Hansons Marathon Method: Run Your Fastest Marathon the Hansons Way

by Luke Humphrey, Keith Hanson, Kevin Hanson

Run your first marathon or your fastest with Hansons Marathon Method, the revolutionary training program from one of the best running teams in the world, the Hansons-Brooks Distance Project.

In Hansons Marathon Method, the coaches of the Hansons-Brooks Distance Project reveal their innovative marathon training program that has helped thousands of runners become true marathoners and smash their personal bests.

Hansons Marathon Method tosses out mega-long runs and high-mileage weekends--two old-fashioned running traditions that often injure and discourage runners. Runners using the Hansons method will gradually build up to the moderate-high mileage required for marathon success, spreading those miles more sensibly throughout the week. Running easy days mixed with precisely paced speed, strength, and tempo workouts, runners will steel their bodies and minds to run the hardest final miles of the marathon--and finish strong.

In this new second edition, the Hansons program welcomes newer runners with a new Just Finish program featuring a simple schedule of easier running and lower mileage. The Just Finish program sets up first-time marathoners for an enjoyable marathon and a lifetime of strong, healthy running.

Hansons Marathon Method will prepare you for your best marathon: Sensible weekly mileage based on science, not outdated traditionsEffective Hansons speed, strength, and tempo workouts paced to achieve your goalCrucial nutrition and hydration guidelines to run strong for the whole raceA smart and simple Just Finish program for new runners and marathon first-timersDetailed training schedules for experienced and advanced marathoners

This revised second edition answers frequently asked questions, shows how to integrate flexibility and strength work into your training week, and shares the most effective recovery methods. Using the Hansons' innovative approach, you will mold real marathon muscles, train your body to avoid the wall, and finish strong.

Hansons Marathon Method lays out the smartest marathon training program available from one of the most accomplished running groups in the world. Using their innovative approach, runners will mold real marathon muscles, train their body to never hit the wall, and prepare to run their fastest marathon.

"You might expect a training program devised by the Hanson brothers to be a little different than the usual rehashing of principles and schedules. Given the success of athletes from the Hansons-Brooks Distance Project, you wouldn't be surprised if it was effective, too." -- Runner's World

Genres: Nonfiction, Sports, Fitness, Health, Reference, Self Help, Ebooks

304 pages, Paperback

First published October 1, 2012

Reviews

[Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

WHAT THE DEAL IS:
brothers keith and kevin hanson and their former student and now program trainer luke humphrey believe that to properly train for a marathon, a runner needs to learn how to run on tired legs, developing "cumulative fatigue" through a series of tough workouts without much rest, which prepares the legs to "run the final sixteen miles of a marathon." they believe that most traditional training programs rely far too much on a super long run over the weekend, not offering sufficient mileage during the rest of the week, while also leaving too much down time between tough runs, which in the aggregate leads to

-a greater likelihood of injury (running over three-ish hours just breaks the body down) and
-only ever lets the runner run on fresh legs (which would feel more like the FIRST sixteen miles of a marathon).

this, they believe, makes it more likely that a runner will bonk in the last third of a marathon. so the Hanson long runs never exceed sixteen miles (which for most mortal runners is around the threeish-hour mark, when the body starts to break down; Hansons' elite runners run longer long runs only because they can get more mileage into those same three hours) but offer little rest and plenty of speedwork, all carefully calculated by pace based on VO2max. their plan does not incorporate crosstraining at all. the runner may find it difficult to find time to weight train in addition to all of the runs, but it's not impossible. it relies heavily on pacework founded on previous races run and predicted marathon finish times, so it will require some calculating and guesswork for newer runners.

the book features three training schedules: one for amateur runners who wish to run a one-and-done marathon (the "just finish" schedule), a beginner's schedule (best for healthy runners who will be capable of working up to 60-ish miles run per week), and an intermediate schedule (best for healthy runners capable of working up to 70-ish miles run per week).

WHAT I THOUGHT: THE GOOD:
very readable, well-paced, clear presentation of information and convincing, data-driven arguments. whether you agree with humphreys and his method in the end, you will understand explicitly why he believes what he believes. the training schedule and individual workouts are very clear with very clear goals. humphreys explains in detail the why and wherefore of every workout, which makes buying in to such a demanding (for the average amateur runner) a lot easier.

WHAT I THOUGHT: THE COULD-BE-BETTER:
it would have been awesome if a clearer link could have been made between recommended speed/strength workout paces and race times (specifically, i had to flip through lots of different pages to compile my speed/strength workouts, because one page had my projected 5k finish times, another my desired marathon finish and 5k times, and three or more still others with specific speedwork paces based on 5k times; if i recall correctly). i'm STILL not totally certain i know what paces to run my speed/strength workouts at. perhaps, though, this is just the normal learning curve for any runner doing speed workouts for the first time. (UPDATE: Their website now offers a training-paces calculator to solve just this problem. It's very easy to use.)

also, if i recall, their half marathon book explained how to figure out your VO2max without an expensive lab test, but this book did not; seems like a bigger oversight. so i based my VO2max/goal pace on a wish, a prayer, and a little bit of ego.

i would LOVE to see the speed and strength workouts broken down for treadmill users. i don't have access to a track, and the GPS i have is inaccurate, so i ended up carefully translating their interval workouts to time/pace–based write-outs that i taped to my treadmill display. it's onorous, and i do NOT trust that my write-outs were without error, so it would be awesome to have a chart already calculated/double checked/printed out for me.

to that end, i'd totally use an app they put together -- one where i could plug in my numbers (former race times, VO2max, desired race time finish) and they'd spit out my required workout, paces, times, mileage, and all. that would be so cool.

IN SUM:
the hansons' theory of cumulative fatigue is very interesting. i have to say, as a first-time marathon trainee it was scary going into 26.2 without ever having raced more than 16 miles; but reading about other peoples' successes and PRs based on this training helped me bridge the trust gap. (NOTE: i first heard of Hansons Marathon Method through caitlin constantine's excellent blog Fit and Feminist -- specifically her post about how she went from a 4:49 marathon to a BQ.)

MY EXPERIENCE TRAINING AND RACING WITH HANSONS MARATHON METHOD, WITH A SAMPLE OF N = 1:
if you manage to find the correct marathon goal time and follow their corresponding prescribed paces carefully in training, not only will you be able to complete these demanding workouts, but your training will build on itself gorgeously, and you will be shocked at how much fitter and faster and stronger and endurancer you are in the end. and in my experience, author luke humphrey was RIGHT ON when he said that as your cumulative fatigue builds up over the training cycle, the slower your easy/recover runs will naturally become. mine were positively plodding by the final third of my training program because i was so exhausted those days. but whereas before taking on Hansons Marathon Method such slow runs would have mightily bruised my ego, this time i was so tired and simultaneously so proud of my achievements in my difficult workouts (termed SOS workouts, or Something of Substance -- intervals, tempos, and long runs) that i honestly finally understood the value of a truly slow run. i felt i earned it, in other words.

this training schedule is quite difficult (that is, assuming you, like me, were coming from this after having done nothing longer than a half marathon and maybe 30-ish-miles per week), but it IS doable. if you are very disciplined about completing your prescribed runs, slow wayyyy down on your recovery days, and listen to the twinges and pains of your body (doing prehab as you need; stopping runs if necessary; taking more rest days or more recovery-run days if your body is insisting and it's not just that you don't wanna), i think you'll get through this and come out the other side a total BEAST.

that said, on race day i was preeeetty nervous that i'd never run more than a 16-miler. and even this fantastic training couldn't magically make my race-day weather awesome or somehow have granted me the lungs and red blood cell count of someone who lives at altitude. and it didn't magically make my poorly thought-out nutrition plan awesome. *le sigh* even so, it was somewhere around mile 18 in my marathon that i realized, "okay, i'm actually going to finish this. there is no more question. i realize that is totally within my capabilities. huh. go figure." and then some time after mile 20 when the massive fatigue set in, i realized, "ohhh, i recognize this. this is that CRAZY fatigue i felt every recovery day. okay. got it. naw, i'm not intimidated. i mean, it SUCKS, but i know how to get through this. you just keep moving. got it." honestly, the biggest thing i battled -- and this probably in miles 21, 22, and 23 -- was more boredom ("uff. still this one-foot-in-front-of-the-other thing? GAWD. STAHHHP.") than anything like pain or actually thinking i couldn't do it or ever needing to walk (water stops don't count).

some runners who trained using Hansons talked about never hitting the wall and even speeding up the final 10k. i'd HOPED that would be me? and, frankly, based on both my prior recent race times and how well i managed to hit my paces in training, i'm positive i chose a sound marathon finish goal. BUT! i slowed down in the end AND hit the wall. but lots of gnawing over this leads me to believe it was a function of weather/altitude/nutrition and not fitness/psychology. i mean, i'll never know? but if i can complete a sixteen-mile run with twelve of them near marathon pace in the middle of a rough training week, when i have neither tapered nor carb-loaded, then i think Hansons has helped me pick an appropriate training pace schedule.

IN THE END: i felt like hansons prepared me reasonably well for my first-ever marathon. but even hansons can't Magic your race day. you'll be mentally and physically on point come race day, but after that the weather and your nutrition and the elevation and all those other things will be totally separate beasts.

[Rachel Aloise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hansons marathon method not only prepares you to run your best marathon, but also to become a strong runner who enjoys the high mileage training process. Having used the program to run my second marathon, I can wholeheartedly say that this is true on both counts.

Hansons method is perhaps best known for their view on the long run, which differs from many classic training plans in that it doesn’t exceed 16 miles (27 km). This point may also be the most misunderstood aspect of the program. According to Hansons the long run should not exceed 25 to 30% of your weekly mileage and be limited to 3 hours or less, as beyond this point it offers no true physiological benefits. The plan shows you how to gradually increase your weekly mileage to work your way up to 27 km long runs every other week, while avoiding overtraining and allowing for (only partial) recovery. This is key in creating the effect of cumulative fatigue on which the whole method is based. Since you are never fully recovered for the long run it simulates running the last 16 miles of the marathon and is as effective, if not more than many a 20 miler. The book includes an in depth chapter on marathon physiology to explain the specific training processes and make sense of the underlying science. Yet another compelling reason to read the book.

Being a fan of the Sunday long run, why did I select a program that doesn’t include any 30+ km runs? The diversity of the workouts greatly appealed to me. There are interval sessions, marathon pace tempo runs, long runs and shorter, faster paced ‘long’ runs. These ‘something of substance’ (SOS) workouts alternate with easy running as active recovery. The SOS runs are to be run at specific paces, depending on your chosen marathon goal pace. It’s important to select this goal wisely and to stick to it! As you become fitter throughout the plan you may be tempted to ‘cheat’ on your paces and run the workouts faster than prescribed. Hansons warn against this, as it confers a false sense of confidence and actually undermines the training effect that you are trying to achieve. Moreover, by systematically running too fast you may become too tired to respect the weekly mileage, which is considerable. The beginner plan peaks at 57 miles/93 km per week.

In the second half of the plan the speed sessions become marathon specific strength intervals, and training shifts from improving vo2max to maintaining fitness and preparing the body to handle the stress of running the marathon distance. These strength workouts are challenging, but a desirable side effect is that marathon tempo pace starts to feel easier in comparison. There’s a great sense of achievement in completing your weekly tempo 10 milers and nailing your marathon pace!

I followed the plan for 15 weeks and saw a steady increase in my vo2max (estimate with Garmin forerunner 235) usually on an active recovery day following my speed workouts. The plan was working. It was slightly unnerving to see VO2max estimates drop during taper, but I did arrive at the start line with fresh legs, feeling confident and well prepared to achieve a 30-minute PR on my second marathon. It has been a rewarding training cycle and I cannot wait to use the method again for my next spring marathon.

[Kyra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Withholding actual review and rating until after putting into practice

—UPDATED REVIEW—
Afternoon post marathon: walking like Bambi and needing mega ice on both knees
1 day post marathon: achy legs, small shin splint on right shin; toured a palace and public market
2 days post marathon: small shin splint still bothering; international flight so my knees were mad at me
3 days post marathon: WOW, I feel completely fine!

I completed the Beginner plan for my first marathon and I felt so prepared. I followed the training very closely, missing a couple days here and there due to my body’s needs (a shin splint here, ton of walking during the day instead there) but I never felt like a rescheduled run was going to throw all the work I’d done out the window.

I started cross-training to strengthen my knees only about 4 weeks before the race and I think that was my biggest weakness. I should’ve been doing small workouts like that throughout the entire plan to help my strength.

I am really impressed with this training schedule, would recommend to friends, and honestly would do it again! I would like to see how I feel after using the “Just Finish” plan.

My mantra from 20-26 was “don’t cry, you are so strong,” not because I was going to cry from pain or wanting to be finished, but because I was so damn proud of myself.

So thank you to the Hansons and Luke Humphrey for writing a book with a structured plan for a type-A new reading runner like me.

[Kristi Mangan · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5. A cautionary tale: Do not be fooled by the allure of the 16-mile long run, the Hansons programs are intense. Though you "only" reach a maximum long run of 16 miles (compared with the multiple 20 and 22 mile runs recommended by other programs), Hansons requires you to run more miles on your easy, tempo and strength (interval) runs and 6 days instead of the usual 4/5, so you end up running more mileage overall. Although I had had success with Runners World programs, I decided to use this to train for Boston after hearing glowing reviews from fellow qualifiers. I was seriously pooped but doing well with it until week 10, when a nagging pain flared up into a sidelining injury. My docs suggested complete rest (which I ignored). I was terrified I wouldn't be able to run Boston at all, but managed it after PT, cross training and switching back to my less-intense plans, though my time was slower than I had hoped for.

Bottom line: Follow their recommendations for determining an attainable race goal (I admit I was way too ambitious with mine) and follow the beginner's plan, even if you have already completed a few marathons. You should have at least one marathon under your belt using a more traditional 4-5 day running plan before attempting this one. And be sure you are completely injury-free. Other than that, the book's descriptions of the purpose of various types of training runs and their physical effects are much more detailed and informative than anything else I have read.

I might attempt to use this plan again, but would like to have a thorough bio-mechanical assessment beforehand and would probably add one additional rest day to the plans.

[Vít Kotačka · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book... if you are an advanced marathon runner. The Hanson Marathon Method is interesting and educative. You will learn and understand necessary things about physiology and then it will be clear, how marathon plans are built. It nicely explains all those interval and tempo runs, the importance of the easy runs and so on.

The book contains two plans - one for beginners, one for advanced runners. But don't be fooled, even the beginner plan contains in incredible mileage - 30 to 50 miles a week (48-80 km) and you should run 6 times a week. This is unrealisable for a normal hobby marathoner (like me) who has some obligations like family or challenging work. But if you are dedicated, of course, it's feasible.

In contradiction to those arduous plans, there are chapters dedicated to the real beginners, e.g. how to choose right running shoes etc. An another thing I disliked, a little bit, was an approach to the endurance running - it's very mechanical: you have to count, how many calories go in or out, how much liquid you should drink one week before, during and after the marathon. All those are good advices, but it cause that the book feels like a physics textbook.

The biggest benefit I'm taking from this book? Now I'm confident to built my own marathon plan for the next race.

[Nam Le · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thật tiếc vì những năm gần đây phong trào chạy bộ của Việt Nam lên rất cao, sách về chạy bộ được viết cũng như được dịch rất nhiều nhưng lại chưa thấy cuốn này được dịch sang tiếng Việt.

Mục đích chính của cuốn sách là nêu rõ phương pháp tập luyện của anh em nhà Hanson đã giúp rất nhiều người cán đích marathon thành công cũng như giúp nhiều elite cải thiện rõ rệt thành tích cá nhân của mình. Tuy nhiên, sách cũng cung cấp hầu như là đầy đủ những thông tin cần thiết dành cho một người chưa biết gì có thể có được một bức tranh rõ rệt về việc tham gia và hoàn thành một chặng đường marathon dài như cách chọn giày, dinh dưỡng trong chạy bộ, cách giãn cơ trước và sau chạy bộ.

Mình đặc biệt thích cái diễn giải thông tin gần gũi của cuốn sách khi những khái niệm có thể là khá khó hiểu và phức tạp như VO2max, sinh lý học chạy bộ, quá trình chuyển hóa năng lượng cực kỳ dễ hiểu. Lượng thông tin trong sách rất nhiều nhưng đã được diễn giải giản lược một cách tối đa để người đọc không mất nhiều thời gian đọc sách cũng như bị lạc lối trong ma trận thông tin như một số cuốn sách hướng dẫn thể thao khác.

Riêng về chương trình tập luyện của tác giả thì mình thấy khá nặng về cường độ và thời gian nên tạm thời mình chưa sắp xếp theo được. Vì thế mình tạm thời chỉ cho cuốn sách 4 sao, khi nào hoàn thành chương trình tập luyện và có được huy chương thì sẽ up thành 5 sao hihi :'>

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since this is my marathon training plan, I will update this review after my marathon. Without being able to review the plan itself (since I haven't used it yet), I can say that the book is easy reading. I don’t know if the science is valid, but it seems logical and the presentation is straightforward.

I can say one thing about the plan. There is no build up to the speed work in the beginner plan, which, I know from experience, can lead to injury. The beginner plan starts speed work in week six. You are supposed to go from 0 speed work to (12) 400’s and do your first tempo run (both in the same week). That is ridiculous. If someone who had never done 400’s in their life did (12) of them, they would be too sore to work out the rest of the week. They might also be mentally overwhelmed by the intensity. Why not start in week one with just a few 400’s and a short tempo and build each week. That is what I’m going to do. I am completely perplexed as to why the plan is set up that way.

I think that the keys to success in using this plan is going to be avoiding injury and keeping my moral up. If I can do that and BQ, I’m sure I’ll give this book 5 stars.

Update:
I used the Hanson plan exclusively to train. Anyone even thinking about using the Hanson Method should know it is relentless. There is no cross-training. There is just running, running and more running. With two major exceptions, I followed the plan exactly. I had to take a week off in the middle of the plan due to an illness. I, also, could not do the Hanson taper. I was sick, again, the last three weeks of the plan, so I had to do a very aggressive taper (traditional) taper, instead.

This plan worked amazingly well for me. Despite running more mileage than I ever dreamed I could run, I did not get a running injury. I felt amazingly strong during most of the marathon. I subbed my Boston Qualifying time by over 20 minutes on my first marathon.

[Becky Wade · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really appreciate the transparency that Humphrey and the Hanson’s offer with this book. Too many coaches and programs are secretive about their approach, but these guys seem to genuinely want to cultivate a smarter and faster US running culture. I also learned a lot about physiology and some of the more nuanced aspects of training. However, the book is definitely tailored to beginner or recreational runners. As a pro marathoner, I would love to see a version of this book for elites!

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Teoretická část splňena :) Teď už zůstává jen vytrvat v tréningu a zdolat můj první maraton. Kniha je psaná čtivě, jednoduše a obsahuje spoustu tipů, hlavně pro začínající "maratonce". Na svoje si přídou ale i pokročilejší běžci.

[Brad Angle · Rating 2 out of 5]

Could have been summed up in 4 pages and some charts. Otherwise marathoning 101. Not entertaining. But the plan looks good and I plan to try it.

[Frances · Rating 4 out of 5]

I followed this plan for Honolulu Marathon 2023. The plan is free online so don’t necessarily think you need to read the whole book, but it was good to understand the purpose of each run.

[Rosie Carbery · Rating 4 out of 5]

This has been my bible lately, the only thing that has me sticking to the high weekly mileage. Will be lowering my rating if I don’t succeed lol

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

my marathon-running next door neighbor left this in my garage for me, like santa claus. lots to think about!

[Brett Boby · Rating 4 out of 5]

very inspirational! Im going to try implementing some of the insights from this in my next training program. my only complaint is that the segment on running shoes feels a little outdated, and the fact that the book doesn't cover running watches at all. otherwise, no complaints. It really feels like all facts, no chaff.

[Don Murphy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great breakdown of the Hansons marathon training. I have heard many people talk about the 'less is more' and give extremely positive remarks about the training.

[Matthew Kang · Rating 3 out of 5]

goal oriented training with a goal pace in mind. not sure if i would personally benefit from this training style but still experimenting with what would be good for me so i dont dislike it!

[Michael D · Rating 5 out of 5]

A little background: I've done a number of 5ks and half marathons over the course of the past few years, and I've been kicking around the idea of running a marathon for the past year or so. The problem is that I've noticed a number of things I don't really appreciate with the training plans I've used for my half marathons - a lot of the marathon training plans that are available, however, are essentially scaled-up versions of the plans I've already utilized (with a grade of "B+" in terms of my satisfaction with them).

Enter the Hansons - any runner in the U.S. who pays attention to the national running scene is well aware of the Hansons-Brooks training program and the success it has enjoyed with making international-level running stars out of above-average post-collegiate runners. Based out of Michigan, the program has been around since the late 90s and has developed a cult following (myself include). When I saw this book on the market I figured "hey, let's give it a shot - you're kicking around the idea of running a marathon (this books addresses that, clearly), and maybe you'll be exposed to a training regimen that is more appealing than the methods you've used for your distance races".

Mission accomplished. This book provided me with a new approach to distance running, piqued my interest in picking a target marathon (probably in 2014), and even gave me some ideas of training perspectives that apply to shorter distances (half-marathons and shorter). So bravo - a really excellent, clearly written book that I think runners of all levels can appreciate.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, I have run several marathons and this was the first marathon book I read all the way through and have come back to again and again. I bought it AFTER injuring myself after my Boston Qualifier and I wish I had had this book beforehand because I believe it would have helped prevent me from going out too soon after that marathon. I ran Boston using the Hal Higdon Boston Bound program because it was short enough for the training time I had but THIS year I am using the Hanson method. The biggest difference with the training program in this book and most traditional methods is that the longest run you do is 16 miles. I am not convinced that is long enough but all the chatter online seems to point to this method being true to its word and has helped many runners improve their times significantly.

As for the book, it is a fantastic resource for the runner who actually cares why you are running various types of runs. It thoroughly explains the science behind strength and speed runs, the paces you are taking for recovery and long runs versus tempo/pace runs etc. It gives a nice overview of each type of run, when to run them, and again, why you run them. It has chapters on nutrition, race strategy, recovery, etc. etc. and of course has two training plans laid out for beginner and advanced runners, plus answers questions about what to do if sick or injured (organized by amount of time you are away from your runs.)

The Hanson brothers do a terrific job with this book and I highly recommend it for both the novice and the veteran runner!

[Les · Rating 4 out of 5]

Run slower and you can run a lot longer. Include speed and strength days to build your speed and strength. Stamina, endurance, higher pace tolerance with a lower heart rate all develop. Trade pain from overworking in shorter time for cumulative fatigue (a good thing) by way of piling on miles properly.

The verdict is out on this as I am in the early stages of the method (week 3). I am however running nearly 45 miles/week in February with no pain. Something is right. It is both easier (slow pace for majority of miles and the infamous max of 16 mile long run) and harder (some intense days, a lot of miles, and going slow (relatively--I am slow, so going slow feels Really slow) really sucks some times. I think the approach is excellent. The emphasis is on truly keeping you healthy while jacking up your miles.

This half-ass review may be adjusted as I have further experience with the method. For now, this seems brilliant.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's hard to rate this book without having followed the training plan(s). Overall, the writing is fine and the training section is informative. You can tell they were trying to fill it with more content -- the section on nutrition is bare bones, and there's a whole chapter on gear (clothing, shoes, etc.), which seemed completely unnecessary, especially since the intended audience is experienced marathoners. The 3 stars are based on the seemingly informative and easy to use charts on pacing for each type of workout. I've been using their suggested "strength" and "tempo" (race pace) workouts to train for my next marathon. Maybe I should've waited to write a review after my marathon... haha

[Michelle Lines · Rating 3 out of 5]

The jury is out on this one. Can I really subscribe to a marathon training program that doesn't require a run longer than 16 miles? Really? I don't know if I buy it. Oddly enough, for every time I found myself saying 'this training plan is too easy', I later thought 'huh, that sounds brutal'. Specifically:

Too easy:
- peak mileage is 63 mpw with the majority of the weeks well below that
- no run is longer than 16 miles

Too hard:
- a marathon pace run of up to 10 miles every single week - yikes
- easy/long run paces quite a bit faster than I've grown acustomed to

Perhaps when combined that would make this program just right?

[Karla Osorno · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating 3.25 stars.

This book has been on my shelf for years. After reading Des Linden’s Choosing to Run, I was intrigued to pick this one up next. The plans, charts, and figures in the book are great. Reading the strategies and plans motivates me to run and build mileage and also not be afraid to run on tired legs.

For the past decade I have felt sidelined by injury. Now I am back to running and feeling strong. I plan to use some of the ideas and plans from this book as I go forward. Since I don’t have a marathon on the immediate horizon, I will primarily use inspiration and a key concepts from this great resource book. But do recommend it for anyone looking to run a marathon.

[Gina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Awesome way to train, science based and proven. It incorporates easy runs, speed training, tempo runs and long runs; the difference is it calls for 6 days of running, forcing you to run on tired legs for your long run which in turn allows you to build more physical and mental endurance by running in a fatigued state. I am not using this method for my first marathon, but I would like to try it for future races.

Edit 7/5/15
I AM using this method to train for my first marathon this November.

[Kyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned a lot from the first part of the book about the physiology of running. The authors repeatedly insist that their method is based on scientific research, but I would have liked to hear more specifics about this. There's little doubt that it has worked for many runners, for sure, but I can't get over the 16 mile long run. Still, I'll be integrating many components from the program into this season's training plan.

[Leeann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent training advice paired with clear, concise explanations about the reasoning behind the method. Having run several marathons before, I encountered the Hanson Method only recently. Following their program cut my PR by 20 minutes, plus I wasn't terribly sore the day after my race! Highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking to get serious about their running goals.

[Chad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can't wait to put the Hanson plan to the test later this year. Loved the beginning of the book and the way they put all the physiological effects of the various training in plain english. It has me very motivated to stick to the paces the plan calls for, instead of overreaching at paces and thinking it is doing me good.

[Justus Hanson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book explains everything you could ever want to know about running a marathon. It walks you through the entire process from training to even recovery post-race. I found the training plans and physiological explanations for why it is structured the way it is the most helpful. I can't wait to test out the method!

[Sean Branson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this program was interesting and I'll look forward to trying it this summer. As another reviewer noted, it's hard to rate this book with trying the program but the information was laid out in a straight forward manner.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Straightforward and educational. Enjoyed it so much that I'm considering doing a marathon...then I turned to the back cover and saw that they have a program for the half...maybe I'll start with that one we'll see!

[Theresa Connors · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good explanation of the Hansons' training methods. Just like any other plan, you won't know if it works until you try it.