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The Non-Runner's Marathon Trainer by David Whitsett, Forrest Dolgener, Tanjala Kole
Book Summary InformationAuthor: David Whitsett, Forrest Dolgener, Tanjala Kole Edition: Paperback Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published) Published: 1998-01-11 ISBN: 1570281823 Number of pages: 304 Publisher: McGraw-Hill Accessories:
Book Reviews of The Non-Runner's Marathon TrainerBook Review: The program works! What more can you ask? Summary: 5 Stars
I just finished my first marathon (the Midsouth Marathon in Arkansas) 2 days ago using the program outlined in this book. For about the past 15 years or so, it has been a goal of mine to train for and run a marathon, but I never got close enough in my training to ever even make an attempt. I always thought that I would need at least a year to build up to it and that I would have to reach and maintain mileages in excess of 60+ miles per week before I would be ready. According to this book, all you need are 16 weeks (assuming you can already do an uninterrupted 30-minute jog) and 4 days a week of training. The emphasis is on one long run per week, with the other shorter runs serving mostly just to maintain your fitness level between the weekly long runs. The training peaks at a weekly mileage of 36 miles, held for 2 weeks before tapering off to much lower levels in the two weeks prior to the marathon.I definitely had my doubts throughout the program. My longest runs prior to that had been 10-milers, and it had taken me about 5 months to even get up to that. I couldn't see myself ever being able to get beyond that in just a few weeks. When I finally did reach 18 miles, I was quite impressed with myself, but it was such an ordeal, I couldn't imagine myself ever going as far as 20, even walking the last two miles. My last 18-miler was so bad, I had to do a lot of walking at the end and even had to sit for several minutes. It seemed I was getting worse rather than better, and then I had to begin doing the taper. During that period, I could actually feel myself getting out of shape and putting on weight. I believed that the marathon would be impossible, and that even 18 miles would no longer be possible. Amazingly, I did it. The taper did a lot to heal my aching joints and blisters, and apparently the little running I did was enough to maintain my fitness level. I don't want to downplay the difficulty of the race. It was long and grueling, and up until about mile #22 I was convinced there was no way I would make it to the end. But I did. My time was not impressive, but I never hit the wall, and some of my training runs had actually been worse and had taken longer to recover from. The book definitely deserves 5 stars. It worked. No other running book has ever helped me as much. I was a little disappointed at how short it was. I would have preferred a much longer book, brimming over with several hundred pages of supplemental material. After all, if you're referring to it for 4 months, it would be nice to always have lots of fresh material to read, rather than constantly going back and rereading everything, since you can easily get through all the material in your first week. Also, I found it interesting that the book never once mentions pulse monitors. I monitored my heartrate religiously while training and during the marathon. I found this to be extremely helpful in pacing myself, and I'm not sure I could have made it through the program without doing this. Nevertheless, the book does what it sets out to do (at least for me). It got me through my first marathon!
Summary of The Non-Runner's Marathon TrainerAthlete. Runner. Marathoner. Are these words you wouldn't exactly use to describe yourself? Do you consider yourself too old or too out of shape to run a marathon? But somewhere deep inside have you always admired the people who could reach down and come up with the mental and physical strength to complete such a daunting and rewarding accomplishment? It doesn't have to be somebody else crossing the finish line. You can be a marathoner. The Non-Runner's Marathon Trainer is based on the highly successful marathon class offered by the University of Northern Iowa, which was featured in a Runner's World article titled "Marathoning 101." The class has been offered five times over 10 years, and all but one student finished the marathon. That is approximately 200 students -- all first time marathoners and many with absolutely no running background. This book follows the same 16-week, four-day-a-week workout plan. What makes the success rate of this program so much higher than any other? The special emphasis on the psychological aspects of endurance activities. You don't have to love to run -- you don't even have to like it -- but you have to realize that you are capable of more than you have ever thought possible. One participant in the program explained it like this: "I'm doing this for me -- not for others or the time clock. I just feel better when I run, plus it helps me to cope with things in general. The skills we've learned in this class don't apply just to marathoning -- they apply to life! Just like you never know what the next step in a marathon will bring, so too, you never know what will happen next in life. But if you don't keep going, you're never going to find out. By staying relaxed, centered, and positive you handle just about anything that comes your way." This is marathon running for real people, people with jobs and families and obligations outside of running. The Non-Runner's Marathon Trainer has proven successful for men and women of all ages. Now let it work for you.
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