Skip to main content

Reading list





What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami
This was the first book I read about running. Murakami is a great author and in this book he talks about his running experience and achievements. He also talks about the effect of running on his life and his career in particular.
“People sometimes sneer at those who run every day, claiming they'll go to any length to live longer. But don't think that's the reason most people run. Most runners run not because they want to live longer, but because they want to live life to the fullest. If you're going to while away the years, it's far better to live them with clear goals and fully alive then in a fog, and I believe running helps you to do that. Exerting yourself to the fullest within your individual limits: that's the essence of running, and a metaphor for life — and for me, for writing as whole. I believe many runners would agree” 

Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never See by Christopher McDougall
A simple question leads Christopher McDougall to an amazing journey of understanding the secrets of a running tribe. 
‎"You don't stop running because you get old. You get old because you stop running ..." Jack Kirk aka Dipsea Demon

It's Not About the Bike: My Journey Back to Life by Lance Armstrong
Lance's great story of his cancer and the survival. Easy to read and inspirational.
“Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever. That surrender, even the smallest act of giving up, stays with me. So when I feel like quitting, I ask myself, which would I rather live with?”

Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner by Dean Karnazes
Dean Karnazes, how he started running and all the crazy stuff he has done!
“Struggling and suffering are the essence of a life worth living. If you're not pushing yourself beyond the comfort zone, if you're not demanding more from yourself - expanding and learning as you go - you're choosing a numb existence. You're denying yourself an extraordinary trip.”

Lore of Running by Tim Noakes 
All you need to know about running. A book for every runner's bookshelf.
“Your body will argue that there is no justifiable reason to continue. Your only recourse is to call on your spirit, which fortunately functions independently of logic.”

Runner's world guide to Cross-training by Matt Fitzgerald 
Highlights the importance of cross-training and how it  improves endurance, speed, flexibility and reduces running-related injuries. 

Running anathomy by Joe Puleo, Dr. Patrick Milroy
Illustrated description of all muscles involved in running and exercises for strength, flexibility and injury prevention. This is the book that helps me dragging myself to the gym for some weight training.

Runner's world The Runner's Diet by Madelyn Fernstorm
This is the first ever book I read on dieting. It describes the importance of different nutritions for runners. Loosing weight without compromising the performance.

Run! 26.2 stories of blister and bliss by Dean Karnazes
Not comparable to his best-seller "Ultra Marathon Man" but still quite inspiring
" Over the years, I've come to not only embrace failure, but to welcome it and celebrate the occurrence. You cannot grow and expand your capabilities to their limits without running the risk of failure. And failure can provide invaluable lessons."

The Perfection Point by John Brenkus
John Brenkus analyses the records improvement and current record holder athletes in several sports such as 100-meter sprint, Marathon and 50-meter freestyle swimming. He points out how fast they could go if they were in perfect condition and up to which point we can improve. "The perfection point" is the best result we as human will get eventually and will never be able to pass it. You will probably find the result surprising. For 100-meter sprint for instance, he believes the perfection point is 8.99 seconds!

Run Faster from the 5k to the marathon: How to be your own best coach by Brad Hudson, Matt Fitzgerald
The title says it all. Brad Hudson talks about adaptive running. 

50/50: Secrets I Learned Running 50 Marathons In 50 Days by Dean Karnazes
This was the third Dean's book that I read. Once Ultramarathon Man is the most inspiring, I would say this one is the most useful one. Dean describes how he did 50 marathons in 50 consecutive days in 50 states. And he shares his experience and gives numerous tips for running marathons and ultras.  

I Run, Therefore I am STILL Nuts! by Bob Schwartz
It makes you laugh and still gives you a lot of useful tips. If you are obsessed with running, you'll enjoy reading this book.

Eat & Run: My Unlikely Journey to Ultramarathon Greatness by Scott Jurek
Scott Jurek's biography. Probably not a book for everyone. But it's a must-read for someone who is considering running ultras.
" I found the best way to get your running mojo back is to lose the technology, forget results,  and run free. And forget that running needs to be painful or that it's punishment. (Definitely get rid of those echoes of  countless coaches ordering you to "take a lap" because you dropped a pass or double-dribbled.) Run for the same reason you ran as a child -- for enjoyment. Take your watch off. Run in your jeans. Run with a dog (does he seem worried?). Run with someone older or younger, and you'll see running, and the world, differently. I know I have.
Run a trail you have never run before. Pick a new goal, race, or a large loop that keeps you motivated to go out on those bad-weather days. Do all and any of these things often enough, and you'll remember why you started running in the first place -- it's fun."

A Life Without Limits by Chrissie Wellington
Found this while I was wandering around in a bookshop in a train station. Didn't know Chrissie Wellington or any other triathlete before then. Neither did I know much about triatholon and the Ironman. Chrissie's autobiography is absolutely inspiring. She won her first  Ironman title only a few months after becoming professional. She talks about many inspirational figures and their role in her life and also points out some motivational notes, among which is "If" by Rudyard Kipling.
"Hard work and an open mind -- It's the only way to realise the potential that is inside every one of us"
"You can never reach perfection. Your ambition should be directed towards your ability to overcome imperfection, and that is how I want to live my life."

NORTH: Finding my way while running the Appalachian Trail by Scott Jurek
Scott Jurek is definitely one of my favourite ultrarunners and definitely one of the greatest ultrarunners out there. This book is all about his effort for a FKT (fastest known time) on 2200 mile long Appalachian trail. And when Scott calls this project his masterpiece then you should definitely read it. 

Hal Koerner's field guide to ultrarunning by Hall Koerner's
This is one of the most practical books in the field of trail running. It takes you through everything you need to know about training and racing. Highly recommended for anyone who wants to run ultras.

Run or Die by Killian Jornet
A book by living legend Killian Jornet. He talks about his early life, his achievements and his adventures. Kilian is definitely one of those athletes that you have to keep an eye on them. He always surprises you with his next challenge.

The Ultra Mindset by Travis Macy
This one is about the importance of training your mind for ultramarathons and for life. Travis Macy has attended numerous adventure races and ultramarathons.  The Ultra Mindset introduces different aspects of an Ultra Mindset and how it helps to achieve your goals. 



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Eiger Ultra Trail 2014; 101km of mud, rocks and sweat

"Run if you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must. Just never give up" Dean Karnazas Last Saturday and Sunday I ran the Eiger Ultra Trail, a 101 km ultramarathon with more than 6700 metres of elevation gain. I arrived in Grindelwald on Thursday and went to collect my bib number on Friday morning. The race organisation was quite good for a race in this size. There was a strict equipment check at the bib number distribution which I appreciated during the race. They asked every runner to bring all the mandatory gear listed on the website in order to collect the bibs. Apart from the bib numbers we were handed out a plastic cup in order not to use many disposable cups along the way. There was also a reflective band which we had to wear after 9:30 pm. The mandatory gear that should be carried along the way Weighs around 4kg (including 1.5L of water) Pasta was served from 12 to 7 pm and there was a briefing session on Friday evening at congress centre which ev

Swissalpine K78. On running my first ultra

“How to run an ultramarathon ? Puff out your chest, put one foot in front of the other, and don't stop till you cross the finish line.”   Dean Karnazes Last week I made my way to Davos to run the Swissalpine K78. Davos is where I ran my first marathon last year and this year I was there to run my first ultra. Davos is the place where it all started. It's the place where I met many runners and heard their inspirational stories.   We arrived in Davos (That's Samer, a good friend of mine from Belgium who came to Davos to run the K21 and myself) on Thursday morning and went to the expo. Collected the race numbers and had a look around the expo. This is one of my favourite parts of any race. You get to know other runners, races and latest products. At the expo, with the bib numbers The day before the race started by going up Jakobshorn where we met Franz, a truly inspirational man. He's started running when he was 60 and now at the age of 73 he's run numer

On over-reaching your goal: The Eiger Ultra Trail E101, 18-19 July 2015

It is 47 km into the race and I'm  walking downhill through a forest towards Burglauenen. It's been a great race so far.  I passed the last check point (Faulhorn, the highest point of the race) 15 minutes before my expected time and enjoyed running downhill to Schynige platte.  A few minutes ago, when I approached a corner on this muddy terrain,  a sharp pain hit my left knee so badly that forced me to stop. I cannot run anymore, I am using my walking sticks to take some weigth off my knee and slowly walking down. I could have run this part of the race quite fast and effortless if my knee didn't hurt. Through my training, I put so much effort to master my downhill running technique and I was quite confident in it that I'd consider it as one of my strength points. It hurts a lot when you have trained a lot and on race day you just cannot perform well. In fact that is hurting much more than my sore knee. As I am limping cautiously, there are many runners passing by, mos