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Warts n Hall.

8 Runners World, Part of the Hearst UK Wellbeing Network

Warts n Hall

By Rick Pearson and Kate Carter and Alice Barraclough
group of books on wooden planks background, top view
Sophie Raworth: Why calf raises rule//Getty Images

Whether you're new to running or already got a couple of marathons under your belt, there are lots of running books Resting heart rate.

From bestselling memoirs written by elite runners such as "Born to Run" by Christopher McDougall and "Once a Runner" by John L. Parker Jr. to more obscure running novels and books that focus on the mental aspect of running, such as "Jog On" by Bella Mackie, we've listed some of our all-time favourite running books that take pride of place on our bookshelves. Happy reading!

1

Born to Run

Born to Run

The book that launched a million barefoot runners, Chris McDougall’s account of the Tarahumara is running literature at its most exhilarating. McDougall’s quest to discover the secret of ‘natural running’ leads him on an epic adventure, complete with a roll call of colourful characters, including ultrarunner Scott Jurek and sandal-wearing eccentric Barefoot Ted.

RW’s Rick Pearson says: ‘It’s become fashionable to slag off Born to Run, due to some of the slightly dubious claims it makes vis-à-vis humankind’s capacity to run long distances while eating chia and wearing minimalist footwear, but there are precious few books that have inspired more people to run as this one.’

2

Jog On: How Running Saved My Life

Jog On: How Running Saved My Life

Back in 2016, journalist Bella Mackie wrote a piece for The Guardian Born to Run, Jog On, is a memoir inspired by this feature. Described as a love letter to running – in which she honestly and openly describes how she used running to battle anxiety and depression – Jog On shows how something as simple as putting one step in front of the other really can empower you.

RW’s Alice Barraclough says: ‘Reading Bella Mackie’s book confirmed everything I already knew about the link between running and mental health – that running, whether you’re gently jogging a 5K, or heading out for a long run, has the ability to make you forget about everything else, even if just for a moment. Our bodies are capable of so much more than our minds allows us to believe.”

Runners World, Part of the Hearst UK Wellbeing Network
3

Feet in the Clouds

Feet in the Clouds

The obscure Northern sport of fell running is the subject of this much-loved book by journalist and author Richard Askwith. It’s a split format, with chapters focusing variously on the sport’s stars and the author’s own fell-running ambition: to complete the notoriously difficult Bob Graham Round in the Lake District. Does he manage it? You’ll have to read the book to find out.

RW’s Rick Pearson says: ‘Askwith is arguably running’s finest writer, and this is his finest book: a hymn to the ecstasy and agony of fell running, complete with interviews with the sport’s under-the-radar stars. Not just one of running’s best books, but one of the best books about sport, full stop.

4

The Sports Gene

The Sports Gene

David Epstein’s book is an absolute classic of sports science writing. Incredibly readable, it’s full of stories that illustrate the clash between nature and nurture and examines the pervasive idea that it’s practice (10,000 hours of it) that makes perfect. He does this all with a brilliantly light touch, travelling from Kenya’s Rift Valley to Jamaica via Alaskan huskies and meeting individual athletes and telling their stories en route.

RW’s Kate Carter says: ‘Epstein’s subtitle for the book is ‘what makes the perfect athlete’. Does he answer this definitively? No, but then no one has - or can, that’s part of his argument. For every genetic ‘rule’ there is an exception, and it’s the exceptions that make it all the more interesting.’

Runners World, Part of the Hearst UK Wellbeing Network
5

Running with the Kenyans

Running with the Kenyans

In 2011, runner and writer Adharanand Finn spent six months in Iten, Kenya, in a bid to uncover the secrets of some of the fastest people on earth. Was it running barefoot to school? Or the fact they are born and train at high altitude? The book ends with Finn putting his research to the test by running his first marathon, across the Kenyan plains.

6

Once a Runner: A Novel

Once a Runner: A Novel
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There are surprisingly few novels about running. Or perhaps it’s not that surprising - talk of splits and blisters and yet more splits doesn’t necessarily make for great prose. But John L Parker’s cult classic is a wonderful read. The plot - inspired by the author’s own experience as a college athlete - follows the career and exploits of Quenton Cassidy, a middle distance runner at a fictional university.

RW’s Kate Carter says: ‘Yes, you can critique the plot, but really, plot is largely irrelevant here - it’s the magnificent passages concerning running itself that will stay with you. Parker is brilliant at mythologising the whole process of training and racing, making the runner the hero (and we all want to be the hero of our own story). The sequel - complete with even more hole-ridden plot - is great too.’

Runners World, Part of the Hearst UK Wellbeing Network
7

Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of NIKE

Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of NIKE

The story of how Nike became a global powerhouse might sound a little dry, but not in the hands of Nike co-founder Phil Knight. His story of how he went from borrowing money from his parents to sell imported shoes out of the back of a van, to dominating the sportswear scene, is surprisingly haphazard and yet totally compelling.

RW’s Kate Carter says: ‘I confess I fully expected this to be a rather boring story of business meetings and management, or possibly a bit of a brand-PR exercise - but could barely put it down. Knight has the gift of telling a great story really well - straightforwardly but honestly and with a good sense of pace.’

8

Out of Thin Air

Out of Thin Air

Ethiopia is one of the power houses of distance running but unlike its neighbour and great rival, Kenya, little has been written about its running culture. Michael Crawley’s excellent debut redresses the balance, offering a fascinating insight into the often-unorthodox way in which the country’s athletes train. Crawley, a 2:20 marathon himself, spent 15 months living and running with Ethiopia’s best runners, and the result is a book full of interesting insights and new understanding.

RW’s Rick Pearson says: ‘Crawley immersed himself in Ethiopian running culture, and it tells in a book that is almost impossible to put down. The insights he offers into Ethiopian training philosophies, diet and racing strategies are fascinating, and it’s shot through with a reverence and appreciation of a running culture that’s created so many greats.’

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Runners World, Part of the Hearst UK Wellbeing Network