The year is 1976, and South Africa is gripped by a terrible lockdown – apartheid. Nelson Mandela is in prison on Robben Island; South Africa is isolated from the rest of the world, and revolution is in the air.

Against this background, a young student at Johannesburg’s Wits University decides to try and take control of his life, and his destiny, and give himself a sense of purpose. He challenges himself to run South Africa’s most famous long-distance race, the grueling 90-kilometre Comrades Marathon. Little does he know that five years later he will win this most iconic of races and he will go on to be considered one of the greatest Comrades runners in the history of the race.

In Winged Messenger, Bruce shares this 1976/77 training diary so that raw novices and experienced runners alike can follow the journey he took to his first Comrades. Novices particularly will enjoy reading about how he took his first stumbling, rudimentary steps and how, as an ordinary runner, he began to understand the demands of the race. He documents his mistakes, his successes and his progress towards his date with destiny in May 1977. Using his own experiences, he guides others, but particularly novices, on their quests to become winged messengers.

This is a unique blend of both a training guide and a fascinating glimpse of the life of a young man in his quest to conquer both himself and South Africa’s greatest race.

For over a century, the Comrades Marathon has captivated a nation. It’s an annual South African ritual, a day of inspiration and extraordinary achievement. Written in an accessible, anecdotal style, this book tells the absorbing story of a humble start in 1921, when only a handful of runners finished, to its current status as the world’s greatest ultra-marathon.

It bears witness to the complexity of South African society and over a hundred years of change in a fascinating story that begins with the early heroes, Arthur Newton in the 1920s, Hardy Ballington in the 1930s and Wally Hayward in the 1950s, to official permission for women and people of colour to run in the 1970s, to nine-times winner Bruce Fordyce in the 1980s, democratic South Africa in the 1990s, the domination of the Russians in the early 2000s, and the ascent of black runners in the 2010s. And then came a worldwide pandemic and for only the second time in its history, the Comrades Marathon was cancelled.

In 2022, participants once again lined up on the Old Main Road for the first time in two years to run the ultimate human race, this book tells the tale of the world’s largest ultra-marathon: its glories, its passions, its triumphs and tragedies.

Written by bestselling author Phil Hewitt, Outrunning The Demons is an exploration of the transformative power of running – and how it can be the key to unlocking resilience we never knew we had.

Running can take us to fantastic places. Just as importantly, it can also bring us back from terrible ones. For people in times of crisis, trauma and physical or mental illness – when normality collapses – running can put things back together again. After bestselling author Phil Hewitt was viciously mugged, stabbed and left for dead in 2016, he found himself suffering the acute symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder. Unable to make sense of the horrific experience that had happened to him, Phil found that dedicating himself to running was slowly but surely helping him heal.

Outrunning The Demons is an enriching and celebratory exploration of the transformative power of running – and how it can be the key to unlocking resilience we never knew we had.

Told through 34 deeply affecting real-life stories and covering such diverse themes as trauma, bereavement, addiction, depression and anxiety, this compelling book is an exposition of just why running can so often be the answer to everything when we find ourselves in extremis.

“Caster’s story isn’t just a tale of perseverance and poise, it’s a story that makes us all interrogate our humanity and the world we build with our actions every day. An essential read.” - Trevor Noah

Caster Semenya is one of the greatest athletes ever to run the 800- metre. She went undefeated for almost four years, winning two Olympic gold medals and three World Athletics Championships, and set and broke numerous records.

However, Caster’s life and career were devastated by accusations that she was not a woman and should not compete against other women as she was born with naturally elevated levels of testosterone. Required by the International Association of Athletics Federations to take hormone-altering drugs as a condition of competing in certain events, Caster for years suffered side effects that she describes as devastating to her health. Her predicament surfaced a still-raging firestorm over our understanding of gender and, of how gender plays out in sports, as well as our expectations of female athletes.

The Race to be Myself tells the coming-of-age story of an iconic athlete – of Caster’s dramatic journey from a gifted and self-trained novice to the pinnacle of her sport – and takes readers behind the scenes of her inspiring battle to run in the ‘body that God gave me’.

Ian: ‘You’re going to run how far?’
Ryan: ‘250 kilometres. But it’s over seven days, though.’
Ian: ‘And the furthest you’ve ever run is …?’
Ryan: ‘42.2 kilometres … on the road. And on trail … 35 kilometres.’
Ian: ‘Ryan, I think you need to reassess this …’

What does it take to run a six-day race through the world’s harshest deserts? Or 100 miles in a single day at altitudes that would leave you breathless just walking? More than that, though: what is it like to win these races? South Africa’s ultra-trail-running superstar Ryan Sandes has done just that.

Since bursting onto the international trail-running scene by winning the first multistage race he ever entered – the brutal Gobi March – Ryan has gone on to win various other multistage and single-day races around the globe. Written with bestselling author and journalist Steve Smith, Trail Blazer – My Life as an Ultra-distance Trail Runner recounts the life story of this intrepid sportsman, from his experiences as a rudderless party animal to becoming a world-class athlete, and includes details on his training regimes, race strategies and aspirations for future sporting endeavours. Sports enthusiasts will enjoy the adrenaline-inducing trials and tribulations of one of South Africa’s most awe-inspiring athletes, while endurance-sport participants – from beginners to aspirant pros – will benefit from his insights and advice.

As Professor Tim Noakes says in the Foreword to this book: ‘However much we might think we know and understand, there are some phenomena which now, and perhaps forever, we will never fully comprehend. We call such happenings “enigmas”. Or even miracles. Ryan Sandes is one such.’

The world's oldest and greatest ultra-marathon, the Comrades Marathon is a South African institution that is internationally-recognised for the body-sapping challenge it poses and the camaraderie it fosters among its thousands of participants from all over the world. Run between the capital of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, and the coastal city of Durban, the race alternates annually between the up run from Durban and the down run from Pietermaritzburg.

It was born from an idea dreamed up by First World War veteran Vic Clapham, who wanted a living memorial to those South African soldiers killed in the Great War. Clapham, who had endured a 2 700-kilometre route march through sweltering German East Africa, wanted the memorial to be a unique test of the physical endurance of the entrants.

The constitution of the race states that one of its primary aims is to "celebrate mankind's spirit over adversity". First run in 1921, the Comrades Marathon has been held every year since, except from 1941 to 1945 when it was stopped during the Second World War, and in 2020-21, due to the worldwide Covid-19 pandemic. Thirty-four runners entered the first race; today over 20 000 athletes sign up each year to test their endurance in this iconic ultra-marathon, which has become known as the "Ultimate Human Race".

It captures the story and the images of this remarkable event, spanning 100 years, which appeals not only to runners but to those captivated by the triumph of the human spirit. Spiced with stories of bygone days and fun anecdotes, the book also looks at everything that goes into making this massive event a smoothly-run, world-leading exhibition of the best that South Africa has to offer.

On the 50th anniversary of American Track and Field icon Steve Prefontaine’s tragic death comes an essential reappraisal of his life and legacy, a powerful work of narrative history exploring the forces and psychology that made Prefontaine great and separating the man from the myths.

In the fifty years since his tragic death in a car crash, Steve Prefontaine has towered over American distance running. One of the most recognizable and charismatic figures to ever run competitively in the United States, Prefontaine has endured as a source of inspiration and fascination—a talent who presaged the American running boom of the late 1970s and helped put Nike on the map as the brand’s first celebrity-athlete face.

Now on the anniversary of his untimely death, author Brendan O’Meara, host of the Creative Nonfiction podcast, offers a fresh, definitive retelling of Prefontaine’s life, revisiting one of the most enigmatic figures in American sports with a twenty-first-century lens. Through over a hundred and fifty original interviews with family, friends, teammates, and competitors, this long-overdue reappraisal of Prefontaine—the first such exhaustive treatment in almost thirty years—provides never-before-told stories about the unique talent, innovative mental strength, and personal struggles that shaped Prefontaine on and off the track. Bringing new depth to an athlete long eclipsed by his brash, aggressive running style and the heartbreak of his death at twenty-four, O’Meara finds the man inside the myth, scrutinizing a legacy that has shaped American sports culture for decades.

What emerges is a singular portrait of a distinctly American talent, a story written in the pines and firs of the Pacific Northwest back when running was more blue-collar love than corporate pursuit—the story of a runner whose short life casts a long, fast shadow.

Pringle's autobiography offers a graphic and often painful account of his experiences with major marathons, including the Marathon des Sables and the Yukon Arctic Ultra. Journalists and scientists monitor his progress as he pushes his body to the very limits, as he competes in extreme sporting events which have already claimed lives. A growing sense of self-knowledge and a sense of unity with the natural world lead him to overcome his inner demons, and to find a distinctive and transformational spiritual path.

Run for the Love of Life is a must-read for anyone who desires to escape the day-to-day sameness of our new pandemic-informed lives, or who seeks to feel alive, inspired, and filled with a renewed enthusiasm for the year ahead.

It recounts the extraordinary journey of South African Erica Terblanche, an ordinary woman who manages to not only achieve – but excel – on the world stage of extreme distance-running in some of the most inhospitable and majestic landscapes across the planet. Raw, honest and infinitely human, this part-memoir, part-travel novel thunders through one exotic race location after the other, as the runners battle the elements and each other across the vastness of the Sahara, Atacama and Namib Deserts, the great Grand Canyon, Turkish Cappadocia and the Kalahari Desert, to name only a few.

But more than just a book on racing, what makes this novel infinitely compelling and rewarding is that in the echoes of Erica’s story, one begins to sense the pulse of one’s own potential and long-forgotten dreams. While you may laugh, cry, and forget to take a breath at times, it is inevitable that Run will spur you on to find your own bliss, that which is buried deep within your soul and body.

At its heart, Run for the love of life is a story about love, forgiveness, perseverance and growth, and about the important things in life that ultimately makes us happy. Told with wit, humour and vulnerability, it is a book that will stay with the reader long after the final page is turned.

The astonishing and hugely entertaining story that completely changed the way we run. An epic adventure that began with one simple question: Why does my foot hurt?

Isolated by Mexico's deadly Copper Canyons, the blissful Tarahumara Indians have honed the ability to run hundreds of miles without rest or injury. In a riveting narrative, award-winning journalist and often-injured runner Christopher McDougall sets out to discover their secrets. In the process, he takes his readers from science labs at Harvard to the sun-baked valleys and freezing peaks across North America, where ever-growing numbers of ultra-runners are pushing their bodies to the limit, and, finally, to a climactic race in the Copper Canyons that pits America’s best ultra-runners against the tribe.

McDougall’s incredible story will not only engage your mind but inspire your body when you realize that you, indeed all of us, were born to run.

Over fifty years ago, renowned British hillwalker and guidebook author Alfred Wainwright described 214 peaks in the English Lake District in his seven-volume illustrated Pictorial Guide to the Lakeland Fells. Like the Munros in Scotland, bagging all the Wainwrights has become a popular and significant challenge for walkers and runners, often taking many years in fits and starts because of the absence of a clear plan for how to link them together. With this problem in mind, Peak Bagging: Wainwrights by Karen and Dan Parker features forty-five routes designed to link up these iconic fells so you can enjoy the challenge of completing them at your own pace - over years, months or even just a few weeks. It presents not only the most efficient routes for completing the Wainwrights as quickly as possible, but does so in such a way that each route is a fantastic walk or run in its own right. The featured routes include a round of the Scafells, and the Glenridding Horseshoe, taking in Helvellyn and Catstycam. The routes are split into seven sections, reflecting Wainwright's seven Pictorial Guides, and to simplify logistics, all of the featured routes are circular with an emphasis on making practical links between the summits. In addition, the book is packed with useful information, including 1:40,000-scale maps, elevation profiles, public transport and parking details, refreshments, downloadable GPX files for each route and custom timings for walkers, trekkers, fastpackers and runners. Also included are overview details of Steve Birkinshaw's then-record-breaking sub-seven-day Wainwrights run in 2014 - current record holder Sabrina Verjee completed the round in under six days. Whatever your timescale for completing the 214 Wainwrights, Peak Bagging: Wainwrights is the indispensable guide to this British hill challenge.

King of the Fells. Iron man. Lake District fell running legend. Joss Naylor is all of these things and more. His achievements are astounding, his records stand the test of time. In 1983 he completed the 105-mile Lakes, Meres and Waters (LMW) route in a staggering 19hr 14min and to this day, describes it as one of the best routes he ever ran. High praise indeed and yet, so few know of it. Part guidebook, part inspirational regaling, this book interweaves tales of past and present as Naylor reflects on his 1983 epic on a re-walk 37 years later. In the company of award-winning author, Vivienne Crow, Naylor recalls that magical day, sharing stories and anecdotes from, not just his run, but the 1980s fell running scene, his working life and growing up in the Wasdale Valley. Naylor's tales, together with breathtaking photography, are accompanied by basic guide notes for the LMW route, sticking as closely to his 1983 run as possible. These notes divide the route into ten stages (ranging from 9 to 14 miles), allowing runners and walkers to follow in the footsteps of the King of the Fells, albeit on a more relaxed schedule. From Loweswater to Over Water, visiting 27 of the Lake District's largest bodies of water, the LMW route guarantees vistas of unparalleled beauty and an unforgettable experience in true fell country.

In the sporting world, everyone wants to be faster. This book demonstrates how to structure an evidence-based, progressive strength training program that will accelerate you toward your speed goals with maximum power and efficiency. Speed is integral to the successful performance of individuals and teams in most sports: knowledge of the ways in which high-performance athletes train to develop this quality is key. Strength Training for Speed is a one-stop resource for coaches and athletes looking to enhance sprinting performance through effective strength training methods. The latest scientific research is used to underpin training solutions presented within this book, including strength programs followed by international level athletes. The scope of applicable content will be of particular interest to coaches, athletes, and students. Boasting a comprehensive video library and a series of example periodised plans, readers will learn how to devise effective strength training programs for any athlete-from the recreational to elite performer. Learn all about: * How to elicit key physiological adaptations necessary for improving strength, power and ultimately speed * The biomechanics of sprinting during the acceleration and maximum velocity phases * The associations of strength qualities with performance during different sprint phases * How to design individual strength training sessions * The periodisation of strength training for speed development

Longlisted for the William Hill Sports Book of the Year Award 2021 Running away from your problems doesn't solve anything - but sometimes it's more fun than dealing with them Elise was spending a lot of time crying on buses. She had just graduated from university; she had a shiny new flat, her first proper job and a budding relationship - and they were all making her utterly miserable. Sitting at work one day, she hit upon the obvious solution: Run 5,000 miles around the coast of Britain, carrying her kit on her back. Six months later Elise set off, with absolutely no ultra-running experience, unable to read a map and having never pitched a tent alone before. Over the 301 days that followed she developed a debilitating fear of farmyard animals, cried on a lot of beaches and saw Britain at its most wild and wonderful. Coasting is about putting one foot in front of the other, even when it feels impossible, and trying to enjoy it too. With heart and humour, Elise explores the thrill of taking risks and putting your trust in total strangers, and learns some home truths along the way. 'A true Great British Adventure, with humour and heart.' Sir Ranulph Fiennes 'Elise Downing has achieved the impossible - leaving you in awe at her superhuman achievements, but also convincing you that you could probably do the same.' Emily Chappell 'A hugely enjoyable jaunt around Britain, that proves that you can find adventure right on your doorstep.' Alastair Humphreys 'Elise Downing has reminded us all of the most crucial aspects of adventure: 1) You don't have to be an expert. 2) It's all about the people. 3) However hard, tough, excruciating and doubt-driven a challenge might be, at heart it's a funny, funny story.' Dave Cornthwaite 'Reading Coasting is like listening to a friend tell a tale down the pub that you can't quite believe. Elise's storytelling is hilarious, warm-hearted and wonderfully down-to-earth. It's the kind of book that makes you want to lace up your trainers and start running towards that mad idea you once had. There's no doubt that Elise's gung-ho attitude is her superpower. Her kryptonite? Cows.' Anna McNuff, author and adventurer 'Elise's irresistibly readable adventures are both ordinary and extraordinary at the same time. She's an inspiration.' Damian Hall, author and ultrarunner 'Funny and engaging and inspiring... an absolute gem.' Vassos Alexander, presenter, author and runner 'A beautifully observed and blisteringly truthful account of what happens when you decide to combine adventure and endurance. Absolutely brilliant.' Jake Tyler, author of A Walk from the Wild Edge 'An honest and exciting tale of how a dream became an awesome reality. Definitely worth a read!' Ben Smith, founder of The 401 Challenge 'I was already laughing at the Dedication and this continued all the way to the very last page. Elise Downing is a comedy genius and has a heart of gold!' Danny Bent, author, runner and founder of Project Awesome 'Elise tells her story with such good-humoured light-heartedness that you could be forgiven for forgetting that what she is describing is a feat of real endurance. Running 5,000 miles is a truly remarkable achievement, and the fact that Elise emerged from it with a smile on her face and a total lack of ego speaks wonders to her character. This is an incredible tale told with total humility. Running around the coast of Great Britain was a mad thing to do, but not buying this book would be madder still.' Tim Moss, author, adventurer and founder of The Next Challenge 'Like any epic journey worth sharing, Elise encountered the same doubts, setbacks and fears that leave many dreams stuck on the drawing board. One foot after the other, Elise set out to achieve the extraordinary many miles over. Coasting shares the literal highs and lows as she finds her rite of passage to the world of ultra-running, with an endearing vulnerability and hilarious flair that brings places to life. In the same way that countless strangers felt compelled to join her around the UK, Coasting carries the reader along and inspires us all to ask 'why not?' in pursuit of our own home-grown adventures.' Alex Staniforth, adventurer and author 'A wonderfully honest tale of courage, perseverance and self-discovery.' Dr Juliet McGrattan, author and runner 'Elise brings so much fun and energy, as well as raw honesty, to the world of adventure books, and her incredible journey is an inspiration to young (and old!) adventurers.' Jenny Tough, author, adventurer and editor of Tough Women Adventure Stories 'Thoughtful, funny and beautifully written. Just goes to show that there's a ram-spinning, swashbuckling adventure right there on your doorstep.' Huw Jack Brassington, writer, presenter and adventurer

HOW BAD DO YOU WANT IT? revisits some of the most extraordinary moments from the history of endurance sports to show how mental strength allows some athletes to perform at a level way beyond their physical limits - to will their body to do what was previously thought biologically impossible. Drawing on cutting-edge scientific research it suggests concrete habits and tactics we can use to cultivate our own mental strength, whilst providing thrilling accounts of some of the most inspiring and astonishing feats in sporting history. In 2010 Sammy Wanjiru entered the Boston Marathon suffering from injuries to his knee and his lower back, a stomach virus that prevented him from training and a lifestyle that meant he spent more time in nightclubs than on the track. He shouldn't have even been able to finish the race, and at times he seemed as if he literally had nothing left to give, yet in an epic battle he crossed the finishing line first. How did he manage it? HOW BAD DO YOU WANT IT? describes a new 'psychobiological' model of endurance performance connecting the mind, body and brain. Compelling accounts from triathlon, cycling, running, rowing and swimming are viewed through the lens of this model shedding new light on what science has to say about mental fortitude in sports. Featured athletes include: Sammy Wanjiru, Jenny Barringer, Greg LeMond, Willie Stewart, Cadel Evans, Joseph Sullivan, Paula Newby-Fraser, Ryan Vail, Thomas Voeckler, Ned Overend, Steve Prefontaine

Discover the best runs and races around the globe with this beautifully illustrated, expertly curated collection from National Geographic.

Runners of all skill levels—even those going from couch to 5k—will find something unforgettable among these 100 runs and races, including all six of the iconic World Marathon Majors to courses that traverse Hawaii, Iceland, and Italy’s stunning Amalfi Coast.

See you at the starting line! This extraordinary guidebook contains 100 of the best running routes around the globe. With one-of-a-kind experiences for every type of runner, from novices to seasoned marathoners, runners will find the best routes for scenic views, on-course entertainment, and new PRs.

Including tried-and-true favorites, such as the Boston Marathon and a race through the Colorado’s Gardens of the Gods, you’ll also discover a variety of hidden gems and more, including:

• The Lewa Safari Marathon, an epic run through a conservation area in Kenya where you may spot the Big Five
• The Antarctica Marathon, a challenging, always-changing course at the end of the world
• The Bolder Boulder 10K, a feat of Rocky Mountain highs
• The Empire State Run-Up, a race to the top of one of the world’s most iconic skyscrapers
• The Great Wall Marathon, a unique opportunity to run along a wonder of the world
• The Hood to Coast Relay, a Pacific Northwest classic that’s well worth the fatigue
• The Mount Blanc Ultra, a challenging course for all ultra runners and so much more!

Along with everything you need to know about each of these bucket list-worthy tracks runs, you’ll also find expert travel advice for when to go, where to stay, what to eat, and what to do when you’re off the course.

All that’s left to do is lace up your shoes and go!

This is the story of two of the world's greatest ever milers, Seb Coe and Steve Ovett. Before the Moscow Olympics, Coe and Ovett had barely raced each other. They had, however, established impressive race credentials and traded world records. So when the Olympics came round, it was showdown time. There is still no athletics clash which in living memory has come close to the Olympic duels of Coe and Ovett in Moscow. The combination of record-breaking runs and media hype generated huge public interest. And when, just weeks before the Olympics started, Ovett first broke and then equalled two of Coe's world records, the stage was set for the most titanic of Olympic duels. The Coe-Ovett showdown in Moscow was, and still is, sporting theatre of the highest order.

This is not a book about how to train for an Ironman, the kit you need or anything that could actually prove to be useful. If there is anything useful in this book then that's purely by accident. If you are looking for some genuine training tips on Ironman then please get one of the decent training books - not the 55,000 words of illiterate drivel this represents. This is a simply a story about someone (fat northerner in the shape of Darren) deciding to do something as stupid as Ironman and the things you encounter on the way. Such as the psychotic geese, paperless portaloos, the mind games and the doomsday feeling that no matter how much training you do it's never enough. Darren is fat, bald, ugly and lives in the North West of England with his wife Amy and daughter Lilly-Mae where he continues to try to be a triathlete.

The 153-kilometre West Highland Way encompasses the variety of Scotland’s wild places. The route, which begins in Milngavie and finishes in Fort William, passes from Glasgow, Scotland’s friendliest city, through lochs and forests, and across wild moors in the shadows of Munros. Offering panoramic views and clear waymarking, it is no wonder this is one of Scotland’s most popular long-distance routes. The West Highland Way appeals to people who have different levels of experience and travel at all speeds, and this Vertebrate Publishing Guidemap is unique in that it caters for four categories of user, providing custom itineraries for walkers, trekkers, fastpackers and trail runners. This lightweight, waterproof, durable and easy-to-use folding map features all the essential information for a successful West Highland Way, including 1:40,000-scale mapping for the linear route starting in Milngavie and finishing in Fort William. It also includes a detailed elevation profile and route planner, safety advice, terrain information and an accommodation directory, and a link to a GPX file download.

The Scratch Off UK and Ireland Marathons Print is a perfect gift for marathon runners. Whether you're lacing up yourself or know someone who does on a regular basis, this map is a great way to display your achievement. This vibrant scratch off running poster details 101 exciting and challenging marathons across the UK and Ireland as well. Whether you're on a trail course or pounding the pavement, each of these marathons will give you a unique experience, regardless of your skill levels. As you complete the marathons, scratch them off the map, and as your times improve, take note of them in the stop-watch area provided, along with where you achieved this. For a real photo finish, you can even personalise the map with a message at the bottom, making this a perfect runners' gift. Our Scratch off UK and Ireland Marathons Print will go the distance and last you for many years.