Running Book Recommendations?

I'm trying to get a list of good books to recommend to other Runners for our Club's website at http://www.26point2.co.uk

I've trawled through Amazon.co.uk, but would like some suggestions for books that I've missed or comments on the ones I've chosen. If you've got a good book on running, training or diet etc. please suggest it on our site - you'll just need the ISBN, author & Title. Hopefully we can get some idea of what's worth the money and what's avoided.

You can rate exisiting books at 26.2 Book Recommendations as well!

Thanks

Simon

Comments

  • NessieNessie ✭✭✭
    Hi 4x4 - not seen you on the forum for a while. Welcome back!

    I have a copy of Bruce Tulloh's "Running is Easy" which I find great, and very straightforward. Pretty good for beginners. Sorry can't do the ISBN as the book is at home and I am abusing the internet at work at the moment.

    First time I've visited the 26.2 site - very impressive.
  • I see you've already got it in your list, but I can't recommend highly enough Bob Glover's Competitive Runners Handbook. Extremely comprehensive in scope, packed with information and very readable. More of a reference book than a read from cover to cover though.

    venom
  • I didn't notice 'The Looniness Of A Long Distance Runner' by Russell Taylor on there. Any regulars on this forum will know about my endless recommendation for this book, but it is quite simply, fantastic. Every runner should read it.
  • Incidentally, I agree with Nessie - the website looks very good. Good work.
  • Bruce Tulloh's "Running is Easy" & 'The Looniness Of A Long Distance Runner' both added (and a few more).

    Thanks for the comments about the website - I should spend more time running than fiddling with it though... :-) I did have some Heart Rate Spreadsheets for download but they got "lost" during an upgrade. I'll post here vwhen they're up again.

    Cheers,

    Simon

  • Hi 4x4 I had a quick look at your site- v. impressed didn't see this one which I think is an excellent book on running form with lots of exercises
    The Art of Running by Malcolm Balk & Andrew Shields. Ashgrove Publishing isbn 1-85398-132-x £9.99
  • I agree with venom, Bob Glovers book is the best running book I have come across.
  • "once a runner" by John L Parker
    a novel about an american college runner on the 70/80s.
    has the most intense description of a mile race you will ever read.
  • Greetings,

    Don't know if you already have this listed but without a doubt one of the funniest running books I've ever read (and the only one to make me routinely laugh out loud) is 'Hills, Hawgs and Ho Chi Minh' by Don Kardong ISBN 1-879628-12-0, just brilliant.

    In terms of ultra running madness (although I've still managed to resist the urge to do anything beyond 26.2) 'The Death Valley 300' by Richard Benyo takes some beating. Although not the best prose I've ever come across, his ability to convey the profound and montonous agony of partcipation in an event so utterly divorced from the realms of consideration for most of us 'ordinary and well-adjusted' runners is not to be missed, ISBN 0-915373-01-7, awesome.

    Also, by Rich Benyo, 'Making the Marathon Your Event' is mainly, well, pants, in my humble opinion. Specifically, I think the training regimens are insane (perhaps not suprising when one considers the fact the the man wrote the book on completing the Death Valley 300). Nevertheless, if you can beg, borrow, steal or photocopy the appropriate sections, Part IV, Chapter 17 'Lessons from the Great Marathoners' is truly great reading. I was crying with laughter just the other night as I perused the section on Emil Zatopek, absolutely priceless (except for the fact that it isn't worth the price), ISBN 0-679-73930-0

    best, mm ;-)
  • Agree with Venom that Bob Glover's Competitive Runners Handbook is excellent. Lots of fascinating detail and advice that makes great sense.
  • Forgot to mention Hal Higdon's, 'Boston, A Century of Running'. This is a beautifully produced and meticulously researched oversized book that is essential reading for any marathoner. Chapter 9, 'The Duel' which reccounts the famous battle between Dick Beardsley and Alberto Salazar at the 1982 race, you can feel yourself going anaerobic as the gripping account comes to a close. ISBN 0-87596-283-1, brilliant!
  • I agree that Bob Glover's Competitive Runners Handbook is a good read, with loads of information I have not seen elsewhere. If getting the magazines Runner's World, and 'Running & Fitness' is not enough for you, try this.
  • The Looniness of the Long Distance Runner is a FANTASTIC, hilarious book. Read it!
  • Once you're wanting to go onto the sports science/history type of book try 'The Lore of Running' by Tim Noakes ISBN 0-88011-438-x which has enough Vo2 graphs to satisfy the most devout statisticians among you; potted history and analysis of the running careers of various greats from Jim Peters to Grete Waitz and a hypochondriach's dream of an injury section.
    Lots of pages for your money too.
  • I agree with both 'The Lore of Running' and 'The Competitive Runners Handbook'. One other that I would highly recommend is the controversial ebook 'Running Fast and Injury Free' by Gordon Pirie.
    I'm not sure whether it is available in print but it can be downloaded from http://www.gordonpirie.com
  • For women runners:

    Runner's World complete book of women's running by Dagny Scott.

    Excellent.
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