The Montgomery County Road Runners Club in Maryland has published a book that should interest all runners, from beginners to hardened road warriors. What Do You Think of When You Run? (360 pp., $20.00) is a book about the pleasures of running and the things people need to know to run successfully.

A glance at the table of contents shows that separate parts concentrate on women runners, marathoners, ultramarathoners, and running in other countries. Others deal with how runners get started, the problems they have with their bodies, and ways to train better.

Most of the writing was drawn from The Rundown, which began as a newsletter in 1978 and grew along with the club, which is now one of the largest running clubs in the country. Looking through back issues, we were astonished at the interest and variety of the writing. We believe this collection will be of interest not only to members of our club but to members of other clubs and indeed to almost everyone who runs. For instance, there's an interesting piece about President Bill Clinton jogging around Hains Point in Washington, D.C., with a group of handicapped runners. Another offers the recollections of a woman who was at the Pentagon when the terrorists struck on September 11.

It's a good read. If you're bored by ordinary running publications, this book will keep you turning pages. What's it like to do an Ironman? Do you have to be insane to run through Death Valley and up Mount Whitney? And then there are the problems that come when you're selected to carry the Olympic Torch: What if the flame goes out? What if my hair catches on fire?

The book can be ordered through the Montgomery County Road Runners Club web site at www.mcrrc.org or by telephone at 1-800-431-1579.