Reddit reviews Run Faster from the 5K to the Marathon: How to Be Your Own Best Coach

Congrats to you for shaving 16 minutes off your time! I need to shave another 27 to BQ, so I'm trying to learn as much as possible about running and marathons in particular.


I'm currently reading Brad Hudson's book called "Run Faster", which was recommended to me by someone on this sub. His philosophy is that you shouldn't have a strict marathon training plan. He says that everyone is different and most plans are too cookie-cutter to help you achieve your potential. He gives a list of things you should do, but then kinda leaves it up to you do as you wish. It's a bit overwhelming to be honest. I don't know if I'm ready for that, but I find his line of thinking really interesting. I may post a review of it after I finish the book and try some of his recommendations.

I'm a runner who lifts, though I still haven't found my optimal balance between the two. I tend to focus on lifting in the winter, and running in the warmer months.

For lifting, I've had good success building a base with SL followed by Texas Method, though I've found my upper body numbers tend to stall quickly. I think I need more volume to keep making progress. When it comes time to up the number of running days I'm considering making a switch to 5/3/1 or another 4 day split because last summer I found my legs couldn't handle rep maxes on Friday, followed by long runs on Saturday. I just wasn't recovering fast enough.

When it comes to running, everyone always plugs Higdon and his plans. I agree they're good for beginners, but once I had a couple of races under my belt I really learned a lot from Daniels and Hudson & Fitzgerald. I think both books are really worth it it you're looking to become a better runner.

Run Faster by Brad Hudson

Good luck with the training. 5k spec workouts are some of the most painful stuff short of racing IMO. P.S. good for your wife getting you racing again!