Marathon Training: The Proven 100 Day Program for Success

I used this book to train for my first marathon. Felt very prepared and exceeded my goal. I am starting to train for my next marathon and am looking back at my log-very helpful to see what worked and what did not. Recommend this book highly. I also liked the motivations and advice.

This book features an interesting format of an ongoing progression of training and running advice in conjunction with logs in which you record your training experiences. In a sense, this book is written by two expert coaches. Expert coach 1 is Joe Henderson whose knowledge of running and writing skills provide excellent and plainly-stated advice on how to progress through the training process and how to manage the day of the big race. Expert coach 2 is you, even if you are a novice runner approaching your first marathon (as I was). The process of training for and running a marathon is a superb learning experience if you put your mind to getting the most from it. By completing the logs, you will come to understand what works best for you and how best to apply your experience. Working with the book was much like working with a knowledgeable coach who cared and listened. I read several other marathon books preparing for my first marathon and realized that I had figured much of the advice in those books on my own during training runs (e.g., don't make a decision while running an uphill stretch). The advice on phantom injuries and illnesses was excellent and is a topic not well covered in most books (my worsening cold on the day of the race disappeared before I reached mile 1). The training plans are oriented to three levels of runners, novice, experienced, and excellent and the programs are straightforward and sound. Unless you really want to enroll at the School of Marathon Running Made Complicated, I think you will find this book one of the best guides for learning about yourself and meeting your goals during the marathon experience.

I enjoyed this book. Like I imagine a lot of improving runners, I have purchased several books with various training schedules as well as Runners World. I got this book mid-training, so did not use its best feature, the runners log. Lots of good advice.

...and I am working on my fourth. I find the journal format to be very helpful, as well as the weekly workout assignments, articles, tips and recommendations. The three different training plans make this workable for different levels of runners. Although this book might not be ideal for an absolute beginner, it is a good one for the average runner who wants a simple, realistic way to prepare for a marathon without having to turn his or her life over to training.

I recieved this book as a gift shortly after committing to run a marathon with the Leukemia Society. I had little background and the idea of running 26.2 miles seemed daunting, at best. After an introduction that gave me the basics and helped make be a believer, I began to follow the schedule. The daily tips were great. I looked forward to writing in the book each night and checking out what was in store for me the next day. The variety of workouts made it a pleasure to follow, and the science seemed sound. Most of all, it worked! I followed the plan again a 2 years later and had a great time at the Disneyworld Marathon. In fact, I'm buying a copy today for my wife, to help her with her first marathon!