Running. We all have to start somewhere. If the thought of running is enough to make you break out into a cold sweat, then think of a running book as the warm-up before a marathon. It’s all about priming your brain for the pursuit and getting your mind prepared for what may come, one day soon.
Whether you’re a seasoned Ultra runner or you’re trying to step up from Couch to 5k and need a little motivation, reading about authors who have gone from zero fitness to world-class marathon runners is enough to make you want to lace up your running trainers, pronto.
From the mechanics of running, tales from the road and even how running helped the mental health of some of the authors, this selection of running books is designed to inspire and motivate. Knowledge is power, and after reading this booklist, you’ll never run alone.
Here’s our pick of the best running books
Higher Expectations: Intimate Stories and Advice from Britain’s Best Loved Athlete, Mo Farah
After watching BBC One’s The Real Mo Farah last year, many of us were left yearning to know even more about how the world-class athlete has achieved such great success.
In analysing his path to greatness, Farah offers insight into how he has been able to develop the mindset of a champion over the years, despite the many emotional and distressing obstacles that he has faced.
Buy now £17.60, Amazon
Born to Run: The Hidden Tribe, the ultra-runners, and the Greatest Race the World has ever seen by Christopher McDougall
A New York Times bestseller McDougall’s book is about running, life and spiritual discovery - while also a highly recommended book by most avid racers.
In the book journalist McDougall observes the Tarahumara tribe and explores why and how they run long distances (100 miles) at such incredible speeds. While the author also looks at why we love to run and how modern day training shoes are built for injury.
The book, which is currently being made into a film with Matthew McConaughey, also features interviews with some of the most talented professional racers from around the world. If it’s not enough to have you reaching for your trainers, we don’t know what is.
If, like us, you’ve already devoured this book - McDougall has written a sequel. Born to Run 2: The Ultimate Training Guide is packed full of expert advice and stories from the professionals.
Buy now £9.74, Amazon
Science of Running by Chris Napier
If you’re a keen runner and want to know the science behind the technique and how to prevent injury, this book looks at the body in detail when we put one foot in front of the other.
Chris Napier, a sports physiotherapist, takes you through the latest scientific research, along with the best techniques for running faster and longer.
Whether you’re a newbie to the sport or you’ve been racing for years you’ll benefit from his exercises and training programmes, plus tips on nutrition and hydration.
Buy now £13.23, Amazon
Running for Our Lives: Stories of everyday runners overcoming extraordinary adversity By Rachel Ann Cullen
Running For My Life was this author’s first book, a tale of how taking up the sport transformed her life as she battled through depression, bipolar disorder and body dysmorphia. Now she’s back with a second book exploring how running has changed other people’s lives.
The anthology won’t fail to pull at your heart-strings (there are stories from runners who have dealt with grief and cancer) - but ultimately you’ll discover how running can be a force for good, not solely a way to increase your fitness.
Buy now £6.99, Amazon
Eat, Drink, Run by Bryony Gordon
Journalist Bryony Gordon never thought of herself as a runner, but then she signed up to run the London marathon in 2017 for mental health charity Heads Together.
This lovely memoir is a very honest and funny account of training for one of the world’s biggest sporting events and her fitness and mental health journey as she learns that her limitations are all in her head.
Written in her signature no-holds-barred style, Gordon feels like a friend cheering you on from the sidelines. And what runner doesn’t want that?
Buy now £14.99, Amazon
Jog on: How Running Saved my Life by Bella Mackie
A memoir about how putting one foot in front of the other literally saved journalist Bella’s life after battling crippling anxiety and depression - you’ll be moved and motivated after reading it.
Sharing her own story, along with other inspirational stories and quotes from doctors and psychologists, she pieces together how exercise can sometimes be the ‘best medicine’ for your mind when you’re going through a mentally draining period of your life.
Buy now £4.11, Amazon
Running Free of Injuries: From Pain to Personal Best by Paul Hobrough
If you’re struggling to get past an injury or worried about getting one the physiotherapist author, Paul Hobrough, breaks down the possible running injuries and how to avoid and manage them.
From foot to knee injuries he takes you through warm-up and cool-down exercises for long term success ou on the road, while also looking at the best footwear and different training plans, depending on what type of runner you are.
A practical guide from an expert source, this is an invaluable book to help you get the best from running.
Buy now £14.97, Amazon
Eat and Run: My Unlikely Journey to Ultramarathon Greatness by Scott Jurek
One of the world’s best Ultramarathon runners, Scott Jurek, shares why he started racing and how he became so successful. From his childhood to the multiple endurance runs completed over his 10-year career, the book also covers his training with Tarahumara Indians.
The book also details how one of the main reasons for his sucess - a vegan diet. Jurek reveals some of his favourite vegan recipes and advice on how to eat for endurance running. If you’re hoping to try and emulate his success then this is the book to buy.
Buy now £6.49, Amazon
The Pants of Perspective by Anna McNuff
Athlete Anna McNuff set out in 2015 to run the length of New Zealand, a 2000 mile effort. She started out with no long distance experience and went on to run 32 miles each day for over four months.
The book details her journey, jogging through the country’s different terrains - beaches, forests and mountains - while she opens up about her vulnerabilities, personal growth and determination.
A relatable read for any runner or someone going through a big personal life change.
Buy now £11.41, Amazon
A Few More Laps by David Chalfen
A Few More Laps is David Chalfen’s part-memoir, part-state-of-the-nation muse on more than 45 years spent immersed in the sport - and it is unapologetically about the ‘sport’ - of endurance running.
As a schoolboy, marathoner (2 hours, 32 minutes PB) and most prominently coach, Chalfen has encountered some of the sport’s most recognisable faces and trained national and international athletes aplenty.
His insight into the widening split between social running and competitive athletics post-pandemic is particularly sharp, but he writes proudly of his achievements in coaching the enthusiastic amateur (though less so about one FTSE CEO, who asks after his services in an attempt to win a deludedly unrealistic bet).
There are tales of Chalfen’s time in Kenya, and fascination and frustration with Spanish running culture in equal measure, but, born, raised and lived in London, the capital and its array of running hotspots are at the book’s heart.
It is all delivered with a conversational wit perhaps best summed up by this put down of the “tawdry” content put out by the growing swathes of YouTube coaches.
“[They post] video footage of the runner chomping on a peanut butter bagel and slugging down their product-placed electrolyte drink as they execute their pre-session fuelling strategy,” he writes. “Or ‘eating breakfast’ as some of us old stagers quaintly describe it.”
Buy now £11.00, Waterstones
Verdict
Even if you’re not avid runner you’ll find Born to Run by Christopher McDougall an interesting read - his engaging and often very observant writing will make you feel as though you’re part of the story. While, if you are a runner, his words encourage you to lace up the trainers after every chapter.
