Virtue vs. Victory

Readers of this blog might be interested in a post at my other blog (here), Morality and the Good Life, on athletic and moral excellence. It includes a great story related to the competition between John Landy, Wes Santee, and Roger Bannister to break the 4 minute mile barrier.

Favorite Running Books?

One of the things that keeps me motivated to run is a good book about running. I thought I'd post a few of my own favorites, with a brief explanation of why I like the book. Feel free to post some of your own in the comments section, maybe you've uncovered a rare gem that the rest of us would benefit from reading.

Here are a few of my own:

Running with the Buffaloes: A Season Inside with Mark Wetmore, Adam Goucher, and the University of Colorado Men's Cross-Country Team,by Chris Lear.
-This is a great peek inside one of the great cross-country programs.

Lore of Running, by Timothy Noakes.
-Everything you ever wanted to know about running.

To the Edge: A Man, Death Valley, and the Mystery of Endurance, by Kirk Johnson.
-A very enjoyable book, made me want to run Badwater (but I got over it).

Duel in the Sun, by John Brant.
-A great account of a great race, and all that surrounded it in the lives of Salazar and Beardsley.

The Runner's Guide to the Meaning of Life: What 35 Years of Running Have Taught Me About Winning, Losing, Happiness, Humility, and the Human Heart, by Amby Burfoot.
-This book rings true to the experiences and lessons many have connected to their running.