Running Books

[Rignold]

Hello, my name is Rignold and I'm a running bookaholic...

well, not entirely confined to running books. I read a lot, and when I get interested in a subject I tend to read everything I can get my hands on on the subject. Not quite obsessively, but almost. And so it has been with running/fitness/fitness nutrition etc. There are, after all, only so many hours in the day you can spend running, so how better to fill the rest of your time than reading about it? If you can't being increasing the volume of your miles, you can at least be perusing volumes about other people's miles.

I think it was Elvis Costello who said that writing about music was like dancing about architecture, and if you had asked me a year ago I would have said the same applied to running only more so. Now of course I know different.

The running books I have read tend to fall into three categories: How to run/ run better/eat for running; Runner biogs and autobiogs (which further split into the 'elite runners' category (Pre, Jurek etc) and the redemptive "how I got from being an obese chain-smoking alcoholic drug addict to running ultramarathons" ones - a category I may add to one day, assuming I prgoress to the ultramarathon bit and do not relapse to the former state); and Running Philosophy.

There are a few more specifically medical type ones about injuries. physiology, but I count them in cat 1. There are a couple of novels (both by John L Parker) but they fall into cat 3.

On the whole , almost all of them have been good. Not many duffers in there. Although a couple of the highly rated running bestsellers on Amazon left me cold, I confess. Some have been excellent, a couple are up there in my all time favourite books full stop. Surprisingly several of the best ones I had to track down secondhand from overseas as they are long out of print.

I was thinking I might start writing some thumbnail reviews of the better ones over the next few weeks (and warnings of the stinkers, although one runner's stinker is another's classic). If anyone else wants to pitch in with recommendations and reviews, please do.

Attached photo of my bedside bookshelves which are now heavily biased towards running and associated literature. Not sure how Rob Lowe's biog has crept in there. Suspect overflow from Mrs R.

[tanyag_163 Graduate]

Ooh. Love love love!!!!! I look forward to your reviews and recommendations

[huffnpuffin Graduate]

1. Not quite obsessively, but almost.

2. Suspect overflow from Mrs R.

1a - no, just OCD

2a - Realy you have a wife???

[huffnpuffin Graduate in reply to huffnpuffin]

* really

No edit/delete post facility

[Ullyrunner Graduate in reply to huffnpuffin]

Once you have submitted a message, you can press the down arrow and it will let you edit or delete!

[huffnpuffin Graduate in reply to Ullyrunner]

god, this running is doing nothing for my eyesight,

[ju-ju- Graduate]

Love you loads babes it, and a great idea about posting reviews...I never know what books I should get about running, and if they are any good...happy reading

[Rignold]

huffnpuffin - I have had a great number of wives, I will have you know. A few of them my own.

[huffnpuffin Graduate in reply to Rignold]

Hehe

[Slookie Graduate]

Great idea and look forward to your reviews.

[Lovefood1984 Graduate]

Any good suggestions from your reads gratefully received! I'm currently enjoying 'the first 20 minutes: the suprising science of how we can exercise better, train smarter and live longer' which is very running centric happy reading!

[Hidden]

OOh you lot on here! First you lead me astray by talking about your watches and running gear, now we're on to books! Yes please Rignold, I'd love to read your reviews!

[Bazza1234 Graduate]

Hmm - well it's one thing to read running books - but another thing entirely to utilise the info in them

Daniels Running Formula has enough in it to take me through to Olympic level

[Rignold in reply to Bazza1234]

actually I don't even read them, just have them on the shelves for show. Buy them by the yard.

[Fentaz42 Graduate]

Think that's a marvellous idea! I look forward to your reviews Rignold

[Zeinab Graduate]

Since i started running , I love reading about it too ! especially about tother runners !

Please share your best recommendations , it will be very helpful

[ViaM Graduate]

I wonder if you have read Murakami's "What I talk about when I talk about running"?

[mrstickle]

or 'Just a little run around the world' by Rosie Swale Pope?