We recommend...

Technical

Noakes, Tim. Lore of Running, 4th Edition. Oxford University Press Southern Africa, 2001.

Now revised, expanded and updated, Lore of Running gives you incomparable detail on physiology, training, racing, injuries, world-class athletes, and races. Author Tim Noakes blends the expertise of a physician and research scientist with the passion of a dedicated runner to answer the most pressing questions for those who are serious about the sport: How your body systems respond to training; the effects of different training methods; how to detect and avoid overtraining; genetic versus trainable potential; how to train for a 10k up through an ultra-marathon (with detailed programs from both Noakes and several leading running experts); how to prevent and treat injuries; how to increase your strength and flexibility; and how to use proper nutrition for weight control and maximum performance.

The book also includes a candid analysis of supplements, ergogenic effects and training aids. This edition includes new interviews with 10 world-class runners who share their secrets to success and longevity in the sport. Features on legendary figures and events in running history provide fascinating insights. And that’s just scratching the surface. Lore of Running is not only the biggest and best running publication on the planet. It’s the one book every runner should own.

Janssen, Peter G.J.M. Training Lactate Pulse-Rate, Second Edition. Oulu, Finland: Polar Electro Oy, 1993.

Miller, Thomas S., PhD. Programmed to Run. Human Kinetics, 2001.

Nutrition

Ryan, Monique. Sports Nutrition for Endurance Athletes, 2nd Edition. VeloPress, 2007.

Clark, Nancy. Sports Nutrition Guidebook. Human Kinetics, 2008.

Motivation

Thom, Kara Douglass. Becoming an Ironman. Breakaway Books, 2002.

Battista, Garth. The Runner’s Literary Companion. Penguin, 1996.

Switzer, Kathrine. Marathon Woman: Running the Race to Revolutionize Women’s Sports. Carroll & Graf, 2007.

For Fun

Schwartz, Bob. I Run Therefore I Am---NUTS!. Human Kinetics, 2001.

Mr. Schwartz breaks out the humor, wittily describing situations that every type of runner can relate to:

• The intricate art of drinking on the run from paper cups,
• Trying to reacquaint fingers to toes after years of tight hamstrings,
• Hitting the wall,
• Having your heart flutter with the newest cushioned training shoe,
• Discovering cross-training contraptions designed to strengthen your gluteus to its maximus, and
• Getting excited about the latest flavor of energy gel on the market.

Mallett, Jeff. Trizophrenia: Inside the Minds of a Triathlete. VeloPress, 2009.

The schedule of a triathlete demands focus and coordination, but with three sports, a job, and a family, it can be a lot to juggle. Jeff Mallett captures all the glory of training and the lasting rewards of race day, relishing the race that went well and replaying the one that didn't. Humorous drawings show the countless conundrums a triathlete must face and embrace. Mallett's light-hearted declaration of love for his sport draws from a wide range of personal experiences and sources — literature, music, science — to show that life is more worth living when you're a triathlete.