Reddit reviews Better Training for Distance Runners - 2nd Edition
We found 3 Reddit comments about Better Training for Distance Runners - 2nd Edition. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
Used Book in Good Condition
Buy better training for distance runners. And be realistic: a five-minute miler who devoted several years of hard training to it could reasonably expect to have a decent shot at 4:30. The vast majority of runners will never be able to run a 4 minute mile. Ever, even given perfect training. Not to put you off, because the only way you'll find out what you're capable of is by giving it a go, but it's worth setting some shorter term goals as well even if the big one is always at the back of your mind. If you're serious about it, you'll need a coach and people to train with too.
I don't actually have any sports nutrition/psychology or physical therapy books. The only sports science related book I have, is "Better Training For Distance Runners".
Basically a training book written and developed by Peter Coe, the father and coach of Sebastian Coe.
When I first read some of it in high school, I thought "This makes a lot of sense to me." And then when I eventually paired up with my professional coach, it turned out that he ALSO was a huge believer in this book.
So as of right now, I wouldn't really have a reading list for guys I would be coaching. I need to get on reading some of those books myself.
Have any recommendations?
Personally I use a modified lydiard approach for the indoor track season a slow build of aerobic training with 1 session/week of form/speedwork. I built from 20K/week up to 60K/week over the past 6 months - I'm over 50 and run every day so I have to be careful about building mileage too fast. Long run is now up to 17K, it was 4K back in march.
If you are an analytic type Peter Coe wrote an interesting book on "better training for distance runners" that seems to have useful ideas in it. More geared towards the middle distance track runners, and a bit heavy on the theory side, but helpful for analyzing training ideas. Has good information about planning for the longer term progression.
Some of the books targeted at Masters runners are also good, the Rodgers Welsh book is very approachable.
As for direct suggestions, the C25K is a reasonable starting point as it forces you to build mileage slowly.
I'd also suggest getting some sort of speed/distance monitor, just so that you know how fast you are going and to make sure you go slow on the recovery runs. On my long runs I'm currently going around 6:30/K, but I have to watch myself on the short recovery runs to make sure they are slower than 6:15/K. I also do two medium effort runs at around 5:25/K for 8-10K during the week. Without the garmin I tend to run faster because running fast feels good at the time - but then I lose training due to stiffness/soreness.
Find some people of roughly similar abilities to train with. It is much easier to keep with the program when you are running with your friends.
As for how long to take it easy while waiting for your skeletal system to catch up, my take is that the next day nothing should be stiff or sore. At the start of the year that meant that my daily mileage was either 2 or 3 or 4K (but with a 2 either side of the 4) which meant around 20K/week. 26 weeks later I'm doing 60K/week, so I've averaged adding only 1.5K/week over that period. I've still got three more months to the start of the indoor track season and my progress so far suggests I'll beat my goal of a sub-12 minute 3k - I'd like to be under 11 minutes but after coming off a long break due to a non-running related injury, the sub-11 goal is set for December 2012.