I recently interviewed (listen here) the hosts of Running Book Reviews with Alan and Liz, a podcast that reviews running books. They have reviewed over 90 running books, but only two of those books have been fiction. Which made me wonder about running fiction. Why aren't there more running novels and fiction? And if there is, why isn't it more popular among runners?
I suspect that when it comes to running and probably sports in general, reality is better than fiction. People would rather read about the athlete who won the gold medals, championships, and records than an athlete an author created. Regardless of the reason, it is very clear that running fiction is ultra marathons less popular than running nonfiction.
Most Popular Running Fiction
The following books are the most rated running fiction on goodreads.com, as of 6 July 2024. Goodreads readers can vote here for the best running fiction.
- The Running Dream by Wendelin Van Draanen (30,771 ratings) (Young Adult Fiction, female high school 400m runner)
- Once a Runner by John L. Parker Jr. (15,114 ratings)
- The End of the World Running Club by Adrian J. Walker (14,848 ratings) (non runner becomes a runner after the apocalypse)
- Running the Rift by Naomi Benaron (7,104 ratings) (Historical Fiction, Rwandan genocide)
- The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner by Alan Sillitoe (6,686 ratings)
- What I Talk About When I Talk About Running by novelist Haruki Murakami (memoir, not fiction)(171,386)
- Forrest Gump by Winston Groom (not enough about running)(68,999)
I haven't read any of the books mentioned above. I'd like to at least check out a chapter or two of each. If I do, I'll report back to see if my theories hold any water, pun intended (see below).
Intro to the Theory
Apparently runners are underrepresented in fiction. Writers, novelists especially, aren't using runners as characters or aren't focusing on their running for topics and plots.
Maybe runners don't like fiction and that demand influences writers.
That could be true. Runners are more active people, and active people
might spend less time sitting and
reading. This could be true. But then running books are very popular.
It's running
fiction that isn't popular.
The following ended up being a lot more than I originally planned to write. The theories below are based on my understanding of people, readers, writers, and fiction. I didn't look up or verify any of my ideas, just shooting from the hip here. Still, I think my ideas are plausible explanations for at least some of the imbalances between running fiction and running nonfiction. I'll take any and all feedback.
Inauthentic Determination
Lance Armstrong had one of the most inspiring stories of my generation. Even after being exposed by teammates and experts in cycling, people still believed and wanted to believe Armstrong's story. I admit that I was one of them. Eventually, Armstrong was revealed to be an elite cheater and asshole on top of his elite athletic abilities. I'd argue his story is still great, really, the fictional one he describes in his books and the cautionary tale of his real life. But clearly, Armstrong's story has lost most, if not all, of it's appeal to people. Watch ESPN's "LANCE" for the more accurate story of Armstrong.
Armstrong deserves all the negativity he has received and will receive, and still, I like Armstrong's story of what it really takes to be the best. Maybe that is the only way to tell Armstrong's story. He has to be the bad guy or the tragic hero who falls.
People loved the fairy tale of the man who beat cancer then beat one of the most grueling sporting events seven years in a row. Remember all the "Live Strong" bracelets? Lance was loved, until his fairy tale was fictional. Part of our disgust with Armstrong is the fictional aspects of his story. People love the fairy tales only when they are real, or when they think they are real. Fictional fairy tales don't work.
Conflict Drives Stories
Fiction has a few basic necessities, but none more essential than conflict (cancer is a great conflict, by the way). So no conflict, no story.
Example 1
Jeff was thirsty when he called to his daughter Eve, "Evie, water!"
Eve brought Jeff a cup of water. Jeff drank the water.
Example 2
Jeff was thirsty. He went to the sink to get water, but the tap wouldn't release water. It was late and Jeff was a lot more tired than thirsty, so he went to sleep without getting a drink.
In the morning, Jeff woke up to neighbors yelling. He went outside.
"None of us have any water!"
"Can't be possible--"
"Did you see the news this morning? Cities all over the world were reporting no water."
"And now the internet and electricity is out!"
It was true. All the water on Earth seemed to have disappeared the previous night...
I made both of these up as I wrote because I was thirsty and my water bottle was empty. It's not that example 2 is good, it's not, but it's a lot better than example 1. The water thing probably doesn't work, but the conflict is there. Readers will be a lot more interested in a thirsty Jeff on a planet with no water than in the Jeff who easily gets water. Example 2 has more details dialogue, but the main thing it adds is conflict.
Think of any great story. The story is good because of how the characters deal with conflict and struggle to get what they want. It is how and why and not so much what, where, nor when.
Running history books, biographies, and memoirs are very popular because they have authentic conflicts and authentic achievements. Readers want to know the inspiration is authentic and deserved.
Team Conflict > Individual Sport Conflict
Running is less of a team sport. Conflict impairs running. Being a great runner is pretty boring stuff. Runners need to eat well, sleep well, and live well. Professional runners spend a full-time job amount of time training and preparing their bodies for running and racing. There is a lot less room for interesting conflicts in the most elite runners. Having a lot of interesting conflicts impedes performance. This ties back to authentic determination. The authentic lifestyle for professional runners is too boring for fiction.
The characters don't have to be professional runners. But then they don't have to be runners period. Maybe more characters are runners. But their identity as runners and time running isn't focal to the conflicts and plot of stories. This aspect is unclear to me.
A more clear barrier for running fiction is team sports, like basketball or football, have so many greater opportunities for characters to interact and be thrown into conflict. Think of the tropes, the underdog, the aging player who has to accept a new role, the hotshot who has to learn to be a team player, etc. The team setting is a better environment for conflict and stories.
Conclusion
Real life stories are more authentic. More authentic sports stories are more interesting to viewers. Team sports present better opportunities for authors to create interesting and more authentic conflicts. As a result, there is a lot less running fiction in podcasts, libraries, and book stores.
This went way outside my original scope. Where and how I am wrong or jumping to conclusions.
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