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The Secret of Running: Maximum Performance Gains Through Effective Power Metering and Training Analysis
Meyer & Meyer Premium the next level of instructional sports literature with high-quality, full-color books. How much power does your human engine have? How much power do you need for running in different conditions? How can you optimize your training and racing performance? How can you use power meters to improve your results? What are the ultimate limits of human performance? The Secret of Running answers all of these questions. All factors determining the performance in running (from 800meter race to marathon) are explained step by training, nutrition, body weight, running form, wind, hills, temperature, running gear, power meters and much more. Written in a crystal-clear and lively style, this book is a wealth of information for every ambitious runner. This title also contains brand new insights on how the balance of the power of your human engine and the power requirement for running in different conditions determines your performance. It shows how power meters can be used to optimize your training, running economy and race result. This book is lavishly illustrated and packed with useful data. Being already a bestseller in the Netherlands and Belgium, The Secret of Running can be considered the ultimate textbook for all serious runners and their coaches
400 pages, Paperback
Published May 1, 2017
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16 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
October 24, 2023
Phenomenal. Aside from a couple Dutch-English translation errors, and (unfortunately) two equation errors, this book nails everything with extreme precision.
It starts by building a running model grounded in physics. How much work must a runner produce to overcome different obstacles in the run. The model they define is base on overcoming three resistances: running resistance, air resistance, and climbing resistance. Each resistance is precisely defined using physics, and the three resistances are summed to produce a complete running model in terms of watts.
Once the model is established, the rest of the book spends its time investigating the world records of the men and women over all the common (and some uncommon) running distances. The model is used to predict the finishing times of athletes of different sexes, ages, weight, as well as weather conditions, course factors, etc. The model consistently predicts finishing times of world records with incredible accuracy. The model is even further validated by comparing it to Jack Daniels' VDOT race calculators, that was built on observing athletes and their finishing times. Jack Daniels developed his VDOT model 4 decades before the authors of this book built theirs.
The authors also uncover how nutrition, altitude, heat and humidity, super shoes, and other factors come into play for optimizing race performance. Everything being backed by physics and validated either in the laboratory or out in the field. In fact, the sheer amount of papers and references the authors cite is incredible.
Then to place the icing on the cake, the authors tie everything together with why you should train with a power meter, such as the Stryd footpod. They show how accurately the Stryd footpod models VO2 max, the golden standard of physiological performance. They also show how accurately the Stryd footpod aligns with their own running model. Again, backed by lab and field data.
I do wish the book had an index though. This is a glaring omission. A book as detailed as this really, really needs an index. Finding specific formulas, topics, or quotes without one is a massive pain.
Regardless, I strongly recommend this book for any runner. All runners are also data nerds to one degree or another, and this book excels at laying out all the data. Five stars.
It starts by building a running model grounded in physics. How much work must a runner produce to overcome different obstacles in the run. The model they define is base on overcoming three resistances: running resistance, air resistance, and climbing resistance. Each resistance is precisely defined using physics, and the three resistances are summed to produce a complete running model in terms of watts.
Once the model is established, the rest of the book spends its time investigating the world records of the men and women over all the common (and some uncommon) running distances. The model is used to predict the finishing times of athletes of different sexes, ages, weight, as well as weather conditions, course factors, etc. The model consistently predicts finishing times of world records with incredible accuracy. The model is even further validated by comparing it to Jack Daniels' VDOT race calculators, that was built on observing athletes and their finishing times. Jack Daniels developed his VDOT model 4 decades before the authors of this book built theirs.
The authors also uncover how nutrition, altitude, heat and humidity, super shoes, and other factors come into play for optimizing race performance. Everything being backed by physics and validated either in the laboratory or out in the field. In fact, the sheer amount of papers and references the authors cite is incredible.
Then to place the icing on the cake, the authors tie everything together with why you should train with a power meter, such as the Stryd footpod. They show how accurately the Stryd footpod models VO2 max, the golden standard of physiological performance. They also show how accurately the Stryd footpod aligns with their own running model. Again, backed by lab and field data.
I do wish the book had an index though. This is a glaring omission. A book as detailed as this really, really needs an index. Finding specific formulas, topics, or quotes without one is a massive pain.
Regardless, I strongly recommend this book for any runner. All runners are also data nerds to one degree or another, and this book excels at laying out all the data. Five stars.
December 30, 2017
Perhaps one of the best running books I have read. The book provides a lot of interesting scientific analysis methods, and is must read for those wanting to optimize their training/racing using mathematical formulas and calculations.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews