I wrote a book.

This Is Running is released in Spring 2026 via Batsford Books / Rizzoli Publications

2025 has been the strangest year. The world around me repeatedly seemed to catch fire (both literally and figuratively), but in the midst of all of it, I signed a deal to write my first book. And then I wrote it.

My book is called This Is Running

It’s a cultural snapshot of running culture in the 21st century — the first of its kind — and you can read it in Spring 2026, and it’s available to pre-order right now. This is what the cover looks like.

This is Running by Raziq Rauf (Batsford, 2026)

There are brand new essays on run clubs, apparel, technology, the female experience, and trails, with recurring themes of health, happiness, and sustainability, as well as interviews with the pioneers of global running culture, such as founders of Tracksmith, Like the Wind magazine, UTMB, and Couch To 5K, plus thrilling insights from winners of important races including the Boston Marathon and Western States.

It’s the ideas that I’ve been writing about here for the past 2.5 years, distilled, expanded and tied together into 240 pages, and I’m so happy to finally be able to share it with you.

This is Running is out 02 April 2026 in the UK via the wonderful Batsford Books, with US distribution coming the following Tuesday via Rizzoli/Random House on 07 April 2026. I chose Batsford because they consistently make really good-looking books, and they absolutely came through with this one.

I wanted to create something beautiful but tangible; something that you can hold in your hands in this world that can often feel so digitally abstract. Accompanying my words are photos from some absolutely bananas photographers — truly some of the best around — and it’s all come together to become a book that’s been made to be read as much as it is to sit on your coffee table or in your bookcase.

I’m over the moon with how it looks. I hope you like it as much.

Things you can do:

1. Please pre-order This is Running. Simple! Advance sales are crucial for first-time authors like myself. It’s an indicator to the retailers that they will be able to sell more copies, so they will order more. Links are below. So many thanks in advance.

2. Help me sell more copies of This is Running.

   1. Dream scenario: a run community leader collaborates with a local independent bookstore to sell copies to your crew. Support small businesses!

   2. If you are a run specialty store, let me know if you want to stock it, and I’ll put you in touch with my publisher.

3. Interview me! Podcast, newsletter, magazine, whatever. I will happily talk to you about running and/or writing.

This is Running - purchase links

USA - Bookshop US | Barnes & Noble | Amazon US
UK - Bookshop UK | Waterstones | Amazon UK
Canada - Amazon CA | Indigo
Australia - Booktopia
Germany - Genialokal | Amazon DE
France - Amazon FR
Italy - Amazon IT
Spain - Amazon ES

Listings Goodreads | Google Books
Publishers Batsford | Rizzoli

Thanks so much for reading
Raz x