Whether you’re an amateur, a seasoned veteran or just someone interested in tucking into a good read, we’ve compiled our list of the 10 best running books, for your pleasure.
2024 is shaping as the year of the runner. Everyone’s doing it and chances are, whether it be your brother, your cousin, your friend or your colleague, you know someone bitten by the running bug.
Run clubs swarm inner-city roadsides on weekends and clog up Instagram algorithms as everyone and their dog swarm the ASICs and HOKA websites for the appropriate kit. Safe to say, as far as trends go, the rise of running is as healthy and socially positive as they come. Long may it continue.
While there are hundreds of social media accounts, videos and websites dedicated to the art and act of running few capture the dedication required to run, as well as the cocktail of pain and enjoyment it brings quite like these 10 books, which we feel are the best written on the sport.
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10 of the best running books currently available
Running with the Kenyans
Discovering the Secrets of the Fastest People on Earth
by Adharanand Finn
Three of the last four gold medals won for the men’s marathon running at the Olympics have been won by Kenyan runners. Put simply, the East African nation produces some of the best runners on the planet.
In Adharanand Finn’s Running with the Kenyans: Discovering the Secrets of the Fastest People on Earth ventures to Kenya to uncover the secrets of the world’s fastest people, providing practical insights on the sport from some of its finest-ever competitors.
What I Talk About When I Talk About Running
by Haruki Murakami
Haruki Murakami is one of the finest novelists of his generation whose books have sold millions of copies worldwide. He’s also a runner, and a good one at that who runs marathons and triathlons with the ease others run 5 kilometres.
What I Talk About When I Talk About Running is a memoir written by Murakami as he trained for the 2005 New York City Marathon, recounting his relationship with running and reflecting on what the sport means to him.
Finding Ultra
by Rich Roll
There’s running and then there’s running. For most 10 kilometres is the absolute limit of their running abilities. For others, ultra marathons are the true test. Rich Roll falls into the latter category.
Finding Ultra is about Rich Roll’s journey from being in bad shape on his 40th birthday to being voted one of the 25 fittest people on Earth. Described as ‘an enlightened manifesto for anyone wanting to transform their life,’ it’s sure to not disappoint.
Journey to 100
by Nick Muxlow
Written by Nick Muxlow, an Australian-based ultramarathon coach and runner, Journey to 100, is a one-stop guide for anyone looking to compete in their first ultramarathon event, providing unparalleled insight into the training and principles needed to successfully complete a 100 kilometre ultra-marathon.
Showing Up
by Nedd Brockmann
Just about every Australian, and many more around the world, know about the feats of Nedd Brockmann. An electrician who wanted something more from life, in 2022 Brockmann became the fastest Australian to run across the country.
His feats raised $2.5 million for charity Mobilise and shot him to national stardom. His memoir, Showing Up, recaptures his 47-day journey, explores the incredible highs and debilitating lows and reveals the intense mindset Brockmann needed to push through. It’s a must-read.
The Slow AF Run Club
The Ultimate Guide for Anyone Who Wants to Run
by Martinus Evans
Everyone can, even if they don’t feel they fit in. The public perception of runners is that they’re fit, sleek and quick. For most, the reality is the opposite. Martinus Evans’ book, The Slow AF Run Club: The Ultimate Guide for Anyone Who Wants to Run, showcases exactly that reality.
Having run eight marathons and countless other races while weighing 300 pounds, Evans’ book acts as a blueprint for runners who don’t fall into the traditional mould of runners and is designed to empower these people into action.
Born to Run
The Hidden Tribe, the Ultra-Runners, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen
by Christopher McDougall
Born to Run: The Hidden Tribe, the Ultra-Runners, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen centres around a tribe of Mexican Indians called the Tarahumara, who are some of the strongest long-distance runners in the world.
As is the theme with many books on our list, author Christopher McDougall undertakes the mammoth task of learning about and understanding the practices and habits of the Tarahumara, which he learns as part of a group of the world’s top ultra-runners who travelled to the region to learn off them.
We Share the Sun
The Incredible Journey of Kenya’s Legendary Running Coach Patrick Sang and the Fastest Runners on Earth
by Sarah Gearheart
As mentioned earlier, Kenya consistently produces some of the fastest runners. At the heart of their production is coach, Patrick Lang. In We Share the Sun: The Incredible Journey of Kenya’s Legendary Running Coach Patrick Sang and the Fastest Runners on Earth, author Sarah Gearheart explores the gruelling lifestyle of these elite athletes.
26 Marathons
What I Learned About Faith, Identity, Running, and Life from My Marathon Career
by Meb Keflezighi
As much as anything, running is an act of self-discovery, a feat that teaches one more about themself, and their limits, than just about anything they’ll ever do. No one knows this better than Meb Keflezighi, a four-time Olympic marathoner.
Keflezighi’s memoir 26 Marathons: What I Learned About Faith, Identity, Running, and Life from My Marathon Career is a collection of learnings and reflections acquired over his successful long-distance running career.
Runner’s World How to Make Yourself Poop: And 999 Other Tips All Runners Should Know
by Meghan Kita
We wouldn’t have done this list justice if we didn’t include at least one light-hearted book. Running, after all, should be fun!
Runner’s World How to Make Yourself Poop: And 999 Other Tips All Runners Should Know explains exactly that; 1,000 things runners of all levels should know, from as trivial as how to correctly tie their shoes to more psychologically complex, such as dragging themselves from a rut.
