Over the span of my running career I’ve gone from devouring every publication of Runner’s World to reading all the best running books. More are released each year, which means my fun never ends!
Train smart, eat well, & enjoy the run! — P. Mark Taylor
That would be the shortest and yet best running book I could recommend. We know that the overall concept of a good training cycle is simple, but that doesn’t meant easy and it doesn’t mean there aren’t a lot of little pieces we need to know too!
8 small words encompass everything there really is to know about running…but let’s be honest we love the details!
We love to talk about our rave runs, blistered toes, what to eat before a run and why we no longer ICE injuries. Luckily the running boom has also meant a growth in wonderful books about the sport.
Top 50 Running Books
While I certainly read a ton of running bloggers and love my Runner’s World magazine, sometimes you need more. You need a beautiful story or a plan or meal and that’s why I’ve cultivated a list of the top 50 books for runners.
Following are some of my must reads for any runner from those just beginning to those who’ve been pounding out the miles for many years!
Since putting this post together in 2014, I’ve come across so many new books that I love, which means it has been updated consistently every single year because I read hundreds of books!
While it was painful to eliminate anything from the first list, I did it just for you! So this is my newly updated list of must read running books.
In fact, since I first created this list…well I’ve written my own book! I guess that might make a recommendation biased, but here’s what other folks had to say:
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Best Running Books to Motivate Your Training
Following are true stories or biographies of runners that will inspire you to push your own limits…yes many are tales of doing things we may never dare like running across the country or even 200 miles, but it’s the moments they go through that make you believe you can do more.
As runners, we all go through many transitions– transitions that closely mimic the larger changes we experience in a lifetime. First, we try to run faster. Then we try to run harder. Then we learn to accept ourselves and our limitations, and at last, we can appreciate the true joy and meaning of running.
Amby Burfoot
Many of these make fabulous audiobooks because you’ll get sucked in to the runner’s story and it will help you get in a few more miles on that long run!
Running with the Buffaloes: A Season Inside with Mark Wetmore, Adam Goucher, and the University of Colorado Men’s Cross-Country Team by Chris Lear
Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall
My Life on the Run by Bart Yasso
The Runner’s Guide to the Meaning of Life by Amby Burfoot
The Long Run: A New York City Firefighter’s Triumphant Comeback from Crash Victim to Elite Athlete by Matt Long
Finding Ultra by Rich Roll
Eat & Run: My Unlikely Journey to Ultramarathon Greatness by Scott Jurek
— Have to note that his new book North is also a fabulous read.
Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an all night runner by Dean Karnazes
A life without limits by Chrissie Wellington {read review}
Running on Empty: An Ultramarathoner’s Story of Love, Loss and a Record-Setting Run Across America by Marshall Ulrich {read review}
Let Your Mind Run: A Memoir of Thinking My Way to Victory by Deena Kastor
Running with the Kenyans by Adharanand Finn {read review}
Going Long: Legends, Oddballs, Comebacks & Adventures by the Editors of Runners World
14 Minutes: A Running Legend’s Life and Death and Life by Alberto Salazar
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand
Marathon Man: My 26.2 mile journey from unknown grad student to Top of the Running World by Bill Rodgers
A Beautiful Work in Progress by Mirna Valerio
Run to Overcome by Meb Keflezighi
A Race Like No Other:26.2 miles through the streets of New York by Liz Robbins
Dual in the Sun: Alberto Salazar, Dick Beardsley, and America’s Greatest Marathon by John Brant
Running Ransom Road: Confronting the past one marathon at a time by Caleb Daniloff
What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami
Age is Just a Number by Dara Torres (ok she’s not a runner, but you’ll thank me)
The Pants Of Perspective: One Woman’s 3,000 kilometer running adventure through the wilds of New Zealand by Anna McNuff
As noted, I have read HUNDREDS of running books and this list has changed many times over the years as new books come out. Yet some of the best running books are timeless to me and have remained on this list long after others have come out. Of course this is personal opinion, but it gives you some ideas to get your own reading going!
Best Running Novels That Inspire
All right so the people in these stories may not be real, but the authors have certainly tapped in to the mindset of an athlete! You’ll find yourself nodding frequently thinking “yes that’s me!” And while this group is small, they’re great!
The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen
Once a Runner by John L. Parker JR.
HOHA’s In Love: The Lessons of Running Reveal the Secrets of Love by Laurence Graham
Best Running Training Guides
A training book may not sound like something you want to curl up on the weekend to read, but trust me these are all well worth it for any runner. Most share hilarious stories {real runner mistakes} and have plenty of motivational stories.
Running on Air: Run Better by Breathing Smarter by Budd Coates
Train Like a Mother: How to get across any finish line – and not lose your family, job or sanity by Sarah Bowen Shea and Dimity McDowell
Endure: Mind, Body, and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance by Alex Hutchinson
Run Faster: How to be your own best coach by Matt Fitzgerald {read review}
The Big Picture: 11 laws that will change your life by Tony Horton {read review}
The Runner’s Rule Book: Everything a Runner Needs to Know–And Then Some by Mark Remy
Brain Training for Runners: A Revolutionary New Training System to Improve Endurance, Speed, Health and Results by Matt Fitzgerald
The Brave Athlete: Calm the F**k Down and Rise to the Occasion by Simon Marshal
Elite Minds: Creating the Competitive Advantage by Dr. Stan Beecham {read review}
The Divided Mind: An epidemic of Mind Body Disorders by Dr. John Sarno {read review}
Hansons Marathon Method by Luke Humphrey {read review}
Chi Running by Danny Dreyer
Big Book of Endurance Training by Phil Maffetone {read review}
Anatomy for Runners by Jay Dicharry
Running with the mind of Meditation by Sakyong Mipham
Lore of Running by Tim Noakes
80/20 by Matt Fitzgerald (finally understanding easy runs)
Fast 5K: 25 Crucial Keys and 4 Training Plans by Pete Magill (great for all levels)
Sports Nutrition Books
We all know that pre and post run fueling is a key to avoiding runner’s trots and speedy post race recovery to keep training on track. So yes indeed I’m including here some of the best I’ve read on fuel for athletes.
The Athlete’s Palate Cookbook by Yishane Lee
Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow. by Elyse Kopecky and Shalane Flanangan {sample recipe}
Diet Cults by Matt Fitzgerald {read review}
Runner’s World Cookbook {sample recipe}
Essential Sports Nutrition by Marni Sumbal
Sugar Shock by Connie Bennett {read review}
Happy reading!!!
If you have a favorite running book I left off, let me know!
And yes you’ll find many of these authors on my top audiobooks for runners and top podcasts for runners.
And finally if NONE of that is really what you need because this year you want to think more strength based – checkout this list of the best fitness books.
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Michael says
“What I Talk About When I Talk About Running” is great, but it’s a memoir, not a novel.
margo says
you forgot lizzy hawker’s book “RUNNER” a short story about a long run…. incredible account of this ultra runner – non-fiction :)
Sandy says
“Honey, Do you need a ride? Confessions of a Fat Runner” by Jennifer Graham.
I have never related to a stranger more than every time I read this book.
amanda says
ohh adding to my list!
Erin Kesterson says
This is such a great list you have put together, thank you! Essential Sports Nutrition is one of my favorites written by a fellow SC registered dietitian!