Product Description
Now revised, expanded and updated, Lore of Running gives you incomparable detail on physiology, training, racing, injuries, world-class athletes, and races.

Author Tim Noakes blends the expertise of a physician and research scientist with the passion of a dedicated runner to answer the most pressing questions for those who are serious about the sport:

• How your body systems respond to training, the effects of different training methods, how to detect and avoid overtraining, and genetic versus trainable potential
• How to train for the 10K up through ultramarathon with detailed programs from Noakes and several leading running experts
• How to prevent and treat injuries, increase your strength and flexibility, and use proper nutrition for weight control and maximum performance

You'll also find a candid analysis of supplements and ergogenic effects and training aids. The book includes new interviews with 10 world-class runners who share their secrets to success and longevity in the sport. Features on legendary figures and events in running history provide fascinating insights.

And that's just scratching the surface. Lore of Running is not only the biggest and best running publication on the planet. It's the one book every runner should own. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (41)

The Best Running Book Ever!
"Lore of Running" is the most comprehensive book ever written on running. Dr. Tim Noakes has covered every aspect of running both physiologically and psychologically. The eloborate training programmes for novice runners and advanced programmes for the elite runners are commendable. A must have for every runner.

running book
This book is good for people who have a passion for running and want to know the ins and outs of the sport. The book is in very good condition and I received it quickly.

For enthusiasts only
After reading the 900-page Lore of Running, there is probably no need to read any other how-to books on running because you will have heard it before. Like a steep uphill at the beginning of your run, Noakes starts off with how muscles work, oxygen transport, energy systems. The chapters are lengthy with many charts and graphs. The prose is like a medical textbook.

I might have organized the book differently. Chapters on staying injury free and running & your health are near the end of the book. I would have put that near the beginning. But one does not have to read the book in sequence.

This is not a good introductory book to running, but as was mentioned by other reviewers, a great reference or read for coaches or anyone else with a more in-depth interest.

Like the late great Ed McMahon would say, "EVERYTHING you ever wanted to know about running is in this book".

Great book
I haven't gotten much chance to read it yet, but it's a great book, especially as a reference.

Nothing like it.
There's really nothing like this book in what I've seen.I'm not an ultra-long runner - in fact, I'm not even a good runner.However, this book has a deeply researched, referenced, scientific approach to exercise physiology that I've been unable to find in other literature.My science-oriented background yearns for something more than vitriol or practical advice, and this book fills that role no matter what aerobic sport you wish to pursue.Page after page reveals "aha!" moments where I find out what the various "lores" I've was brought up with have some merit, or where they fail. ... Read more

Product Description
Matt Thompson is in trouble again. A rare old book about legendary track star Alfie Shrubb has gone missing from the local museum, and all fingers point to Matt. To make matters worse, his new running club won't be running in the annual race named after Shrubb, but is instead volunteering. With help of his friends and a former Olympic runner with serious challenges of his own, Matt tries to clear his name. He also learns again what it means to be a runner in this follow up to Mud Run and Mud Happens. ... Read more

Product Description
Noah Meyers is a fast runner--faster than all his friends, faster than the bullies who wait for him outside his school.

When he's asked to train with the Clarington Vikings in Oshawa he jumps at the chance, eager to focus on something other than his father's recent death. Soon after he qualifies for provincial finals, however, tragedy threatens to strike again, and Noah has to summon all his courage to stay on track.

Fast Finish is the engaging story of a young athlete who overcomes a tragic past in order to succeed. ... Read more

Product Description
In this completely revised edition of their best-selling handbook, Tim Noakes and Stephen Granger present the most up-to-date findings on running injuries, and their prevention, diagnosis and treatment. At some point in their running careers, most runners find themselves injured, in pain, or even laid off.Running Injuries is the ultimate resource on injury prevention and is the unrivalled guide for runners of all levels - from elite athletes to weekend joggers to doctors. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Perfect for Coaches!!! This book has NEVER been wrong!
I've had this book for about 7 years and it is showing the wear!Whenever a runner comes to me with a compliant, this book is the first place I turn.I keep it in my car, so it is at every practice.We can use the book to quickly identify the potential problem based on the symptoms.From there, the book guides you on possible treatments and suggested courses of action based on severity!Very valuable!!

If you run, buy this book
If you run, you need this book.The information in this book is applicable to absolute beginners as well as elites.Noakes teaches how to prevent injuries and treat them.

Most of the topics are covered in Lore of Running - If you already have that book, there is no need to buy this one.

The only drawback in this book is that the illustrations and photographs could have been better. ... Read more

Product Description
A comprehensive collection of sport-specific interval runs that can help coaches of any sport take advantage of the innumerable benefits of sound interval training. Includes all target and recovery time calculations, along with a progressive plan and weekly training options. Offers an introduction to interval training, and covers administering pre-established interval training workouts, altering/designing new workouts, progressive training, and features the comprehensive interval workout catalog (including 528 pre-established interval workouts). Also includes interval venue diagrams and descriptions, percentage speed charts, recovery time charts, sample workout recording forms, and more. Large format with hundreds of clear, easy-to-read and apply charts. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Nice Reference
not too much detail...easy to follow...a great reference to se where you or your athletes should be ... Read more

Product Description
A groundbreaking program that teaches you how to run faster and farther with less effort, and prevent and heal injuries, for runners of any age or fitness level.

In ChiRunning, Danny and Katherine Dreyer, well-known walking and running coaches, provide powerful insight that transforms running from a high-injury sport to a body-friendly, injury-free fitness phenomenon. ChiRunning employs the deep power reserves in the core muscles, an approach found in disciplines such as yoga, Pilates, and T'ai Chi.

ChiRunning enables you to develop a personalized exercise program by blending running with the powerful mind-body principles of T’ai Chi:

1. Get aligned. Develop great posture and reduce your potential for injury while running, and make knee pain and shin splints a thing of the past.

2. Engage your core. Shift the workload from your leg muscles to your core muscles, for efficiency and speed.

3. Add relaxation to your running. Learn to focus your mind and relax your body to increase speed and distance.   

4. Make it a Mindful Practice. Maintain high performance and make running a mindful, enjoyable life-long practice.

5. It's easy to learn. Transform your running with the 10-step ChiRunning training program. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (142)

The Ultimate Running Book
This book is an absolute must-have for any runner regardless of age, skill or level of running. The sub title is not just a catchy line, it's what this book is truly about. The technique taught changes the way you run on a physical level as well as changing your whole approach to what you're doing. Simple to learn and you can take the time you need to master it. Strongly recommended.

Amazing results
Run with gravity not against it. What a novel running concept that I found really works.After running countless painful marathons and 5k/10k's, I read "Chi Running."I revamped my style as the author indicated. Then after a few practice runs I kinda felt a small feeling of chi...Then after a couple weeks, a slightly bigger dose of that chi feeling.All kidding aside, it was only after a month and a half of running and practicing with gradual increases in distance that I felt much more comfortable that I was on the right track. I know that that may seem like a long time for some of you, but, the increase in energy and more importantly the very noticeable decrease in effort was very dramatic for me.After a 5 mile run, I felt like it had been only 2.After 8 miles it felt like only 4-5. The most important thing was I had absolutely no aches or pains in my knees, back or legs.The pains were something that I had thought came with the territory.

It's been over a year now and still perfecting the technique, but, I absolutely love this concept.The book is easy to read and combines a lot of philosophy within the book.The actual Chi technique can be highlighted in a couple of chapters, so it is not extremely complicated.But, putting it all together in a smooth fashion does take work, focus, and practice.Did I say patience as well.Once you have the technique down, you will truely love and appreciate the Chi running concept. (Someone I tried to teach once told me it did feel a lot like learning how to golf... Lot's of detailed instructions on what to do with different body parts.I learned later, not to teach much in the first lesson..just like when you go out to practice.Focus on only a couple things at a time, adding something else piece by piece as you can absorb it.

After several months of training with the Chi method, I dropped 15 minutes off my half marathon time, and almost 30 minutes off my marathon time.I did these times with much less training, but, more focus on the Chi technique and making it 'my own.' That pretty much says it all. So hope you all get that Chi feeling!

Take what you want from it
Sorry, but I don't think Chi running is too terribly different from the older "pose" method of running described by Coach Alexander Romanov.A few important adjustments, but not a "revolutionary approach."This might be a very good read for new runners or runners who have never considered their form.

The author implies that Chi running is "effortless" and that you don't use your leg muscles to run which is simply absurd; if it was there would be no need to train.The idea that you use form, posture and stride to work with gravity is very helpful and spot on, but still, one does have to move and lift the legs.

Why is the Kindle version more expensive than the paperback?
I enjoy reading on my Kindle, I would rather have all of my reading content on it.I like seeing new titles come out on it, so I was very pleased to see this book that I looked at availble.Until I saw that it was more than if I ordered the paper back.

What are the publishers thinking?Does their greed know no bounds?They have no print set up or fees, no storage fees, no shipping fees and yet they are going to raise the price up for the same digital copy that they sent to the press?Did they somehow grab the music industry's winning PR notebook?

While I want this book I am not supporting the publishing company's short-sighted and greedy take on what they think a digital copy should cost.Amazon had it right when they launched the Kindle $9.99 for hot sellers, yeah I can get behind that but I can't get behind what the publishers strong armed Amazon into.

Invaluable guide for runners
I am an asthmatic who has always wanted to run, but I never thought I would be able to run for over a few minutes. I read this book in it's first edition as a library book and it became such an integral part of my excercise program that I renewed it and then came back to the library the day after I finally had to return it so I could check it out again. I decided to buy it without delay. I love the new edition with the different organization and information. I am a beginning runner and started running with this program when I was 40 lbs overweight. Now, about two months later, I have lost 20 pounds and had no injuries. When I started I could barely run for 2 minutes. Now I can run for 20 minutes without to much fatigue. I have also gone off one of my asthma medications, and am hopeful that I will no longer need any medication as my distances and times increase. I am less stressed and more energized than I have ever ben in my life. The form taught in this book is mostly responsible for my success. I also have a history of back pain, and I had none because of the "leveled pelvis" and low impact taught in this book. Very easy to read, common-sense techniques that apply to the rest of your life as well. I am a Senior Vocal Performance Major in college, and the principals have also helped me greatly with my singing. This is a must-buy for anyone who wants to run in a way that is fun, energizing, and efficient. ... Read more

Product Description
Read Running with the Legends and become a training partner, student, friend, and fan of some of the greatest runners ever. More than a collection of biographies, Legends details the development, training techniques, coaching, competitions, motives, and perspectives of 21 all-time great runners.

From special tips you can use to incredible feats that will motivate you, Running with the Legends is full of material to enhance your own running and appreciation of those who have set the standard for excellence. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Excellent read
A good read about some of the great runners of the world and insight into how they became leaders in the field.

Thoroughly enjoyable tome for running fans!
I'm a recreational marathoner (7 and counting) but take my running very seriously, regardless.I bought a used, marked up copy of this on amazon and was happily surprised at how much enjoyment and useful information I have gotten from it.

So many profiles of great runners...all presented (no surprise, since it's from RUNNERS WORLD magazine) in abbreviated, interesting biographies that highlight their personal and professional accomplishments on and off the race track.Lots of pearls of wisdom, sage advice and things to think about for runners of all levels, regardless of skill or dedication.

There's something for every runner in this thick, wonderful book which I find myself picking up again and again...especially the night before a race or long run!

Good biographies
While it is a little thin on training details, this book does give you some insight into the mindset of these great athletes.As a 40+ runner who idolized some of these greats I was entertained.

Depends on what you are looking for...
I would agree with the other reviewers that this is by no means a training manual (ala Daniels or Coe).However, that doesn't change the fact that it is a very enjoyable book to read, covering legends of the past as well as more recent champions.If you are interested in marathoning, this book is particularly good, as most of the runners covered are marathoners.

Whilst the training plans will be of little use, I find this book a great motivator, and that's what every runner needs!

Where's the beef?
I must agree with the first reviewer, I too purchased this book with much anticipation and was sorely disappointed with it's lack of hard training fact.There is decent info from a few athletes but much of the training info of the more secretive elites are nothing but short biographies and anecdotal evidence akin to the dry packaged responses you get in most running mags. ... Read more

Product Description
When Toby Morton's sister asks him to play hopscotch, he asks if there's a video game version.

He hates physical activity, and he especially hates gym class at his New Brunswick school. If the kids on his team in gym tease him for being overweight, he goes out of his way to make sure they lose. So when his new homeroom teacher, Mr. Walker, asks Toby to join the running team, Toby thinks he's crazy. But when his friend Amy suffers a dangerous attack of asthma, Toby is forced to look at exercise in a different light.

Walker's Runners is a lively story for young people that introduces the joys of physical fitness, while highlighting the high costs of inactivity. ... Read more

Product Description
In this exciting sequel to Mud Run, Matt and his teammates are disappointed when their favourite track coach, Ms. Wellesley, tells them she can no longer lead the school team. On the bright side, she has arranged for the kids to be trained by the coach of the Riders -- a dream team of elite athletes who have the potential to become "real" runners. But is there such a thing as too much, too soon? Mud Happens is about learning how to pace one's self -- in the race and in life. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

The Best Running Back In The NFL
This is about Barry Sanders, one of the best player in the NFL. The book talks about His childhood in Wichita, Kansas. His father always wanted him to have a good education. I would recommend the book because it is an interesting, inspiring story. The writer's style is easy to read. It is straightforward and chronological. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (2)

Askwith takes you with him.
In the twenty or so years of running trails and ultramarathons, mostly in the U.S., I have waited for someone who could portray what goes on "out there" while running.Fell-running is arguably more challenging than our U.S. trails--the idea that we are almost always on trails is the giveaway.

Askwith gives us history of the legendary runs, names that become people with the biographical chapters, and, the icing on the cake--he takes us with him on several runs.I suffered his DNF just as I have suffered my own, his introspection echoed the many others I have heard.It sounds trite, but he transposes the reader from the comfort of the warm chair to the cold challenge of a waiting hillside.

Well done, very well done.

Fascinating story about a hidden "sport"
This is a great antidote to all the glamour and money in modern professional sport. A tale of hard men, in a neglected corner, who have done extraordinary things. ... Read more

Product Description
At the core of this popular guide is "the program" — a 13-week walk - run plan designed to turn anyone into a runner, without injury. Originally developed by sports medicine physicians and refined through three years of clinics and responses from runners, it explains precisely how the beginner should train every day for the first 13 weeks. Every part of the process is covered, from equipment to staying motivated.

New to this edition are sections on training to run faster and farther, interval and tempo training; maintaining fitness on vacation; training for a half and full marathon; and coming back from injuries. A new chapter focuses on running and the family, including running during pregnancy and after the baby arrives, jogging strollers, children who want to run, and running with the family dog. Also included is the latest on nutrition and running, including low-carb diets and other popular diet trends. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (61)

I never thought I could...
I never thought I could run.I group up overweight, chunky, wearing size husky pants most of my life and one day I was just sick of it and was already in my early 30s.I decided then that I would try running but knew that I couldn't just start cold turkey.I saw this book and planned in a week to start.I followed it to a tee and ran my first 10K, about 14 weeks later.I did that first 10K in just about an hour.

NOw- 7 years later, I am still running and hitting Personal Records every day.I hit my own personal best 10K in under 43 minutes and recently ran the Walt Disney World Half Marathon in just under 1 hour and 42 minutes.

If anyone had ever told that big kid years ago that I'd be running and loving it, and doing it with the pace that I'm doing it in, I would've laughed and when people ask what is my secret...I tell them that it all started with a book.

Thank you Dr. Ian MacNeill... when I was pushing 200 lbs, in just 13 weeks - I renewed my confidence, my spirit, and regained the rest of my life back!Over the years I've yo-yod in weight, but now I'm a healthy 144 and all because of running and eating right!

Good book for beginners
I bought this book because I had become out of shape in recent months and needed a push to get back on track.I have been an avid gym rat for about the last 10 years, so I sort of know what I'm doing when it comes to getting in shape.This book gives great tips on what to eat when aspiring to be a runner.It also gives advice on stretches, injury prevention, running shoes, and different terrain to run on.I felt this is a good book for beginner runners because of the basic tips and advice given.It helped me gather the initiative to get back on track.

Highly recommended especially for those without motivation
This book was given to me by a friend who has watched me struggle with exercise and weight.I always made fun of runners and about the arthritis they must have.
Then I read the book and started running.I am in my 12 week of the 13 week program.I have lost 5 pounds, although my friends say it looks like more.I even turned down an opportunity to eat out at lunch so as not to undo what I have done to my body.The book kept me motivated and thus far injury free.The program is easy, portable and has great tips.It will be on my Christmas gift list for family members that have used all the excuses I used to use.

Listen to your body
I bought this book to get me started running. I have not been doing much in the way of any exercise for about two years. I did start walking a couple weeks before I started this program.

I started at week one with the 1 min of jogging and 2 min of walking. I was getting some soreness and stiffness in my knees and shins. It sure does give you a wakeup call on how unfit you really are when you can barely run 1 minute without huffing and puffing. I got through week 1 then started week 2 with the 2 minutes of running.I got through the first day's training.My knees (mostly at the back of the leg) got very stiff and sore and had to quit the training for now.This partly may be due to not wearing proper shoes.

It has now been one week of rest. I am still a little stiff and sore, but much better. Yesterday I tried a 30 min walk (with new shoes). Had pain the whole time, but walked through it. Came home, stretched,and took some ibuprofen. Today I cannot believe the difference. I am feeling no pain at all just some minor aching.

What I am saying here is that EVERYONE is different. If you are getting pain after week one, I would rest, then cut the program in half for the running time and more gradually build up. You have to realize that in total for the first day you are running for 12 minutes.This may be too much for some people.

I am going to do a 60 minute walk on one day - pain free, then start another with a 30 second run and see how things go.

I bought another book - The Non-Runner's Marathon Trainer - which is very good. It also has a beginner schedule in the Introduction (Page 9) which does not start any running until after WEEK 4. Then starts jumping very quickly. This is a 10 week introduction before you start the formal training in the book.

In summary, I wish that the Handbook had explained some alternatives if things do not go well your first week - things to be aware of if you need to cut back and take it slower.

This book will help you start running
A lot of water has passed under the bridge since my glory days of running.I, like many of you, needed a program that, if I stuck to it, would get me back into running.I picked up this book with that goal, resumming running for the rest of my life, firmly in mind.Following the 13 week program, I went from not really being able to run much at all, to being able to run the 10K run at the conclusion.It's a good program which will challenge you, yet give you time to rest and heal, a very important facet of training that gets ignored in the quest for quick results.All you have to do is do what the program says, whether you think you can or not.Just do it and before you know it, you're running.

I would highly recommend this book to first time runners, and folks like me who've fallen off the health band wagon and are trying to get back on.Believe me, with this program completed, you will not only have accomplished something significant, but you will have a foundation on which to build a permanent running lifestyle.5 stars.
... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

Honest, engaging, inspirational, real.
One of the reasons why I bought this book was because everything I was reading about ultrarunning was from the US. Lisa Tamati is a New Zealander and I'm and Aussie, and it's easier to identify with her because of the close relationship our countries, and cultures, have. Irrespective of this connection, I wasn't disappointed in this book.

Lisa's story is honest, engaging, inspirational. I found it hard to put the book down, voraciously wanting to learn whatever I could about what led her to ultrarunning, what traits and experiences and values and opportunities came together to produce the accomplished endurance athlete that she is. Even better, she does this without the false modesty that distractingly comes across in other ultrarunners' stories.

This has been one of the most influential books inspiring my own dreams about becoming an ultrarunner.

One of the worst books I've ever read!
There are few books in my life that I could not finish, but this will be one of them... it has to be one of the worst books I hve ever read. Besides the fct that is is terribly written, there is no inspiration to be gleaned from a situation were one is constantly just gutting it out because they feel indequate or weak. ANYONE can push themselves to an extreme point with this level of insecurity. Along with the insecruity you are fed one crappy experience after another, a crappy bike,crappy boyfriend, a bike crash, a broken back, rotten weather, a torn tent, bad trips to Hungry, bad food a restuarnt fire, lung cncer then death in the family.... the book is one big clamity after another... I keep waiting for her to get fed up , get some real gumption and LEAVE make potivie changes SOMETHING, but it didn't hppend before I just couldn't read anymore.... purchse and read at the risk of being flant out DEPRESSED.

Inspirational & Informative
Lisa's story is a fascinating read - not just for runners, but anyone who sets personal goals that stretches their imagination. As a runner myself, I enjoyed the insights Lisa shares of the extreme footraces she has raced in around the world and the various hurdles overcome to complete them. Great stuff! ... Read more

Product Description

Running to the limits of human -endurance.

For those who find the 26.2-mile marathon just not enough, there is the ultramarathon. What makes ultrarunners tick?What goes through their minds at mile 93? How can you train for such a colossal undertaking? These questions and many more are answered in Running Through the Wall, an inspiring collection of 39 personal stories from ultramarathoners.Ultramarathoning is the logical next step for those who burn with a desire to explore their limits, and beyond. It is impossible to run distances of 30, 50, or even 100 miles without coming away with at least one fascinating story. This book is full of them. There are stories of fatigue, blisters, nausea, and despair. But the ultrarunner prevails to find hope, love, healing, self-discovery, friendship, selflessness, and in the end, for most, triumph. Learn what it feels like to run an ultra from the champions, the newcomers, and the veterans of the sport.

Customer Reviews (30)

Inspirational Read
I book this book because I was interested in learning more about ultra-distance running.I was not disappointed!The book is a series of short stories from runners of varied abilities and skills.I learned a lot about the mental and physical aspects of endurance running.The stories in this book has motivated me to try a few ultra and trail events recently and I plan on doing more in the future.If you are new to the sport, you can learn a lot from this book.

Fantastic inspiration.
In my current obsession with researching ultrarunning, having only discovered it existed a couple of months ago, this book has been one of the most inspirational. It's the personal accounts of real people - from elite athletes to Jo Average - sharing their own personal experiences of running 100 mile events, that somehow makes me believe I could do this too.

It's a book for people who want to get a little insider glimpse of what ultrarunning might be like, the high points and the VERY low points, what it means to the people who do it, why they keep going back for more. And for me, it's another little seed of possibility planted in my brain, of a new passion in my not too distant future.

Inspiring
Inspiring. Easy to read. Will make you want to lace up and get out and run. Doesn't make the sport sound glamorous but gives a true picture of the physical and mental challenges and rewards of ultra running.

Great read for runners of any distance
Definitlely recommended.One of the better inspirational running books I've read.Quick, short reading of each runners' contribution.My #2 running book behind Karnazes' UltraMarathon Man.

A bunch of running blog posts on paper
The title says it all.Nothing special to read here.I wish I had borrowed someone's copy rather than spend the money. ... Read more

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Customer Reviews (3)

Around the World races
This is a great book. It gives a diverse look at many races around the world. I realy enjoyed it. My only gripe (and why it didn't get 5 stars) is that it could have been bigger and more inclusive of more races. OVERALL I still feel the book it well worth the time and money of anyone with an intrest in Ultra Running.

extreme good
This is a great book to get motivated, if you have never run an ultra. The book is full of great pictures, where you can feel the whole environment of different races on amazing routes of different continents. I was always reading books about ultra and extra running, but this book showed me the real "living" face of the races, and let me think "why not?". It is a good motivation to see and "meet" the people in this book who have complete all this routes. At the same time it is a good resource for the scedules of races on different points of the world.
The page design, the photos and the print quality is very satisfying.
A warning for the readers who is looking for technical data and training tips; please not this is not a "trainer" book, but it is a "must have" item, since the psychological stamina is needed as much as the physical stamina for ultr running. And this is what this book can provide you. Ther will be always a "better" but this one is the best from my opinion now.

Great for all athletes, not just runners
If you are a runner, adventure racer, ultrarunner, or interested in extreme events, Extreme Running is for you. I love this book. Extreme Running features sections on races on the seven continents. Twenty-four events are profiled in the chapters. Each event is shown with plenty of photos, race information, distance, time of year, field size, ascent and decent data, contact and Web information, and maps or an altitude profile. As you read the chapters, you get a feel for the event and its difficulty. The Marathon des Sables is featured in 16 pages, Badwater in 10, while others are covered in several pages. The photos are fantastic - making you feel in the race. While not inclusive of all extreme events on the seven continents, the book does a great job of showing you popular events and enough information to help you decide if you could do any one of them. This is a book that some might call a "coffee table" book - it is that beautiful. It appeals to me because I love the draw and challenge of these extreme events. As the author of Fixing Your Feet, I patch the feet of these athletes, and have been to several of them and can attest to the descriptions as accurate. ... Read more

Product Description
From customizable workouts to rock-solid running advice, Fitness Running provides workouts you can use from one of America’s most respected coaches. Together with coauthor Joe Henderson, Dick Brown lays the groundwork for a detailed approach to running that will help you increase your fitness, maintain your stamina, recover from injury, and prepare you for the races ahead.

Fitness Running features six essential workouts that form the core elements in fitness programs for base building, recovery, and maintenance and in race programs for the mile through the marathon. Log pages allow you to easily record your plans and track your results.

No matter what your fitness and racing goals are, you’ll find a program here to meet them. This is the one training book you’ll be able to use again and again, throughout a lifetime of distance running workouts. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

Finally a book for the novice and beginning runner
I found this book very helpful to me.I'm a novice runner returning to a regular exercise routine after some years off.I'm on the other side of 50 so I needed a workout regimen that would allow me to slowly build up to a more streneous program...if I choose.This book doesn't make you feel like a turtle if your running 12 minute plus miles.

It offers very sane and practical advice and provides a variety of routines if you are a casual runner, 5k, 10k, half marathon or marathon runner.The goal of the book is not to try to have you run races, but, it does provide a road map if you decide you want to do it.

I found it very easy to follow and it allowed me to run to my potential without feeling guilty about not slapping a number on my back and trying to set personal best times.

Excellent for Beginning Runners
Good down-to-earth advice for beginning runners. Covers shoe selection, assessing your fitness level, setting goals, stretching, motivation, and many sample workout plans. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

Very disapointed.
There is not that many ultra running book. I missed the fact that it was some sort of school book that seems to be oriented toward kids (for ultra !!!!!). ... Read more

Product Description
Distance running success is achieved one way—through hard and smart training. Are you ready for the challenge? If so, Running Tough is for you. Running experts Bill Rodgers, Libbie Hickman, Frank Shorter, Arthur Lydiard, Ron Clarke, Emil Zatopek, and Craig Masback share the details and secrets of their most challenging workout sessions and why they are so effective.

Running Tough organizes the 75 workouts by training goals to create a serious runner’s handbook. You will learn how to increase your speed with interval workouts, strengthen your legs with off-road training, heal your muscles while maintaining aerobic fitness, and much more. This goal-oriented format allows you to develop a customized training plan using the most appropriate workouts for training and racing.

Use Running Tough to enhance your training programs, break through plateaus in your workouts, and meet new challenges. You’ll train more efficiently, more intensely, and more wisely. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (4)

Good source for the competitive runner
If you've ever ran in college, and have forgotten some of the tougher workouts that your coach forced you into, this is probably a great reference text for you. I bought this book after I ran Chicago and qualified for Boston to get myself some new insight on what harder workouts I should try on the indoor track during the winter.

Two of my favorite workouts are Frank Shorter's 800s and Castella's "400s with Fast Float workout," both of which put a new, tougher spin on doing 400s and 800s. I ran the 400m workout a week before a race to get some nice turnover and speed that I could recover by race day. Needless to say, there a great number of workouts in this book that will break up the monotony of regular speed training done on a track.

The edition I purchased had 75 distinct workouts, covering long runs, off-road/cross-country and fartlek training, as well as intervals, hills, and tempo runs. The toughest ones for me were the long run workouts. Can you imagine running 2hrs straight at 10K pace as a workout or 20 miles on hilly terrain, with the second 10 being faster than the first half? For training?! YIKES! Needless to say, some of these are a little excessive for average runners. Still, fun to attempt!

Now, keep in mind these are pro athlete workouts, so EXPECT to have a lot of pro names dropped. The authors spoke with a lot of pro athletes/coaches to get the workouts they used/created; hence the extra background discussion that doesn't necessarily pertain to the workout itself (see Pre's 30-40s 200m workout). I honestly like a little background as to why and how the workout came to be.

For the cost of the book, I think every competitive athlete should purchase this book. If you're thinking about turning into a competitive runner or shooting for a PR without having a coach to give you ideas, I think having a text like this one is a necessity. It has a short section on how to pick your workouts and how to not take the workouts line for line, pace for pace, to avoid overtraining.

Like I've mentioned, this is a good text to have for training ideas, but if you don't run more than 30mi/wk, you might not get much out of it. As it mentions in the text, having a good solid base is crucial before attempting some of these workouts in order to recover and not burnout after a couple weeks of training.

Highly recommended as a hard WORKOUT reference, not a general reference of running.

Don't bother
I haven't found this book very useful as a training aid. There is certainly some useful information here, but the presentation leaves a lot to be desired. Sandrock seems to be more fond of name-dropping than discussing the pros and cons of various training strategies. For instance, should long runs be done at a slow pace (à la Joe "LSD" Henderson), or at a medium/hard pace (Lydiard)? This, and other interesting topics are barely discussed.

Though the book may rather be intended as a source of motivation and inspiration, I found that I had to look hard to find the good bits among all the blah-blah.

ready to get serious?
I agree, this book is for serious runners, or runners who are ready to get serious. You are not going to improve that PR by doing the same old thing. I am going to integrate these workout's in to my plan. Sandrock states in his book to build a base first,and be true to your self. None of us is Shorter, or Salazar, adapt it for you.

For serious runners
Mike Sandrock follows up his previous chronicles of stud runners with this well done book. Competitive runners will enjoy the chance to see what others profess to doing for their hard sessions. I thought the book gave me good ideas for new workouts to incorporate in my training (although at a slower pace of course.) ... Read more