Runners on Running: The Best Nonfiction of Distance Running

Runners on Running: The Best Nonfiction of Distance Running – Edited by Rich Elliott

Addressing everything about running except technique, this anthology looks at the whole experience of what it means to run and be a runner. Split into sections such as “spirit,” “race,” or “heart,” this anthology is a collection of pieces written by and about runners about preparing, racing, recovering, and enduring. Some pieces talk about records, whether that means reliving the exhilaration or the first sub-four minute mile or reaching past personal limits. Some recreate definitive races in the history of running that propelled the sport into national attention or set records that stood unchallenged for decades. Others reflect on the experience of running, vividly recalling all the aches, pains, and injuries as well as the clarity, calm, and focus. Across the diversity of writings, the whole book is united by the undeniable universality of running.

“Runners on Running” beautifully captures the inherent paradox of distance running. Running is and always will be a solo pursuit, but the triumphs and travails of the runner are inextricably connected to personal and community relationships. Several of the articles focus on one runner or one race, resulting in narrow and specific subject matter, but due to the common experience of running, the story of the individual still applies in the broader context. Elliott also carefully selects articles to cover the history and breadth of running as a sport. One article focuses on a runner who became a political prisoner, one begins its story in the early decades of the 1900s, and another tells the story of a woman who ran the Boston Marathon when women were not allowed to participate. The pieces included in the anthology offer so much depth and detail about running that it is impossible to read the collection and not feel moved, either by an interest in the sport or a motivation to run.

This book starts off with a strong hook by focusing on the “spirit” of running, which was one of the more universal sections in the book. Reading these stories perfectly echoed how I feel when I run. Then the collection shifts toward more of a focus on individual runners, races, or records of some sort. While these stories are captivating, they are also intimidating. In the introduction to the anthology, Elliott talks about his inclusion criteria for the articles he selected for the anthology, and he admitted that he has a strong sense of competition, which shines through so strongly in the pieces that it is almost like looking at the sun. I felt just barely vindicated with one marathon under my belt. This book might need a disclaimer that it is only for serious and long-distance runners. Despite the competitive attitude, this was a fantastic book to read because it gave me so much more information on the sport. If you enjoy running, you should definitely read this book. If you aren’t currently a runner, at least read the first section.