Running is as much a mental sport as a physical one and the right book can carry you through the hard miles. These seven running books span the spectrum, from the modern classic that launched a barefoot movement to a novelist's quiet meditation on the road, to the ultra-athletes who redefined what is possible. Perfect for January resolutions or fall marathon season.
Quick picks:
- Best overall: Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. View on Amazon
- Most literary: What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami. View on Amazon
- Best novel: Once a Runner by John L. Parker Jr.. View on Amazon
The classics
Born to Run by Christopher McDougall
Christopher McDougall is a journalist and runner. The modern classic that launched the barefoot-running craze, chasing the secrets of the Tarahumara. Wildly entertaining. Journalist-authored.
Best for: The running phenomenon.
→ View on AmazonWhat I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami
Haruki Murakami is a world-renowned novelist. Haruki Murakami's meditative memoir on running and writing. A quiet, lovely book for thoughtful runners. Literary memoir.
Best for: A runner's meditation.
→ View on AmazonOnce a Runner by John L. Parker Jr.
John L. Parker Jr. is a former competitive miler. The cult novel that captures the obsession of competitive running like nothing else. Fiction and beloved by runners everywhere.
Best for: The runner's novel.
→ View on AmazonUltra and inspiration
The Rise of the Ultra Runners by Adharanand Finn
Adharanand Finn is a journalist and runner. An immersive look inside the booming world of ultramarathons and the people who run them. Compelling reportage.
Best for: Inside ultrarunning.
→ View on AmazonEat and Run by Scott Jurek
Scott Jurek is a champion ultramarathoner. Scott Jurek's memoir of ultra-distance greatness and the plant-based diet that fueled it. Inspiring and practical.
Best for: An ultra champion's story.
→ View on AmazonFinding Ultra by Rich Roll
Rich Roll is an endurance athlete and podcaster. Rich Roll's memoir of transforming from unfit and forty to an elite endurance athlete. A midlife inspiration.
Best for: A midlife transformation.
→ View on Amazon26 Marathons by Meb Keflezighi
Meb Keflezighi is an Olympic marathon champion. Meb Keflezighi shares a lesson from each of his 26 marathons. Wise, warm and motivating for any runner.
Best for: Wisdom from a champion.
→ View on AmazonHow we chose these
We looked for the sports books that last: player memoirs with something real to say, credentialed sports scientists and psychologists and the acclaimed journalists and historians who turn a game into a story. A few iconic novels earn a place too and we label them as fiction. We describe and compare these books to help you choose your next read.
