Forums >General Running>What Running Books Should I Buy?
I have an Amazon gift card burning a hole in my pocket, and I'd like to use it on some running books. Here are my current contenders:
Daniels Running Formula
Lore of Running
Hansons Marathon Method
Healthy Intelligent Training
Run Faster from the 5K to the Marathon
Competitive Runners Handbook
Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook (I have her nutrition guide for new runners.)
Galloway's Book on Running
Mental Training for Runners
Help me narrow it down (or suggest better ones). I've been running for a little over 1.5 years, though I still feel like sort of a beginner because my distances are kind of low and I'm slow. I've done a few 5Ks. My 2013 goals are to run a sub-30:00 5K, run a 10K, and maybe a half-marathon. So maybe some of the books on my list would be over my head. But I'd like to learn enough to create my own training plans. Opinions?
~Kate
Life is short. Running makes it seem longer.
sugnim
I like "What I Talk About When I Talk About Running" by Haruki Murakami.
Wandering Wally
Big Book of Endurance Training and Racing
Born To Run
The Lore of Running
Run! Just Run!
Trail Runner Nation Podcast
Why is it sideways?
I like the Hudson book "Run Faster." I think he gives you good concepts for understanding training.
Definitely check out Born to Run but for training I would recommend "Run Faster from 5K to Marathon", Daniels Running Formula and if you decided to get into Marathon read Advanced Marathoning by Pfitzinger.
I also found Racing Weight and Brain Training for Runners (both by Matt Fitzgerald) to be very beneficial as well.
Another vote here for Hudson's "Run Faster" Currently on my second training cycle using that book.
I love Lore of Running. It's a fantastic book. It can also serve as a doorstop, a stepladder or a booster seat -- or buy 4 and use them to jack up your car in the front yard.
Daniels running book was too complicated for me and I got a headache, just trying to understand the Math involved. (And all that VQ stuff.)
Advanced Marathoning by Pete Pfitzinger is a much better book IMO.
"dancing on the path and singing, now you got away,
you can reach the goals you set from now on, every day"
Sonata Arctica
If you haven't read any running books, then "Daniels running formula" is great. Others have recommended "run faster", but I think that's geared toward advanced runners.
Daniels Running Formula has a lot of great reference material. I also found the Competitive Runners Handbook (Glover) to be very insightful. I read it only after running consistently for a couple of years. It's probably one of my favorite general running books.
I just read Hansons. I didn't care for it, really. I found there was too much scientific discussion and not enough useful information (this coming from an engineer). For marathoning, I prefer Advanced Marathoning by Pfitzinger/Douglas.
So all that being said, I think you'd find Glover's book very helpful based on where you are at in your running life.
PRs:
5k: 25:05 (Sep 2011) 10k: 51:57 (Aug 2012) half: 1:56:46 (May 2013) full: 4:09:46 (Jan 2016)
I really liked Healthy Intelligent Training.
I'm just adding more books to my list! Thanks for the suggestions!
Okay, so I think I've narrowed down which ones I'd like to buy and which ones to get from the library. I think I'm going to go for:
Competitive Runner's Handbook
Run Faster
I've heard a lot about the last two from many sources, so even though they may be a bit above me, they seem like they'd be really good reference books that would serve me well. Several of you recommended Run Faster, so I'll try that one, and Competitive Runner's Handbook looks like it's definitely at my level.
I'm going to have a lot of reading to do...
Not dead. Yet.
Running & Being, Dr. George Sheehan
How can we know our limits if we don't test them?
I noticed that Once A Runner is now available for Kindle. I just bought it yesterday and will read it on the plane on my next business trip. I haven't seen my copy of Lore of Running in a few years, but it is a very good book.
My blog is JT Running DC. It's awesome. Guide to Washington DC Area Running Routes. Guide to the New York City Marathon. Guide to the Boston Marathon. Guide to Running Gear. Guide to Running Clothes.
---Whatever books you buy, make sure you buy an E-BOOK, so that you can run miles while listening to it!
The Plan '15 → /// "Run Hard, Live Easy." ∞