Rich Elliott is a writer whose work reflects his wide variety of interests in the fields of sports, history, literature, and technology.

Elliott is the author of The Competitive Edge: Mental Preparation for Distance Running (Prentice-Hall), a book that explores the psychological aspects of training and racing. His background as a national-class distance runner, high school English teacher, and distance coach gave him a unique perspective on his topic. Track and Field News magazine called the book "the best work on the subject" and "a modern classic."

For many years Elliott worked in educational publishing as a textbook editor and technology producer. He edited and wrote content for middle school and high school programs, including a vocabulary series, literature anthologies, and history textbooks, several which became industry best-sellers. With the growth of technology ancillaries, he became a multimedia producer, working on award-winning video programs, software, and online products.

From 2008 to 2010, Elliott served as the Head Men's and Women's Cross Country Coach at Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois. He also came out with a new book in 2010: Runners on Running: The Best Nonfiction of Distance Running, a collection of the greatest nonfiction pieces from the world of running.

Elliott and his wife Aileen live in Winnetka, Illinois, where they raised three children.