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writerwendywag's review against another edition
4.0
A massive compendium of running-related stuff, and excellent bathroom reading. The section on nutrition, with pointers for escaping the grocery store without junk food, was pretty cute. There's a lot of great info about the science behind training and recovery.
While not as focused on actual workouts as some beginning running books, a really useful overview of the sport.
While not as focused on actual workouts as some beginning running books, a really useful overview of the sport.
kelli_stephenson's review against another edition
4.0
Great for anyone training for or thinking about training for a full or half. LOADS of information on fueling, training, cross training, injuries, etc. And a bunch of motivational stories throughout.
chrismkayser's review against another edition
4.0
I've been reading this book off and on for over a year. Finally plowed through the end of it. There's nothing in here you won't have read if you read Runner's World in general. Honestly, it was just a good jump start to motivate me to get back to running and remind me how much I enjoyed it before. So B+ for that.
abbywebb's review against another edition
5.0
I didn't expect to read this cover to cover but I guess we all surprise ourselves sometimes. I just couldn't put it down! I have done so much reading about running but usually that involves skimming training books or blog-hopping every once in a while (like when I am avoiding doing something I don't want to do). I found this boom very informative and has lots of great tips from meal plan ideas to how to recover from an injury. Loved it!
benrogerswpg's review against another edition
4.0
I have been running for about 20 years, and so this was a good refresher book.
A lot I already know, but now that I live in a flatter area, this is a nice way to get some tips for running strategies.
Would recommend.
3.8/5
A lot I already know, but now that I live in a flatter area, this is a nice way to get some tips for running strategies.
Would recommend.
3.8/5
justiceofkalr's review against another edition
4.0
While this doesn't say "for beginners" in the title, I feel like that's really who it's aimed at. And it does a great job for that audience. It's got a pretty nice selection of information on nutrition, training, injuries, and gear. It looks like a great reference to read and refer back to for a first marathon or half-marathon. I also actually liked a lot of the featured runners as well. I thought they struck the right balance of being inspiring and not being unattainable like some success stories feel.
caltho's review against another edition
right so i dont review educational books but because SOMEONE wants me to do that i would say that this was the best out of the three books on marathon running i read today
thewonderelf's review against another edition
4.0
I decided to start running to raise money for Miles for Migraine, an advocacy group fighting to end the stigma of migraine disease. (See more info on my blog here and here!) Since I'm a nerd, I went right to the library and checked out a bunch of beginner running books. This is the first one I've read, so I may change my review as I learn more, but I thought this was a good introduction.
It covers the basics of what you need to get started, how to avoid injury, how to use running to lose weight, what to eat and not eat, what good cross-training activities are, and includes a few training plans in the back. It also features mini-profiles of runners to provide inspiration and affirmation, which I really liked. They didn't include any pro athletes, which makes the book a lot more accessible for those just starting out. The profiles also asked what was the most challenging thing about running for each person, and how they overcame it--another valuable feature.
Because this book is by Runner's World, it had a very magaziney feel, and a lot of the information was repeated in multiple sections. That's not really a bad thing, but sometimes I thought I was re-reading a section only to find out I wasn't. The formatting annoyed me a little, because I had to sometimes skip over side-bar-like content to find the next bit of the section, the same way magazines and newspapers are laid out.
The book wasn't only focused on weight loss, but it was a main thread throughout. Most of the advice was the same you'll get from your doctor: eat fruits and veggies, don't overeat after you workout, don't eat processed or fried foods, etc. Some of the nutritional information provided conflicted itself a little, but overall was solid. If you just want to get an idea of what you should eat before, during, and after your runs, this book has you covered.
It covers the basics of what you need to get started, how to avoid injury, how to use running to lose weight, what to eat and not eat, what good cross-training activities are, and includes a few training plans in the back. It also features mini-profiles of runners to provide inspiration and affirmation, which I really liked. They didn't include any pro athletes, which makes the book a lot more accessible for those just starting out. The profiles also asked what was the most challenging thing about running for each person, and how they overcame it--another valuable feature.
Because this book is by Runner's World, it had a very magaziney feel, and a lot of the information was repeated in multiple sections. That's not really a bad thing, but sometimes I thought I was re-reading a section only to find out I wasn't. The formatting annoyed me a little, because I had to sometimes skip over side-bar-like content to find the next bit of the section, the same way magazines and newspapers are laid out.
The book wasn't only focused on weight loss, but it was a main thread throughout. Most of the advice was the same you'll get from your doctor: eat fruits and veggies, don't overeat after you workout, don't eat processed or fried foods, etc. Some of the nutritional information provided conflicted itself a little, but overall was solid. If you just want to get an idea of what you should eat before, during, and after your runs, this book has you covered.
brooke_is_reading's review against another edition
4.0
Lots of helpful training tips and logistics I wouldn’t have thought about otherwise as a beginner runner. Would recommend to anyone training for their first couple of races. Lots of this information can be found online, but it’s nice to have it all in one easily accessible place, and to learn things you might not have looked up yourself.