A compendium of the best training advice written with humility. The nice part of this book is that it is free of dogma. [a:Hal Higdon|69749|Hal Higdon|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/authors/1314017977p2/69749.jpg] does not claim to have the definitive word on everything. Instead, he presents the best available advice (as of 1992), and states whether it has been shown to make a difference. He also points out some things best avoided, or at least approached cautiously.

The books starts out strong with meat in the second chapter. "Scientists don't entirely understand the reasons, but an efficient oxygen delivery system - aerobic base - is best developed by training within 70 to 85 percent of your maximum heart rate (MHR)." (Page 17) He covers the relationship between VO2 max and MRH in chapter 3, then recommends using MHR because "I believe MHR is easier to measure and put to use. (Page 23) "it's debatable whether or not we know the best way to modify VO2 max, but clearly, high-intensity activity is a key." (Page 27)

" - the mythical dotted line around 90 percent of maximum heart rate (MHR). If you run above that, say at 91 percent, lactic acid begins to accumulate in your muscles and inevitably causes you to crash. But just below that dotted line, say at 89 percent, and all sorts of marvelous things happen to your level of conditioning." (Page 136)

"How does this training compare with race pace? ... Dr. Owen Anderson identified 5K runners as racing at 95 to 100%... 10K at 90 to 92%; 15K & 10 mile at 86% of MHR, and marathoners at 80% of MHR." (Page 146) ... Aerobic Threshold training "is a semiquantitative way to have somebody run at a point where they are at a high level of aerobic training." (Page 146)


At about 200 pages, he gets right to the point, and makes it clear; emphasizing from time to time that rather than follow a formula or script, best results are most likely to be achieved by listening to your body.

It is a 20 year old book and with no pandering to fads, and no axe to grind, it is still sound, solid advice on how to Run Fast. ( )

This book offers practical advice on how to run faster in 5k and 10K races.

Before learning to run faster, one must first learn to run slower and LONGER . Don't start working on speed until you have built a base of from 25 to 40 miles per week running.

To acquire speed endurance 1. Train at 75% of your maximum heart rate or higher, 2. Train at race pace 4 times per week, and 3. The hard portion of your workout should be between 35 and 45 minutes.

Prior to a training run or a race do a warm up consisting of a 10 to 20 minutes jog, a stretching routine and 3 or 4 easy sprints of 5 to 150 meters. After the run or race do a cooldown of a 5 to 10 minutes jog.

Plyometric or dynamic flexibility drills help make you run faster. They are: 1. high knees, 2. high heels, 3, skipping for height and distance, 4. toe walk, 5. fast feet, 6.bounding and 7. double leg hop.

Speed training exercises: 1. repeats, 2. intervals, 3. sprints, surges and strides; 4. fartlek, 5. tempo run, 6. hill training, and 7. strength training with weights and/or exercise equipment.

For every week that you don't train, it takes 2 weeks to regain the same level of fitness.

A good training schedule implementing the recommendations of this book would make any runner, from a beginner to an elite, run a faster 5K or 10K race.