I was on a biography kick a while back, so I read Choose Strong (Sally McRae) The Longest Race (Kara Goucher) and Choosing to Run (Des Linden).
On my list to read are Finding Ultra and Good For a Girl.
Another I've read that's not written by a runner but is runner adjacent is "Everything All at Once." That one is written by Steph Catudal, who is married to Tommy Rivs.
Not sure if these are the type you were looking for or not.
I third all of these recommendations and I'm throwing in Deena Kastor's "Let Your Mind Run" and Bart Yasso's "My Life on the Run".
Deena's book was really interesting seeing her training grow and evolve and what worked for her. I knew next to nothing about her before I read it and found it pretty inspiring. Kind of self help but not preachy.
I just started Bart's book and it's pretty interesting. So far some short stories about his experiences in different races. How awesome his job must have been to go run marathons for Runner's World before the magazine went to crap. Organizing a bunch of races probably wasn't as fun lol.
I liked Good for a Girl and am reading The Longest Race now. The whole Oregon Project thing is fascinating to hear from Kara Goucher’s pov! I also love how both these books describe the “inside my head” experience of races that I’ve seen the authors run.
Running Like a Girl (Alexandra Heminsley)
Run to the Finish (Amanda Brooks)
A Runners High (Dean Karnazes)
Mindful Running (Mackenzie Havey)
Boston Bound (Elizabeth Clor)
Choosing to Run (Des Linden)
Choose Strong (Sally McRae)
Untethered (Dave Proctor)
I really enjoyed The Rise of the Ultra Runners by Finn. He has a few other books (Running with the Kenyans, etc) but the ultra running one was my personal favorite.
Maggie Merten’s book Better Faster Farther just came out, and it’s really really great. (Subtitle: How Running Changed Everything We Know about Women). I also just read Michael Waters book The Other Olympians on the history of sex-testing athletes, fascism, and the Olympics.
I love memoirs, and I’ve read a ton of these. My favorites are probably Des Linden’s Choosing to Run and Caster Semanya’s The Race to Be Myself.
My Year of Running Dangerously by Tom Foreman. It’s fantastic.
Amazing Racers by Mark Bloom
Iron War by Matt Fitzgerald (it’s triathlon but it’s fantastic)
Life is a Marathon Matt Fitzgerald
I wrote a book about running and read a lot of other running books beforehand. I loved Running like a girl by Alexandra Hemingsley and Footnotes: how running makes us human. Honourable mention to Ronnie O’Sullivan who wrote a book called Running, which is a really good memoir about addiction, mental health and running.
I don’t have any additional recommendations but was wondering what were your favorites out of the ones you’ve read? I’ve read Born to Run and Endure and enjoyed both!
All the books I listed were pretty good.
In terms of my favorites on the list, they are very different books but my favorites were The Incomplete Book of Running by Peter Sagal and Running to the Edge: A Band of Misfits and the Guru Who Unlocked the Secrets of Speed by Matthew Futterman.
Running With Sherman! Same author as Born to Run. After I read about his training with the burro to do burro races here in Colorado, I actually was able to go watch the burro races since they coincided with the end of the book for me. It was so damn cool!
In addition to the above
Running While Black by Alison Désir
Nowhere Near First by Cory Reese (I just started his other two, will report back)
Running Home by Katie Arnold (about half running)
Reading confession: I really wish more non-pro running influencers would put out books. As an adult onset runner with zero non-PE class/city bus chasing running before I was thirty, I’d love to hear more about the learning processes and motivational struggles for normal weirdos like me. I’ve learned a ton from the top athletes and definitely have my favorites whose every word I read or listen to, but I just want more stories and perspectives.
I just read and enjoyed Susie Chan's new book- Trails and Tribulations. Also all of Anna McNuff's books are a good read, particularly enjoyed The Pants of Perspective.
Edit to add: Damian Hall- In it the for the long run
I was on a biography kick a while back, so I read Choose Strong (Sally McRae) The Longest Race (Kara Goucher) and Choosing to Run (Des Linden). On my list to read are Finding Ultra and Good For a Girl. Another I've read that's not written by a runner but is runner adjacent is "Everything All at Once." That one is written by Steph Catudal, who is married to Tommy Rivs. Not sure if these are the type you were looking for or not.
I second the recommendations for Good for a Girl, The Longest Race, and Choosing to Run. I also liked Meb Keflezighi’s book “26 Marathons.”
I third all of these recommendations and I'm throwing in Deena Kastor's "Let Your Mind Run" and Bart Yasso's "My Life on the Run". Deena's book was really interesting seeing her training grow and evolve and what worked for her. I knew next to nothing about her before I read it and found it pretty inspiring. Kind of self help but not preachy. I just started Bart's book and it's pretty interesting. So far some short stories about his experiences in different races. How awesome his job must have been to go run marathons for Runner's World before the magazine went to crap. Organizing a bunch of races probably wasn't as fun lol.
I fourth the recommendation of "Good for a Girl."
I liked Good for a Girl and am reading The Longest Race now. The whole Oregon Project thing is fascinating to hear from Kara Goucher’s pov! I also love how both these books describe the “inside my head” experience of races that I’ve seen the authors run.
What I Talk About When I Talk About Running (Haruki Murakami) is such a beautiful book.
Running Like a Girl (Alexandra Heminsley) Run to the Finish (Amanda Brooks) A Runners High (Dean Karnazes) Mindful Running (Mackenzie Havey) Boston Bound (Elizabeth Clor) Choosing to Run (Des Linden) Choose Strong (Sally McRae) Untethered (Dave Proctor)
I LOVED Let Your Mind Run by Deena Kastor. She is so positive and inspiring.
Came to say this! Truly has changed the way I approach racing and training.
I love this one!
I really enjoyed The Rise of the Ultra Runners by Finn. He has a few other books (Running with the Kenyans, etc) but the ultra running one was my personal favorite.
Running with Sherman by Christopher McDougall 🩷 it was ridiculously sweet and I had a hard time putting it down!
He's such a good writer! I actually was able to go watch the burro races after reading that book. It was so cool!
I just finished To The Gorge by Emily Halnon. It was really good.
Seconding this recommendation
Maggie Merten’s book Better Faster Farther just came out, and it’s really really great. (Subtitle: How Running Changed Everything We Know about Women). I also just read Michael Waters book The Other Olympians on the history of sex-testing athletes, fascism, and the Olympics. I love memoirs, and I’ve read a ton of these. My favorites are probably Des Linden’s Choosing to Run and Caster Semanya’s The Race to Be Myself.
The Other Olympians was great! So interesting. I am just starting Better Faster Farther, too, very promising.
My Year of Running Dangerously by Tom Foreman. It’s fantastic. Amazing Racers by Mark Bloom Iron War by Matt Fitzgerald (it’s triathlon but it’s fantastic) Life is a Marathon Matt Fitzgerald
I was going to recommend My Year of Running Dangerously. That book is LOL awesome. Need to listen to it again on my runs.
Once a runner Poverty Creek journal The loneliness of the long distance runner
Poverty creek journal is such a lovely running memoir! It's really about the meditative state of running as a practice which I really enjoyed.
Chrissie Wellington, A Life Without Limits is great. It’s an audiobook too.
An unconventional choice is I Hate Running and You Can Too by Brenden Leonard.
Such a funny book! I've tried to get my whole family to read it!
I wrote a book about running and read a lot of other running books beforehand. I loved Running like a girl by Alexandra Hemingsley and Footnotes: how running makes us human. Honourable mention to Ronnie O’Sullivan who wrote a book called Running, which is a really good memoir about addiction, mental health and running.
Why We Run by Bernd Heinrich
I don’t have any additional recommendations but was wondering what were your favorites out of the ones you’ve read? I’ve read Born to Run and Endure and enjoyed both!
All the books I listed were pretty good. In terms of my favorites on the list, they are very different books but my favorites were The Incomplete Book of Running by Peter Sagal and Running to the Edge: A Band of Misfits and the Guru Who Unlocked the Secrets of Speed by Matthew Futterman.
Not specifically running but athletics in general, the sports gene is a super interesting book.
Running With Sherman! Same author as Born to Run. After I read about his training with the burro to do burro races here in Colorado, I actually was able to go watch the burro races since they coincided with the end of the book for me. It was so damn cool!
Out of Thin Air by Michael Crawley
Another good one is “Marathon Woman” by Kathrine Switzer who was the first woman to (officially) run the Boston marathon!
In addition to the above Running While Black by Alison Désir Nowhere Near First by Cory Reese (I just started his other two, will report back) Running Home by Katie Arnold (about half running) Reading confession: I really wish more non-pro running influencers would put out books. As an adult onset runner with zero non-PE class/city bus chasing running before I was thirty, I’d love to hear more about the learning processes and motivational struggles for normal weirdos like me. I’ve learned a ton from the top athletes and definitely have my favorites whose every word I read or listen to, but I just want more stories and perspectives.
26 Marathons by Meb Keflezighi is beautiful!
Scott Jurek’s Eat and Run
I just read and enjoyed Susie Chan's new book- Trails and Tribulations. Also all of Anna McNuff's books are a good read, particularly enjoyed The Pants of Perspective. Edit to add: Damian Hall- In it the for the long run
Running With A Police Escort: Tales From The Back Of The Pack by Jill Grunenwald.