In his autobiography "Running through My Mind: Confessions of an Every Day Runner," author and runner Scott Ludwig states he would like to write a book about the superheroes he's grown to know throughout his running lifetime.

Ludwig's second book, "A Passion for Running: Portraits of the Everyday Runner" tells the amazing stories of 18 runners he has grown to respect and admire in his 31 years as a runner.

Inside you will meet:

Anne, an admitted couch potato at 40 and accomplished 100-mile runner at 56.

Bobbi, the first woman to run the Boston Marathon during a time when women 'weren't capable of running more than 1 1/2 miles.'

Elizabeth, who ran through the dark to complete her first 100-mile run despite having no vision at night..and 97% vision loss during the day.

Sarah, the only finisher--male or female--of a bitterly cold race which just happened to be 135 miles long.

Lloyd, a beginning runner at 59 and holder of various age group records once he reached the ages of 70, 75, 80 and now 85.

Bob, winner of countless races in his 30's and 40's who can't seem to slow down in his 50's.

Jerry, who ran an official marathon course 200 times in the year 2000 because...well, just because.

Al, who has run a sub-five minute mile, sub-three hour marathon, and 100 miles in less than 24 hours at age 60 yet still imagines what the future holds at the age of 64.

All have their own unique story to tell, and Ludwig is proud to be the one to tell them. You'll find all of their stories fascinating: how running became a part of their lives; their approach to the physical, psychological and emotional demands of running; and their special advice and insight into the sport.

You'll also hear their personal accounts of the most memorable running event in each of their lives, from the Boston Marathon to the Comrades Marathon to the Western States Endurance Run to the blistering Badwater Ultramarathon to the frigid Arrowhead 135

Their stories will be sure to inspire and motivate you for a lifetime.

A step-by-step guide to running a half-marathon. Few experiences match the accomplishment a runner feels after finishing a half-marathon, yet not many people are able to run 13.1 miles. In this guide, Joe Donovan provides a practical and effective training schedule designed to condition you both physically and mentally for your first half-marathon. Whether you're looking to make a lifestyle change or just want to know how it feels to conquer an extraordinary goal, this book will set you on the path to becoming a successful long-distance runner.

The road is a good teacher. Like a zen master or psychoanalyst, it teaches you to become your own teacher. The road is long, it goes everywhere; it will teach you many things if you are patient and willing to learn.

The Competitive Edge explores the psychological factors that influence a distance runner's performance. The book is intended to help competitive runners get a handle on the 'inner game' of their sport and maximize their running potential. It covers such topics as: the challenges posed by the psychological aspects of distance racing the use of relaxation techniques to calm the body the use of mental rehearsal to visualize and prepare for races the care and feeding of a runner's 'emotional battery' a discussion with top runners about the psychology of racing the formulation of a mental training program

Loaded with clear and practical information that parents, coaches, and children can put to quick use, "Young Runners" is a comprehensive guide to recreational and competitive running for children of all ages. Former running coach Marc Bloom draws on years of experience, as well as on some of the most successful youth running programs in the United States today, to offer a safe start for our youngest runners and continued healthy running through adolescence. "Young Runners" includes:
- Training programs for children aged 3 to 11, 12 to 14, and 15 to 18, including warm-ups and stretches for injury prevention
- Information about speed and distance, as well as weekly training programs
- A guide to youth races across America
Bloom also outlines the different basics for boys and girls, cross-training for enhanced performance in other sports, and the best way to add running to the lives of special-needs children. Filled with inspiring stories and straightforward advice, "Young Runners" focuses above all on the enjoyment of running that should be a part of every kid's life.

Training tips for record-breaking distance running from the author of "4 Months to a 4-Hour Marathon."
The only running book targeted specifically to help runners set a personal record, this indispensable guide offers specific training programs for each of the four most popular race distances: 5K, 10K, half-marathon, and marathon. It also includes a common-sense discussion of the training process (a time-tested, three-pronged approach), information on everything runners need to know from day one to crossing the finish line, plus race-day strategies to squeeze out precious minutes and seconds from that finish line clock.
"How to Run a Personal Record" features a 32-page training log where the reader can log their progress through the 16-week training phase.

'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.' Rich Benyo, editor, Marathon&Beyond

Written solely for girls to give motivation and inspiration to run, and to promote the benefits of running for the mind and body. Running can be fun A growing trend.

Destined to be a cult classic.
As the first running boom was sprouting in the early 1970's, a group of Kentucky teenagers were brought together by a young coach who was ahead of his time. Cross country was regarded as a sport for the slightly odd and unathletic, a means of "getting an easy varsity letter." Among this group of runners was a particularly odd (though strangely athletic) teenager who was taken in by the joy of running over the grass, hills, and mud of cross country courses. The coach and seasonally growing team rose to dominance of Kentucky cross country in the span of four short years. Along the way, they "learned the lessons every runner has to learn, mostly the hard way, many of them twice." From humble backgrounds and with guidance from a ground breaking coach, the Lloyd Memorial High School Juggernauts led the way for high schools in Northern Kentucky to win State Championships for over thirty consecutive years. This is that story.

Sports and athletics are at once big business, spectator sports, body conditioning, mind expanding and it has been said form the only pages of most newspapers which are truthful and without political agendas. This book presents articles which are of current interest in the field.

Avid runner Scott Ludwig has seen, heard, and experienced firsthand most everything the sport has to offer. Of course, that is to be expected of someone who has run every day for over twenty-eight years. In "Running through My Mind," Scott and his friends weigh in, sharing brutally honest, occasionally raw and always entertaining anecdotes to guide you through the physical and mental aspects of running:

A teammate on the Atlanta Track Club Men's Masters Team, discussing a 195-mile relay: "How many runners does it take to run Hood-to-Coast? Twelve members of the men's masters' team or one Scott Ludwig. " Scott after dropping out of the Western States Endurance Run: "That sure sucked. " Scott's views on treadmills: "It's not running if you don't go anywhere. " A pal and crewmember for Scott at the Badwater Ultramarathon: "When Scott was accepted into Badwater, the real question in my mind was not whether or not he would finish, but whether or not he would then let the" (consecutive days of running) "streak die a peaceful death. " Scott after "finishing" the Western States Endurance Run: "That still sucked. "

Discover the motivational narrative behind these and many other observations in Scott's story-so far. Whether you just bought your first pair of running shoes or are a grizzled running veteran, "Running through My Mind" provides the encouragement you need to get out and get moving

Paul VI High School dominated boys' scholastic cross-country in South Jersey over a span of 20 years. From 1980 through 1999, Paul VI was voted the number one boys' cross-country team in South Jersey an unprecedented 15 times, including 11 straight seasons encompassing the years 1980 through 1990. Paul VI won 7 New Jersey State Championships in boys' cross-country over a 12-year period, within the toughest division in New Jersey-Parochial-A. The Paul VI Eagles also became the number one team in all of New Jersey 4 times by winning the prestigious Meet of Champions, the most titles won by any South Jersey high school. Jason DiJoseph, a 1989 Paul VI graduate and 3-time State Champion in cross-country, was named the Runner-of-the-Century by the Courier-Post newspaper in 1999. DiJoseph's coach, Mike Glavin, was voted the Coach-of-the-Century. From 1980 through 2006, Paul VI High School won 240 consecutive dual meets in boys' cross-country. This streak is the fourth longest high school winning streak in cross-country history. Jim Enright had the pleasure of coaching the Paul VI boys' cross-country team from 2003 through 2006.

A unique anthology of essays exploring the philosophical wisdom runners contemplate when out for a run. It features writings from some of America's leading philosophers, including Martha Nussbaum, Charles Taliaferro, and J.P. Moreland.* A first-of-its-kind collection of essays exploring those gems of philosophical wisdom runners contemplate when out for a run* Topics considered include running and the philosophy of friendship; the freedom of the long distance runner; running as aesthetic experience, and "Could a Zombie Run a Marathon?"* Contributing essayists include philosophers with athletic experience at the collegiate level, philosophers whose pasttime is running, and one philosopher who began running to test the ideas in his essay

We all know that running is good for the mind, body and soul. But for the woman who has never run farther than a bus stop, running can seem daunting, even painful. The good thing is that running is free and you can do it anywhere. All you need are your own two-feet-and a little support. In the pages of "Run for Your Life," Deborah Reber gives you everything you need to know to get moving-how to get started, what it will feel like, what to wear, and most importantly, how to stick with it.

No other track and field book to date has been so well designed, so easy to use, and so committed to weight training. This book will have the player increasing strength, quickness, agility, and endurance.

More than 11 million women run regularly, a number that's growing every year. They tend to be educated and affluent-the perfect audience for "Sole Sisters."
Half of all runners are women, and they are changing the face of the sport. It's a social outlet, a healthful way to improve mental well-being, and an opportunity to form bonds with like-minded women.
"Sole Sisters: Stories of Women and Running" is a gripping collection of stories that captures the inspirational heart of the women's running. Authors Jennifer Lin and Susan Warner have interviewed women of all ages from all walks of life and all parts of the country. All of their subjects have one thing in common: Running has transformed them. There are both heartrending stories of grief and survival and lighthearted tales of friendship. Among them are:
* Sisters who competed in a 5K race to honor a sister who survived breast cancer.
* A 9/11 widow who ran her first marathon to honor the memory of her husband.
* A 65-year-old woman who overcame obesity and alcoholism to finish the grueling Ironman triathlon.
* An unknown runner from Norway named Grete Waitz who decided to run a marathon-and changed the face of the sport.
"Sole Sisters: Stories of Women and Running" is not just for women who run. It appeals to all women who know what it means to have the support of others who share their trials and triumphs. "Sole Sisters: Stories of Women and Running" is sometimes touching, sometimes funny, and always inspiring.

Charles Robbins has something known as Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS), a chronic, painful, deforming, inflammatory rheumatic disease. Despite this disease's debilitating affects, and a severe case of Acid Reflux, Charles Robbins has not just survived, but thrived. Once told he would never walk again, today Charles has run in and finished 40 marathons. Now the millions currently suffering from AS, the tens of millions suffering from other autoimmune deficiencies, and a score of those simply seeking inspiration to succeed can read all about Charles's extremely inspirational and motivational story, Marathon Man: How I Trained Myself to Run After Being Told I'd Never Walk Again (And Doing it All by Reaching Within.). They can also continue to see him all across this great country doing the high profile events that he creates and does all on his own. with a handy reference guide, Marathon Man is a combination memoir/self-help book designed to inspire not only those suffering from disabilities but indeed the general American public and everyone who needs help getting off the couch and getting started with whatever they want to do. Charles shows them that they can do it

"How can I set up a track and field program for young children?"
"Getting Started in Track and Field Athletics" introduces the history, rules, techniques and competition strategies of each event. Ways of making this event fun - for even the most un-athletic child - are suggested.
"When should my child start practising?" "Getting Started in Track and Field Athletics" considers this question in depth and offers guidance to parents, teachers and coaches.
Do they use real bullets in the starting gun?" "How can I run in the Olympics?" "Will I ever be able to run that fast?" - These questions, and many others, are common themes of curiosity in young athletes. "Getting Started in Track and Field Athletics" offers answers and suggests practical ways for these athletes to enjoy all this sport has to offer.