On April 23, 1929, the second annual Transcontinental Foot Race across America, known as the Bunion Derby, was in its twenty-fifth day. Eddie "the Sheik" Gardner, an African American runner from Seattle, was leading the race across the Free Bridge over the Mississippi River. Along with the signature outfit that earned him his nickname-a white towel tied around his head, white shorts, and a white shirt-Gardner wore an American flag, a reminder to all who saw him run through the Jim Crow South that he was an American and the leader of the greatest footrace in the world. Kastner traces Gardner's remarkable journey from his birth in 1897 in Birmingham, Alabama, to his success in Seattle, Washington, as one of the top long-distance runners in the region, and finally to his participation in two transcontinental footraces where he risked his life, facing a barrage of harassment for having the audacity to compete with white runners. Kastner shows how Gardner's participation became a way to protest the endemic racism he faced, heralding the future of nonviolent efforts that would be instrumental to the civil rights movement. Shining a bright light on his extraordinary athletic accomplishments and his heroism on the dusty roads of America in the 1920s, Kastner gives Gardner and other black bunioneers the attention they so richly deserve.

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.

This book will guide you in programming your mind and body to run with the physical and mental skills that replicate the talents of world class runners. After an analysis of the elements of elite running technique, you will learn how to apply mental skills to help you refine your running style. A discussion of how to cope with the dynamics of race preparation, execution, and evaluation follows. Internalizing these lessons will result in fewer injuries, more effective and consistent training, better racing results, and greater satisfaction and enjoyment in your running. "After more than a decade of teaching thousands of runners, my staff, students, and I have concluded that PROGRAMMED TO RUN is the best guide to improving your running and racing available today. It is practical, easily understood, and illustrated with interesting and motivating stories based on Tom's own running and racing experiences, field research, and anecdotes of how novice runners transformed themselves into masters of their sport." Curt Munson, the founder of Good Form Running and past president of the National Running Retailers Association (2013). "When this book first came out in 2002, we said in the July/August issue, 'Miller's book is one of the most accessible and practical books we've seen on those minute and intangible elements that make the difference between good and great performances.' Programmed to Run contains timeless guidance and should be part of every serious runner's library today." Jonathan Beverly, Editor, Running Times magazine (2013).

The Runner's High. It is not a myth, it is not illegal, but it may be addictive. Chasing the Dragon: Running to Get High is a collection of diatribes, training tips, and off-color wisdom, all processing the running life and how to get the biggest (legal) highs from your life and your runs. The author taps into his personal experience with running and addiction to look at questions such as why recovering addicts turn to running and the nature of positive addictions. There is something here for every runner: tips on running that Boston Qualifier, pacing, tapering, training philosophy, plus some running flash fiction sure to make you smile. The author is a 13-time marathoner, a Boston qualifier, a recovering addict of 21 years, and a substance-abuse counselor in Detroit.

Harold Watkins gets a wake-up call after his annual physical. He is out of shape, inactive and almost needs to go shopping for a coffin. The grim reaper is out looking for him. He could try and hide.

Instead, he decides that drastic changes are needed in his life and so he enlists the help of two friends and sets out on a long journey to fitness through the unlikely (for him) sport of running. He soon discovers that there is a lot more to life than sitting in front of a television set and chomping down on burgers and fries.

Throughout the journey Harold experiences every emotion possible from the pain and low esteem of the early beginnings, to the sheer joy and satisfaction of achieving long term goals he had not thought previously possible.

Harold's helpers turn out to be his best friends as well as two very good coaches and have many hilarious runs and training incidents on the way. Harold pushes the word friendship to the limit. At the end of the journey he emerges a completely transformed and totally different person with a whole new outlook on life.

Anyone who runs, or is thinking of taking up running, needs to read this book and use Harold's motivation and perseverance to help with their own personal journeys. If Harold can do it, so can you.

Each year, millions of people take up running and jogging for its simplicity, freedom, and the many health benefits it provides.
At the same time, many people also give up on running, and themselves, because of the lack of good information, or contradictory information. They find running too intimidating, or are plagued with small injuries due to running unprepared. Running Inspired is a no-nonsense, methodical breakdown of the basics of running and, more importantly, the mental and physical training that will help to keep someone running.
If the key to running inspired could be summarized, it would be: Have Faith ... We could call this dedication, but people are dedicated to their jobs, their families, to paying their mortgages ... dedication implies a duty or act that must be performed. After running for awhile we will find (faith) that running brings with it a certain freedom and inspiration that a gym, elliptical machine, or treadmill can't even come close to ... it is then that wonderful things begin to happen, and we begin to run inspired.
This book has everything you need to get off the couch and start running. The beginner runner will discover how to:
Run with good form for maximum efficiency and to avoid injury. Build a powerful mental training program that includes a running journal and visualizations. Select the right shoes and gear for different conditions and weather. Eat simply, with suggested menu items. Prevent and treat common running injuries.Get past embarrassment and being self-conscious. Find support and encouragement in the running community. ... and much, MUCH more With four detailed training schedules for every age and ability, Running Inspired will help anyone who is thinking about running not only get started, but keep running once they have started. Whether going out for a first run, training for race day, or improving times, this book has something for everyone from beginners to more accomplished runners.

This is the long-awaited reprint of the highly-acclaimed book 'Athletics: How to become a champion' by Percy Cerutty, world renowned coach to Australia's greatest athlete, Herb Elliott, winner of the 1500m at the Rome Olympics in 1960. First published in 1960, this book, a classic in its time, has been out of print for 50 years. The books is full of details and ideas for optimum athletic training with specific advice for various distance and field events within the track and field discipline. This book garnered much praise when it was first published. Today's athlete and coach has much to learn from the wisdom of this outspoken and at time controversial figure. Cerutty describes the training regime at his Portsea, Victoria, athletics camp. The book includes historic images of a young Herb Elliott training under the master coach. Republished with permission from the family of the late coach, this book will inspire and encourage today's young athlete who dreams of Olympic triumph, just as Herb Elliott did in 1960.

On the 21st January 2012, after a long and very brave battle, my brother lost his fight against cancer and passed away peacefully during the evening with his family around him. Having been diagnosed with a rare spinal cancer and given less than a year to live he set about raising money for Cancer Research UK. Despite the very aggressive nature of the disease he displayed an amazing spirit throughout his illness which he fought with absolute dignity. The day he died I decided to carry on his fund-raising activities and determined to run the London Marathon in his memory. This book tells the story of quite possibly the biggest challenge of my life whilst highlighting the incredible determination that he displayed throughout his illness.