Jack Daniels (1) (1933–2025)
Author of Daniels' Running Formula
For other authors named Jack Daniels, see the disambiguation page.
Works by Jack Daniels
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Birthdate
- 1933-04-26
- Date of death
- 2025-09-12
- Gender
- male
- Occupations
- Running Coach
- Short biography
- Jack Tupper Daniels (born April 26, 1933) is a professor of physical education at A.T. Still University and a coach of Olympic athletes. On March 21, 2013, he was named the head coach of the Wells College men's and women's cross country programs. He received his doctoral degree in exercise physiology at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. Named "The World's Best Coach" by Runner's World magazine, he led SUNY Cortland runners to eight NCAA Division III National Championships, 31 individual national titles, and more than 130 All-America awards. Daniels outlined his training philosophies in the 1998 book, Daniels' Running Formula. He mentors and coaches some of America's top distance runners in the country.
Daniels won a team silver medal in the 1956 Summer Olympics and a team bronze medal in the 1960 Summer Olympics for his participation in the modern pentathlon.
Members
Reviews
Daniel's Running Formula is one of the classic texts on competitive running. I first picked up this book in college at the suggestion of my coach, and I have used it consistently as a reference and training guide ever since (both as an elite runner and a recreational one). What I like about Daniel's book is that he explains the physiology behind running, in the process explaining why you run different types of workouts (and why not to run other kinds of workouts). This is the main takeaway show more from the book, in my estimation. He gives you the tools to know how to plan your training schedule, or how to have an intelligent conversation with your coach about it. (Remember, if your coach can't explain why you are doing each and every workout, then you need to get a new coach!) I also like the VDOT tables, which are indispensable for determining workout intensities and goal race paces.
Having first picked up this book around ten years ago, I am just now trying my first training plan from Running Formula. I'm currently using one of the many training programs in the back to train for a marathon. Although I have not run the race as of yet, I'm definitely enjoying the plan (Marathon, Program A) and I can easily see why he set it up the way he did. There are some tough workouts, no doubt, but I know that I will be ready come race time.
If you are a runner or coach and want to learn the "why" behind your training, then this is a great book for you. Or, if you are a runner without a coach (like me) and need advice on developing a training program (or using an existing one), then this is a great book for you. The bottom line is, every runner would be better off with the knowledge that this book contains. show less
Having first picked up this book around ten years ago, I am just now trying my first training plan from Running Formula. I'm currently using one of the many training programs in the back to train for a marathon. Although I have not run the race as of yet, I'm definitely enjoying the plan (Marathon, Program A) and I can easily see why he set it up the way he did. There are some tough workouts, no doubt, but I know that I will be ready come race time.
If you are a runner or coach and want to learn the "why" behind your training, then this is a great book for you. Or, if you are a runner without a coach (like me) and need advice on developing a training program (or using an existing one), then this is a great book for you. The bottom line is, every runner would be better off with the knowledge that this book contains. show less
All in all a pretty accessible and understandable approach to run training. I was initially drawn in by the methodology that emphasizes training by perceived effort over training strictly based on mileage. 10 miles in chilly autumn weather has a lower perceived (and actual) effort than the same 10 miles in the heat of summer. So, it is nice to have training methodology that builds around that fact.
Daniels geeks out a little bit on V02 Max (VDOT) and loses sight of a significant portion of show more his audience for long stretches in some chapters. Surely there are some running coaches and physical trainers who are 1) interested in and 2) capable of following the science, but that's not me. Some of that information is skippable and the training plans are still easy enough to follow. However, because those plans are so keyed to VDOT, unless you really understand the underlying science (at least minimally) you might do a plan and benefit without really understanding why. Maybe it doesn't matter.
The running plans and approaches to marathon training are varied, adjustable to a degree, and quite scalable. You can likely find a plan that fits your ability to train, but it is also helpful that Daniels sets some minimum expectations for training. Unless you hit a certain number of miles per week and train different parts of the run then a marathon is just not feasible -- you might be able to gut it out, but you'd regret it. show less
Daniels geeks out a little bit on V02 Max (VDOT) and loses sight of a significant portion of show more his audience for long stretches in some chapters. Surely there are some running coaches and physical trainers who are 1) interested in and 2) capable of following the science, but that's not me. Some of that information is skippable and the training plans are still easy enough to follow. However, because those plans are so keyed to VDOT, unless you really understand the underlying science (at least minimally) you might do a plan and benefit without really understanding why. Maybe it doesn't matter.
The running plans and approaches to marathon training are varied, adjustable to a degree, and quite scalable. You can likely find a plan that fits your ability to train, but it is also helpful that Daniels sets some minimum expectations for training. Unless you hit a certain number of miles per week and train different parts of the run then a marathon is just not feasible -- you might be able to gut it out, but you'd regret it. show less
A great resource for putting together a training programme, especially useful for high school and college coaches. It's very much geared for the competitive runner, someone who thinks that running 80 miles per week is relatively light, and that a 6 minute mile is relatively slow. The nomenclature used is also a bit confusing, although he defines the different workout types well, the charts and text then use a variety of abbreviations to save space, but unless you've memorized the definitions show more of R, T, I, L, E, M, Q, etc. it can be hard to follow.
There have been a bunch of easier to read books published since this originally came out, but most were influenced one way or the other (many just directly copying Daniels' approach) by this one, so might as well get it straight from the source.
A must read for anyone running more than 4 days or 40 miles per week. show less
There have been a bunch of easier to read books published since this originally came out, but most were influenced one way or the other (many just directly copying Daniels' approach) by this one, so might as well get it straight from the source.
A must read for anyone running more than 4 days or 40 miles per week. show less
While I once ran a half-marathon, most of my running these days doesn't go beyond a 5K. And a slow 5K at that. I looked for a book to help me switch into high gear, but frankly this book was too much for me. I really felt like it was written either for running coaches or for more serious runners and athletes. I found myself skimming chapters or reading sections without much sinking in. That said, I did really appreciate the charts and tables. The book is good at outlining a battle plan and show more helping you think about how to put together a program. In the end, I feel like this is a book for folks who are already serious runners. Maybe in a few years after I have been running more (and further), I will turn back to it and find it more helpful. show less
This review was written for LibraryThing Early Reviewers.You May Also Like
Statistics
- Works
- 4
- Members
- 449
- Popularity
- #54,621
- Rating
- 4.1
- Reviews
- 9
- ISBNs
- 25
- Languages
- 4
