Running Sports

Soon the world would know him as “the ghost runner", John Tarrant, the extraordinary man whom nobody could stop. As a hapless teenage boxer in the 1950s, he’d been paid £17 expenses. When he wanted to run, he was banned for life. His amateur status had been compromised...forever. Now he was fighting back, gate-crashing races all over Britain. No number on his shirt. No friends in high places. Soon he would be a record-breaker, one of the greatest long-distance runners the world had ever seen.

Michael Pollan's How to Change Your Mind meets Christopher McDougall's Born to Run in this immersive, investigative look at the hidden culture of cannabis use among elite athletes (as well as weekend warriors)--and the surprising emerging science behind the elusive, exhilarating "runner's high"...

The Runner’s Code explores the unwritten rules of everyday running and is essential reading for anyone who marvels at marathons, tears round the track or simply plods round the park. Filled with smart advice and brilliantly knowing humour, this unique celebration of running takes the newbie and veteran alike through the secret, nuanced and blindingly obvious rules of running to answer all the important questions.

While plenty of compelling running books exist globally, never before has one book taken such a holistic approach to such a focused aspect of the sport: motivation and affirmation, vital components for runners. The book offers inspirational tips from runners of all levels, whether you are lacing up your running shoes for a daily jog or trying to break through The Wall on your way to the finish line at a marathon.

First broadcast in 1948, Sports Report is the longest-running radio sporting programme in the world and one of the BBC’s hardy perennials. Pat Murphy has been a reporter on the programme since 1981 and here he sifts comprehensively through the experiences of his contemporaries and those who made their mark on Sports Report in earlier decades. Drawing on unique access from the BBC Archives Unit, he highlights memorable moments from Sports Report.

Part Bridget Jones, part Forrest Gump, Dana Ayers chronicles her awkward mishaps and adventures in transitioning from childhood bookworm to accidental accomplished athlete. Over the last 10 years, Ayers has completed a vast array of races. She runs them all while admittedly not getting much faster, much thinner, or much more disciplined — though she has managed to be on national television, split open her pants, and get electrocuted.

Despite what you may have been told, the primary cause behind running-related injuries is not from heel striking, poor flexibility, over-pronation, or any other biomechanical variations. Instead, training errors are the primary cause. If you can invest your time to learn about healthy training habits and develop key injury insights, you’ll give yourself a massive training advantage. Learn how to run smarter with science and with expert opinions, because failing to learn these principles can hinder your full running potential.

Running or jogging, even for a minimum of twice a week, can be a big help in reducing your weight. Aside from helping you reduce weight, it has many other benefits that can help your mental and psychological health. The physical effort will improve your blood circulation, strengthen your heart and shape your muscles. Aside from getting fit and healthy, you will learn new skills and will have the chance to inspire other people. This guide will teach useful tricks and tips on how you can gain speed while running and become a better runner overall.

When Robert Earl Stewart sees his pants lying across the end of his bed, they remind him of a flag draped over a coffin - his coffin. At 38 years old, he weighs 368 pounds and is slowly eating himself to death. The only thing that helps him deal with the fear and shame is eating. But one day, following a terrifying doctor’s appointment, he goes for a walk - an act that sets The Running-Shaped Hole in motion.

Featured in the best-selling book Born to Run, coach and performance guru Eric Orton has spent a lifetime learning and thinking about running and about the limitless possibilities of the human body and mind. In The Cool Impossible, Orton shares his wealth of knowledge in an inspiring step-by-step guide that will open up a new world of achievement for runners of all levels of ability and experience. The truth is: Athleticism is awareness. That simple phrase is at the core of The Cool Impossible.

Would you like to know how to complete a marathon? To many people, having the desire to run a marathon is a mystery. But to others, it's one of the most natural activities in world. Running is one of the easiest sports to fit into a busy lifestyle. It doesn't cost you anything; you can do it anywhere and at any time. Most people will take up running to get fit or to lose weight initially. Once you get into it, and you've benefited from losing weight and getting fitter, you start to crave the desire of another challenge.

With his historic win at the 2014 Boston Marathon, Meb Keflezighi cemented his legacy as one of the great champions of long-distance running. Runners everywhere wanted to know how someone two weeks away from his 39th birthday, who had only the 15th best time going into the race, could defeat the best field in Boston Marathon history and become the first American man to win the race in 31 years. Meb for Mortals describes in unprecedented detail how four-time Olympian Keflezighi prepares to take on the best runners in the world.

When runners aren't running, they are talking about running, planning their next run, shopping for running. This book contains stories from runners, telling their stories to other runners about. running — how it has changed their lives, their bodies, and their spirits. Runners will love these inspirational stories of fellow runners challenging themselves, recovering from injuries, and staying motivated.

In 1967, a 13-year-old girl named Maureen Wilton set the women's world marathon record, running 26.2 miles in 3:15:23. Nicknamed “Little Mo” by her track teammates, Wilton was already a headline-making athlete. But her accomplishment was greeted with controversy and misogynistic accusations of cheating. Wilton receded into the background, left the sport, and kept her achievement secret. This is the story of what happened and how Maureen found her way back to the sport decades later as the mother of a young runner herself.

Why are so many people drawn to running? Why is running the most common physical activity? What is it about running that empowers so many people? And how can runners harness that power to create a more meaningful life? The Inner Runner addresses these questions and a whole lot more. This book is not about how to get faster or run a marathon; rather, it explores how the simple act of putting one foot in front of the other helps you harness your creative powers.

Anybody can learn to run, with the right approach. With the author as your guide, learn about getting started. Discover how to warm up and cool down, avoid injuries and deal with niggles as they strike. Find out how to breathe, avoid getting a stitch, perfect your running technique and identify the right time to speed up. This complete programme covers everything you need to build your running confidence and stay motivated.

If you want to run your first ultra marathon, but are afraid of being unprepared for such an incredible adventure, then you need the secrets to success this book holds. Ultra marathons require a healthy body, a strengthened mind, and a solid resolve to see everything through from start to finish. However, you are not going to do anything you have not already done. You just need to use your previous experiences and the new techniques you will learn from this book to help you carve the best path forward.

Vassos Alexander shares his insight from interviews with legends of the sport and his own gruelling but rewarding experiences of extraordinary endurance racing - including the legendary 152 mile Spartathlon, widely regarded as the world's most relentless race. Vassos dissects and explores the tenacity that propels many to keep on running and running and running....

With an exuberant mix of passion, insight, instruction, and humor, best-selling author - and lifelong runner - Martin Dugard takes a journey through the world of running to illustrate how the sport helps us fulfill that universal desire to be the best possible version of ourselves each and every time we lace up our shoes. To Be a Runner represents a new way to write about running by bridging the chasm between the two categories of running books: how-to and personal narrative.

Running offers much more than road racing! After a decade of writing about running, sports columnist Susan Lacke found herself in a serious running rut. The runners around her seemed to be thriving, setting goals, and having fun, but her own interest in running was lackluster. Seeking to reengage with the sport she once loved, Lacke spent a year exploring running in its many shapes and forms, taking on running challenges that scared her, pushed her, and downright embarrassed her.