David Whitsett

Lent by Jen (who seems to be trying to get me to do a marathon!)

An interesting read. I don't necessarily agree with everything they say (taking two ibuprofen before every long/hard run?) but there's a good balance of technical and psychological information and personal experiences from people who've taken their marathon course. I found the visualisation techniques particularly interesting and helpful - both in terms of chanting positive phrases to oneself (silently!) when running, and the show more idea of creating a personal "video" of positive moments in one's running, which you can play back to yourself when challenged/tired/needing motivation. I recall trying to "set" specific moments during the last Birmingham Half, and I have been able to recall these and set them all together to make a very useful and positive thing to focus on. show less

For those who have attempted training for a long run or race on their own without much success, this book is definitely worth the read. It's based on a course that preps the students for a marathon from start to finish. I particularly like that it has a pre-training plan to get non-runners up to speed before the actual marathon training begins. Great training guide for beginners.

I'm only two chapters in it, and already the blend of psychology and athleticism is heady. More as I go...

This book can take anyone from couch potato to current runner and properly train them for their first marathon. This book is a must for anyone that wants to get into running races without getting injured.