Beach bag reads for runners

The only thing better than running is plonking yourself down on the beach and reading about it. Here are some great books to enjoy on beachy summer weekends.

Born to Run by Christopher McDougall

If you haven’t yet read Born to Run, throw it in the bag and get started at the beach this summer. This is a classic read among runners and will be sure to make you want to go running after reading just a few pages. This is a narrative in which McDougall starts off trying to discover the reason for a foot injury. It leads him to find out about a tribe of runners, the Tarahumara, who live in the Copper Canyons in Mexico. The Tarahumara make flawless runners. Not only are they fast, but they stay injury-free for the most part. McDougall studies the tribe to discover the factors that make them so strong in long distance running. The plot leads up to a 50-mile race held in the canyons with the Tarahumara and some of the world’s best ultra-runners.

Brewster by Mark Slouka 

This novel takes place in the town of Brewster in 1968 and follows the main character Jon Mosher. Mosher encounters developing major relationships in his life as he reaches maturity. Mosher is drawn to running during this in-between time in his life and Slouka’s way of writing about the sport and its ability to entice people from all backgrounds despite their social standings is something runners will understand. He chalks it down to the most basic part of the sport: “You either covered ground or you didn’t.” This is a page-turner for sure and will speak to those who want to read a story about what motivates people to stick with the sport.

Trailhead by Lisa Jhung  

This book goes through all the basics of running on the trails however experienced road runners and beginners would also take something from it. Illustrated with cute pictures throughout, Jhung has provided runners with a guide on finding great trails and shoes, how to practice good trail etiquette and basics like good reasons to race. Runners who read this can get answers to many of their running questions from what to do with black toenails to what kind of safety items to bring on the run. This is a smart book and its many illustrations makes it easy and quick to digest. Perfect for the beach day!