My top 5 "running" books

1. Survival of the fittest (Mike Stroud)

Mike Stroud, a doctor and expedition partner of Sir Ranulph Fiennes knows a thing or two about human physiology and combines his insight with a collection of stories ranging from Artic expeditions to ultra marathons in the desert. He also humbly highlights his own normal physiology and of what can be achieved with dedicated training and commitment. The general theme of the book being, the human is an amazing machine and can achieve much more than you would think!

2. Lore of Running (Tim Noakes)

Falls just short of my no 1. It is not for the faint hearted, with the first couple of chapters getting pretty heavy...Myosin, muscle composition, central governor model etc etc. Which may be enough to put off all but the most geekiest of runners. But call me a Geek! It really does help to further your understanding if training principles, dietary requirements etc. I have to say though that some of the best bits of the book focus on some of the greatest runners that have ever lived...Emile Zaptopek's interval training, Bruce Fordyce's immense distances and performances, all truly inspirational! His training programmes ranging from 10K to half-marathon are also pretty good, some of them nabbed from the legendary Jack Daniels!

3. Feet in the Clouds: A Story of Fell Running and Obsession (Richard Askwith)

A book written by a true enthusiast. His wonderful prose almost transports you onto the fell alongside him during the notorious Bob Graham Round! He discusses the history of fell running and about some of the greats like Joss Naylor and "Scotland's" very own Angela Mudge!

4. It's Not about the Bike: My Journey Back to Life (Lance Armstrong)

Ok, I hold my hands up! It is not a running book, but he does talk about those junior triathlon days! On a more serious note, he discusses in great depth the high and the lows of his battle against cancer and the motivations that kept him going. A real motivator when you are having doubts! He went from professional cyclist, to having mother and daughter passing him on their bike, to winning "the tour" seven times!

5. The Competitive Runner's Handbook (Bob Glover + Shelly Glover)

It's been a wee while since i've been anything close to competitive! But it's still a relevant book to all types of runners! Not as dense as "the Lore" but a cracking book from a pair of very experienced runners. Again the book combines training plans, diet, physiology and psychological preparation all into the one book. Some of the racing strategies are particularly insightful. Such as the one second too fast at the start of a race costs you two at the end, two cost four or more, four cost .... It does give some increased motivation for even pacing, since I'm especially guilty of starting too fast!

Notable mention

Ultramarathon Man (Dean Karnazes)

A great book, but a bit too sickly for many a tastebud. His running feats are impressive and his intentions noble, and this book can really get you in the mood for running. But his "I run from the heart" and self promotion might be a bit much for some people! He is a top quality athlete but isn't in the same league as some of the other ultra runners such as Fordyce and Brag