The RunnersWorld.com article "How to Make Yourself Poop," was one of the most popular web pieces on the site with more than 5M page views too date. Inspired by the article's success, this book is a fun, humorous reference guide for runners written by the magazine's senior editor Meghan Kita. In contrast to more serious advice on running, the tone is lighthearted and ideal for quick reference for runners on-the-go, with quirky design and illustrations that make it a perfect gift for runners of all levels. Sections of reliable facts are delivered with humour and clarity and include different hacks, such as 'The 2 Best Ways to Lace Your Shoes" and, of course, "3 Ways to Make Yourself Poop" (one tip: warm up near a toilet - the motion can help bring on a bowel movement). The hacks will cover the full spectrum of runners' needs, including training, nutrition, gear, motivation, recovery, injury prevention, and racing.

The greatest athletes in the world today are not the Olympic champions or the stars of professional sports, but the "marathon monks" of Japan's sacred Mount Hiei. Over a seven-year training period, these "running buddhas" figuratively circle the globe on foot. During one incredible 100-day stretch, they cover 52.5 miles daily-twice the length of an Olympic marathon. And the prize they seek to capture is the greatest thing a human being can achieve: enlightenment in the here and now.

This book is about these amazing men, the magic mountain on which they train, and the philosophy of Tendai Buddhism, which inspires them in their quest for the supreme. The reader will learn about the monks' death-defying fasts, their vegetarian training diet, their handmade straw running shoes, and feats of endurance such as their ceremonial leap into a waterfall. Illustrated with superb photographs, the book also contains the first full-length study in English of Mount Hiei and Tendai Buddhism.

John Stevens lived in Japan for thirty-five years, where he was a professor of Buddhist studies at Tohoku Fukushi University in Sendai. Stevens is a widely respected translator, an ordained Buddhist priest, a curator of several major exhibitions of Zen art, and an aikido instructor. He has authored more than thirty books and is one of the foremost Western experts on aikido, holding a ranking of 7th dan Aikikai. Stevens has also studied calligraphy for decades, authoring the classic "Sacred Calligraphy of the East." Other John Stevens titles that are likely to be of interest include "Extraordinary Zen Masters" and "The Philosophy of Aikido."

A practical, illustrated, and scientifically grounded guide to improving your running technique and preventing injury, written by a kinesiologist In North America alone, thirty-seven million people run regularly, and most suffer at least one running-related injury a year. Run Better sets out to help runners of all abilities run smarter and injury-free by reviewing the proper mechanics of running and the role of shoes; providing training programs (from 5K to marathon distances) that promote rest and cross-training for adequate recovery; offering 90 running-specific exercises and technical drills to build strength, reinforce proper posture, encourage flexibility, improve mobility, and optimize breathing; and explaining 42 common running injuries and the ways to prevent and alleviate them. Illustrated with more than 150 color photographs, 50 black-and-white line drawings, and 20 charts and tables, Run Better is an easy to use and authoritative running handbook for anyone who wants to improve their running efficiency and decrease their risk of injury.

In this candid and riveting memoir, for the first time ever, Nike founder and board chairman Phil Knight shares the inside story of the company’s early days as an intrepid start-up and its evolution into one of the world’s most iconic, game-changing, and profitable brands.

Young, searching, fresh out of business school, Phil Knight borrowed fifty dollars from his father and launched a company with one simple mission: import high-quality, low-cost running shoes from Japan. Selling the shoes from the trunk of his Plymouth Valiant, Knight grossed eight thousand dollars that first year, 1963. Today, Nike’s annual sales top $30 billion. In this age of start-ups, Knight’s Nike is the gold standard, and its swoosh is more than a logo. A symbol of grace and greatness, it’s one of the few icons instantly recognized in every corner of the world.

But Knight, the man behind the swoosh, has always been a mystery. Now, in a memoir that’s surprising, humble, unfiltered, funny, and beautifully crafted, he tells his story at last. It all begins with a classic crossroads moment. Twenty-four years old, backpacking through Asia and Europe and Africa, wrestling with life’s Great Questions, Knight decides the unconventional path is the only one for him. Rather than work for a big corporation, he will create something all his own, something new, dynamic, different. Knight details the many terrifying risks he encountered along the way, the crushing setbacks, the ruthless competitors, the countless doubters and haters and hostile bankers—as well as his many thrilling triumphs and narrow escapes. Above all, he recalls the foundational relationships that formed the heart and soul of Nike, with his former track coach, the irascible and charismatic Bill Bowerman, and with his first employees, a ragtag group of misfits and savants who quickly became a band of swoosh-crazed brothers.

Together, harnessing the electrifying power of a bold vision and a shared belief in the redemptive, transformative power of sports, they created a brand, and a culture, that changed everything.

Perhaps more than any other two colleges, Harvard and Yale gave form to American intercollegiate athletics--a form that was inspired by the Oxford-Cambridge rivalry overseas, and that was imitated by colleges and universities throughout the United States. Focusing on the influence of these prestigious eastern institutions, this fascinating study traces the origins and development of intercollegiate athletics in America from the mid-nineteenth century to the early twentieth century. Smith begins with an historical overview of intercollegiate athletics and details the evolution of individual sports--crew, baseball, track and field, and especially football. Then, skillfully setting various sports events in their broader social and cultural contexts, Smith goes on to discuss many important issues that are still relevant today: student-faculty competition for institutional athletic control; the impact of the professional coach on big-time athletics; the false concept of amateurism in college athletics; and controversies over eligibility rules. He also reveals how the debates over brutality and ethics created the need for a central organizing body, the National Collegiate Athletic Association, which still runs college sports today. Sprinkled throughout with spicy sports anecdotes, from the Thanksgiving Day Princeton-Yale football game that drew record crowds in the 1890s to a meeting with President Theodore Roosevelt on football violence, this lively, in-depth investigation will appeal to serious sports buffs as well as to anyone interested in American social and cultural history.

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.

Full of incredible characters, amazing athletic achievements, cutting-edge science, and, most of all, pure inspiration, "Born to Run "is an epic adventure that began with one simple question: "Why does my foot hurt? "In search of an answer, Christopher McDougall sets off to find a tribe of the world's greatest distance runners and learn their secrets, and in the process shows us that everything we thought we knew about running is wrong.
Isolated by the most savage terrain in North America, the reclusive Tarahumara Indians of Mexico's deadly Copper Canyons are custodians of a lost art. For centuries they have practiced techniques that allow them to run hundreds of miles without rest and chase down anything from a deer to an Olympic marathoner while enjoying every mile of it. Their superhuman talent is matched by uncanny health and serenity, leaving the Tarahumara immune to the diseases and strife that plague modern existence. With the help of Caballo Blanco, a mysterious loner who lives among the tribe, the author was able not only to uncover the secrets of the Tarahumara but also to find his own inner ultra-athlete, as he trained for the challenge of a lifetime: a fifty-mile race through the heart of Tarahumara country pitting the tribe against an odd band of Americans, including a star ultramarathoner, a beautiful young surfer, and a barefoot wonder.
With a sharp wit and wild exuberance, McDougall takes us from the high-tech science labs at Harvard to the sun-baked valleys and freezing peaks across North America, where ever-growing numbers of ultrarunners are pushing their bodies to the limit, and, finally, to the climactic race in the Copper Canyons. "Born to Run" is that rare book that will not only engage your mind but inspire your body when you realize that the secret to happiness is right at your feet, and that you, indeed all of us, were born to run.

Athletic contests in running, walking, jumping and throwing are among the oldest of all sports and their roots are prehistoric. Athletics events were depicted in the Ancient Egyptian tombs in Saqqara, with illustrations of running at the Heb Sed festival and high jumping appearing in tombs from as early as 2250 BC. The original and only event at the first Olympics in 776 BC was the stadion, a stadium-length running event. The turn of the century was a time of renewed interest in the sport, with the foundation of the Amateur Athletics Association in 1880, the first modern Summer Olympics in 1896 and the International Amateur Athletics Federation in 1912. In this classic guide, Montague Shearman traces the evolution of athletics and shares his expertise in training and discipline.

"Lore of Running" gives you incomparable detail on physiology, training, racing, injuries, world-class athletes, and races.

Author Tim Noakes blends the expertise of a physician and research scientist with the passion of a dedicated runner to answer the most pressing questions for those who are serious about the sport:

-How your body systems respond to training, the effects of different training methods, how to detect and avoid overtraining, and genetic versus trainable potential

-How to train for the 10K up through ultramarathon with detailed programs from Noakes and several leading running experts

-How to prevent and treat injuries, increase your strength and flexibility, and use proper nutrition for weight control and maximum performance

You'll also find a candid analysis of supplements and ergogenic effects and training aids. The book includes new interviews with 10 world-class runners who share their secrets to success and longevity in the sport. Features on legendary figures and events in running history provide fascinating insights.

And that's just scratching the surface. "Lore of Running" is not only the biggest and best running publication on the planet. It's the one book every runner should own.

It's normal for a daily run to become somewhat of a chore. Finding out how to get out of the rut can be a challenge. Luckily, The Happy Runner has the answers for you. Authors David and Megan Roche believe you can't reach your running potential without consistency and joyful daily adventures. These can lead to long-term health and happiness. Guided by their personal experiences and coaching expertise, they help you learn exactly how to become a happier runner and achieve your personal best. The text uses proven coaching methods to teach you how to run faster, run longer and stay healthy. There are also real stories from successful athletes who have had personal breakthroughs as they learn to love the process of running. You will also learn how to adapt your running based on personal lifestyle and goals. As well as how to avoid setbacks from injury. Whether you're battling burnout, returning after injury or simply just new to running and want to enjoy it, the science-based guidance in The Happy Runner helps you get faster, go longer and live stronger.