When I organized a fun trail race to test the waters of trail running a good couple of years ago, only 20 runners turned up. I was happy with the turnout and the runners were happy with the experience. We all had fun on the mountain that day.
Back in the day, trail running had only just become the next big thing in running circles. Since then, trail running has exploded across the globe as runners seek more adventurous routes and a deeper connection with nature.
Trail Running
Trail running combines all the health and fitness benefits of walking and road running with the outdoor adventure of sports such as hiking and mountain biking, not to mention the spiritual renewal from a day spent communing with nature. No wonder it has become one of the world’s most popular fitness activities.
Books
With the growing popularity of trail/ultra running, more books written on all things related to running on or off-road have been published on Amazon offering all essential information pertaining to racing that is needed.
Written by sports coaches/psychologists, professional athletes as well as amateur runners, there’s a book for everyone – whether you’re an elite athlete looking to tackle a multi-day race through the wilderness, or a first-timer seeking to venture onto less tamed pathways.
We curated three lists of trail/ultra running books ranging from those hidden gems to the most popular, including best sellers and finally the hot new releases. No more excuses. We’ve got it all together for you. Find your inspiration. Then, put on your running shoes. It’s time to hit the trails and enjoy the great outdoors.
Hidden Gems
These are the books that deserve to be on the bestseller list based on their brilliant content. This is where you will likely find books that you haven’t seen before, but really ought to read.
The Trail Runner’s Companion: A Step-by-Step Guide to Trail Running and Racing, from 5Ks to Ultras by Sarah Lavender Smith
“Should I go faster? Should I slow down I had no idea how my first trail marathon would unfold, nor did I realize that I was starting to follow a branch of the sport that would become my life’s passion.”
Sarah Lavender Smith
The Trail Runner’s Companion (available on Amazon) is a must for runners looking to hit the trails. Whether you are brand new to trails or preparing to tackle an ultramarathon, Sarah’s book will be a tremendous resource.
Sarah provides practical and time-tested tools for success with trail running. She tells you what it means to be a trail runner. The Trail Runner’s Companion (available on Amazon) is an inspiring, practical, and goal-oriented approach to trail running and racing, an indispensable resource that belongs on every runner’s bookshelf. Read it now!
Trail Running: The Complete Guide by Jeff Galloway
“We are hard-wired to be trail animals. Our mind-body organism responds to challenges. We return to our roots as we run down the trail.”
Jeff Galloway
Trail Running: The Complete Guide (available on Amazon) is an excellent resource for those just entering the wacky world of ultras, as well as for those looking to sharpen their skills, improve times and avoid injuries on the trails.
It is chock-full of practical advice, covering important aspects pertaining trail running – from choosing the best shoes and avoiding injuries to strategy, motivation, mental training, diet and blood sugar maintenance to choosing the best trails. You want to avoid suffering, pain, and failure? Read this book before your first trail race.
Never Wipe Your Ass with a Squirrel: A trail running, ultramarathon, and wilderness survival guide for weird folks by Jason Robillard
“Trail running and ultras are something almost anyone can do if they mix the right ingredients. I managed to find my own right mix of badassery.”
Jason Robillard
Never Wipe Your Ass with a Squirrel (available on Amazon) is a humorous and informative read with many helpful tips for ultra-runners without taking itself too seriously. It covers all the nitty-gritty stuff of ultra running – including practical training tips such as what clothing to wear, avoiding heat stress, etc. If you want to plan it all out, but at the same time don’t want to go insane, this is the book for you.
The Ultimate Guide to Trail Running and Ultramarathons: Expert Advice, and Some Humor, on Training, Competing, Gummy Bears, Snot Rockets, and More (Ultimate Guides) by Jason Robillard
Jason Robillard has been doing ultramarathons for many years. In The Ultimate Guide to Trail Running and Ultramarathons (available on Amazon), he teaches trail-running newbies and experienced marathoners essential survival skills and tips for running long distances in the wilderness.
The book is written with an irreverent sense of humor and touches on topics that many running books don’t get into. It’s everything a budding trail runner needs to get going and survive on trails. Informative read.
The Trail Running Guidebook: For all trail runners who want to Perform Wilder by Hanny Allston
“There is no better place to learn than from failures.”
Hanny Allston
The Trail Running Guidebook (available on Amazon) provides athletes of any ability a safe pathway of preparation to their chosen adventures. Hanny Allston’s coaching methodologies focus on sustainable, long-term health, training and performance successes.
Her unique model – Wave Training – allows athletes greater potential for recovery, self-reflection, and spontaneous playfulness. The Trail Running Guidebook (available on Amazon) is the go-to for any level of runner from beginner to the elite who wants to avoid the pitfalls of striving too far for performance.
80/20 Running: Run Stronger and Race Faster By Training Slower by Matt Fitzgerald
“If you want to run faster, then you need to slow down.”
Matt Fitzgerald
The book 80/20 Running (available on Amazon) teaches you how to go slower. Whether you train to run on or off-road. You still need to slow down.
With a thorough examination of the science and research behind this training method, 80/20 Running (available on Amazon) is a hands-on guide for runners of all levels with training programs for 5K, 10K, half-marathon, and marathon distances.
If you’re a hardcore skeptic of slow training, but struggle to make any progress, the 80/20 Running program will help you to make huge jumps in your running performance.
Running Home: A Memoir by Katie Arnold
“I’m running to forget, and to remember.”
Katie Arnold
When Katie Arnold’s father died, it unleashed a perfect storm of grief and anxiety inside her. Nearly paralyzed by fear and terrified she was dying, too, she turned to the one thing that had always made her feel most alive: running. She ran to heal her grief, and to find strength in her weakness.
She ran to remember and to forget. She ran to live. Running Home (available on Amazon) is a memoir with soul. A must-read for anyone who has been knocked down by life, or feels the pull of something bigger within themselves. Inspirational and life-changing.
Reborn on the Run: My Journey from Addiction to Ultramarathons by Catra Corbett
“This was my first hundred-mile race and it was already clear I had a lot to learn. I’d made several mistakes. And now I was suffering the consequences of my worst mistake.”
Catra Corbett
Reborn on the Run (available on Amazon) is an adventure story that involves a meth addict, an exotic dancer, a Goth hairdresser, and a suicidal jailbird turned into a joyful, iron-tough athlete known as the “Dirt Diva.”
It’s about running in lightning storms and blisters and discovering a community of friends along the way. It’s about loving others and learning to love yourself. It about one woman’s journey back from hell to epic badassery. An inspirational, and transformative read.
Sky Runner: Finding Strength, Happiness, and Balance in Your Running by Emelie Forsberg
“I long for the summit. I’m curious about what is to come.”
Emelie Forsberg
The ultimate outdoor woman, Emelie Forsberg captures the magic of a life spent amongst the mountaintops. In Sky Runner (available on Amazon), she gives an inspiring view of her life as an elite athlete in this memoir/guidebook, beautifully illustrated with photographs by her partner, mountain athlete Kilian Jornet.
Well balanced with a blend of personal stories, inspiring segments, training tips, recipes for healthy eating and exquisite photography. A must-read for sky runners and anyone looking to be awed and inspired.
The Ultimate Guide to Trail Running, 2nd: Everything You Need to Know About Equipment * Finding Trails * Nutrition * Hill Strategy * Racing * Avoiding Injury * Training * Weather * Safety by Adam Chase & Nancy Hobbs
“Pounding the road with little variation in stride or foot strike, just isn’t natural. We’re simply not made for logging big miles on the streets. ”
Adam Chase & Nancy Hobbs
The Ultimate Guide to Trail Running (available on Amazon) provides all the essential information needed, including finding trails and getting started; managing ascents and descents with ease; maneuvering off-road obstacles; strength, stretching, and cross-training exercises; selecting proper shoes, clothing, and accessories; safety on the trail dealing with weather changes, hydration, and encounters with wild animals as well as other trail events.
Great book for beginners who don’t know much about trail running. It covers just about anything a beginner trail runner would want to know.
Relentless Forward Progress: A Guide to Running Ultramarathons by Bryon Powell
“Running an ultra-marathon demonstrates something else, something about us.”
Bryon Powell
Relentless Forward Progress (available on Amazon) provides invaluable advice on running ultramarathons. It prepares runners for going farther than they have ever gone before and, in the process, shows them that they are capable of the “impossible”.
The entire book is split up into short, digestible sections on every conceivable topic related to ultra-running. Some sections have guest writers who are established, ultra runners. Highly recommend to anyone considering doing an ultra.
Training Essentials for Ultrarunning: How to Train Smarter, Race Faster, and Maximize Your Ultramarathon Performance by Jason Koop
“Nutrition was water and a quartered PB&J sandwich. I would ask ultra-marathoners what they would do for training, and the resounding answer was, “Run.”
Jason Koop
Those were the days! Surviving on water and a quartered PB&J sandwich. Running longer races by pounding out longer and longer slow miles per typical marathon or ultra-marathon training plans, putting yourself at a much higher risk of injury.
Now a revolution has hit ultra running as ultra marathoners are finally shedding those old habits in favor of smarter methods of science and experience. Ultra-marathon requires a new and scientific approach to training. Training Essentials for Ultra-running (available on Amazon) brings all the answers. A must-have resource for first-timers and ultramarathon veterans who want to run smarter races.
Nowhere Near First: Ultramarathon Adventures From The Back Of The Pack by Cory Reese
“It is human nature to seek out the exceptional. Runners are not exempt from this desire.”
Cory Reese
Long before Cory Reese strapped on his first pair of running shoes, he learned the key to being a successful ultrarunner: He knew how to suffer. In Nowhere Near First (available on Amazon), Cory shares his deeply personal story about experiencing his father’s suicide at a young age, and how this led to a career in endurance running and a desire to live life to the fullest.
Nowhere Near First (available on Amazon), is a humorous, captivating, and uplifting account of Cory’s memorable ultramarathon experiences. Not only does Cory’s entertaining and powerful writing allow readers a unique perspective into the challenges and rewards of running, but it also inspires each of us to turn tragedy into triumph. This book’s a winner!
Tales From Out There: The Barkley Marathons, The World’s Toughest Trail Race by Frozen Ed Furtaw
“There is magic in misery.”
Frozen Ed Furtaw
Tales From Out There (available on Amazon) is the true story of the Barkley Marathons, arguably the world’s toughest long-distance trail foot-race also referred to as “the race that eats its young.” Most runners fail to finish the race, leaving many emotionally broken and scarred for life.
The book covers some of the most humorous, dramatic and harrowing experiences of the contestants during the Barkley races. The stories describe their epic struggles including some of the world’s best endurance runners, going to the brink. Both heart-breaking failures and awe-inspiring. Victories. For endurance and data junkies and anyone who enjoys a great retelling of great stories.
Into The Furnace: How a 135 mile run across Death Valley set my soul on fire by Cory Reese
“When life turns up the heat, you have two choices. You can bend and break, or you can step boldly into the furnace and let your soul catch fire.”
Cory Reese
The book Into The Furnace (available on Amazon) explores the inner workings of bravery, hope, and passion. These themes are framed against the backdrop of the Badwater Ultramarathon. A 135-mile race across the hottest place on the planet, Death Valley.
Cory Reese has walked into the furnace. He has faced adversity, both in running and in life. His book captures the essence of what it means to suffer, what it means to persevere, and ultimately, what it means to create a life of clarity and purpose. Funny, delightful read with a personal and heart-warming ending.
Training For Ultra: Ultra Running Stories From the Middle of the Pack by Rob Steger
“I couldn’t run a single mile. I was overweight with high blood pressure and cholesterol levels off the charts. Stress was ravaging my body and my life.”
Rob Steger
After his dad’s major health scare, Rob realized he needed to make drastic lifestyle changes. A radical diet change allowed him to lose a fourth of his body weight.
He started to run again, even if he couldn’t run a mile. After having shed the weight, he decided to take on the goal of running an ultramarathon. Nowadays, Rob is a self-proclaimed “middle of the pack crusher” and loves the trail and ultra running community. His goal is simple: to inspire you to run because life is better when you’re a runner! An inspirational read.
Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner by Dean Karnazes
“When you can’t run, walk. When you can’t walk, crawl. There is magic in misery.”
Dean Karnazes
An internationally recognized endurance athlete, Dean Karnazes has pushed his body and mind to inconceivable limits. It’s impossible to not admire his tenacity in pushing his body to reach one extreme goal after another.
Karnazes’s self-motivation is utterly intriguing, and it’s hard to read this memoir without wanting to go out and run a marathon yourself. Do not read this book to learn how to run, to learn how to run further, or to learn about the history of ultramarathons. Read it because it’s fun, compelling, inspirational, and super motivational.
Sick to Fit: Three simple techniques that got me from 420 pounds to the cover of Runner’s World, Good Morning America, and the Today Show by Josh LaJaunie & Howard Jacobson
“We’re not asking you to believe us. Instead, we’re asking you to suspend your disbelief long enough to hear us out, and give our methods a try in your life.”
Josh LaJaunie & Howard Jacobson
Josh LaJaunie went from a 420-pound food addict to the cover of Runner’s World magazine. Sick to Fit (available on Amazon) is his story of epic transformation. It offers a simple, honest and clear path to weight loss and fitness goals for everyone.
Well written, the book is based on the science of nutrition and behavior and is focussed on not merely providing information, but truly empowering its readers to implement life-changing habits. Sick To Fit (available on Amazon) is your roadmap to better health, and, a more joyful life.
If you are overweight, feeling crappy, hopeless and like a failure, reading this book could literally save your life.
Confessions of an Unlikely Runner: A Guide to Racing and Obstacle Courses for the Averagely Fit and Halfway Dedicated by Dana Ayers
“I was not naturally athletic. I grew up as more of a book nerd. I was naturally bad at sports.”
Dana Ayers
A must-read for anyone that has ever had a mishap during a race, Dana Ayers’ book is a hilarious ride from beginning to end. Whether you’re an experienced marathoner or brand new to the sport, you’ll appreciate Dana’s witty, down-to-earth style as she describes her experiences with mud runs, marathons and everything in between.
A self-proclaimed ambassador of slow runners, Ayers has logged a vast array of average finish times since. With tons of pro tips sprinkled throughout this book has something for everyone, and by the end, even non-runners will want to lace up their shoes and go for a run!
Strong: A Runner’s Guide to Boosting Confidence and Becoming the Best Version of You by Kara Goucher
“I keep a confidence journal. It’s a way to find something positive from every single day of training. It has made a huge difference in my mental preparation for a race.”
Kara Goucher
In Strong (available on Amazon), two-time Olympian, Kara Goucher, shares her secrets to conquering self-doubt and improving running performance using proven tools from the field of sport psychology.
Strong (available on Amazon) includes tips, techniques, and real-life experiences from other accomplished athletes and experts in the field of sport psychology. This book makes it clear: running is a head game. You’ve got two options: Let your mind wander, or focus. To compete, you must focus.
Equal parts inspiration and tactical advice, Strong (available on Amazon) is the perfect training companion if you lack confidence. Highly recommended.
Running with the Buffaloes: A Season Inside with Mark Wetmore, Adam Goucher, and the University of Colorado Men’s Cross-Country Team by Chris Lear
“It’s go-time. They nod, and slap hands with each other, wordlessly expressing their hopes, their prayers, and their brotherhood.”
Chris Lear
In Running with the Buffaloes (available on Amazon), writer Chris Lear follows the University of Colorado cross-country team through an unforgettable NCAA season.
The book provides a riveting look inside the triumphs and heartaches of a perennial national contender and the men who will stop at nothing to achieve excellence. It is part tragedy, part biography, and part training window to one of the country’s best programs. A great example of the success that can come from dedication. Highly inspirational.
Unbreakable Runner: Unleash the Power of Strength & Conditioning for a Lifetime of Running Strong by T.J. Murphy & Brian MacKenzie
Unbreakable Runner (available on Amazon) challenges sacred cows of conventional training tenets such as high mileage and high-carb diets to show that reduced mileage and high-intensity training can make runners stronger, more durable athletes and prepare them for races of any distance.
Unbreakable Runner (available on Amazon) includes CrossFit-based training programs for race distances from 5K to ultramarathon for beginner, intermediate, and advanced runners. A great read for any athlete who wants to take their running to the next level.
The Road to Sparta: Reliving the Epic Run that Inspired the World’s Greatest Foot Race by Dean Karnazes
“Show me a man who is content, and I will show you an underachiever.”
Dean Karnazes
The Road to Sparta (available on Amazon) simultaneously follows the path of the historic 13 mile Spartan run and the spiritual and cultural journey of Dean Karnazes, as he replicates the route taken by Pheidippides some 2,500 years ago while connecting with his ancestral roots and Greek heritage.
Well written, captivating and engrossing. Reads like a novel.
The Pants Of Perspective: One Woman’s 3,000-kilometre running adventure through the wilds of New Zealand by Anna McNuff
“I maintained that I was not a ‘real’ runner – I just liked to run so that I could eat cake.”
Anna McNuff
The Pants of Perspective (available on Amazon) is a witty, colorful and at times painfully raw account of a journey to the edge of what a woman believes herself to be capable of. It’s a badass coming-of-age story which will lead you on a roller coaster ride through fear, vulnerability, courage, and failure.
For anyone who has ever dreamt of taking on a great challenge, but felt too afraid to begin – this story is for you. An endearing, inspiring, honest and laugh out loud funny read. If you love adventure, you’ll love this.
Bestsellers
As the sub-heading implies, these are titles that are on the Amazon bestseller list in the genre of running. What I did was select those titles that relate more directly to trail running.
Running to the Edge: A Band of Misfits and the Guru Who Unlocked the Secrets of Speed by Matthew Futterman
“Bob Larson can’t remember a time he didn’t run.”
Matthew Futterman
Running to the Edge (available on Amazon) is a riveting account of running coach Bob Larsen’s journey, and his quest to discover the unorthodox training secrets that would lead American runners (elite and recreational) to breakthroughs never imagined.
Running to the Edge (available on Amazon) reveals the untold history of how a determined coach and his motley crew of underdogs practically defibrillated U.S. distance running.
It is at once a beautiful meditation on effort and a tale as captivating and suspenseful as a great race. An inspirational road map for all runners.
Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen by Christopher McDougall
“An epic adventure that began with one simple question: Why does my foot hurt?”
Christopher McDougall
In Born to Run (available on Amazon), Christopher McDougall sets out to discover the running secrets of how the Tarahumara Indians have honed the ability to run hundreds of miles without rest or injury.
A fascinating book with its descriptions of the running tribes of Mexico, the quirky people the author meets along his journey to better understand ultra running, the discussions of how “better” running equipment hurts runners, and the description of the exciting race that is the conclusion of the book: indeed, we were born to run. Engaging, insightful, totally motivating!
The Happy Runner: Love the Process, Get Faster, Run Longer by David Roche and Megan Roche MD
“Every runner has the same finish line: death.”
David Roche
Is your daily run starting to drag you down? Has running become a chore rather than the delight it once was? Then The Happy Runner (available on Amazon) is the answer for you.
The Happy Runner (available on Amazon) delves into subjects you may not have seen other running books touch on, and does so in a humorous but poignant way.
By offering clear-cut tickets to a happy life, it could easily change the life of any endurance athlete and should be required reading for anyone who devotes a significant amount of their lives toward the pursuit of a sport.
Come for the jokes, stay for the life-changing tips and summaries of the happiness research. There’s also a talking dog, so you just need to buy it!
Training for the Uphill Athlete: A Manual for Mountain Runners and Ski Mountaineers Paperback by Steve House, Scott Johnston, Kilian Jornet
Training for the Uphill Athlete (available on Amazon) is an authoritative but accessible training best seller. It includes a mix of theory, application, and experiential essays from experts in the field, as well as instructional illustrations as in Training for the New Alpinism.
Contributions by Kilian Jornet increase the worldwide appeal of the book. Read this book if: you struggle with your own endurance goals but know you are capable of far greater output. A great resource for competitive mountain sport endurance athletes as well as for beginners.
Bigfoot 200: Because, You Know, Why the #@&% Not? By Ryan M Chukuske
“Life is not about the finish; life is not about the endgame. Life is about the journey.”
Ryan M Chukuske
Run 200 miles? How do you even prepare for something like that?
The idea of running 200 miles is hard to comprehend, even for many marathoners and ultra athletes. Thanks to Ryan Chukuske, his wife Megan, and other runners who participated in the Bigfoot 200, readers get a sense of the good, the bad and the #*@! that comes with running such a challenge.
The compilation of their stories in this book brings the reader a truthful account of what it really takes to run 200 miles. An engaging read that inspires you to conquer whatever scares you in life.
Let Your Mind Run: A Memoir of Thinking My Way to Victory by Deena Kastor
“When I started paying attention to my thoughts, I was surprised to find that there was a lot of negativity in my head.”
Deena Kastor
Let Your Mind Run (available on Amazon) is a candid account about the self-doubt that enters the mind of an elite athlete and how positive thinking made her the champion she is both on and off the course.
Deena Kastor showed great promise as a high school runner but lost her confidence. In Let Your Mind Run (available on Amazon), she explains how she changed her thinking, got back on track, and became America’s greatest-ever woman distance runner.
An inspiring, fascinating and insightful read to remind you that mindset is everything and self-love is part of the balance.
Can’t Hurt Me: Master Your Mind and Defy the Odds by David Goggins
“Do you know who you really are and what you’re capable of? Denial is the ultimate comfort zone.”
David Goggins
For David Goggins, childhood was a nightmare – poverty, prejudice, and physical abuse colored his days and haunted his nights. But through self-discipline, mental toughness, and hard work, Goggins transformed himself from a depressed, overweight young man with no future into a U.S. Armed Forces icon and one of the world’s top endurance athletes.
Goggins lives out every goal, every dream, no matter what. PERIOD. Can’t Hurt Me (available on Amazon) is the remarkable description of his journey and the capacity to leverage and better the mind. More importantly, it also teaches you how. A life-changing must-read!
Endure: Mind, Body, and the Curiously Elastic Limits of Human Performance by Alex Hutchinson
“After you’ve read Endure, I promise you, you’ll never settle for the simple picture again.”
Alex Hutchinson
What if everything we’ve been taught about endurance was wrong? What if we all have more potential than we think to go farther, push harder, and achieve more?
Blending cutting-edge science and gripping storytelling Alex Hutchinson sheds light on how humans accomplish our most absurd athletic achievements. If you want to gain insight into the mind of great athletes, adventurers, and peak performers then prepare to be enthralled by this book.
Endure (available on Amazon) is so much more than a sportsbook. It is a voyage to the outer reaches of human capacity. Fascinating and motivating.
Run or Die by Kilian Jornet
“What would Kilian do?”
Kilian Jornet
In this book, Jornet describes his record-breaking runs at Lake Tahoe, Western States 100, Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc, and Mount Kilimanjaro – the first of his ambitious Summits of My Life (available on Amazon) project in which Jornet will attempt to break records climbing the highest peaks on each continent.
Inspiring, insightful, candid, and deeply personal, this is a book written from the heart of the world’s greatest endurance runner, for whom life presents one simple choice: Run. Or die. The story is raw. It is rough, it is emotional. This is what it means to be Jornet Killian. A fascinating read.
Run for Your Life: How to Run, Walk, and Move Without Pain or Injury and Achieve a Sense of Well-Being and Joy by Mark Cucuzzella MD
“But first, I had to figure out how to run without pain.”
Mark Cucuzzella MD
Runners of all ages and fitness levels will benefit greatly from this book. Cucuzzella, a physician, offers readers a path to health and a sense of well-being in this detailed fitness guide.
Applying both science and passion he helps runners to understand how to maximize their strength, endurance, fitness, and enjoyment in a healthy, sustainable way. If you want to run better, faster and pain-free, Run for Your Life (available on Amazon) will get you there.
Shut Up and Run: How to Get Up, Lace Up, and Sweat with Swagger by Robin Arzon
“Shut up and run. This was the mantra I used to get through my eighty hours a week desk job to lacing up my running shoes.”
Robin Arzon
In Shut Up and Run (available on Amazon), super-fit ultra-marathoner Robin Arson offers tips, tricks, and visual motivation to help you cultivate miles of sweat, laughter, swagger, and friendship.
Combining a fitness manual, training program, and self-help advice book in one, it contains essential training tips for all levels, including meditation and visualization techniques that address a runner’s body and mind.
If you are a beginner who is looking for something to help ease into running and motivate yourself a little, this is the book for you. Inclusive, highly relatable, and downright fun.
Hot New Releases
Every year a host of new titles make their way onto the Amazon shelves within the genre of running. What I do is take a look at each of those and draw up a shortlist of new books that are either about trail running or will be of benefit to trail runners. Within that list, I pick out those few hot new releases that deserve to make it onto the Amazon bestseller list because of the quality of the content.
When you come back to this post every couple of months it will be here where you will find information about newly released titles that deserve your attention. As new titles feed into this section, some titles will be moved either into the bestseller list where they belong or the hidden gem list should they be bumped off the Amazon bestseller list.
North: Finding My Way While Running the Appalachian Trail by Scott Jurek
“No matter what direction I looked, I could see forever. Deserts have always been a mystifying and spiritual landscape for me.”
Scott Jurek
North (available on Amazon) is pure suspense, adventure, and inspiration. It’s a thrilling memoir of a runner’s plunge into the wilderness of the Appalachian Trail.
North (available on Amazon) chronicles the highs and lows of an epic journey, both inward and outward. North will cement Scott Jurek’s position and reputation as one of the world’s best known and most beloved ultra runners.
It is a heartfelt, honest, exciting account of an inner, metaphorical journey. If you want to redefine your own personal limits, this is the book for you.
The Rise of the Ultra Runners: A Journey to the Edge of Human Endurance by Adharanand Finn
“I slumped on the ground, my back against a mound of sand, staring out through smudged, yellow sunglasses. All I can see, as far as the sky, is sand. A wasteland.”
Adharanand Finn
The Rise of the Ultra Runners (available on Amazon) is a riveting, thought-provoking, and often funny journey deep into the heart of the fastest-growing corner of the endurance world, from the perspective of running’s foremost cultural explorer.
Award-winning author Adharanand Finn travels to the heart of the sport to investigate the reasons behind its rise and discover what it takes to join the ranks of these ultra athletes.
If you’ve ever wondered what draws people to venture beyond 26.2 miles or been tempted to do so yourself, then The Rise of the Ultra Runners (available on Amazon) is an electrifying look inside the wild world of extreme distance running. A must-read.
Running Outside the Comfort Zone: An Explorer’s Guide to the Edges of Running by Susan Lacke
“I’m not your typical endurance athlete. I don’t fit the mold. But the thing that really trips people up is my hearing aid.”
Susan Lacke
Running Outside Your Comfort Zone (available on Amazon) is a funny, heartfelt and brutally honest look at some of the more wacky races in the world.
It is deeply personal and reflective; it will make you laugh, it will make you cry and reflect on what’s really important in your own life. Refreshingly free of affected ‘inspirational crap’, Running Outside Your Comfort Zone (available on Amazon) tells the story of the profound transformative powers of friendship and sport.
If you feel stuck in a running rut, lacking in motivation, this is the book for you. A delightful read!
The Incomplete Book of Running by Peter Sagal
“What running has given me most, is the practice of persistence.”
Peter Sagal
On the verge of turning forty, Peter Sagal, brainiac Harvard graduate, short bald Jew with a disposition towards heft, and a sedentary star of public radio—started running seriously.
Much to his own surprise, he kept going, faster and further, running fourteen marathons and logging tens of thousands of miles on roads, sidewalks, paths, and trails all over the United States and the world, including the 2013 Boston Marathon.
Clever, warm, funny and engaging. Whether you are a runner or not, it will move you in more ways than one.
Broken Open: Mountains, Demons, Treadmills and a Search for Nirvana by David Clark
“Who is the winner? Not he who wins but he who has established his cheerful oneness with the result…”
David Clark
David Clark is a formerly obese alcoholic and fast food junkie who found a new life in running.
Now, many years after his transformation, he shares his inspiring story of taking running to the extreme edge of his physical and spiritual breaking points.
David’s story is raw, honest and pure adrenaline-laden as he shares his unique brand of Americana and Heavy Metal Buddhism. A truly inspirational read.
Epic Runs of the World by Lonely Planet 2019
“Put on your running shoes – it’s time to hit the road, the trails and the great outdoors.”
In this comprehensive runner’s companion, you’ll find 50 of the world’s greatest running routes – from short city runs and must-do marathons to cross-country trails and challenging ultras, plus a further 150 routes around the globe to satisfy runners of all abilities.
Each run is accompanied by stunning photos and a map and toolkit of practical details – where to start and finish, how to get there, where to stay and more – to help you plan the perfect trip. Suggestions for similar runs around the world are also included.
Depression Hates a Moving Target: How Running with My Dog Brought Me Back from the Brink by Nita Sweeney
“Five months before my 49 birthday, I slouched on the couched in my pajamas squinting at my laptop screen. Depression clung to me like a shroud.”
Nita Sweeney
Nita Sweeney’s memoir, Depression Hates a Moving Target (available on Amazon), not only captures the runner’s mind, but shows how practice, whether in running, writing, or meditation – and finding a community, can transform a life.
It’s a great narrative on how moving your body can actually transform your brain. If you struggle with depression or anxiety or are just stuck in a rut and need to make a healthy change in your life, you should definitely give this book a read! An inspiring and engaging read.
Run the Mile You’re In – Finding God in Every Step by Ryan Hall
“I didn’t have any desire to run. Running seemed boring and well, kind of pointless.”
Ryan Hall
Run The Mile You’re In (available on Amazon) is filled with little nuggets of wisdom and insight that you can chew on and reflect upon. Cleverly divided into 26 chapters, the fast-paced book inspires and motivates through stories of Hall’s incredible life as a student-athlete and later as one of America’s fastest distance runners.
You’ll be motivated by Hall‘s dedication to the mental and physical challenges that running can bring. An enlightening, inspirational, motivating, and spiritually moving read for a dry and weary soul.
The Passion Paradox: A Guide to Going All In, Finding Success, and Discovering the Benefits of an Unbalanced Life by Brad Stulberg & Steve Magness
“Is there a right way to live with passion? Or is it not so different from an addiction?”
Brad Stulberg & Steve Magness
Should runners need to read a book on passion? Some runners, simply put, cannot be content. They keep wanting to go farther. Faster. They are perpetual pushers of boundaries and limits. Winning at all costs. If this is you, this book is or you.
The authors of The Passion Paradox (available on Amazon), known for coaching elite athletes, will teach you how to find and fuel your passion without burning up or burning out. A clear, concise, captivating read.