books:

	Advanced Marathoning Pete Pfitzinger, Scott Douglas Human Kinetics Publishers, 2001 - 237 pages average customer review:based on 25 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

If you are willing to put in the work necessary to run faster, Advanced Marathoning will show you how to train efficiently and effectively to meet your goals with both single- and multiple- marathon programs presented in clear, weekly schedules. If you are ready to do more than simply finish a marathon, this book is for you.

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If you ever want to get to Boston, Get this book!!!

This book totally transformed my marathon training. It took me from a middle of the pack runner to a Boston qualifier. It explains the demands placed on your body in training for a marathon and what it needs to recover and how to focus your runs so that each time you hit the pavement, you do it with a purpose (i.e., no more "junk" miles). I use the training guides in the back of the book religiously. If I'm ever away from home more than a few days, this book goes with me!! I've given it to at least 4 other people. In my opinion, no runner should be without this book.

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Great book if you want to train seriously for a personal best

I really can't say enough good things about this book. I'll start by saying that having just followed the "below 70 miles per week" training plan pretty faithfully, I just lowered my personal best in the marathon by 19 minutes, breaking 2:50 for the first time. I also actually enjoyed running the marathon, right to the finish, did not hit "The Wall", and sustained my highest weekly mileage ever without sustaining injury. I attribute a lot of this success to this book.

You need to be fairly serious about training to benefit from this book - the training plans are best suited for those who are willing to do 60 miles per week or more. (The 70+ mile per week plan contains a section "When 93 miles per week just aren't enough"). But the book places a strong emphasis on recovery and nutrition, which I think were critical in allowing me to increase mileage without getting hurt, sick, or run-down. And you certainly don't need to be elite - just willing and able to find the time and energy for a fairly large amount of training.

There are a lot of things to get right in a marathon, and almost all of them seem to be addressed here: all the different types and intensities of training, how to make sure you recover on your "easy" days, how to replenish carbohydrate stores after long runs, how to taper, race day strategy, carbo-loading, hydration, and even how to recover intelligently in the month after the race. Impressively, the book manages to cover all these aspects while being readable and quite easy to comprehend and remember.

A lot of ideas in this book are quite similar to Daniel's Running Formula (another good book) but tuned specifically for the marathon and made a bit easier to digest because it only covers that one event.

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40 yrs old; 2:45 -> 2:35 in 5 months w/ this program

This program is tailored for the "serious but busy" athlete.
A big plus are the scaled programs from 70.
The main emphasis is on LONG HARD RUNS. It is no secret that this is the key to aerobic development (Canova, Noakes, Costill etc).
Pfitz puts it into practice w/ a well thought out program.

My only issue would be that there is no "anaerobic threshold" training e.g. 6x2k @ 10k pace. While maybe a bit of overkill, training at this pace worked well for me in the past, and is advocated by others (Vigil, etc).

Definitely worth it - I will be following the 18 week cycle (with a few of my own modifications) for my next race.

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Outstanding Training Guide

This book is the finest Marathon Training Guide I've seen. It is written for any level runner from first time Marathoner to experienced veteran. The author explains in an easy to understand format the reasons behind his system. This system works! The better job I did of following the book the faster my times dropped. I've taken over 30 minutes off my marathon time in a 2 1/2 year period. The book has easy to follow running schedules for a wide variety of training circumstances.


Nothing new here

Nothing new to read here, just the same old marathon training instructions we have all heard.

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reviews: page 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

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