This Is Running: A Celebration of the World of Running, Exploring the Culture, History, Brands, Races and People Behind It

by Raziq Rauf

240 pages, Hardcover

Published April 7, 2026

Reviews

[Eliza Varner]

What I like about Running Sucks, Rauf’s newsletter, is he finds interesting niches in the running community and writes about them, exploring different perspectives and experiences in the sport I adore.

I was hoping for much more of that in this book, which was much more a surface level reflection of running and its influences than the deep analytical prose I’m used to.

[James Ingram · Rating 5 out of 5]

You know what, I am not a runner, nor am I the type of person who thought they’d read a book about running. Lucky for me that much like many good books, the title and subject are just a specific lens used to look at culture, subculture, and society as a whole. I was thoroughly engrossed reading stories of runners and their experiences, running clubs and their issues, and just an overall strong point of view of someone who who loves the sport, but is pushing hard for the environment around it to improve in all areas.

I wasn’t expecting all that from what you could cynically call a coffee table book, because it’s just a good book period. However, the photography is just lovely, and the overall design makes the book want to sprint off your shelf and find a resting place on a coffee table indeed.

[Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

This lovely book was written on a lovely handmade desk.

[Randy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A review? Read Raz's Substack ... read it often!!! Multiple times a day, if you care to

https://substack.com/@runningraz