Dane Rauschenberg made his mark on the running world as the man who ran 52 marathons in 52 consecutive weekends. As an extreme athlete who has also run a 202-mile relay solo and completed a 350-mile run up the coast of Oregon, he doesn't just know running, he has explored it to the deepest reaches of its mental, physical and emotional boundaries. In 138,336 Feet to Pure Bliss, Dane chronicles his first 100 marathons and details some of the premiere races in marathon history, all while sharing knowledge he gained about life, women and running. Along the way, he charts the highs and lows, the successes and failures, in a voice that blends wisdom, humor and heart. All told, Dane shows pure bliss is discovered one stride at a time.

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO RUN FOR 30, 50, OR 100 MILES? This book is a great inspiration not only to current ultrarunners, and to marathoners looking for the next challenge—but also to runners of all abilities, who will see that there is nothing you can’t do if you have the desire. What makes ultrarunners tick? What goes through their minds at mile 93? How can you train for such a colossal undertaking? These questions and many more are answered in this inspiring collection of 39 personal stories from ultramarathoners. Ultramarathoning is the logical next step for those who burn with a desire to explore their limits, and beyond. It is impossible to run ultra distances without coming away with at least one fascinating story. This book is full of them. There are stories of fatigue, blisters, nausea, and despair. But the ultrarunner prevails to find hope, love, healing, self-discovery, friendship, selflessness, and in the end, for most, triumph. Learn what it feels like to run an ultra from the champions, the newcomers, and the veterans of the sport. A few brief excerpts: “I left Edinburg witnessing my second sunrise on this run. Most ultrarunners dread dawn—the hours from 4:00 to 6:00 a.m.—primarily because this is when fatigue sets in.” —Keith Knipling “It would be hours before we’d see the first aid station, and probably close to two days before we’d have dry feet again!” —Deb Pero “I’m 95 miles into a 100-miler, it’s over 100 degrees out, my legs are shot, I’m a few scant minutes ahead of Ann and Gabriel, and my pacer is stopped dead in the trail for fear of a skunk?” —Tim Twietmeyer “Ultrarunning is without question the most feared aspect of adventure racing.” —Ian Adamson “The urge to quit right there was overwhelming, but I was still in the race. Perhaps a miracle would happen and I could get in under the four hours it would take to make the next cutoff. I thanked the aid station captain and plunged into the darkness.” —Will Brown “It was time to put all the viable excuses aside and look inside.” —Tracy Baldyga “I think I quit about 20 times during the race, mostly between the time the sun went down and the time that I finally walked away. Reality sets in when it gets dark. The trail gets lonely.” —Jason Hodde “During every race you are faced with a moment of truth, a point in the race when you either quit or persevere to the end. Every person who finishes an ultramarathon has accomplished a great feat, simply because they finished.” —Bethany Hunter

Train like Olympic marathoner and 2014 Boston Marathon winner Meb Keflezighi With his historic win at the 2014 Boston Marathon, Meb Keflezighi cemented his legacy as one of the great champions of long-distance running. Runners everywhere wanted to know how someone two weeks away from his 39th birthday, who had only the 15th best time going into the race, could defeat the best field in Boston Marathon history and become the first American man to win the race in 31 years. Meb For Mortals describes in unprecedented detail how three-time Olympian Keflezighi prepares to take on the best runners in the world. More importantly, the book shows everyday runners how to implement the training, nutritional, and mental principles that have guided him throughout his long career, which in addition to the 2014 Boston win includes an Olympic silver medal and the 2009 New York City Marathon title.

The authors of the bestselling "Runner's Handbook" present a training diary that combines an attractive 52-week diary with all the most helpful information runners want to have at their fingertips. Using the diary, runners can keep a systematic account of runs, times, weather, running paths, distances, conditions, and other important facets of their life.

How could something we have for free—our bare feet—be better for running than $150 shoes? The truth is that running in shoes is high-impact, unstable, and inflexible. Shoes promote a heel-centric ground strike, which weakens your feet, knees, and hips, and leads to common running injuries. In contrast, barefoot running is low-impact, forefoot-centric, stable, and beneficial to your body. It encourages proper form and strengthens your feet in miraculous ways. When you run in shoes, you not only risk developing poor form, but you also hinder the natural relationship with the ground that running facilitates. Barefoot running restores the delightful sensory and spiritual connections to the earth that you were meant to experience. Barefoot Running offers the only step-by-step direction runners need at any age to overcome injuries, run faster than ever, and rediscover the pure joy of running. Once you tear off your shoes and learn to dance with nature, you’ll tread lightly and freely, hearing only the earth’s symphony and feeling only the dirt beneath your feet. Hit the ground running with revolutionary techniques for starting out slowly, choosing minimalist footwear, navigating rough weather and rugged terrain, and building your feet into living shoes.