These are some of the books I've read that spoke to my inner runnerd. They gave great advice and/or explained concepts about running that I was curious about.
What? Yes, there are a lot of books on this list my Matt Fitzgerald. I'm a goupie. ;)
Run: The Mind-Body Method of Running By Feel by Matt Fitzgerald
This is my favorite of all the books about running I've read. It has a lot of ideas on how to make training more enjoyable, how to gain confidence as a runner, how to race better, and how to learn to listen to your body and your instincts about running. I've tried to incorporate this into my training and running and I think it's helped.
Relentless Forward Progress: A Guide to Running Ultramarathons by Byron Powell
I am running my first ultra in December. This book gave me great advice on building up my mileage, nutrition during the race, running trails, toughing it out, and how to treat injuries/issues that happen when you go long. It also had great training plans for everything from a 50K to 100 miler and beyond. It also included contributions from other ultrarunners. After reading this, I can't wait to tackle my 12HR!
Racing Weight Quick Start Guide by Matt Fitzgerald
This book is a practical guide to losing weight while training without losing muscle, power, or speed. I liked it because he uses a simple method to help you get the right foods in the right quantities. But even more importantly, he helps you determine what your "racing weight" is and cautions you against trying to go to lean.
Why We Run: A Natural History by Bernd Heinrich
This was a fun read. I enjoyed Bernd's observations of the animal world and how it applies to us as runners. I also enjoyed the anecdotes he shared about his own runnig. Total geek out on this book.
The Runner's Field Manual by Mark Remy
This is a fun "manual" for everything from how to race to what to wear to how to deal with a celebrity if you should meet them while running. It was a lot of fun and made me laugh out loud.
The Runner's Body by Ross Tucker, PhD & Jonathan Dugas, PhD with Matt Fitzgerald
This book covers the five systems we use as runners: musculoskeletal, cardiorespiratory, metabolic, central nervous, and immune systems. It gives you information on how running affects your body and what you can do to make it stronger, healthier, and more endurable. I pick this up whenever I have a question about something I've got going on.
Run Faster From the 5K to the Marathon: How To Be Your Own Best Coach by Brad Hudson & Matt Fitzgerald
This one was probably more advanced than I needed but I have hopes of being fast someday! It's loaded with workouts and advice on how to get the most out of your training and racing. I found the Masters section interesting and I was also really curious to see what the workouts looked like as far as speed, tempos, and tapering.
