Teach Yourself Running

by Sara Kirkham

Get up and get going with an invigorating running program Teach Yourself Running shows you how to start your program and ramp up your routine when you're ready. It includes nutritional information and tasty recipes for peak performance.

192 pages, Paperback

Published March 28, 2008

Reviews

[Jenny Karraker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very helpful book and I found the graphic layout made it very user friendly. I liked the boxes alongside each page that listed the page number, chapter title, and chapter page number. The charts, graphs, drawings, lists, bullet points, and outlined boxes broke the material into bite-sized reading segments that caught my interest and made it easy to read. I ran many years ago but haven't for many years, but was motivated to train for a local 5K. The book started with motivation on why we should run and moved to equipment needed. I remember my daughter encouraging me many years ago to get a nice outfit in which to work out at the gym so I wouldn't feel so self-conscious--"Mom, if that's what it takes to get you moving, buy it!" This author took the same approach--you don't need the latest and greatest gear, but she listed the basics. The emphasis on form and technique as well as training schedules were helpful, making a plan to succeed rather than sputtering out after a few weeks. The exercises for stretching and strengthening were helpful as well as the emphasis on diet and need for more carbohydrates. Having been on a running routine for over a month, I found myself just as exhausted on my last day as the first--however after reviewing my diet and adding more carbs into my meals, I have found I now have more energy. The section on psychology was good in that she confessed up front how we get bored with routine and stop. Her pros and cons about running to music and other things that distract us from the drudgery were insightful. Other chapters include finding your own running style, overcoming obstacles (including descriptions of injuries and how to overcome them), and training for specific events. The only thing I had trouble with was the conversion to American standards--the author is British and therefore used British measurements for body weight, food, and of course distances. Having traveled to Great Britain several times, I recognized such terms as kit, trainers, etc. and found such terms delightful. this is a great reference book. Having been written in 2007, I'm not sure if there is new material or studies that would require updating. Seems like they are always discovering new ideas or updating the old way of doing things which were once considered gospel but now have been shown to be lacking or downright wrong.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am new to running and wanted a book with useful tips. This book includes: Potential injuries and how to prevent them, stretches, dissociation techniques, running techniques, training schedules. I found it very useful, and used it as a reference whenever I had a beginner running question.