Running Books???

I started running late in life, after losing a considerable amount of weight. Within the last year I ran in 2 5k's and recently a 5 miler. All of my training has been mostly DIY. In the 5 mile race my avg. mile was 8:35. I was hoping someone with expertise could recommend a good training book that would teach techniques for building stamina, running longer distances and trimming time???

2 months ago RoofRaider 7 comments 0 recs |

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I haven't read any training books, per se

From what I’ve gathered, Hal Higdon’s training plans are quite good. But if you’re looking for good general books about running, I can definitely recommend Geoff Williams’ ‘C.C. Pyle’s Amazing Cross-Country Race’ and Matt Long’s ‘The Long Run’. Both are really interesting and enjoyable books, for totally different reasons.

Bart Yasso’s autobiography is also pretty good, and I think it has some training advice in it.

'There's nothing that cleanses your soul like getting the hell kicked out of you.' - Wayne Woodrow Hayes

by Denny Mayo on Jan 5, 2026 6:29 PM PST reply actions

the book i always recommend to folks

is Bob Glover’s Competitive Runner’s Handbook.

it touches on pretty much all the topics you’ll have questions about no matter what your experience level. it’s a little technical at points but never overly so. it’s strength is providing a reliable regular reference. more importantly it gives a starting point for more detailed inquiries.

Remember the Rose Bowl: The Story of the Alabama Crimson Tide & the Grandaddy of Them All

by kleph on Jan 5, 2026 8:52 PM PST reply actions

One book you have to read about running!

It’s called Born To Run and it is the only book I have ever liked :-)

by Josh A on Jan 6, 2025 5:27 PM PST reply actions 1 recs

I love running books almost as much as I love running

Maybe we could have a “Runner’s Book Club” here at Stride Nation. I like books by Dean Karnazes (Ultamarathon Man and 50/50: Secrets I learned from running 50 marathons in 50 days). Born to Run is also good. Currently reading Running on Empty. FOr a fun, quick read, I recommend The Runner’s Field Manual.

by 51dimes on Jan 6, 2025 8:35 PM PST reply actions

Training plans with some physiology explanations

I’m also a relative beginner, but these are the two training books I’ve found most helpful:

Heart Monitor Training for the Compleat Idiot — John L. Parker. Includes training plans for various ability levels/weekly mileages. Does a good job of explaining why to do different kinds of training in terms of what physiological changes are produced when you train in certain ways. The author has a sarcastic sense of humor and a very direct way of writing — he also wrote Once A Runner, one of the classic running novels.

The book highly recommends using a heart rate monitor to gauge your effort accurately so you don’t push too hard on a slow easy day (or slack off too much on a hard day), but I’ve found the concepts transfer well even if you’re just tracking your progress and relative fatigue levels on a “feel” basis from week to week.

Daniels’ Running Formula — Jack Daniels. The physiology adaptation descriptions here are a little more technical and detailed than the Parker book, but the key points can be picked up fairly easily without having to study the entire book in depth. Includes more numerous and specific types of speed workouts.

by Bateson on Jan 6, 2025 9:43 PM PST reply actions

Runnersworld Loop

Go to runnersworld.com and create an account so you can get online at the Runnersworld Loop. It is a community of runners that is an enormous grouping of insight, training, technique, motivation, knowledge, and just real life runners in todays world. It is where I go when i have a running question that my 15 years of running hasn’t answered.

http://www.runnersworld.com/comm/home/0,8091,,00.html

by insanehoosier on Jan 8, 2025 11:50 AM PST reply actions