The Runner's World Big Book of Marathon and Half-Marathon Training: Winning Strategies, Inpiring Stories, and the Ultimate Training Tools

As many Runner's World books, this one is chock full of information. The information covers a lot of ground. This one, as the title suggests, covers both the Marathon and the Half Marathon. Not everyone needs to run a marathon. Those who want to run half-marathons don't have many places to go for information. This book covers it well. It is meant for beginners, and early intermediate runners. For advanced programs for both the half and the marathon, you may have to look elsewhere, but then why are you reading instead of running? A book that begins with a chapter called "Training Basics" , "Integrating Training Into Your Life", and reviews weight management, proper pre and post run nutrition is not geared to the advanced runner. But the chapters on Injury prevention, (and probably those nutrition one's we just mentioned), staying healthy, and injury recovery are fine for all.

I've only been running for little over a year, and I wish I had had this book from the start! I wouldn't have learned most of my stuff the hard way. That said, this book gives a lot of documented information from reliable sources, excellent tips, and it's all easy to understand. The hardest part, I think, especially for someone new, is believing it--especially the parts about the importance of recovery days--when everything else in the world says "practice makes perfect," advocating doing more, not less. But this book explains exactly what takes place in the muscles: microtears, and the soreness one feels in the rebuilding process. Lots of good stuff here!

First off, I enjoyed the book. Good solid information about training in general. For example, the book clearly articulated hard/easy principles, defining what type of training may be classified as "hard" (speed, tempo, long run, etc.), vs. easy (easy 6 - 12 mile runs where you can hold a conversation while running). The book also delves into many details regarding shoes, running gear, etc. Intermixed are runner's stories (which are "boxed off" so you can easily skip over them if you wish to "cut through the chase") derived primarily from these author's encounters of runners who have enrolled in the "Runners World Challenge" in prior years. Many of these are inspiring and helpful, even for an advanced runner, insofar that they remind us that everyone who runs is a winner, and that there are other ways of defining success besides scoring a trophy or PR. With that said, this book will probably disappoint competitive runners looking for advanced plans that strike a balance between the hard-core running literature for elite athletes and literature written for those with primarily recreational pursuits. In other words, it may be a little conservative for those who recognize that they will probably never score a placing trophy in their age category but nonetheless wish to push themselves to limit of their ability to find out just what they are made of. A particular disappointment in this regard were the training plans, which were few (as noted by a prior reviewer), and generally pretty conservative, save the long run mileage. In the next edition I would like to see more training plans with more specific guidance on hill training, and making use of the treadmill when hills are lacking (an area in the literature that is lacking, incidentally). I would also like to see more examples...twenty something week plans. Eight week plans (there was one designed to perform consecutive races). Plans with more speed, tempo, and hills (with use of several specific versions of each). In other words, one or two additional levels multiplied by one or two additional longer term and shorter term training plans. Also, more structured guidance on custom designing your own plan and integrating strength training. Add these in, you have a great book on marathon training. To put it another way, the Big Book of Marathon and Half Marathon Training needs to be bigger.

This book is the best. I've been a competitive runner for a few years and am the type of person who likes to learn everything possible about whatever hobbies I have. I've spent countless hours browsing running blogs and web sites to find answers to running-related questions but never felt 100% certain that the advice I received was coming from completely reliable sources. I decided to buy this book because I wanted a sound half-marathon training plan, not some random plan that I found on a blog. Little did I know that this book would answer every running question I've ever had. I keep this book on my nightstand I refer to it often. I agree with the reviewers who said there are a too many success stories in there but that's just my personal opinion; I can see how other people would be really inspired by them.

Im training for my first marathon and I had a lot of questions that I was hoping this book would answer. Although the authors offer some good advice, such as stating its ok to mix in walking bc it works different muscle groups the book largely fell short of my expectations. And sometimes the authors provide bad advice. For example, about training slow to build endurance, the argues state that slow running isn’t helpful bc you burn more calories running fast. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Running slow works, because it puts your below your anaerobic threshold which means your aerobic system – fat burning. If you run about the threshold you’re in anaerobic zone – glycogen burning. Besides that fact that you would lose weight, you also have a limited supply of glycogen, which you easily run out of during a marathon. And if that happens, you hit the wall, and you wont be able to go over. And if you hit the wall in training, hope you are near your car, bc its going to be hard to walk. In other parts of the book sections are just skimmed over. Although there are 290 pages to the book. The book really ends at 229. The rest of the book is filled with an index, glossary, end notes, suggested meal plans, training plans (ok they are useful), and other material. The book does have a section on injuries, but they didn’t discuss my nagging hip injury which annoyed. And although there are sample training plans (which I think are pretty good), but they don’t go into more detail about distances. For example are you better off running 10 miles on a Monday or 5 miles on Monday and 5 on Tuesday? Another problem is that there is not enough discussion on stretching. There are only 7 pages on stretching. I will give the authors credit for discussing skin cancer. Since runners are outside for so long, they are at especially high risk for skin cancer. Pros: Covers a good range of topics from what to wear in cold weather conditions to tapering for a race. Solid training plans. Cons: Constant annoying side articles on runners that add nothing, but detract from the flow of the chapter. Overall, lack of depth. Questionable advice on heart rate training. Listen to your heart.

When I first saw this book at the book store, I overlooked it because of it's silly name. However, last year the author, Jen Van Allen came and spoke for my running club, and I was sold. There is a lot of information in here that a seasoned runner may already know, but a lot that was also new to me. I loved the "recovery" training plans, for those coming off an injury, as I was earlier this year. I also like the variety of training plans. I just used the Half Marathon training plan and PR'd by over 6 minutes. I am now getting ready to follow one of the Marathon plans. I also like that the training plans offer some variety in training runs. This is a great book for any endurance runner's library.

I was preparing for my first marathon, and read this book. It was exactly what I was searching for. Direct information, easy reading, a lot of important topics related to marathon running - very organized. It was the only resource to me. Five stars.

Great for beginners and intermediate. Read once to learn, and then keep as a reference. Reading this will help you understand terminology for other running material such as magazines that use buzz words but don't explain what they are. I noticed a few very minor errors in which I'm sure will get corrected in a future edition, but the errors are so minor and obvious that you can't get mislead.

Good book on training plans, diet, injury, weight management. There are lots of practical tips and views from real life runners.

Useful book to dip in and out of. Bought as a present and it was well received

Buenas historias

Muito bom e muito completo, com imensas dicas e treinos completos. Um essencial para quem gosta de correr e de saber.

We have used this book as a resource on many occasions thoughout our training programs. It has lots of great information and is definitely a book we would reccomend to others.