There are tons of books on running out there but let’s face it: not all have the inspiring effect we hope for. We’ve done the hard work for you (okay, not THAT hard work – it was enjoyable) and have picked out the very best running books of all time.
They are *sort of* divvied up: first by most inspirational, then motivational, and, finally, those best for training. This criteria is pretty subjective though, and, in the end, all of these books are inspiring, motivating, and insightful in one way or another.
Make sure to bookmark this page and comment below if you have a favorite!
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Best running books for inspiration
Bravey: Chasing Dreams, Befriending Pain, and Other Big Ideas – Alexi Pappas
Confessions of an Unlikely Runner – Dana Ayers
How to Lose a Marathon: A Starter’s Guide to Finishing in 26.2 Chapters – Joel Cohen
Running Like a Girl: Notes on Learning to Run – Alexandra Heminsley
Nowhere Near First: Ultramarathon Adventures From The Back Of The Pack – Cory Reese
What I Talk About When I Talk About Running: A Memoir – Haruki Murakami
An Accidental Athlete: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to Middle Age – John “The Penguin” Bingham
Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen – Christopher McDougall
My Year of Running Dangerously: A Dad, a Daughter, and a Ridiculous Plan – Tom Foreman
Running on Empty: An Ultramarathoner’s Story of Love, Loss, and a Record-Setting Run Across America – Marshall Ulrich
Broken Open: Mountains, Demons, Treadmills And a Search for Nirvana – David Clark
Let Your Mind Run: A Memoir of Thinking My Way to Victory – Deena Kastor
Once a Runner: A Novel – John L. Parker Jr.
Running Ransom Road: Confronting the Past, One Marathon at a Time – Caleb Daniloff
Run the Mile You’re In – Ryan Hall
Running the Edge: Discovering the Secrets to Better Running and a Better Life – Adam Goucher
The Rise of the Ultra Runners – Adharanand Finn
Reborn on the Run: My Journey from Addiction to Ultramarathons – Catra Corbett
Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner – Dean Karnazes
Adventureman: Anyone Can Be a Superhero – Jamie McDonald
Running with Sherman: The Donkey with the Heart of a Hero – Christopher McDougall
Run to the Finish – Amanda Brooks
Running & Being: The Total Experience – George Sheehan
Running Man: A Memoir of Ultra-Endurance – Charlie Engle
Best running books for motivation
Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds – David Goggins
Finding Ultra: Rejecting Middle Age, Becoming One of the World’s Fittest Men, and Discovering Myself (Revised and Updated Edition) – Rich Roll
The Road to Sparta: Reliving the Ancient Battle and Epic Run That Inspired the World’s Greatest Footrace – Dean Karnazes
A Life Without Limits: A World Champion’s Journey – Chrissie Wellington
Depression Hates a Moving Target: How Running With My Dog Brought Me Back From the Brink – Nita Sweeney
My Life on the Run: The Wit, Wisdom, and Insights of a Road Racing Icon – Bart Yasso
The Incomplete Book of Running – Peter Sagal
What Made Maddy Run: The Secret Struggles and Tragic Death of an All-American Teen – Kate Fagan
26 Marathons: What I Learned About Faith, Identity, Running, and Life from My Marathon Career – Meb Keflezighi
The Terrible and Wonderful Reasons Why I Run Long Distances – Matthew Inman
Into The Furnace: How a 135 mile run across Death Valley set my soul on fire – Cory Reese
Run! 26.2 Stories of Blisters and Bliss – Dean Karnazes
North: Finding My Way While Running the Appalachian Trail – Scott Jurek
Eat and Run: My Unlikely Journey to Ultramarathon Greatness – Scott Jurek
Best training & history books
50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathons in 50 Days — and How You Too Can Achieve Super Endurance! – Dean Karnazes
Hansons Marathon Method: Run Your Fastest Marathon the Hansons Way – Luke Humphrey
Run the World: My 3,500-Mile Journey Through Running Cultures Around the Globe – Becky Wade
The Way of the Runner: A Journey into the Fabled World of Japanese Running – Adharanand Finn
Running with the Kenyans: Discovering the Secrets of the Fastest People on Earth – Adharanand Finn
Running Your First Ultra: Customizable Training Plans for Your First 50K to 100-mile Race – Krissy Moehl
Natural Born Heroes: Mastering the Lost Secrets of Strength and Endurance – Christopher McDougall
Running Rewired: Reinvent Your Run for Stability, Strength, and Speed – Jay Dicharry
Training For Ultra: Ultra Running Stories From the Middle of the Pack – Rob Steger
Marathoning for Mortals: A Regular Person’s Guide to the Joy of Running or Walking a Half-Marathon or Marathon – John Bingham
80/20 Running: Run Stronger and Race Faster By Training Slower – Matt Fitzgerald
ChiRunning: A Revolutionary Approach to Effortless, Injury-Free Running – Danny Dreyer
Build Your Running Body A Total-Body Fitness Plan for All Distance Runners, from Milers to Ultramarathoners — Run Farther, Faster, and Injury-Free – Pete Magill; Thomas Schwartz; Melissa Breyer; Dr. Armando Siqueiros
Unbreakable Runner: Unleash the Power of Strength & Conditioning for a Lifetime of Running Strong – T.J. Murphy
Endure: Mind, Body, and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance – Alex Hutchinson
The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner – Alan Sillitoe
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