Marathon: You Can Do It!

Best book I could find for a beginner marathon-hopeful such as myself. It is a folksy book written by a pro for the beginners and the more advanced runners. There are several easy to follow training regimens based on one's goals and levels of experience. The author is not overtly selling his own training services for running marathon, though they do have a world-class training program. I will be running my first marathon early next year. This book gave me nice tips to build my stamina while avoiding injury.

...Respecting the Distance.Jeff Galloway is an Olympian who has run 130 marathons. That's why I chose to use his training program for my first marathon, because I believe he must know something about running. I am in my seventh week of training and doing wonderfully. People need to realize that Galloway's program is intentionally designed to get you to the starting line and through the marathon injury free and enjoying yourself, not hurting and tortured (although it's still going to be hard). There is nothing second-rate about walk breaks; he even gives the history of marathoning as having included walk breaks in the early days, and examples of modern record setters who took walk breaks. So posh on the nay sayers. When I added walk breaks to my program, the fun immediately came back and I was able to run twice as far with a smile on my face the whole time, enjoying scenery, rather than plodding along like a mule. He backs up his advice with scientific reasoning that makes total sense: when you give the running muscles a brief rest from the beginning and throughout the race, your legs stay fresh. You don't lose time because of this, and then you get to pass people later on, all while minimizing the risk of injury. I can't for the life of me understand why anyone would turn up their nose at that. Hopefully I'll be passing some of them on the course.As for the reviewer below who said that Galloway doesn't mention goo, that is just inaccurate. The important thing to remember (!) is that 26.2 miles is a LONG way. Anyone who crosses the finish line is a marathoner, period, whether you ran, walked or crawled. Galloway's training programs (there are 11 to choose from depending on your goals, even time goals for the competitive reviewer below...HELLO! CAN YOU RUN A 2:39?! Galloway has a program for that, did you try it?) are designed to get you trained and through the race safely and ready to keep running more races or at least running for life. Hopefully with a smile on your face. What more could you possibly want? The other wonderful part are the mental tricks he suggests, such as "Anti-Gravity Fluid" and "Magic Words". This is a great book.Includes chapters on: Long Run, Walk Breaks, Running Form, Cross Training, Training Programs (11), a whole section on inspiration and motivation, what race day is like, Running Faster (speed and hill work), section on food and fat burning, advice on getting older and running, gear, an Appendix and many tables and charts.

I used this book as a guide to prepare for my first marathon. I couldn't have asked for better advice. I finished the marathon in a respectable time, pain free and ready for number #2. If you are thinking of running a marathon, buy this book. You will not go wrong.

This book is the safest, most fun way for you to run a marathon. I used it, along with joining a local Galloway running group, to complete 3 marathons in the last 1 1/2 years.Make sure you get the second edition, with the word "New" in the middle of the cover. The negative comments on the older reviews, referencing the "story" woven in the book, refer to the first edition. The criticisms were warrented, and this "story" was eliminated from the second edition. As a result, the excellant running advice shines through.Jeff Galloway is the "Johnny Appleseed of Running", bringing running and marathoning to the masses. This book is a great way to get started off on the right foot.

I picked up this book on the advice of a friend who had done the Houston Marathon the previous year and heard Jeff's seminar on running Marathons. He felt Jeff had given him so much good advice that enabled him to have success in his race thathis book would benefit me.Well, I must say it did. I went out and had a painless, great day in my first 26.2 mile race and I attribute most of it to jeff's training schedule and his run a mile/walk a minute strategy that will actually improve your time instead of what you might think. I am living proof and this book got me through it.I highly recommend this boof for a first time marathoner, it answers many of the questions you may have going in about diet, water, sports drinks, rest, anxiety, what to do if....., etc..Definitely a book you can trust in and use to make your race the best it can be.