Rating: 
Summary: Plan and run with a purpose.
Review: It is amazing how many bad books on running are out there. This book is one of the better ones I have read. It defines various types of training speeds and their purposes. They are E(easy), T(Tempo), I(Interval) and R(Repetition). It goes on to tell you exactly how fast and how long to train at your current fitness level. The premise behind this is that you should try to get the most for your training, and you can do this by training at the correct intensity and duration. This is useful for training efficiently and preventing overtraining. Even casual runners like myself can benefit from this book.
Rating: 
Summary: One of the Better Book on Running
Review: It is amazing how many bad books on running are out there. This book is one of the better ones I have read. It defines various types of training speeds and their purposes. They are E(easy), T(Tempo), I(Interval) and R(Repetition). It goes on to tell you exactly how fast and how long to train at your current fitness level. The premise behind this is that you should try to get the most for your training, and you can do this by training at the correct intensity and duration. This is useful for training efficiently and preventing overtraining. Even casual runners like myself can benefit from this book.
Rating:
Summary: Superb training guide for serious runners.
Review: Jack Daniels is recognized to be one of the world's leading authorities on distance training. This book encompasses the bulk of his wisdom, with a detailed approach to training for all races between 1500m and marathon distances. Daniels focuses on utilizing periodization training, with blocks of about 4 weeks dedicated specifically to repetition, threshold, interval, or aerobic training. The blocks are arranged according to your long-term season, resulting a very serious and demanding training program. While extremely detailed and effective, Daniels' book is clearly oriented toward the serious runner with the ability to plan out his or her season and make regular visits to a track. Daniels provides specific workouts for each type of training (repetition, threshold, interval, or aerobic) and offers sample training programs for various distances. He devotes a good portion of Daniels' Running Formula to the physiological mechanisms of faster times, as well as racing, training conditions, taking time off, etc. Ultimately, it is his extensive approach to periodized training that truly stands out. Complete with detailed explanations of each kind of training and effective workouts for serious runners, Daniels provides the kind of coaching that the elite use. Nevertheless, the specificity and dedication demanded by his training program is clearly oriented toward intermediate/advanced runners, and beginners would be at a loss with this otherwise exceptional book.
Rating:
Summary: This is the one book all coaches and athletes should have!
Review: Jack Daniels makes training many individual athletes easy. He is the one coach deserving of the praise of being called a coach of coaches. As an athlete who has followed his work for more than a decade I feel like I'm giving away trade secrets when I suggest this book to my competitors.
Rating:
Summary: Daniels' Running Formula made me FASTER
Review: Jack Daniels, the author of this book, holds a PhD in Exercise Physiology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He first got involved with running when he used to compete in triathlons. He is currently the head coach of the SUNY-Cortland women's Cross Country team. This book is FULL of EASY TO UNDERSTAND technical information that will make you FASTER...period. Personally, I am a high school distance runner and on our cross country team we run about 40 miles / week. Our coach started using this book before our outdoor track season started. I ran a 5k road race in 19:50 (6:23 pace) on March 11th, 2001 before the track season had started and before we started using Daniels' formula. Daniels' book has you establish a VDOT based on recent race performances. He explains the PURPOSE of every workout you do. He believes it's important that you realize what you're trying to accomplish with every running session that you do. Therefore, Daniels has easy to use tables which set intensity guidelines to prevent overtraining and injury. He shows you that if you train anywhere in between the intensities, then you're training in "no-man's land." This means that you are doing "junk-training." There are four training paces in all for high-quality running sessions: the easy/everday training pace(65-75 percent of VO2 max), the interval pace (designed to stress VO2 max or maximum oxygen uptake, performed at 98-100 percent of VO2 max), the threshold pace (designed to improve lactate threshold, about 86-88 percent of VO2max), and the Repetition Pace (designed to improve running strength and economy, at a pace greater than one's VO2 max). For me, I ran a 5:15 mile at the beginning of the track season so my coach used this to determine my VDOT. According to the book's tables, my VDOT was 56. I trained by doing "R Pace workouts," "T Pace Workouts" and "I Pace Workouts." R Pace workouts, designed to improve running strength and economy, consisted of 200, 200, 400 meter repeats with a 1 to 4 effort to rest ratio. For a 56 VDOT, the paces would be 39 and 80. The T Pace Workout, designed to improve lactate threshold, was 6 x 1000 for me with only 1 minute rest, at 3:53 pace. The I pace workout, to stress VO2 max, is also repeat 1000s. However, we do only 4 x 1000 at a faster pace, 3:34, but get 3:34 rest as a result of the 1 to 1 effort to rest ratio. In addition, he shows you exactly how to schedule your training sessions around races so you can be in peak physical fitness to set a HUGE PR!!! As a result of his training for less than 2 months, I ran an 18:14 5k (5:53 pace) on May 6th, 2001. I was 7th overall out of 166 runners in the race. In the race last March 11th, 2001, where I ran 19:50, I was 47th in my race, PATHETIC!!! I have no idea what I would run the mile in if I were to race it now, but I would guess that I'd be around 4:50 thanks to his workouts which have resulted in an increase in my fitness level. Jim Ryun, a former world record holder in the 800, mile, and 1500m says "Simply put, Daniels' formula works. This book is a must read for every runner and coach interested in achieving peak performance."
Rating:
Summary: Best running book for the scientifically minded!
Review: My running library contains more than 20 books and I rate this one the best. It offers a truly scientific way of training. Each and every point is thoroughly explained. A book like this is an absolute delight for the thinking runner who not only wants to know what to do, but also why. The book is very practical too, as the instructions are distilled into just a few tables - all easy to use. You will learn Daniels' proven methods to improve endurance, lactate threshold, VO2Max and mechanical running speed. The real beauty of this book is that it can be used by elite runners and slow beginners alike; the tables accommodate all runners and tell us exactly what to do based on our recent race times. If I could choose only two books on running, it would be this one and The Lore of Running by Dr Tim Noakes.
Rating:
Summary: Having this book is like having my own running coach
Review: On the Fourth of July, my 11 year old son and I ran our first 5K race. We had a blast! My son told me he wanted us to run faster in the future. Shortly after the race, I read some nice things about "Daniels' Running Formula." Being that I knew nothing about how to actually train for a race, I decided to purchase the book for myself. Dr. Jack Daniels provides running instruction that anyone can follow - beginner to experienced. The book contains some technical material, but overall it is very easy to understand. It includes useful charts to determine your fitness level, based on your most recent race results, and from that fitness level another chart tells you at what pace you should perform different workouts. Dr. Daniels offers sample training schedules that are very helpful to beginners like me. I am especially impressed with his placing limits, based on total weekly mileage, for the various workouts in order to avoid over training. My son and I ar! e following Dr. Daniels advice and are making improvements in our conditioning. We are also enjoying our workouts more! And NOT because they're easy! But they are worth it! In summary, if you are looking to improve your running performance, or if you have a child who is, get this book. I think you, and yours, will benefit greatly.
Rating:
Summary: Having this book is like having my own running coach
Review: On the Fourth of July, my 11 year old son and I ran our first 5K race. We had a blast! My son told me he wanted us to run faster in the future. Shortly after the race, I read some nice things about "Daniels' Running Formula." Being that I knew nothing about how to actually train for a race, I decided to purchase the book for myself. Dr. Jack Daniels provides running instruction that anyone can follow - beginner to experienced. The book contains some technical material, but overall it is very easy to understand. It includes useful charts to determine your fitness level, based on your most recent race results, and from that fitness level another chart tells you at what pace you should perform different workouts. Dr. Daniels offers sample training schedules that are very helpful to beginners like me. I am especially impressed with his placing limits, based on total weekly mileage, for the various workouts in order to avoid over training. My son and I ar! e following Dr. Daniels advice and are making improvements in our conditioning. We are also enjoying our workouts more! And NOT because they're easy! But they are worth it! In summary, if you are looking to improve your running performance, or if you have a child who is, get this book. I think you, and yours, will benefit greatly.
Rating:
Summary: Great Book for the Serious Runner
Review: Probably the best book on training distance runners I've ever read. Daniels combines significant scientific research which he explains simply and 30 plus years of actual coaching experience. It is easy to read because Daniels is an excellent writer. If you are serious about running or coaching runners, you have to read this book.
Rating:
Summary: excellent book explaining physiological effects of training
Review: This book is an excellent book describing the time tested methods used by the world's best coach. Proof of the value of these methods can be seen in all of the successful teams and individuals Jack has coached over the years, from average runners to world-class runners. When I started training with Jack's methods I was a 17:00 5k runner and a 29:00 5 miler. After following his plans CONSISTENTLY I now have pr's of 15:17 for 5k and 25:32 for 5 miles. You will improve too!!!
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