Running Training and Coaching Books

The author had a traumatic childhood in Hungary and during his early teenage years he read and practiced yoga as a way of learning to cope. He found that yoga helped in the healing of the mind and body . He now applies the principles of yoga to the coaching of athletes.

This book is well written and is intended to help athletles and other sportsmen utilise yoga in preparation for sport and in their everyday lives. The author advocates the use of yoga to learn self-discipline of mind and body, relaxation before and after events and to increase strength and flexibilty.

Athletes claim that after whatever hard training they have done, yoga helps to re-energise them.

This book is well worth reading even for those who might be sceptical about yoga.

This book addresses teenagers, their parents and their coaches and provides instruction and guidance for athletes running 800m and above. It is based on the training techniques developed over many years by Arthur Lydiard, a New Zealander, who though in his 80's when the book was written is still in high demand for advice on training.

In the 1960's he was responsible for coaching such Olympic Gold Medal winners as Peter Snell and Murray Halberg.

His motto might be considered as "Train, don't strain" and he gives advice on training techniques as well as explaining the preparation of training schedules of which he gives several examples. There are interesting chapters dealing with how the body reacts to the strains that running imposes, and hints for how to avoid injuries. Also included are sections on food (including vitamin supplements) as well as advice on the purchase of running shoes.

A short but very comprehensive book with clearly thought-out guidance for those with interest in young athletes who are involved in middle to long distance running.

When the author of this book put Running in the title, he really did mean running. Having lost the running speed that comes with youth the runners in this book have compensated by running further and further - this book is mainly about marathons and ultra-marathons.

This said, the author has some very level headed things to say about taking care of one's body, training, diet and avoiding and coping with injuries that are relevant whatever distance one is running.

While aimed at those aged over 50 it has some words of advice that apply at any age.

The book contains some interesting short biographies of various ultra distance runners, and indeed the author himself has run from Death Valley to the peak of Mount Whitney and back in midsummer - a distance of some 300 miles.

A very useful book which provides all the information that might be needed for someone aiming to complete a marathon. There is a good mixture of scientific information and the personal experience from the author.

Don't be put off by the fact that Cathy Shipton (Duffy in Casualty) might have written a bland book and is just trying to sell it with her celebrity status - it is not that at all. She clearly draws on Liz McColgan’s years of experience and does it well.

There are some well structured training plans although (as with many books) it is not entirely clear what to do if you have trouble keeping to the schedule for any particular reason. All books can suffer here from their lack of interactivity in the coaching of an athlete.

Overall, this is a very good book and could possibly be viewed as a must for those who are attempting marathon running for the first time. It will answer many of the questions that those without much running experience may have about attempting a marathon, with the text being set out in a clear and concise manner.

This is a well written and informative book aimed at those who have little or no experience of running and who are looking to run distances in excess of 5000m. It is well laid out, as the title suggests, in a series of 101 “lessons” grouped into chapters under various headings – with subjects ranging from starting out to nutrition to racing.

It will provide a very good basic grounding in most areas of the sport though more advanced books will be necessary for further progression.

Some of the advice is a little basic in places and more experienced athletes may be concerned that there is very little mention of interval training in the book, a staple type of session for many distance runners.

Also some of the information does leave you wishing that the author could have been more specific (e.g. in the setting of example workouts). Having said this, the book can be recommended as a good read for any non-elite distance runner, as it contains a lot of sensible advice which many runners will find useful not only when they first read the book, but also as a reference text later on.