Customer Reviews

Getting Real About Running: Expert Advice on Being a Committed Athlete

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If you are interested in begining a jogging or running program this is a very good book to have. If you are already a runner the Kindle editon of the Runners Handbook might be a better on going resource. But back to this book, if you are a new runner this book is great. It gives you a step by step book to building a product. I used to run, have run 1/2 marathons and a marathon in the past, but got away from it with marriage. I bought this to get back into it, and avoid injury. I like it because it is always with me, in my bag, I book mark the workout plan I'm on, and I'm off to go. Just sit in the car, look up my workup for the day (I even put notes on how the workout went in the book- heck it's my book!). It is formatted well for Kindle, no issues. Also I like it on Kindle specifically. I used to have to carry my running books in the car, glove box, oh where is it, issues. It is on the Kindle, the Kindle is in my bag, no issues. Also as I moved on to the Runners HandBook I can still do a search and look up nutrition, stretching whatever on the Kindle and I get choices from both books. This is one book I think is more useful on the kindle then in print.

I LOVED this book which was a complete departure for me (I usually read books on entertainment, politics and various spiritual subjects)but I was in a bind: I wanted to learn how to run, and got all kinds of warnings from friends and relatives about how it could be dangerous. Meanwhile, the books I looked at either were too easy or were written for people who've run for a while. These books assumed the reader knew not just the basics or running but WHY -- besides the obvious physical advantages -- people run.

In Getting Real About Running, Gordon Bakoulis, a world-class marathoner, has put together a well-written, fun-to-read book that has it ALL.

From the outset of this incredibly complete book (it's a cliche, but if you buy one book buy THIS ONE) the author explains the various reasons WHY people run, the kind of running "high" people feel, the beauty involved in running, and why people who run make it a part of their whole lives. And Bakoulis uses essays by people who explain it.

It also gave me the perfect beginner walk-run schedules, plus mantras used by champions, what I'd need (equipment and physically), the dangers to avoid, the kinds of events that involve running, the pros and cons of running with others (events and/or clubs), diet dos and don'ts and specific strategies for avoiding injury.

The book's design is topnotch. It boasts not only the usual white pages, but other "sidebar" topics and illustrations on grey-colored pages. And, above all, Getting Real About Running is chock full of information, fascinating quotes, anecdotes, scientific data and specific programs that helped educate me very quickly and enjoyably.

What did it do for me? I now do some running and was also motivated by it to rejoin my old fitness club. And is this glowing review due to knowing the author or even knowing anything about running? Nope -- and nope. I chose this book strictly on a hunch, I'm a full-time ventriloquist (check out my reviewer profile) -- and the most energetic running I did as a kid was chasing after the Good Humor ice-cream truck.

FOOTNOTE: A friend knew I was thinking about running and recently gifted me this SAME book.

This book has nothing new to offer but rather it consists of mostly general and repeated information that you have read about from other running books. Buy and read book like "explosive running" which provides a new level and different prespective of data and information.