As per top coaches, running is primarily a mental game. Whether you are a marathon veteran looking to augment your running skills or a newbie, a good book would help you to be successful. For many of us, running is a simple sport. You have to place one foot in front of the other to accomplish objectives.
However, in reality, there exists an array of techniques and strategies which enable you to run successfully. The most popular books about running are things which inspire you. The top books would cultivate a love for running which will stay with you. The books mentioned below offer a collection of motivation and experience to help you stay inspired.
Quick Review for Top 10 Books Which Every Old Runner Needs
1. Let Your Mind Run: A Memoir of Thinking My Way to Victory
This is one of the best books you would ever come across for running. Drafted by Olympian Deena Kastor, this book explores the power of positive thinking. She has narrated her experience, which would inspire every runner to perform better.
From high school racing to training at altitude with Joe Vigil, the author has narrated her experience to motivate runners. If you want a book with actionable advice, don’t look beyond it.
2. Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
This is a perfect book for runners who want to perform without injuries. From the famous Cooper Canyons of Mexico to the sophisticated research labs of Harvard, the author analyses the ability of Tarahumara Indians to run long distances sans injuries.
Christopher McDougall also explores the history of the tribe and their struggles as indigenous people of Mexico. He also assesses the famous Copper Canyon ultra-marathon, which brings runners from across the world. In short, this book is an ideal connection between science and the culture of running.
3. Running with the Buffaloes: A Season Inside With Mark Wetmore, Adam Goucher, And The University Of Colorado Men’s Cross Country Team
This book explores the successful yet controversial coaching of Mark Whetmore. Under his guidance, the cross country team of the University of Colorado became an NCAA powerhouse. The author had the privilege to gain close access to the team and their practice sessions.
He also leverages the routine of the runners, which makes them successful. This book sheds light on the factors behind the success of students as runners.
4. Run Fast. Cook Fast. Eat Slow.: Quick-Fix Recipes for Hangry Athletes: A Cookbook
If you are wondering which food is best for your running activities, then this book is an ideal option. Are you on the lookout to find the best pre-run snack? From homemade energy bars to vegetarian salads, this book would definitely teach you to maintain your diet as a runner. It is a recipe book that would help runners and support their training.
5. Spirit Run: A 6,000-Mile Marathon Through North America’s Stolen Land
Author NOÉ ÁLVAREZ explores his family’s migration history. In this book, he recounts his experiences in a volatile society that threatens and dismisses his existence. It is a perfect book if you are feeling short on confidence and need some boost.
The author explores the emotional and physical factors which drive us to run. What’s more impressive is he elaborates how the act of movement connects us to the future. If you want to know about the struggles of a runner, this book is ideal.
6. Endure: Mind, Body, and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance
It is an excellent book if you are looking forward to building endurance in your running regime. The author Alex Hutchinson elaborates on what the body can endure from the perspective of an athlete.
He analyzes parameters like mental stamina, hydration and oxygen depletion, responsible for runners to win contests. For runners, this is an excellent book as it discusses what it implies to push the human body to the limit.
7. Once a Runner: A Novel
This is a book that has been inspired by the own experiences of the author as an athlete. Runners would be able to know the story of Quenton Cassidy, who was a runner caught up in the Vietnam-era revolutions.
The protagonist gets suspended from his school track team, which enables him to win more easily. Note that it is a quintessential novel for runners who want to recognize their own choices and predicaments.
8. The Run Walk Run Method
If you are a regular runner, then being wary of injuries is quite common. This book sheds light on the practical ways to avoid injuries for distance runners. Author Jeff Galloway elaborates on his run-walk-run technique of marathon training.
This marathon running strategy would allow the runners to get in marathon running shape quite quickly. What makes this book special is the inclusion of sample plans on the basis of the objectives of the runners. This book is an excellent guide for runners who want to tackle the challenges of marathons responsibly.
9. Good to Go: What the Athlete in All of Us Can Learn from the Strange Science of Recovery
As a runner, if you are curious about the latest trends in recovery science, this book is suitable for you. The author sheds light on the positive benefits of cryotherapy in tackling the challenges of runners.
This book also elaborates on how the body can recover to maximize performance. This is a good book for runners who are looking forward to optimizing and streamline their performance insignificant events. You would be able to know how the body heals after an injury and what we can do to boost the healing process.
10. Can’t Nothing Bring Me Down: Chasing Myself in the Race against Time
Undoubtedly, it is one of the most inspiring books you would ever come across as a runner. Authored by Ida Keeling, the famous runner who has recreated history and smashed world records, this book motivates runners never to give up. The book also recounts her bravery in tackling the Great Depression.
She commenced running at the age of sixty-seven after the murder of her sons. This book shows how she used running as an outlet of her anger to win medals in major world championships. Nowadays, it is common for runners to feel depressed after unsuccessful events. With this book, runners would be able to rebuild in times of tragedy.
It is always nice to kick back and stay inspired and motivated as a runner. The books mentioned above would help you to learn new things in the world of sprinting and running. You would come across subtle experiences which would shape your performance levels properly. Add some of these books to your reading list and stay inspired!
Also what you need is Best Running Shoes for Older Runners
Join the conversation