Time to talk about our favorite running books again

I have read all of those except for God on the Starting Line. Here are some that I enjoyed through the years that are rarely mentioned:

Dandelion Growing Wild by Kim Jones

The Purple Runner by Paul Christman

Kings of the Road by Cameron Stracher

The Ghost Runner by Bill Jones

I will have to think of others that I have read.

I got a book years ago called The Runner's Literary Companion that has excerpts from the big running novels, short stories, some poetry (I think). I remember really liking a short story called "An Evening At The Track" about a former runner whose career was ended in an accident and who comes back to his old club for the first time.

At their bests it is hard for me to pick between O,J Simpson and Adrian Peterson.

The Silence of Great Distance is the best and most important book about women's running.

Ye Olde Farte wrote:

1. Self-Made Olympian - Daws

2. Running with the Buffaloes - Lear

3. Duel in the Sun - Brant

4. Best Efforts - Moore

5. Running with the Legends - Sandrock

6. Pre - Jordan

7. God on the Starting Line - Bloom

8. 30 Phone Booths to Boston - Kardong

9. Marty Liquori's Guide for the Elite Runner - Liquori

10. The Competitive Runners Training Book - Dellinger

Another 10 --

1 - The Perfect Mile / Bascomb

2 - Marathon: The Clarence DeMar Story / DeMar

3 - In Quest of Gold / Ryun

4 - Marathoning / Rodgers · Concannon

5 - Olympic Gold / Shorter

6 - Young at Heart: The Story of Johnny Kelley / Lewis

7 - Running Tide / Benoit · Baker

8 - The Essential Sheehan / Sheehan

9 - Bowerman & the Men of Oregon / Moore

10 - Today We Die a Little / Askwith

Wow, I'd forgotten about Purple Runner. I remember my girlfriend in college, years ago, got that book thinking she was simply reading a typical novel about a competitive runner. She was not worldly at the time and the gay sex freaked her out. Good book, though.

TDF wrote:

I have read all of those except for God on the Starting Line. Here are some that I enjoyed through the years that are rarely mentioned:

Dandelion Growing Wild by Kim Jones

The Purple Runner by Paul Christman

Kings of the Road by Cameron Stracher

The Ghost Runner by Bill Jones

I will have to think of others that I have read.

Running plays a big part in Unbreakable. Fantastic read.

This is a wonderful thread idea. Can anybody point me to any 1) sprint training and 2) running physiology-based training books (e.g. Like the book called Lactate Threshold Training)? Thanks a lot!

No Bugles No Drums

Kiwis Can Fly

The Jim Ryun Story

The Milers

Well-known DyeStat 2000-03 message board moderator/mother hen has series of affairs, lots of relationship upheaval combined with likely mental illness, emerges as national class ultra runner, still soaking up much-needed adoration, past eventually catches up with her, major life lessons.

utahgirlchronicles.com

I've read them all and The Running Life by Buraglio and Dove is far and away the best. Knowledgeable runners. Funny.

[ I'm thinking of buying this "Utah Girl Chronicles" that someone keeps promoting on here, but haven't taken the plunge yet. Anyone read it?

Sandrock is old high school running mate and friend of over forty years. We both know how to write. A brief reference to his younger brother is in the book. Our cross-country team still runs in a tight pack. The book is a product of that team. It came about from a series of emails.

Thank you for my semi-annual reminder that I need to read Running with Buffaloes.

I'm gonna have to add

"Gerry Lindgren's Book On Running" by the Shadow of Gerry Lindgren

"Fun read, all runners have shadows yet we take them for granted."

Newsweek

"Bravo Gerry! Magnificent runner who only knows what the Shadow knows!"

Times

"Sixties phenomenal runner, overcomes domestic abuse, yet most always finishes first! We love him!"

People

nothing?

How has nobody mentioned born to run by McDougall? First 40 or so pages can be tough but absolutely amazing. Felt guilty ONY running 90-100 mile weeks after that one.

only*

I just came across part of a short story, An Evening At The Graveyard by Maurey Patrick Roche. (?)

One of my new favorites not yet mentioned "The animal keepers"