Tim Noakes writes about every aspects of running from physiological fields to psychological fields. He is not just not author and a doctor, but an endurance athwlte as well - or at least he used to be before writing his book Lore of Running.
That's why his work is absolutely professional. ( )

I found the 3rd edition to be thorough and excellent. The 4th edition refined a few points, expanded others, and toned down what might be considered controversial condemnation of fad diets.

This is my basic running reference which I refer to for any serious running question. Although I bought it almost a decade ago, I continue to pull it off the shelf to answer questions. It is just so much more complete than other running books.

"The marathon is less a physical event than a spiritual encounter. In infinite wisdom, God built into us a 32-km racing limit, a limit imposed by inadequate sources of the marathoner's prime racing fuel - carbohydrates. But we, in our human wisdom, decreed that the standard marathon be raced over 42 km"
"So it is in that physical no-man's-land, which begins after the 32-km mark, that the irresistible appeal of the marathon lies. It is at that stage, as the limits to human running endurance are approached, that the marathon ceases to be a physical event. It is there that you, the runner, discover the basis for the ancient proverb: 'When you have gone so far that you cannot manage one more step, then you have gone just half the distance that you are capable of.' It is there that you learn something about yourself and your view of life." Marathon runners have termed it the wall. (Page 596)

I highly recommend his more recent book: [b:Waterlogged: The Serious Problem of Overhydration in Endurance Sports|14537326|Waterlogged The Serious Problem of Overhydration in Endurance Sports|Tim Noakes|https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1338835527s/14537326.jpg|20180007]. ( )

Lore of Running is quite simply THE book on running. While it's sheer size is imposing, reading my way through it has been incredibly beneficial. Learning how running works from the smallest scale, up to the big picture has helped me develop my form, training methods, and strategy for running. This is a must-read for any serious or simply curious runner. ( )

The most complete running book. Full stop. ( )