Reading & Running: First Post of the R&R Series

Hi readers and runners! Welcome to my first post in the R&R (Reading & Running) series. Reading and running are both very important parts of my life. My favorite way to recover after a long run or a hard workout is by reading a good book stretched out on the recliner with a cold beer and anywhere from 1 – 3 animals curled up next to me. My first post is going to be about some of my recent running experiences, followed by running book recommendations. I hope you enjoy! 😊

In November of last year, I ran the Richmond Marathon in Virginia. Known as “America’s Friendliest Marathon”, it lived up to the expectations. It was my second ever marathon, and I had such an amazing time that I signed up to run it again the next year – immediately after I finished!  After that (much to my husband’s dismay) I proceeded to plan multiple spring half marathons and 10ks, filling up many of our weekends from March – May 2024.

Truth be told, I was in and out of a running slump from early 2022 to fall of 2023. My husband and I sold my condo in the summer of 2022, and together we bought a house nearby. This derailed my marathon training for Richmond 2022, and I ended up deferring my entry to fall 2023. Running took a backseat. Owning a single-family home is hard! We had more house to maintain, our cat Eddy was having a hard time adjusting, and my LEAST favorite house task –  yard work (ewww). It took us a long time to get into a good routine.

Throw multiple weddings with bachelor/bachelorette parties into the mix and just like that we had little to no weekends left on our calendar.

Then, in the beginning of 2023 we rescued a 6-month-old puppy!

We were swamped. I was putting off my training. I just didn’t love running. I felt slow. I wanted to get back in the condition I was previously in, but felt like I was not making any progress. I couldn’t defer the marathon again, so I trudged on with my training (skipping more long runs than I want to admit). I was in shape but didn’t feel like it. I went into the marathon with only two goals in mind: don’t get injured and have fun. And that is exactly what I did. I smiled the entire time during those 26.2 miles, came away with a massive PR (personal record), and finally rediscovered my love of running.

If you are in a running rut, in need of motivation, or are just starting your running journey, here are some of my favorite running books:

Let Your Mind Run – Deena Kastor

This is a memoir by Olympic medalist Deena Kastor about how she incorporated positive psychology into her training. There are failures, successes, highs, lows, and everything in between. It’s one of my more highlighted books!

Running Like a Girl – Alexandra Heminsley

This is a memoir about how Alexandra decided she wanted to become a runner. There are failures, successes, highs, lows, and everything in between. It is funny and inspiring.  

The Fastest Way to Fall – Denise Williams

This is a contemporary romance book that is a quick fun read. There are a lot of good points and information in the book about starting your personal fitness journey. This book may even inspire you to run a 10K!

Pepper Jones Series – Ali Dean

This is a fiction YA series following Pepper throughout her running career starting in high school, then college, and after. It’s a cute series that I read every year.

Run Fast Eat Slow – Shalane Flannigan and Elyse Kopecky

This is one of my favorite cookbooks! The recipes are written by runners for runners with an emphasis on healthy, nourishing, and tasty foods.

All Amazon links are affiliate links. This doesn’t cost you more but does help me with website fees.

Are you a runner or trying to get into running? Leave a comment below and go out and crush your goals! You can sign up for the Richmond Marathon (or half marathon or 8k) here!

Happy reading and running 😊