Customer Reviews

Marathon: The Ultimate Training Guide

5 star:		(32)
4 star:		(11)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I am living testiment to the fact that this book works. I'm 31 years old, new mom and a relatively new runner and through this book and the 18 week training guide on his website, I was able to complete the Chicago Marathon this past October. He promises that if you stick to his guide you can finish and it works.

The best thing about the book is that it is supportive, but not preachy. Hal uses examples of elite athletes, but never forget that he is writing this for the novice or intermediate runner. As a novice myself (I had only started running about 6 months before), I found I was able to set realistic goals (just to finish, really) and run injury-free.

I cannot count the number of times in this book where I would read something and instantly be reinforced that I could complete a marathon. And that's very important because the training can drain you, make you question your ability and scare you.

After renewing this book from the library multiple times I just had to own it. My husband and I are training for our first marathon and this book is our "bible." There's a new piece of valuable information on every page, and each time I reread a section I find something I can use again. Inspiring, informative, with training schedules, advice, and anecdotes throughout. I've looked at other marathon training texts but this one is the best--written for the average reader, it doesn't take the elitest attitude toward running that some of the others do.

This is a fantastic guide for anyone interested in distance running. To me, as a relatively slow runner, it was simply invaluable as part of my preparation for my first and second marathons. As I prepared for my last three marathons and for other long races I went back to check what good old Hal had to say.

This book strikes a superb balance between the needs of speed demons and mid to end of the pack types. It gives you ideas about what to eat, how to train for a marathon and how to taper. To me, the most useful part was that on predictions. Higdon presented different models and theories for predicting one's marathon time based on performance in shorter distances.

Another very useful part of the book is the pre and post marathon preparations. Most valuable part is the motivation the book will give you. We all go through ups and downs in the training phase, this book will remind you of that and guide you all the way to the finish line, recovery and sign up for the next marathon. You can't go wrong with $ 12 on this book. Also see Higdon's web site and check out Runner's World web site

This book has 221 pages. I think the useful information could be condensed down to 20 pages or so. This book makes heavy use of the anecdote pattern. Chapters begin with little stories about elite athletes and experienced runners from which general principles of running are drawn. The problem is that the stories are incomplete and entirely anecdotal. Elite athletes and experienced runners don't need this book and the principles that apply to them don't apply to middle-aged people who truly are beginners. The book doesn't address the subjects of weight and size (very important in long distance running), and it only addresses age at a very superficial level. The good things in this book are: the focus on staying injury free; the incorporation of easy running and rest days into your training schedule; some sample training schedules; some diet advice; and some seemingly useful information about race logistics toward the end. On the negative side, a lot of space is devoted to fluffy stories; evidence to support advice is almost entirely anecdotal; there is practically no advice on runner injuries and how that affects your schedule; and no talk about weight/age; Put simply, this book contains a lot of anecdotal, unscientific, irrelevant, happy, feel-good fluff. The training schedules may work for you, but if they don't you will not have gained enough knowledge from this book to understand how to adapt them to fit your needs.

This is a very well written book that inspires you from the start. It then backs up all that motivation with tried and true running techniques. It is easy to read and well structured. I have been using his basic training guide from this book to restart my running every spring for the last 7 years. If you are a new runner I think this book is helpful in making you feel secure in your abilities. It is also filled with enough information to help those experienced runners who are new to the marathon. I know that the book has been updated recently. If you buy it I am sure that it will serve you well for years to come.

This book is great! I followed Hal's advice and ran my first marathon without any trouble. He told me what to eat, when to eat, how far to run, what to wear, and I listened and finished Pittsburgh and it was fun. Then he told me what to do to recover. I'd recommend this book to EVERYONE! Thanks Hal!

This is an excellent book for planning and training for your
1st marathon
It is very readable , with loads of sound advice It was a bible when training for my 1st in Belfast May 2002. On our training runs My friends and I were always bantering about what Hal did and didnt say
Thanks to this guide I had an excellent run in Belfast and would recommend it to all 1st timers
My only criticism would be that he could include more than 2 training schedules , though on his website you will find more

I have read this book over and over during marathon training and post training recovery. It has given me a lot of insight from many experienced trainers. This is the best book I have found for beginning runners (I am now on to my 5th marathon) both short and long distance. There is not one chapter that did not provide helpful information.

I just ran the Chicago Marathon this past weekend - my first - and used this book as my primary reference along with Hal Higdon's virtual training program. Using this program I realized and exceeded all my goals for the race. The program works, the experiences related in the book accurately predicted my own and were an excellent guide for the training program and the pre-race preparation. If you are a first time marathoner and you follow this program, you will succeed.

I read this book cover to cover and prepared for the L.A. Marathon using his novice program. Not only did I run and finish my first marathon, I did it in a pretty respectable time of 4 hours and 25 minutes!!! I am looking forward to running more marathons, as I am training for one in October(Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco) using his intermediate 1 program.