Books to Inspire Running
Updated: 1 day ago
This fall, I had the opportunity to teach PE in our homeschool co-op. I chose to do a marathon club with the elementary kids, where each week we’d read a book to inspire running… and then we’d run. Together, we charted our progress towards a marathon (of course, if they chose to complete the 26.2 miles over eight weeks, they’d have to do most of it outside of our weekly classes).
Since I’ve never taught PE to kids, I wasn’t sure how the class would go, and honestly… I was pretty nervous. Was I asking too much of them? Too little? Would any of the kids even want to run?
And let me tell you what: those kids knocked my socks off.
The first class, I had them run a mile. I had carefully chosen our course the week before class started because it was a flat surface where I could see everyone in our class at once, and there were no big trees with roots that might become tripping hazards.
Things looked a little different when we actually showed up to run on a Hawaii-hot afternoon. The flat surface with good visibility for me? A boring route for runners. The lack of trees? Shadeless and oppressively hot.
Worse, as soon as they started running, I quickly realized that there was a strong possibility half of them had never before attempted to run a full mile in one go. We took plenty of water breaks. There were tons of high fives.
Were there complaints? Yes, a few. Did they still do it? Absolutely.
What impressed me the very most, however, was that those who struggled on that first day… they tried even harder the following week. And the week after that. (I promise, I found a better route after that first day!)
The whole class showed teamwork, especially on the toughest days, like when our mile included stops for push-ups and squats along the way, or when the humidity was just a crusher. They cheered each other on. They picked themselves up again, even when it was hard.
I didn’t have to tell them work as a team or dig deep when things got tough. I like to think that they were, in part, inspired by the books we read before every run. Each of the books was meant to inspire the class, and I told them in the beginning I hoped they could see themselves in the stories and remember that feeling as they ran.
In the end, those kids inspired me, too.
What we read:* My favorite books to inspire running
*As always, since I am a Bookshop affiliate, I will earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you!) if you click through and purchase a book through the Bookshop links below.
by Meghan McCarthy
The St. Louis World Fair Marathon of 1904 was a wild race, indeed. When a hodgepodge of runners of mixed experience, skill, and seriousness embarked upon the 26.2-mile-course, there was no clear favorite to win. Obstacles along the course included construction, traffic, and multiple opportunities for conversation and unauthorized snacking, all of which added to the drama and suspense for the rowdy spectators on the scene—and the delighted readers at home!
by Pat Zietlow Miller, illustrated by Frank Morrison
In The Quickest Kid in Clarksville, Alta dreams of being a champion runner like Wilma Rudolph, and her dreams are shaken when a new girl—also a runner—shows up in town. The two of them race and compete until the day of the Wilma Rudolph parade in downtown Clarksville (Wilma’s hometown). Will the two girls race to get the banner there on time? Or will they work together as a team? Most important, will they get to see Wilma?
by Annette Bay Pimentel, illustrated by Micha Archer
Before women were allowed to officially enter into the Boston Marathon, one woman ran the marathon anyway, without a race number. In 1966, after years of running for the love of the sport (and no matter what anyone whispered as she zipped by), Bobbi Gibb hid behind the bushes, waited for the starting gun, and became the first woman to run the Boston Marathon. Though it seemed like no one noticed her at the start line, just about everyone was talking about her by the time she reached the finish line. Bobbi Gibb, unofficial marathoner, was officially an inspiration!
by Leslie Kimmelman, illustrated by Jessie Hartland
Ever wonder what it’s like to run the New York City Marathon? It’s always been a dream of mine, and this book takes you through it from the perspectives of all kinds of runners—from pre-race prep to cheering crowds, hitting the wall, and post-run relaxation. Super fun illustrations bring the marathon to life, and interesting sidebars line the margins of the sparsely worded text with insider info and facts. A winning read for marathoners (and pre-marathoners) of all ages!
by Billy Mills and Donna Janell Bowman, Illustrated by S.D. Nelson
Wings of an Eagle is the story of legendary (co-author) Billy Mills, Oglala Lakota Native American champion runner. Billy’s family and culture drove his passion for running, even when he faced doubt, discrimination, and even racism. Billy also struggled with pre-diabetes, but he remained determined and keeps going. In 1964 Billy drew strength from his family and his Oglala Lakota culture to become an Olympic gold medalist in the 10,000-meter race. Billy’s story is truly an inspiration for all athletes.
by Kim Chaffee, illustrated by Ellen Rooney
“If only they knew how magical running was,” Kathrine Switzer thought as she ran past the doubting stares of a few women on the sidelines of the Boston Marathon. In year 1967 Kathrine Switzer was the first woman to run in the Boston Marathon with an official race number, and she didn’t quit—even when a race official physically tried to shove her off the course, just for being a woman. It was that moment, in fact, when Kathrine knew she couldn’t quit. She had to continue to show the world a woman could run a marathon. She had to inspire other women—and she did. Her Fearless Run is Kathrine Switzer’s story, a story that began when she was just a girl who loved to run.
by Belen Medina, illustrated by Natalia Rojas Castro
In 2017, María Lorena Ramírez won the Ultra Trail Cerro Rojo—a thirty-one mile race. But that’s not far for Lorena, who has run sixty-mile races before, and regularly runs across unforgiving terrain, sipping from streams and snacking on the fuel of her ancestors: pinole. And she does it all in her huaraches—sandals made from tires and a brightly colored dress that celebrates her people: the Rarámuri, which means “the light-footed people.” This is an amazing story of perseverance and grit that illustrates the pure joy of the sport of running—even at its longest distances.
