Bob Bartling and several like-minded people founded the Prairie Striders Running Club in 1969 to promote running, fellowship, and health. Bob began collecting books and magazines related to running and track and field, and by 1978, the Prairie Striders Running Club Library was established. It includes 636 volumes of books, about 5,000 periodicals and newsletters, and has the results of 16 annual races. The collection is so complete that even the editors of Runner’s World contact Bob for articles.
The Prairie Striders Library was housed in the basement of Bartling’s store for many years. The library moved to another location in downtown Brookings before finding a permanent home in the H.M. Briggs Library in June 2015. It is currently housed in the compact shelving on the lower level of the library.
This Book Gallery highlights the collection housed at the H.M. Briggs Library
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The Perfect Mile: Three Athletes, One Goal, and Less Than Four Minutes to Achieve it
Neal Bascomb
There was a time when running the mile in four minutes was believed to be beyond the limits of human foot speed, and in all of sport it was the elusive holy grail. In 1952, after suffering defeat at the Helsinki Olympics, three world-class runners each set out to break this barrier. Roger Bannister was a young English medical student who epitomized the ideal of the amateur — still driven not just by winning but by the nobility of the pursuit. John Landy was the privileged son of a genteel Australian family, who as a boy preferred butterfly collecting to running but who trained relentlessly in an almost spiritual attempt to shape his body to this singular task. Then there was Wes Santee, the swaggering American, a Kansas farm boy and natural athlete who believed he was just plain better than everybody else.
Spanning three continents and defying the odds, their collective quest captivated the world and stole headlines from the Korean War, the atomic race, and such legendary figures as Edmund Hillary, Willie Mays, Native Dancer, and Ben Hogan. In the tradition of Seabiscuit and Chariots of Fire, Neal Bascomb delivers a breathtaking story of unlikely heroes and leaves us with a lasting portrait of the twilight years of the golden age of sport. -
The Greatest: The Haile Gebrselassie Story
Jim Denison
Two Olympic 10,000m golds; eight world championships indoors and outdoors; seventeen world records over four different distances; a fifty-four race winning streak—Haile Gebrselassie utterly dominated a decade of distance running. The Greatest is his authorized biography, written by Jim Denison, who worked on it with Haile for over two years, visited him in Ethiopia, and traveled with him on the European track circuit. Haile’s life story is fascinating, detailing his early years of hard poverty in war-torn Ethiopia, his relentless training, his rise to godlike status in the track world, and the good works he has done for his country with his fame and fortune. Most of all it is a glimpse of the kind, fascinating man behind all the records and medals.
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The Perfect Distance: Ovett and Coe: The Record Breaking Rivalry
Pat Butcher
teve Ovett and Sebastian Coe presided over the golden era of British athletics. Between them they won three Olympic gold medals, two silvers, one bronze, and broke a total of twelve middle-distance records. As far apart as possible in terms of class and upbringing, their rivalry burned as intense on the track as away from it. The pendulum swung between the pair of them—each breaking the other's records, and, memorably, triumphing in each other's events in Moscow in 1980. The Perfect Distance is both a detailed re-creation and a fitting celebration of the greatest era of British athletics.
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Running with the Buffaloes: A Season Inside with Mark Wetmore, Adam Goucher, and the University of Colorado Men's Cross Country Team
Chris Lear
In RUNNING WITH THE BUFFALOES, writer Chris Lear follows the University of Colorado cross-country team through an unforgettable NCAA season. Allowed unparalleled access to team practices, private moments, and the mind of Mark Wetmore--one of the country's most renowned and controversial coaches--Lear provides a riveting look inside the triumphs and heartaches of a perennial national contender and the men who will stop at nothing to achieve excellence. The Buffaloes' 1998 season held great promise, with Olympic hopeful Adam Goucher poised for his first-ever NCAA cross-country title, and the University of Colorado shooting for its first-ever national team title. But in the rigorous world of top-level collegiate sports, blind misfortune can sabotage the dreams of individuals and teams alike. In a season plagued by injury and the tragic loss of a teammate, the Buffaloes were tested as never before. What these men managed to achieve in the face of such adversity is the stuff of legend and glory.
With passion and suspense, Lear captures the lives of these young men and offers a glimpse of what drives a gifted runner like Adam Goucher and a great coach like Mark Wetmore. -
Training Profiles: High School Boys Distance
John Nepolitan
Training profiles of high school and college cross-country runners.
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A World History of Long Distance Running, 1880-2002: Track Events - Men and Women
Roberto Quercetani
Track and Field Athletics is the most universally known and practised of all sports. Its modern forms first emerged for the most part around 1860 in Great Britain and USA. Its coming of age was accelerated with the revival of the Olympic Games (Athens 1896) and the foundation of the IAAF (International Amateur Athletic Federation) in Berlin, 1913. The latter is the governing body of the sport with over 200 affiliated countries, still with the same letterhead which now stands for International Association of Athletics Federations. Long distance running has always been a very important section of the sport. This book recounts the history of the two longest distances on the track programme - 5,000 and 10,000 metres. Each chapter covers a given period and brings back to life the outstanding figures in their multiform human, competitive and technical aspects. Women's long distance running has a relatively short history which is also related in detail.
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Staying The Course: A Runner's Toughest Race
Dick Beardsley
For a moment Dick Beardsley became the most famous runner in the world by losing a race. In the 1982 Boston Marathon, Beardsley, foiled by a motorcycle that cut him off, finished two seconds behind Alberto Salazar in one of the most memorable contests in marathon history. Staying the Course recounts that race and the difficult years that followed, including his recovery from a near-fatal farm accident, his subsequent addiction to painkillers, and a public arrest for forging prescriptions. His story of overcoming obstacles speaks to anyone who loves competition, who has survived catastrophe, or who has pursued a seemingly impossible goal.
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Mind Gym: An Athlete's Guide to Inner Excellence
Gary Mack
Combines psychological principles with inspirational stories to help amateur athletes take their game to the next level, overcome adversity, stay motivated, and follow their dreams.
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The Ultimate Guide to Trail Running
Adam Chase
Trail running combines all the health and fitness benefits of walking and road running with the outdoor adventure of such sports as hiking and mountain biking―not to mention the spiritual renewal from a day spent communing with nature. No wonder it has become one of the world's most popular fitness activities. The Ultimate Guide to Trail Running provides all the essential information needed, including finding trails and getting started; managing ascents and descents with ease; maneuvering off-road obstacles; strength, stretching, and cross-training exercises; selecting proper shoes, clothing, and accessories; safety on the trail; and racing and other trail events.
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Official Program: 2000 U.S. Olympic Team Trials Track and Field, July 14-23, Alex G. Spanos Sports Complex, California State University Sacramento
United States Olympic Team Trials Track & Field
Welcome letters -- Features -- 2000 U.S. Olympic team trials track and field -- Individual events.
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Runner's World Complete Book of Women's Running
Dagny Scott Barrios
he need for a women's running book -- Dress like a runner -- A beginner's guide to frequently asked questions -- The principles of training -- From walking to jogging: training for the beginner -- From jogging to running: training for the intermediate runner -- From running to racing: training for the advanced runner -- On racing well -- Conquer the marathon -- Solo or social -- The balancing act -- Staying motivated and beyond: mental aspects of running -- Eat right to run your best -- Lose weight on the run -- Body image issues -- Caring for your body -- Safety -- The well-rounded runner -- The pregnant runner -- The younger runner -- The older runner.
