2014 Triathlete Holiday Gift Guide: Books
A variety of training and lifestyle books that will intrigue any endurance enthusiast.
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A variety of training and lifestyle books that will intrigue any endurance enthusiast.
As the Crow Flies
$39.95, Velopress.com
Five-time world champion Craig “Crowie” Alexander’s released his first book, As the Crow Flies, which, in his own words, traces his journey to becoming the first-ever double world champion in 2011 (by winning both the Ironman and 70.3 world championships in the same year) and to his first sub-eight-hour Ironman performance in early 2012. Though he’s well known as a private family man, the book gives readers an intimate look into how Alexander balances his training, traveling, racing and family life through not only the writing but also the stunning black-and-white photography.
The Art of Competition
After a successful campaign on Kickstarter.com, six-time Ironman world champion Mark Allen (this year marks the 25th anniversary of his “Iron War” race with Dave Scott) released his new book, The Art of Competition, in August. An intriguing juxtaposition of nature photographs and Allen’s philosophical musings, The Art of Competition addresses themes such as overcoming challenges, dealing with fear and embracing possibility in improbable moments.
Fit & Healthy Pregnancy
$18.95, Velopress.com
The book Fit & Healthy Pregnancy: How to Stay Strong and in Shape for You and Your Baby is an ideal gift for any athlete who is expecting a baby in 2015. Designed for everyone from veteran competitive athletes to recent fitness enthusiasts, the is the go-to guide for expectant women who want to stay active throughout pregnancy. It will answer all fitness- and wellness-related questions down to what to look for in a jogging stroller.
Feed Zone Portables
$24.95, Velopress.com
A follow-up to The Feed Zone Cookbook, Feed Zone Portables by chef Biju Thomas and Dr. Allen Lim introduces even more smart, tasty, real-food recipes to eat during rides as a break. The perfect gift for any endurance athlete looking to add a little flavor to their long rides and runs.
Pro Cycling On $10 A day
$18.95, Velopress.com
As a columnist for our sibling publication Velo, Garmin-Sharp pro cyclist Phil Gaimon responds to “Ask a Pro” questions about the peloton with honest, sarcastic answers every month. The self-proclaimed fat-kid-turned-Euro-pro extended his wit for a new book about his journey to the pro ranks. Expect to laugh at his mistakes, learn important techniques—like how to make sweet tea in a hotel room or how to properly tackle a corner in a crit race—and realize what it takes to compete at the top: “The truth is, the biggest factor in who made it to the next level wasn’t talent or work ethic. It was a willingness to keep plugging away through all the hard times.”
One Letter at a Time
$24.95, Mascotbooks.com
For more than three decades, Team Hoyt, the father-son racing duo made up of Dick and Rick Hoyt, has inspired countless people around the globe as they’ve competed in more than 1,000 races, including six Ironmans and 30 Boston Marathons. Now Rick, who was born a nonverbal, spastic quadriplegic with cerebral palsy, recounts his story in One Letter at a Time (Mascot).
Unbreakable Runner
$18.95, Velopress.com
Unbreakable Runner from CrossFit Endurance founder Brian MacKenzie and journalist T.J. Murphy challenges conventional training tenets such as high mileage and high-carb diets to show how reduced mileage and high-intensity training can make runners stronger, more durable athletes and prepare them for races of any distance. The book has seen early success, landing on the New York Times’ Best Selling Sport Books list.
A Life Without Limits
$10, Available at Amazon.com
Chrissie Wellington’s victory at the 2007 Ironman World Championship put her name on the triathlon map, and she later became the fastest iron-distance woman in history. But her road to triathlon success came as just as much a surprise to Wellington as it did to the rest of the world. In A Life Without Limits: A World Champion’s Journey, she recounts her unlikely journey from an accident-prone child, through struggling with body image, then climbing the career ladder in the UK government and doing development work in Nepal, all before becoming a four-time Ironman world champion. “I don’t think I’d ever struck anyone as world-champion material,” she writes. The book has been out for a couple of years, but remains a must-read for any triathlon enthusiast.