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The Complete Idiot's Guide to Running, 2nd Edition
 
 
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The Complete Idiot's Guide to Running, 2nd Edition [Paperback]

Bill Rodgers (Author), Scott Douglas (Author)
4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)


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The Complete Idiot's Guide to Running, 3rd Edition The Complete Idiot's Guide to Running, 3rd Edition 5.0 out of 5 stars (2)
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Book Description

April 1, 2003 The Complete Idiot's Guide
Expert author team provides complete instruction on developing ideal running techniques.

Easy-to-follow steps gradually build the reader's abilities.

Includes expert tips on nutrition, reducing stress with exercise, avoiding and treating injuries, and entering and winning various competitions.


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Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Bill Rodgers is America's unofficial ambassador of distance running. He has won the Boston Marathon and New York City Marathon four times each, and is the author of Bill Rodgers's Lifetime Running Plan with Scott Douglas. Scott Douglas is a senior writer at Running Times magazine, and is co-author of The Distance Runner's Handbook with past Olympian Pete Pfitzinger

Product Details

  • Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  • Paperback: 368 pages
  • Publisher: Alpha; 2 Revised edition (April 1, 2003)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0028644662
  • ISBN-13: 978-0028644660
  • Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 7.4 x 0.8 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
  • Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
  • Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #765,294 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

6 Reviews
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Average Customer Review
4.5 out of 5 stars (6 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Great book, but isn't for all runners, December 26, 2006
By 
Jerry L. the Bibliophile (California, United States) - See all my reviews
This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Running, 2nd Edition (Paperback)
This is yet another fantastic book in the "Idiot's Guides" series. Like all other Idiot's Guides, the book is written is a user-friendly style and format. Neatly divided into five parts, this book describes what running is, where and when to run, reasons for running, running apparel and equipment, injuries, training tips, and a lot more. Bill Rodgers, who himself was a runner who won the Boston Marathon multiple times, did a fairly great job presenting the sport of running. The tips that are given in this book are invaluable for runners.

However, this book is by no means an all-inclusive guide to endurance running. This book tends to be aimed towards amateur road racers and novice runners and not so much for track athletes, high school cross-country runners, or experienced competitive runners who are looking for advanced racing strategy tips. Also, this book is not for people who are running because they want to burn a specific amount of calories for weight loss. If you are a serious, competitive runner looking for some serious coaching tips, The Competitive Runner's Handbook might be better for you. Overall, Bill Rodgers has intended this book to be a book on amateur running in general. If you want to sprint, or if you want to be top 10 in a college cross-country invitational, something else might do the job better.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Helped me establish a healthy, long-term habit, April 17, 2008
This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Running, 2nd Edition (Paperback)
Rodgers and Douglas do a fine job demystifying the sport of running. This book is very accessible and easy to read. Like other books in the series, it's structured so that you can read short portions and come back to it at a later time.

One key principle in the book is that you need to build up your endurance slowly. If you push yourself too hard at the start, you'll be sore and miserable, and you run an increased chance for injury. Together, these are a major disincentive to ever run again! Building incrementally gives your body time to adjust to the stresses of running.
The authors also emphasize stretching, which I've found to be very helpful in preventing soreness and injury.

The best thing I can say about this book is that it works. I've personally worked my way through Rodgers and Douglas's plan where you build up to 30 minutes of running. Now I've been running for over a year and a half. At the 6 month mark, I got to the point of running 6 miles at a stretch, and I did my first 5K in May. I've since decreased my distance, but I'm working back up to the 10K mark again. I feel proud of myself for going from nothing to 10K.

Other resources (e.g. Runner's World magazine) can be overwhelming for all of their sophistication. I'm thankful for this book because it gave me a goal, a plan, and lots of good advice and encouragement along the way.
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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Very Practical, April 1, 2009
This review is from: The Complete Idiot's Guide to Running, 2nd Edition (Paperback)
This book is really practical. It's a great reference. There's a good amount of humor infused into the book. It's great for new runners even though it's written by experienced runners. It has everything you need to know about starting running, keeping up with running, running gagets, running must-haves, shoes, health, etc.
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Inside This Book (learn more)
First Sentence:
Thirty years ago, when I started training seriously for marathons, most people who saw someone running down the street thought that person was either a crook or a kook. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
doing striders, cushioning technologies, road running shoes, most running injuries, running apparel, normal training pace, trail running shoes, max pace, medial post, running stroller, older runners, local running clubs, key workouts, lap feature, beginning runners, regular runners, most runners, goal pace, fast workout, many runners, lactate threshold, alternate running, running socks, running easier, high school runners
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
Track Talk, Training Tip, Rules of the Road, Boston Marathon, United States, New York City Marathon, New England, Runner's World, Central Park, Chase Corporate Challenge Series, Frank Shorter, Thanksgiving Day, Joan Benoit Samuelson, Sole Mates, Mother Nature, Nit the Road, Scott Douglas, The Walt Disney World Marathon, Jim Fixx, Johnny Kelley, Oprah Winfrey, The Right Running Apparel, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Emil Zatopek, Fourth of July
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