If you’ve made it to this website then you obviously like reading about running. I have pulled together a list of all my favourite running books to share. From training tomes to reflective rambles, these are the books that have shaped my own journey through the miles. Get ready to dive into the fascinating science of speed, lose yourself in the rhythm of the trail, and maybe even unlock a few secrets to pushing your personal bests. Lace up for a literary journey that will allow you to live out your trail running dreams through the training secrets you may discover.
The Trail Running Guidebook | Hanny Alston
Written by Hobart local trail running legend Hanny Alston, this is the first proper trail running book I ever read. It is a great introduction into training principles and general physiology. It’s nice and short, rather than trying to pad it out like many books these days it is concise and to the point. A great first book for those starting out trail running.
Grab yourself a copy from Amazon Here, or pick up a copy locally from Find your Feet
80/20 Running | Matt Fitzgerald
This book focuses on the 80/20 method of training. The principle is that 80% of workouts should be at low intensity and the remaining 20% high intensity. It is nothing revolutionary but for me at the time it was eye opening. Coming from the classic Aussie bloke mentality of go hard or go home this book opened my eyes to the concept of going slow to go fast.
Grab yourself a copy from Amazon Here
Training for the Uphill Athlete | Steve House, Scott Johnson, Kilian Jornet
This was and still is to a certain degree my training bible. A great resource for the aspiring mountain athlete. It starts out with describing human physiology and moves into training methods. All the while anecdotes of various athletes are intermingled to keep it interesting and show what can be achieved when the methods are applied. At the end there are template training plans and guides on how to structure training plans. I used the 100 mile training plan when training for the GPT 100 and it got me across the line!
Grab yourself a copy from Amazon Here
Training Essentials for Ultrarunners | Jason Koop
This book has become my more recent training bible. I like the way that Koop presents his information and structures training plans. Going into 2024 I am going to self coach based on the principles in this book and see where it takes me. This book is a great resource for all things ultrarunning. I bought a hard copy of it so I can have it as a reference.
He covers off on topics ranging from blister prevention, heat acclimation, altitude training, nutrition and hydration. Basically all of the essential topics relevant to succeeding in an ultramarathon. I feel like I can trust the information in this book because Koop is so evidence driven and has years of experience in the field. He has also coached many elites to achieve great things. Highly recommend this one!!
Grab yourself a copy from Amazon Here
Eat and Run | Scott Jurek
This is a memoir and a recipe book combined. You hear the story of ultrarunning legend Scott Jurek’s life and career with random plant based recipes appearing throughout. It is a book that will inspire you to get out running and also make you consider becoming vegan. He convincingly attributes his performance gains to his diet. I have tested some of his recipes and these alone are worth reading the book for. A great read to build motivation and find meal inspiration.
Grab yourself a copy from Amazon Here
Why We Run: A Natural History | Bernd Heinrich
Bernd Heinrich has a PhD in biology specifically studying insect physiology and bird behavior. In this book you will learn all sorts about the natural world and many possible reasons why we have evolved to be such great runners. This is a memoir and a natural history book combined. Bernd’s life story is interesting hailing from war torn Germany and emigrating to the US as a young fellow. Alongside his scientific accolades he has also had an illustrious running career setting a US record for the 24 hour run. This is an enjoyable and informative read about a mans life and life in general on our planet and it’s evolution.
Grab yourself a copy from Amazon Here
Born to Run | Chris McDougall
A running reading list is incomplete without making mention of Born to Run. This is seminal reading for the aspiring runner, mostly to stoke the fire and get you keen to run. McDougal does flog a dead horse relentlessly regarding barefoot running, which is a risky path to go down. If you can move beyond the barefoot evangelism this is a great book with many interesting trail running narratives. There are so many interesting eccentric characters all doing epic running exploits. A great entertaining read.
Grab yourself a copy from Amazon Here