Books about running: Sorry for starting two... - Bridge to 10K

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Books about running

Stephen_UK profile image
Stephen_UKGraduate10
45 Replies

Sorry for starting two threads today but thought this newspaper article (Guardian, 03/07/19) might be of interest.

Do you recommend any of these?

Have they missed your favourite? If so, what is it?

(Can’t find an online version, hence the photo.)

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Stephen_UK profile image
Stephen_UK
Graduate10
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45 Replies

Born to Run is a great book! Someone bought me Feet in the clouds, I was really enjoying it, but because I had my head in the clouds, I left it on a train... I'm currently reading The Ghost Runner... it's good. amazon.co.uk/Ghost-Runner-T...

Stephen_UK profile image
Stephen_UKGraduate10 in reply to

Thanks, Clubber. Hope you’re well. I’m going to try to track down and read some of these.

Oldfloss profile image
OldflossAdministratorGraduate10 in reply to

Born to Run is amazing ...it makes me want to head off to the hills, and run and run and run :)

backintime profile image
backintimeGraduate10 in reply toOldfloss

This has been mentioned so many times that I just bought it to read on holiday

AlMorr profile image
AlMorrAmbassadorGraduate10 in reply toOldfloss

Looking forward to reading your book about running for over 65's Floss, any idea when it will be published.?

Stephen_UK profile image
Stephen_UKGraduate10 in reply toAlMorr

Is this really happening? Would love to hear more about this.

AlMorr profile image
AlMorrAmbassadorGraduate10 in reply toStephen_UK

Oldfloss mentioned a few weeks ago that she was or considering writing a book about her own running experiences and generally running 🏃 for over 65's, ha, not sure if that was true or just joking. 😊.

Stephen_UK profile image
Stephen_UKGraduate10 in reply toAlMorr

Thanks, Al. I would certainly snap up any book of poetic reflections on running by Oldfloss.

Oldfloss profile image
OldflossAdministratorGraduate10 in reply toAlMorr

No... it is written ...journey so far!

Oldfloss profile image
OldflossAdministratorGraduate10 in reply toAlMorr

End of the year I hope !

Stephen_UK profile image
Stephen_UKGraduate10 in reply toOldfloss

Fabulous. Will you tell is when it’s ready?

Oldfloss profile image
OldflossAdministratorGraduate10 in reply toStephen_UK

I will :)

Debston profile image
DebstonGraduate10 in reply toOldfloss

You know we're all going to be wanting signed copies!

Stephen_UK profile image
Stephen_UKGraduate10 in reply toDebston

Exactly!

Oldfloss profile image
OldflossAdministratorGraduate10 in reply toDebston

Ha ha

AlMorr profile image
AlMorrAmbassadorGraduate10 in reply toOldfloss

Could be a nice Christmas 🤶 🎄 present for some runners.

Oldfloss profile image
OldflossAdministratorGraduate10 in reply toAlMorr

For folk you don't like??? Xxx

in reply toOldfloss

😲 I want one! I NEED one! Absolutely outstanding! 💗

Stephen_UK profile image
Stephen_UKGraduate10 in reply to

Well said!

SlowLoris profile image
SlowLoris

I enjoyed Born to Run. The author does a Ted Talk as well if anyone wants the gist of it.

Macmac profile image
MacmacGraduate10

Born to Run was good. Eat and Run by Scott Jurek was also a good read. Ultra marathonman by Dean Karnazes is also highly regarded although I have not read it yet.

misswobble profile image
misswobbleGraduate10 in reply toMacmac

I love Scott Jurek one! Eat and run. Sums me up 😁. Dean K one is good too. I’ve read a few of his. He used to get pizzas delivered to street corners but I think he modified his eating habits later

Born to Run was ok. There are loads of boring ones though so I read the reviews first 😃

Oldfloss profile image
OldflossAdministratorGraduate10

Born to run...it is fantastic :)

Debston profile image
DebstonGraduate10

Just finished Born to Run, it's amazing. Currently reading What I Talk About When I Talk About Running. I love Murakami and I had no idea he's a runner as well as a writer! It's well worth a read but I wish it was longer, I don't want it to end! I haven't read any of the others yet but I have got Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner ready to take on holiday with me. I also really enjoyed reading Running Like a Girl, funny and entertaining but also very informative and useful.

Stephen_UK profile image
Stephen_UKGraduate10 in reply toDebston

There have been so many good comments about Born to Run and What I Talk About When I Talk About Running that I am going to have to buy them both.

Edit: just ordered the latter on eBay.

in reply toStephen_UK

You can have my Born to Run book... It's got a lot of coffee stains on it, jam, wine, beans, maybe just buy a new one.

Stephen_UK profile image
Stephen_UKGraduate10 in reply to

That’s a very kind offer. Sounds like you’ve been using it as a plate!

in reply toStephen_UK

😂

in reply toStephen_UK

Lovely book by murakami

Franglaise profile image
FranglaiseGraduate10 in reply toDebston

I really enjoyed running like a girl...going to look at born to run now on these recommendations....thanks vrbs.

Sadie-runs profile image
Sadie-runsGraduate10 in reply toDebston

I loved it too. He is such a beautiful writer and this one was so quietly reflective. 😍

TailChaser profile image
TailChaserGraduate10

I’m currently about a third of the way through Born to Run. It has inspired me to put Chia seeds on my shopping list and make Iskiate for my next long run 😁 I’ve also investigated the undulating canyons of the Sierra del Madre and the mountains of Colorado on Google Earth. I’ve also read the Wikipedia bios of most of the runners so far and I want to be Ann Trason! If I wasn’t on holiday I’d still be reading it in a year’s time as it keeps distracting me to investigate other things.

This book is the main reason why I haven’t written a Parkrun report today yet!!

So yes, I recommend it but don’t expect to do much else whilst your reading it!

JaoJao profile image
JaoJaoGraduate10

Great post Stephen UK, I’ve heard of a couple from that list but I’ve brought a couple books not on that list.

Running: Cheaper than Therapy

Parkrun: not just a run in the park

Paula Radcliffe - how to run

Stephen_UK profile image
Stephen_UKGraduate10 in reply toJaoJao

Thanks, JaoJao. I never knew there was a Parkrun book. What’s it like?

JaoJao profile image
JaoJaoGraduate10 in reply toStephen_UK

I haven’t started reading it in earnest, i just finished the first book which was hilarious! You can download a sample of the Parkrun book on kindle and get a feel for it. The first couple sections talks about the history of it, which is fine but I am more interested in later sections that are relevant to my Parkrun experience. It’s priced at £10.00. I think some of the proceeds must go to Parkrun so I don’t mind.

Stephen_UK profile image
Stephen_UKGraduate10 in reply toJaoJao

Thanks. I have added it to my list, which is getting quite long.

Sadie-runs profile image
Sadie-runsGraduate10

I loved the Murakami (What I talk About When I Talk About Running)! Other favourites include the two books by Alexander Vassos, and Just a Little Run Around the World by Rosie Swale Pope - an amazing tale! Born to Run was very interesting. 😁👍

JaoJao profile image
JaoJaoGraduate10 in reply toSadie-runs

Do you listen to the Parkrun podcast, Alexander Vassos hosts that xx

Sadie-runs profile image
Sadie-runsGraduate10 in reply toJaoJao

Oh no, not heard of that, but will look it up, thanks! He seems like such a nice guy. 👍

Gwenllian1 profile image
Gwenllian1Graduate10

I also like Running Kind by Christine Stovell. The writer is about sixty now and a regular half marathon runner. It's the story of how she took up running in her thirties when her first marriage broke up and how she continued. Really interesting and quite inspiring.

Rowers profile image
RowersGraduate10

I have got Feet in the Clouds on Kindle following recommendations wlsewherr but not read it yet. I've read Running with the Kenyans though, Scott Jurek's book on running the Appalachian trail (North) and There is no map in hell by Steve Birkinshaw (on running the Wainwrights). My choice has been influenced by my interest in mountain exploits!

Xylem profile image
Xylem

I love Murakami’s what I talk about when I talk about running. I read it years and years ago when it first came out and I was first inspired to run and then for various reasons... didn’t. Re-read it recently and understand it much better now that I do run!

I am currently reading the historian Ian Mortimer’s Why Running Matters and enjoying it so far.

I’d like to read more by women so will be looking up some of the suggestions above, thanks!

I also just read Bryony Gordon’s Eat, Drink , Run. It is much more about mental health and meeting prince harry than about running (although she does do the London marathon at the end) and is very much in her style. If you like her columns/other books then go for it, if not then it might take some getting used to!

misswobble profile image
misswobbleGraduate10

There’s a tiny kindle read for 99p “No Run Intendedl. It’s a women’s book i’d Say but it’s funny 😁. Hannah Phillips

It’s about the author’s very first steps into running 😁

Oldgal68 profile image
Oldgal68

I loved Askwith’s Feet in the Clouds, especially when he talks about running downhill. Some of the really fast fell runners are so good at it that they are described as practically flying! Aaaand if running up or down mountains is your thing then Robert Macfarlane’s Mountains of the Mind is a fascinating account of mountaineering history, with Simon Ingram’s Between the Sunset and the Sea giving a very readable account of sixteen British mountains. Sorrry got carried away from the topic a bit, lol! Case of those who can’t do, read!!

pennyowen2019 profile image
pennyowen2019Graduate10

Jog On: How Running Saved My Life by Bella Mackie was brilliant. Great book about the benefits of running on mental health.

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