On a scale of 1-10, ChatGPT rates Make the Leap ...

Prompt: On a scale of 1 to 10, rank Make the Leap by Bryan Green against other running books and give some explanation for your ranking. Focus on the substance of the book and how it would benefit readers, not the number of sales or popularity. Provide a couple running books of similar quality and as comparison. Finally, provide a blurb for potential readers.

Ranking: 8.5/10

Why “Make the Leap” Earns This Score (Substance & Reader Benefit):
Make the Leap by Bryan Green stands out among running books for its focus on mindset, consistency, and the process of improvement, rather than just training plans or race-day tactics. It's written from the perspective of a former collegiate runner who later became a coach and thinker about performance, and the book distills many of the mental principles elite runners internalize — yet rarely articulate clearly — into a structured, digestible format.

Where this book shines is in its actionable psychology. It helps runners shift from passive to active improvement by framing training in terms of "leaps" — those meaningful, non-linear jumps in performance that happen when the right habits and mindset align. The book breaks down how to think like a developing athlete, rather than just what to do in training. This makes it valuable for coachable athletes, curious competitors, and motivated high school/college runners.

The writing is concise and direct — there's no fluff — and the ideas are immediately applicable. It’s a great bridge between the physical and mental sides of training, which are too often separated in running literature.


Comparable Running Books (in quality and focus):

  1. “The Champion’s Mind” by Jim Afremow – Similar in focus on mindset and performance psychology, though more generalized across sports. Make the Leap is more grounded in the runner's perspective and daily training.

  2. “Let Your Mind Run” by Deena Kastor – A memoir-style book with a strong mental game narrative. It’s inspirational and shows how mindset shaped a career. Make the Leap is more instructional and structured, while Kastor’s book is anecdotal and emotional.

Both are excellent, but Make the Leap offers a more direct toolkit for athletes who want to grow, not just read inspiring stories.


Blurbs for Potential Readers:

Blurb for Runners:

If you’ve ever felt stuck in your running — training hard but not seeing the breakthrough — Make the Leap is your guide to bridging that gap. With clear principles, mental strategies, and practical examples, Bryan Green shows runners how to develop a mindset for sustained growth and meaningful improvement. Whether you're a competitive high school athlete, a collegiate runner, or a dedicated adult chasing PRs, this book will reshape how you approach training and unleash your next leap forward.

Blurb for Coaches:

As a coach, you can write the perfect training plan — but it’s the athlete’s mindset that determines whether they execute it with purpose. Bryan Green’s Make the Leap is the rare book that gives language to the mental side of improvement. It helps athletes understand not just how to train, but why they plateau, how breakthroughs actually happen, and what it means to be “coachable.”

This is a book you’ll want your athletes to read — not because it replaces your guidance, but because it amplifies it. Use it to build a shared vocabulary around growth, consistency, and confidence. It’s a mindset manual every serious runner should keep close.

Blurb for Parents of Runners:

Watching your child pour effort into running can be inspiring — and frustrating when progress stalls. Bryan Green’sMake the Leap offers insights into the mental patterns that separate steady training from true breakthroughs. It explains how athletes grow, why mindset matters more than motivation, and how to build the habits that lead to long-term success.

Whether your runner is just getting started or aiming for college competition, this book helps them take ownership of their improvement. It’s not about running faster tomorrow — it’s about building the thinking and discipline that will serve them on the track, in the classroom, and beyond.