Amazon.com (ISBN 0140469907, Paperback)

"Competitive running gives your running life a focus. Competition measures progress. You set a goal and accomplish it." Bob Glover and Shelly-lynn Florence Glover, authors of The Competitive Runner's Handbook, know what they're talking about. Bob has run competitively for nearly 40 years, coached for 30 years, and completed more than 30 marathons, while Shelly-lynn has raced for more than 20 years and is an exercise physiologist with a master's degree from Columbia University. They've coauthored several books on running. Clocking in at over 600 pages, The Handbook covers basic training techniques, gives tips on speed training, and outlines regimens for specific races: short, 5K, 10K, half-marathon, and marathon. There are also sections on motivation and the mental aspects of competitive running, proper running form, nutrition, dealing with illness and injury, and more. In addition, the book includes many helpful charts. Straightforward and authoritative, this is a comprehensive reference guide that's suited to runners of all levels. --Andy Boynton