Running Sports

The true story of a high school cross country team that went from obscurity to becoming the fastest squad the country, and perhaps the world, has ever seen, called “inspiring and entertaining” (Jerry Schumacher) and “a deliciously rich tale” (Neal Bascomb). When Sean Brosnan arrived at...

The ultimate endurance athlete, Marshall Ulrich has run more than 100 foot races averaging over 100 miles each, completed 12 expedition-length adventure races, and ascended the seven summits - including Mount Everest. Yet, his run from California to New York - the equivalent of running two marathons and a 10k every day for nearly two months straight - proved to be his most challenging effort yet. In Running on Empty, he shares the gritty backstory of his run and the excruciating punishments he endured on the road.

In 490 BCE Pheidippides ran for 36 hours straight from Athens to Sparta to seek help in defending Athens from a Persian invasion in the Battle of Marathon. In doing so he saved the development of Western civilization and inspired the birth of the marathon as we know it. Even now, some 2,500 years later, that run stands enduringly as one of greatest physical accomplishments in the history of mankind.

It’s true that strength declines with age, and your abilities are changing with each passing year. That doesn’t have to mean you give up and let your body rot away. Your muscles can still be exercised and strengthened, and your balance and coordination can improve greatly. You just need to find different exercises that work for you -ones designed specifically for people your age.

Hansons Marathon Method tosses out mega-long runs and high-mileage weekends—two old-fashioned running traditions that often injure and discourage runners. Runners using the Hansons method will gradually build up to the moderate-high mileage required for marathon success, spreading those miles more sensibly throughout the week. Running easy days mixed with precisely paced speed, strength, and tempo workouts, runners will steel their bodies and minds to run the hardest final miles of the marathon—and finish strong.

Hardest Geezer, Russ Cook, is the first person to ever run the entire length of Africa. From his starting point in Cape Agulhas, South Africa, through sandstorms in the Sahara Desert, rainforests, mountain ranges and long empty roads stretched out for miles in front of him, Russ ran the equivalent of 386 marathons before finally crossing the finish line in Tunisia 50 weeks later.

Every runner knows pacing is critical. It can be the difference between a PR and a DNF. In On Pace, acclaimed running coach and author Matt Fitzgerald reveals how conventional training and device overdependence keep runners from accessing the full power of pacing. With a mix of fascinating science and compelling stories from every corner of the sport, Fitzgerald shows that pacing is the art of finding your limit—running at a pace to finish the workout or cross the finish line completely out of gas.

Ultra-OCR Man tells the story of an unlikely athlete, Evan Perperis, who grew up to serve in the United States Army’s Special Forces. He uses his 44 cumulative months of combat experience, mostly Iraq, to excel in the extreme sport of Ultra-distance Obstacle Course Racing (OCR). Through his journey he honors the memory of his fallen friends and soldiers as well as defying the limits of what some believe is possible in the sport.

Anna McNuff had never run a mile without shoes on before. And yet, one British summer, she set off to run a (very) wiggly route from the Shetland Islands to London–on a mission to cover the distance of 100 marathons…in bare feet.

"Was running a marathon with my wife a smart idea? Certainly not. We had two kids under the age of three and demanding jobs in tech. However, being smart was not my main concern. In our 4-year marriage, she'd been a rock. She nursed me through leukemia. She picked me up from rehab and drove me to AA. Now, she wanted to run the Disney Marathon. So be it. I signed up like two sports bras, extra supportive!"

Toby Brandt would rather be hitting jump shots than doing chores on his Grandpa’s farm. But he’s about to learn a new appreciation for the great outdoors. His cousin Chloe and her friends soon convince Toby to join them on their nature runs. Before long, he learns to enjoy running with them through the woods and navigating their homemade obstacle course. However, when they tell Toby about the upcoming Wild Run, he doesn’t want to risk getting hurt and letting down his friends.

Eighth-grader Nimo Mohamed has made the varsity cross-country team and she's determined to keep up with the older girls. So she's training harder than ever, maybe too hard. Soon the runner's grades are tumbling, her times are slipping, and her body is completely exhausted. Can Nimo learn to pace herself and stop this running overload?

When “Renaissance runner” (New York Times) Alexi Pappas - Olympic athlete, actress, filmmaker, and writer - was four years old, her mother died by suicide, drastically altering the course of Pappas’s life and setting her on a search for female role models. When her father signed his bereaved daughter up for sports teams as a way to keep her busy, female athletes became the first women Pappas looked up to, and her Olympic dream was born. At the same time, Pappas had big creative dreams, too: She wanted to make movies, write, and act.

The benefits of mindfulness for general well-being have been discussed extensively, but little has been written about how mindfulness can be applied to running. In this book, leading health and fitness journalist Mackenzie L. Havey explores how combining mindfulness with running can not only improve sporting performance but can also enhance overall health.

Pacing can be the difference between a breakthrough workout and a backbreaker, a PR and a DNF. In How to Run the Perfect Race, acclaimed running coach and author Matt Fitzgerald reveals how conventional training and device overdependence will keep you from accessing the full power of pacing. With a mix of fascinating science and compelling stories spanning the sport, Fitzgerald shows that pacing is the art of finding your real limit—running out of gas just as you complete the workout or cross the finish line.

Millions of us run every day, whether it’s to catch a bus, a relaxing fun run around a park, or a longer distance like a 10k or marathon. Only a small few take on ultramarathon running - distances that usually start at around 50 km and can be very much longer. Whether you are someone who is thinking about taking up this sport, or you are already doing it and want to add an alternative and less stressful tactic to your training regime, then this is the book you should be listening to now.

Welcome to the Barkley Marathons, a fever dream of an ultra event, inspired by a prison break, heralded by a conch blast, paid for in cigarettes and socks, and completed only by a select few. A race in which competitors haul themselves up mountains, through extreme weather conditions, beyond pain and exhaustion, mile after mile. Completed 60 miles? That’s just the fun run. In the Spell of the Barkley is a story of sporting obsession, exploring what drives individuals to challenge themselves at the limits of what is possible – and what it takes to succeed.

Anna was never anything like those "real" runners on telly, but when she read about New Zealand’s 3,000-kilometer-long Te Araroa Trail, she began to wonder...perhaps being a "real" runner was overrated. Maybe she could just run it anyway? The Pants of Perspective is a witty, colorful, and at times painfully raw account of a journey to the edge of what a woman believes herself to be capable of. It is a coming-of-age story that will lead you on a roller-coaster ride through fear, vulnerability, courage, and failure.

Today, women make up more than half of the nation’s runners. And, as more and more women have hit the roads and trails and laced up for 5-Ks and marathons, the research showing the effects of running on the female body has grown significantly, too. The truth is that even though the gap between men's and women's world best times is shrinking, the latest scientific evidence shows that running is a dramatically different experience for women than men - physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Trail Running for Beginners: Essential Tips for New Trail Runners is the ultimate guide for those looking to step off the pavement and into the invigorating world of outdoor fitness. Whether you're a first-time runner or someone seeking to explore new terrains, this book offers beginner runner tips and expert advice to help you make trail running a rewarding part of your life. Imagine the freedom of winding trails, the scent of pine trees, and the challenge of mastering uneven terrain.