17 - A Book About a Run Club

[Heather L]

The Bookstore cozy mystery series by Sue Minix has a running club in it, so I will likely read the next up in that series.

https://www.goodreads.com/series/3562...

[Rachel]

I think I’ll read the manga Run on Your New Legs, Vol. 1:

Shouta Kikuzato’s hopes of starting on his school’s prestigious soccer team are derailed when a terrible incident costs him his leg. Now in his first year of high school (again), Kikuzato has resigned himself to never reaching his athletic dreams. But when Chidori, a passing prosthetist, notices Kikuzato’s artificial limb- and speed-as he races through the train station, the specialist proposes a Chidori will build Kikuzato a brand-new leg designed solely for speed. All Kikuzato has to do is run!

It sounds like volume 1 may be mostly setting the scene, but the blurb for volume 2 mentions the main character joining the school track and field club (so I’ll probably carry on reading the series!)

[Shelley]

It's stretching the definition of "about" and "club", but I'm reading a cozy witch mystery where she and a friend agree to meet up to go running together on a weekly basis. It Takes a Witch. It's such a minor plot point, but if anyone is already having to reach, this could work.

[Sasha]

Popsugar published a list of books about running and tagged it with the challenge, and as far as I can tell, only one of them is about a running club in the strict sense: https://www.popsugar.com/books/books-...

So I think we're in good company if we interpret this one flexibly. I'm going to read Fast Girls: A Novel of the 1936 Women's Olympic Team.

[Denise]

Sasha wrote: "Popsugar published a list of books about running and tagged it with the challenge, and as far as I can tell, only one of them is about a running club in the strict sense: https://www.popsugar.com/b..."

cool! I was planning to re-read Milkman this year and I can change its category to slot it here. It's not a club, it's a brother and sister in law who run together

[Nadine in NY]

Rachel wrote: "I think I’ll read the manga Run on Your New Legs, Vol. 1:

Shouta Kikuzato’s hopes of starting on his school’s prestigious soccer team are derailed when a terrible incident costs h..."



sounds like it might become a sort of Six Million Dollar Man story?

[Nadine in NY]

Sasha wrote: "Popsugar published a list of books about running and tagged it with the challenge, and as far as I can tell, only one of them is about a running club in the strict sense: https://www.popsugar.com/b..."



Well I'm glad to see The Break-Up Pact prominently displayed on their list! that just confirms what Erica already told me. I'm definitely reading that book for this category, I'm just waiting for a library copy to come in (which is taking longer than I expected)


Slow Horses is a reach, though. There's no "run club" in that book. Sure, the one character RUNS (mostly after perps), but he's not in a running club.


I get the feeling they created the list first, and researched ideas for each category AFTER. A bit of an oops for them!!

[Erica]

Well that’s nice that Popsugar agreed with me.

[Taryn]

For folks that aren't into non-fiction sports books and ARE into mysteries I would recommend Where They Last Saw Her It's a story about three indigenous women (and best friends) who investigate the disappearances of indigenous women in their community. But importantly, for this prompt, they are also part of a running club which plays a significant role in the story. It's a fairly propulsive read that also highlights the social and political reasons why indigenous women in North America face such disproportionate levels of violence. Not a light read but well worth it.

[LeahS]

In the end, I used a Christmas present, Running Wild for this prompt.

Does it contain an actual running/run club? No, but in it, a boy and an elephant club together to escape the 2004 tsunami, and to survive in the jungle afterwards. Later, the MC runs with small orang-utans in order to escape from captivity. Although it a children's/young adult book, it is interesting as an adult read and pulls no punches.

[Andrea]

This may be a stretch, but the main character in A Heart in a Body in the World runs from Seattle to Washington D.C. with her grandpa driving close behind her. If it doesnt quite fit this prompt, then it can also be used for the road trip prompt.

[Rachel]

Girl on the Run by Jane Costello just popped up in a list of Apple Books recommendations:

Abby Rogers has been on health kicks before - they involve eating one blueberry muffin for breakfast instead of two. But since starting her own business, after watching one too many episodes of The Apprentice , the 28-year-old's waistline has taken even more of a back seat than her long-neglected love life.

When Abby is encouraged to join her sporty best friend's running club - by none other than its gorgeous new captain - she finds a mysterious compulsion to exercise.

Sadly, her first session doesn't go to plan. Between the obscenely unflattering pink leggings, and the fact that her lungs feel as though they've been set on fire, she vows never to return.

Then her colleague Heidi turns up at work and makes a devastating announcement, one that will change her life - and Abby's - forever.

[Diana]

I stretched it a little to include a school cross country track team and read They'll Never Catch Us. It's a pretty standard ya mystery, but it wasn't bad and was a very quick read.

[Denise]

PS has Milkman listed on their page tied to this prompt so that is what I read, though it is not really a running club. Running plays an important role though

[Angie]

This is the worst category in this entire challenge* for me because 1) it's way too specific and there just aren't that many options to read and 2) I hate running.

But I found this one, which should be lighter read: Out of Step, into You by Ciera Burch, which isn't released until May, but unless I can find something I'd rather read for this category...



*Actually, the AI category is worse, but I'm protesting that one, so I forget it exists.

[Carla]

Angie wrote: "This is the worst category in this entire challenge* for me because 1) it's way too specific and there just aren't that many options to read and 2) I hate running.

But I found this one, which sho..."



I am reading "What I talk about when I talk about running" by Haruki Murakami. It is on the list for this challenge, but it is a memoir, he does talk about running but not obsessively. Maybe you'll like that one, and it is 180 pages only.

[Nike]

Does anyone know if there's any crime novel in which someone is a member of a running club or runs on a regular basis?

[Laura Ruth]

Nike wrote: "Does anyone know if there's any crime novel in which someone is a member of a running club or runs on a regular basis?"

Someone mentioned Where They Last Saw Her by Marcie Rendon, a mystery about missing Indigenous women. I haven't read it yet, but it's on my TBR list and got good reviews.

[Angie]

Carla wrote: I am reading "What I talk about when I talk about running" by Haruki Murakami."

Thank you! This may work. :)

[Lilith]

Nike wrote: "Does anyone know if there's any crime novel in which someone is a member of a running club or runs on a regular basis?"

I haven't started it yet, but The Running Club is a murder mystery.
My hold just came in.

[Janet]

Rachel wrote: "This might be a stretch, as it’s about a track team rather than a running club, but The Tigerbelles: Olympic Legends from Tennessee State sounds fascinating: it’s the story of the 1..."

This is the first book that sounds interesting about a run club/track team. Thank you for the help, I was looking for a non-fiction book.

[Megan]

Misty wrote: "Kenya wrote: "I searched for "running club" on my library's online catalog and came up with this one -- Zombie Apocalypse Running Club. Think that's what I'm going for!"

The descr..."

I absolutely LOVE that app! Can't recommend it enough.

[Nike]

Lilith wrote: "Nike wrote: "Does anyone know if there's any crime novel in which someone is a member of a running club or runs on a regular basis?"

I haven't started it yet, but The Running Club ..."

Laura Ruth wrote: "Nike wrote: "Does anyone know if there's any crime novel in which someone is a member of a running club or runs on a regular basis?"

Someone mentioned Where They Last Saw Her by M..."

Thank you both! ◉⁠‿⁠◉

[Jessica]

I read The Running Club by M.W. Layne

[Dubhease]

I read Slow AF Run Club: The Ultimate Guide for Anyone Who Wants to Run

[Joanna G]

I really wasn't sure what I'd read for this and then I came across Run with the Wind at the library. It's a story about a group of university students who take on the Hakone Ekiden, a marathon relay race. They form a team because they all live in the same building, but then train together to attempt to qualify for and run the race.

I was so unenthused about this prompt, but really quite enjoyed the book, so passing on a recommendation! (Bonus: It's also a translated novel from Asia if you're doing the Around the Year challenge too.)

[Sasha]

I ended up reading Eight-Lane Runaways for this. It's a somewhat surreal graphic novel with very few words, so we're never expressly told that there's a running club involved, but there are certainly characters who are running a race, seem to know each other, and act as a somewhat cohesive group. The art style is full of whimsy, and there are some messages about kindness and inclusion. Also, I read it in a single sitting, so if you aren't looking forward to this prompt, it will at least get it out of the way quickly!

[Michele]

I read The End of the World Running Club by Adrian J. Walker. I wouldn't say I loved it, because the MC isn't really that likable, and the Running Club has a pretty high death rate, but I think I'm going to give the sequel (that I just found out about) a try.

[Sherri]

I read The Saturday Morning Park Run. It was cute.

[Britany]

Finished The Bright Side Running Club by Josie Lloyd

My Review:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Ellen]

I'm going to try by Kara Goucher.

[Beth]

Meredith wrote: "I am reading the Dirty Martini Running Club (series) by Claire Kingsley. I read the first one, Faking Mr. Right, and plan to read the prequel next."

This sounds like a good fit for me. Is there actually a running club as part of the story? I read the description and that wasn't helpful.

[Wifey]

When I first saw this prompt I thought, wtf, I am not at all into sports, not interested in running and was sorely tempted in not doing this prompt. Now, I am glad I did do it. Somebody somewhere recommended Run with the Wind by Shion Miura, which I just finished. I had been dreading the read, but I loved this book.
It is as much a coming of age story as it is a story about running. It managed to make running exciting, even for me, who is not at all interested. I could not stop reading, particularly, once the preparations for the race had finished and the actual race was described. It was like reading a thriller.
I can highly recommend this for anybody who does not normally like novels about sports.

[Ruth]

Angie wrote: "This is the worst category in this entire challenge* for me because 1) it's way too specific and there just aren't that many options to read and 2) I hate running.

But I found this one, which sho..."

That's the exact book I read for this prompt! It was a cute read even if the dogs played a smaller role than I expected, and while it was romance it was much more focused on the two healing their friendship first. This book single-handedly made me excited for this prompt, no clue what I would have read for this one if it hadn't come out this year tbh.

[Jessica]

Sasha wrote: "Popsugar published a list of books about running and tagged it with the challenge, and as far as I can tell, only one of them is about a running club in the strict sense: https://www.popsugar.com/b..."

Well, Slow Horses is on that list, and I devoured that series earlier this year!

[Laura Ruth]

Taryn wrote: "For folks that aren't into non-fiction sports books and ARE into mysteries I would recommend Where They Last Saw Her It's a story about three indigenous women (and best friends) wh..."

Thanks for suggesting this book. I'm not into any sport, including running, but that was definitely secondary to the mystery/thriller aspect.

http://www.lauraruthloomis.com/whats-...

[Theresa]

Taryn wrote: "For folks that aren't into non-fiction sports books and ARE into mysteries I would recommend Where They Last Saw Her It's a story about three indigenous women (and best friends) wh..."

I just read this - not for this prompt but picked up for another group's challenges, one where I needed a crime fiction and another where I needed a book set in Minnesota. About 25% in I realized that there was a de facto run club critical to the plot - 'de fact' is a legal term for actually being something if not actually defined as such.

I was thrilled to knock of this prompt as well!

I gave this 4 stars -- and agree with the above description. It is gritty.

[Jennifer W]

Sasha wrote: "Popsugar published a list of books about running and tagged it with the challenge, and as far as I can tell, only one of them is about a running club in the strict sense: https://www.popsugar.com/b...
So I think we're in good company if we interpret this one flexibly. I'm going to read Fast Girls: A Novel of the 1936 Women's Olympic Team."

Nadine in NY wrote: "I get the feeling they created the list first, and researched ideas for each category AFTER. A bit of an oops for them!!...."

I'm not likely to get to it, but I was just browsing unrelated books and saw Fast Girls and thought that could work. I see you went elsewhere, though.

My brain doing it's random thought things- I wonder if they were aiming for people to read about runners, in the athletic sense, but worried people would "get creative" (who, us???) and stretch it to include politicians "running" for office, people "running" from their past, "running" from the law, etc...

If anyone is still looking for something, I highly recommend The Running Dream, a YA book about a high school track star who loses her leg in an accident and has to adjust to her new limitations, but also finds new strengths.

[Lilith]

I planned to read a different book, but wound up reading Ghost by Jason Reynolds. I really enjoyed it, which is quite something for a person not much into sports other baseball, archery and mountain climbing.

I learned a lot about track and running, and became immersed in the backstory of the MC and his mother. Kinda gave me hope that there are still good people in the world - perfect for times like these.

I'm becoming a fan of Jason Reynolds!

[The Pampered Librarian]

Lilith wrote: "I planned to read a different book, but wound up reading Ghost by Jason Reynolds. I really enjoyed it, which is quite something for a person not much into sports ot..."

I had no hope for this post since I read everything in Reynolds's Track series some years back, but I am thrilled to have found out that Track #5 book was released. I'll be reading Coach soon!

[Eglė]

I haven't seen this one mentioned yet but it came up on my library app and I pounced on it for the challenge - One Small Step: The incredible story of parkrun

I really enjoyed it actually even though I am no runner and have never participated in a parkrun myself.

[Lilith]

The Pampered Librarian wrote: "Lilith wrote: "I planned to read a different book, but wound up reading Ghost by Jason Reynolds. I really enjoyed it, which is quite something for a person not much..."

Yes, the Track series sounds good to me, too!

[K.L.]

Lilith wrote: "I planned to read a different book, but wound up reading Ghost by Jason Reynolds. I really enjoyed it, which is quite something for a person not much into sports ot..."

I read Ghost a few years ago after the author came to a school I happened to be subbing at that day, and thought it was really good. I haven't had a chance to read the rest of the series yet, but I think book five came out just last week.

[Acidic Quagga]

I'll be reading Zombie Apocalypse Running Club by Carrie Mac.