Running That Doesn't Suck

For anyone who's ever lamented, "Running sucks -- I wish I could do it," this book makes the sport accessible, enticing, and even enjoyable. As fun as it is practical, it's The Oatmeal's The Terrible and Wonderful Reasons Why I Run Long Distances meets The Runner's Rule Book.

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We've all side-eyed the chipper runners jogging by at 6 a.m. in their short-shorts and sports bras and felt a little envious, despite our simmering resentment. How do they get out there and do it every morning? How did they become Runners-with-a-capital-R? Though running is theoretically one of the most natural sports for humans, the general response to running tends to be, "It's hard. It sucks. I wish I could do it."

For those who wish they liked to run, Lisa Jhung'sRunning That Doesn't Suck has arrived. In this pithy, humorous, and down-to-earth guide, Jhung gets back to basics, breaking down the barriers for aspiring runners. She encourages readers to "embrace the suckiness" and gives advice on how to get started -- and how to keep going. (Hint: You don't have to run at 6 a.m. and you definitely don't have to wear short-shorts.) Jhung also offers body maintenance tips, nutritional advice, and running etiquette pointers.

Smartly organized with chapters that don't necessarily need to be read in order, full of sage advice garnered from Jhung's two decades of writing about running, and including insights from professional runners, sports psychologists, coaches, physical therapists and more, this book has all the meat an aspiring runner needs to get hooked on the sport.