to be one of the most excruciatingly uninteresting and boring people on the planet. Dean, however, is unaware of this. And he's a really crappy writer.
I have a LOT of running books, and by far the most "inspirational" for me was Sheehan's Running and Being. Also inspirational are runners' autobiographies: Meb, Paula Radcliffe, Chrissie Wellington (well, she's 1/3 a runner anyway
If you're a tense, stress-and-anxiety type and want to have less of that in your running, I recommend Zen and the Art of Running. Mantras, dude. Mantras are where it's at.
It's not about running at all, but I thought it was interesting to think about running in the context of Csikzentmihalyi's (sp?!) book Flow.
Not just Dean...I'm very much unaware of that too...
I'm completely basing that on reading Ultramarathon Man and then a few interviews from Youtube. I can't see that he has much to actually say, but what do I know.
Anyway, this is supposed to be inspirational so I should stop being grumpy and get some more coffee.
Break on through
Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand.
http://www.runnersworld.com/general-interest/watch-trailer-for-unbroken-released
"Not to touch the Earth, not to see the Sun, nothing left to do but run, run, run..."
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I really liked Born to Run (Christopher Macdougall) and I'm not surprised to see it listed by a few before me.
Swimming to Antarctica (Lynne Cox) ---- I can't swim but this book is motivational!
http://www.amazon.com/Swimming-Antarctica-Tales-Long-Distance-Swimmer/dp/0156031302/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393191463&sr=8-1
Marathon Woman (Kathrine Switzer)
http://www.amazon.com/Marathon-Woman-Running-Revolutionize-Womens/dp/0738213292/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393191523&sr=8-1
Running for My Life (Ray Zahab) --- I liked this better than the Dean Karnazes book listed above
http://www.amazon.com/Running-Life-extreme-adventure-runner/dp/1897178441/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1393191751&sr=8-1
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Wow! I'm happily surprised at the responses to my old inquiry! Thank you for the suggestions!
Flow is a lot more about running than it seems. He's referenced in Matt Fitzgerald's Brain Training for Runners.
I guess everyone else thinks Born to Run is a great book- it was somewhat entertaining, but a wannabe runner bad mouthing Bill Bowerman rubbed me the wrong way, plus I'm getting tired of not- so- great writers trying to channel Tom Robbins and Hunter Thompson.
Although not a book, the story of Terry Fox is worth reading about.
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Just read Unbroken, by Laura Hillenbrand. Great book. Couldn't put it down.
Feeling the growl again
Finished it 3-4 days ago, read it in two sittings. Holy crap what a story.
"If you want to be a bad a$s, then do what a bad a$s does. There's your pep talk for today. Go Run." -- Slo_Hand
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