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Rating: 
Summary: Alberto Salazar's Guide to Road Racing
Review: An excellent and complete review of this book was written by the Zimmermans. I would, however, like to add that from the perspective of a better than middle of the pack masters runner, that this book contains everything you need to be a successful road runner. Most of the information is not new but it is an excellent SINGLE SOURCE for anyone who wants to find a way to improve his or her running. Although co-written by an elite runner, I was pleased to read about training in a manner to which I could relate. The pace charts, age graded and other tables are excellent. Thanks to both Alberto and Richard for writing a running book that made me feel they were talking directly to me. BRAVO!
Rating:
Summary: Great Resource
Review: I'm a novice runner wanting to take it to the next level and needed some advise and inspiration. I found that I was doing several things wrong and I have made major improvements in my running since buying the book. I now have a plan of action for continued improvement, and this book can take me there and beyond.This book is quick and simple to read and covers all the basics, plus more. It's been extremely helpful.
Rating:
Summary: Great resource book for all road runners: beginners & elite
Review: Since Alberto Salazar was a former world-class runner
himself, before retiring from competitive running, this
book is definitely worth checking out. It also helped that
elite runners like Bill Rodgers and Mary Decker Slaney also
had positive comments regarding this book.
This book is useful because it takes you from preparing
race, the race itself, and the post-race routines. It also
discusses injuries, and how to deal with them, and other
associated topics, like the psychological aspect of running,
and basics like weight training, crosstraining and nutrition.
If you're a beginner or even a veteran runner, you will
find useful advice, because there was a few things I picked
up in this book that I don't recall seeing in other running
books, and viceversa. If I had a complaint, is that it only
had a sample training schedule for someone training for their
first marathon, not including his own elite schedule when he
was running 120 miles or more weekly. This schedule was not
of any use to me, because my weekly training mileage already
exceeds the highest weekly mileage suggested in the book.
However, despite this, it is well worth the investment,
if you plan to enter a road race at some point in the future.
The topics are logically organized in a chronological fashion
that makes the book easy and simple to read. FYI, if you want
a sneak peek, here's a look at the Table of Contents, and you
can decide if this book is for you or you can take a pass and
look for another book that will fit your goals more suitably.
CONTENTS
Acknowledgements ix
Introduction From the 100 Yard Dash to 1
the Ultramarathon
Part 1. Preparing To Race 1. On The Road To Racing 9
Why Race*Coaching What Nature Gave You*
Before You Start*Stages of Life*Medical Issues 2. Basic Principles of Running Faster 23
Muscle, Power, Fuel and Oxygen*Base Training*Speed
Training*Lab Tests and Training Theory*Callusing
The Mind*Rest*Building a Workout Schedule
3. Base Training
Hard-Easy Pattern*LSD Pacing*Warm-Up and Cooldown* 38
Hydration*Maintaining Consitency*Overtraining
4. Running Form
Upper-Body Form*Leg Motion*One Ideal Form 50
5. Speed Training 61
Eyeing The Prize*The Variety of Speed Workouts*
Picking Your Benchmark Pace*How To Run A Speed
Workout*Customizing Your Speed Workout*Training for
the Distances*Other Workouts*Putting It All Together Part 2. Oiling The Machine
6. Stretching 85
Stretching Basics*Ten-Minute Stretching 7. Weight Training and Cross-Training 95
Lower-Body Exercises (Core Program)*Upper-Body
Exercises (Core-Program)*Pylometrics*Cross-
Training
8. Nutrition and Weight Control 112
Nutrition Basics*Fueling The Serious Athlete*
The Right Weight For You*Body Composition:
Measuring The Fat 9. Aches and Pains 126
Basics of Field Repairs*Common Hurts*Excess
Pronation and its Control*Coming Back After an
Injury Layoff*DMSO*Lesser Ailments*Other Maladies 10. The Runner's Mind 157
Paying The Price*Building The Confidence*Letting Go*
Relaxation*The Mental Race: Fighting Fatigue*Long-
Term Motivation Part 3. The Race 11. Getting Ready 171
Choosing Your Race*Planning Your Race*Tapering*
Registration and Packet Pickup*The Night Before The
Race
12. Race Day 179
Rise and Shine*Warming Up*The Start
13. After The Gun 190
Split Times*Race Strategy 101*The Dictates of Nature*
Fine-Tuning Your Pace*Hydration*Gels
14. The Finish and Beyond 207
The Final Mile*At The Finish Line*Recovery*Setting
Your Next Goal Part 4. The Marathon--And More 15. The Marathon 219
Marathon Training*The Big Day*The Recovery 16. Masters Running 240
Masters Physiology: Bad News/Good News*Masters
Training*Age-Graded Performance Standards 17. Advanced Challenges 255
Race Strategy 102: Racing People Rather Than The
Clock*Cross-Country and Trail Running*Relay Races*
Alternative-Format Races*Mega-Races*Triathlons*
Ultramarathons Appendix: Pace Chart of Common 273
Workout and Racing Distances Index 279 All in all, this book is fairly easy and fast to read. You
could probably finish the book in 4-5 hours, since there are diagrams, charts, and other detailed information. It's
nearly 300 pages, but a person could probably polish it
off in a weekend or less if they devote a couple of hours
or so each day.
Rating:
Summary: Great book for competitive runners
Review: The audience for this book is those who have been running for six months or more, who have possibly completed a road race, and who now want to improve their racing times. The book's aim is to teach correct principles of training for faster times and to help runners apply those principles to a training program. The book succeeds well in its goal. I particularly like the explanation of the four types of training (base, VO2max, running efficiency, and tempo) and the four types of speed work (long intervals, medium intervals, short intervals, and tempo runs). Salazar and Lovett clearly explain the purpose and methods for these runs, and how to incorporate them into an overall training program. The material is, for the most part, scientifically correct and thorough. The book is authoritative, due Salazar's experience as a competitive runner and coach, and well written, due to Lovett's experience as a recreational runner and freelance writer. In fact, the book approaches training from two points of view: the elite competitive runner's (Salazar's) and the serious competitive recreational runner (Lovett's). I especially like Salazar and Lovett's coverage of stretching, strength training, and injury prevention. As a marathoner, I would have like a stronger emphasis on that racing distance. If your focus is marathoning, I recommend "Advanced Marathoning" by Pfitzinger and Douglas. The weaknesses of the book are few and minor. Some readers might want more example training charts. Some scientifically minded readers might want more cited research. In one case, the authors err in suggesting the method of glycogen depletion to proceed carbohydrate loading (the depletion phase is dangerous and ineffective), but that's about the only serious mistake I found in the book. How does Salazar's book compare to others? Salazar's book has the same audience and purpose as Pfitzinger and Douglas's "Road Racing for Serious Runners," and Glover's "The Competitive Runner's Handbook." My favorite of the three is Glover's book, because of its complete and authoritative information, numerous helpful tables, predesigned and customizable training charts, and coverage of heart-rate monitors, injuries, cross training, and many other specialized topics. I would rank Salazar's book at the same level of quality and coverage as Pfitzinger and Douglas's book; both are excellent. In summery, Albert Salazar's Guide to Road Racing is an excellent training guide for serious runners. If you want to improve your racing time, you'll love this book.
Rating:
Summary: Great Running Book
Review: This is my favorite running book by far. Alberto Salazar is obviously trying to convey the best information he can to the reader and he does a great job. The book is weak in the area of training schedules but strong on virtually everything else. Most of the book has been useful to me on a daily basis. The only real complaint I have is that the author, like many of the older elite runners , does not personally do as much stretching as he recommends for the reader, does not use a heart rate monitor, etc. But he, as a coach, recommends it to other runners while not having a whole lot of personal experience and it shows. I use both so sometimes I read between the lines. He also does not understand cycling and its effect on the runner. A not uncommon malady among runners.
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