Now that I have a clearly identified goal of Comrades 2010 in front of me, I surely need to get myself up-to-date on how to best prepare for that. Training plans, injury prevention, foot care, salts, energy gels, these are just some of the things which I want to know more about, and since I do not have a personal coach, books are the best friends.
So, after reading reviews, following discussions on the best ultramarathon references, I ordered the following books on ultramarathon running (or related aspects):
- Lore of Running by Timothy Noakes
Lore of Running gives you incomparable detail on physiology, training, racing, injuries, world-class athletes, and races. - Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-night Runner by Dean Karnazes (Read)
“Ultra Marathon Man” is Dean Karnazes’ story: the mind-boggling adventures of his nonstop treks through the hell of Death Valley, the incomprehensible frigidity of the South Pole, and the breathtaking beauty of the mountains and canyons of the Sierra Nevada. Karnazes captures the euphoria and out-of-body highs of these adventures. - Running Through the Wall: Personal Encounters with the Ultramarathon by Neal Jamison (Read)
What makes ultrarunners tick? What goes through their minds at mile 93? How can you train for such a colossal undertaking? An inspiring collection of 39 personal stories from ultramarathoners. - Ultrarunning: My Story by Mike Bouscaren (Read)
There is nothing complicated about running. It is merely one foot in front of the other, the most basic mode of transportation. Yet run long enough and a transition takes place where running becomes rich with meaning and intuition. It is this road to spiritual insight that Mike Bouscaren pursues by doing races beyond the marathon, where oxygen comes hard, electrolytes deplete, and life is stripped down to real, true, honest, simple meaning. - A Step Beyond: A Definitive Guide to Ultrarunning by Don Allison (Currently Reading)
a comprehensive compendium on ultrarunning, this guide provides an exhaustive range of information for everyone who wants to learn about ultrarunning, train for their first ultramarathon, or improve upon their last. - Fixing Your Feet: Prevention and Treatments for Athletes by John Vonhof
From heels to toes, products to pathology, resources to rehabilitation, this book has it all. An essential guide… — Runner’s World, July, 2000
As always, I got most of these from firstandsecond.com, for the first time a book from flipkart.com, and for the first time books from amazon.com (which were not available through any of the Indian online book stores).
A couple of more books which are in my to-buy list are as below:
- Extreme Running by Kym McConnell, Dave Horsley, Ranulph Fiennes
- The Extra Mile: One Women’s Personal Journey to Ultra-Running Greatness by Pam Reed, Mitch Sisskind
I have some travel coming up in the next few days, so will just sit back and enjoy my time.
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