Guest Post by Brian Messer

Over the past 60+ years, there have been many books written related to running. Some are focused on training, others on famous runners (Frank Shorter, Dean Karnazes, or Scott Jurek to name a few). And there are those books that detail historical events (Roger Bannister breaking the 4-minute mile, for example). Many are philosophical/inspirational/motivational (think of the ‘inner runner”, etc). The best books tend to combine some of these multiple elements to weave an entertaining story. Below are just one runner’s thoughts on some of the books that I’ve read (or plan/hope to read soon).

Books I have Read:

1. Born to Run by Christopher McDougall. No discussion about running books would be complete without mentioning McDougall’s wonderful story that begins with the simplest question that almost all of us can relate to: “Why do my feet hurt?”. The reader is introduced to some unforgettable characters like Caballo Blanco, and the runners of the Tarahumara tribe of Central Mexico. Maybe the strongest way that this book touched me is that whenever I’m struggling during a run (or especially while running a hot summertime race), I mentally chant the mantra based on the philosophy of the Tarahumara: “Easy, light, smooth, ….and fast”. Works every time…

2. Pre: The Story of America’s Greatest Running Legend, Steve Prefontaine by Tom Jordan. He died in a one car accident before his 25th birthday. Yet there are so many tales, quotes, and anecdotes about the person who many consider to be the greatest American runner that one has a hard time knowing what is truth and what is mythology. Jordan does a good job weeding out fact from fiction, and Pre’s drive and determination are inspiring to any runner. There are a few quotes that strike me personally. Like Pre, I was a small kid growing up that got picked on and occasionally dismissed by coaches and teammates. So when he says ’All my life, people have been telling me “you’re too small, Pre”, “you’re not fast enough, Pre”, “give up your dreams, Pre” and yet he pressed on – that has inspired me. I have a Pre poster in my home office with his quote “To give anything less than your best is to sacrifice the gift”. I ask everyone who reads that quote to embrace that message, as we are all given “the gift”: be it the gift of life, love, family, health. Pre was so much more than just a runner.

3. The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner by Alan Stillitoe. A short story written in 1959 about a young Englishman with few prospects in life. Running becomes a salvation. Hasn’t it for most of us? (NOTE: skip the 1962 movie based on the story; it’s a bit overdramatic although it co-stars a very young Albert Finney).

4. Duel in the Sun: Alberto Salazar, Dick Beardsley, and America’s Greatest Marathon by John Brandt. As a fellow Minnesotan, I was lucky enough to meet Dick Beardsley towards the beginning of my running life: he was a guest speaker to my class of 25 first time marathoners in the summer of 1990. I remember thinking “here is a man who has been at the front of athletic history, but he seems incredibly humble with a kind of an ‘aw-shucks’ demeanor”. The book chronicles two elite runners from different backgrounds: a farm kid from Minnesota and a young immigrant who grew up less than 30 miles from the Boston Marathon finish line (and whose father fought alongside Fidel Castro during the Cuban takeover). Each had vastly different personalities and expectations, and the biggest race of their lives left each man permanently changed (and not always for the better). Personal and compelling. Below are a few that I are on my list of “must reads” in the near future.

Books I Plan to Read:

Louis Zamperini in Minnesota at Wooddale Church, 2011

5. Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand. Another author I’m familiar with, having read Seabiscuit some years ago. You likely have heard of Louis Zamperini, the Olympic runner, World War II veteran/POW survivor, Christian evangelist. My wife really enjoyed this inspiring story, and was blessed to have heard Mr. Zamperini speak a few years before his death. The man’s story is so incredible that it almost seems like fiction.

6. What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by Haruki Murakami. Highly recommended by a coworker and on hold for me at my local library. Murakami is a celebrated international author and has written over 20 books (mostly fiction). In What I Talk About... he discusses how he took two seemingly dissimilar activities (writing a novel and training for the New York City Marathon) and rather accidentally wove them together - and in the process, became better at both. While that might sound a bit deep and esoteric, the idea is that running can be blended with anything to sustain and nurture both activities.

7. The Incomplete Book of Running by Peter Sagal. As a radio show host on NPR, Sagal has always struck me as both smart and amusing. I read a previous book he wrote called The Book of Vice (Very Naughty Things and How to Do Them). Very funny. This latest book was just published last fall, and while there are plenty of memoirs about running, how many are actually funny? This one promises to be.

Read blog post “Lessons From An Injury” also written by Brian Messer.

Brian Messer is an AARP-qualified “athlete” who is beginning to understand that he is not as fast or young as he used to be – which is to be expected after more than 30 years of running. He lives in Minnesota with his wife Daphne, a rambunctious dog, and a three legged cat. They used to have three kids, but they turned into adults.