Customer Reviews

Marathon: You Can Do It!

5 star:		(13)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

...Respecting the Distance.

Jeff Galloway is an Olympian who has run 130 marathons. That's why I chose to use his training program for my first marathon, because I believe he must know something about running. I am in my seventh week of training and doing wonderfully. People need to realize that Galloway's program is intentionally designed to get you to the starting line and through the marathon injury free and enjoying yourself, not hurting and tortured (although it's still going to be hard). There is nothing second-rate about walk breaks; he even gives the history of marathoning as having included walk breaks in the early days, and examples of modern record setters who took walk breaks. So posh on the nay sayers. When I added walk breaks to my program, the fun immediately came back and I was able to run twice as far with a smile on my face the whole time, enjoying scenery, rather than plodding along like a mule. He backs up his advice with scientific reasoning that makes total sense: when you give the running muscles a brief rest from the beginning and throughout the race, your legs stay fresh. You don't lose time because of this, and then you get to pass people later on, all while minimizing the risk of injury. I can't for the life of me understand why anyone would turn up their nose at that. Hopefully I'll be passing some of them on the course.

As for the reviewer below who said that Galloway doesn't mention goo, that is just inaccurate.

The important thing to remember (!) is that 26.2 miles is a LONG way. Anyone who crosses the finish line is a marathoner, period, whether you ran, walked or crawled. Galloway's training programs (there are 11 to choose from depending on your goals, even time goals for the competitive reviewer below...HELLO! CAN YOU RUN A 2:39?! Galloway has a program for that, did you try it?) are designed to get you trained and through the race safely and ready to keep running more races or at least running for life. Hopefully with a smile on your face. What more could you possibly want?

The other wonderful part are the mental tricks he suggests, such as "Anti-Gravity Fluid" and "Magic Words". This is a great book.

Includes chapters on: Long Run, Walk Breaks, Running Form, Cross Training, Training Programs (11), a whole section on inspiration and motivation, what race day is like, Running Faster (speed and hill work), section on food and fat burning, advice on getting older and running, gear, an Appendix and many tables and charts.

I used this book as a guide to prepare for my first marathon. I couldn't have asked for better advice. I finished the marathon in a respectable time, pain free and ready for number #2. If you are thinking of running a marathon, buy this book. You will not go wrong.

I've long enjoyed Jeff Galloway's articles in "Runners World" and his other running books. This one ranks up there with the best guides on ho w to train for a marathon. It's not preachy or sanctimonious and it offers some sensible tips on how to get yourself in shape to run 26.2 miles. The book is dated, and if you do much of your training on a treadmill, you're out of luck. The book was written before treadmills became a practical way to train indoors in your own home. Aside from this "defect," the rest of the book is excellent. Whether you're an avowed coach potato, or someone who runs 10 miles a week, the book will get you to the starting line and, hopefully, get you to finish your first race.

Running is a joyous activity and one which brings many individual rewards. Finishing your first marathon is one of life's great memories and hopefully, there will be many more for you to savor as you gain experience and fitness. If you're a serious, addicted runner who has never run a marathon, you'll love this book, but the beginners will reap the greatest rewards. It's well-written, fun to read and instructive. Highly recommended.

At age 55, I felt as though I was running out of time to cross "Run a Marathon" off my lifetime list of things to do before leaving this planet. Galloway's book was the first book on training for a marathon that I happened upon, and it was a lucky find indeed.

I trained with my 24 year old son, who had never run a marathon. Neither of us particularly liked running, neither of us were in great shape. Galloway's sensible, step by step, interesting and informative book worked so well for us that we were both able to claim "First time is the charm". The book includes several training detailed running schedules based on speed, and one that is simply labeled "To Finish". We chose "To Finish", and signed up for the 2007 Portland Marathon.

Sticking with the nutritional and motivational advice provided in abundance by the book, we finished each training run with the conclusion "No WAY we can run any further than this". But we did, and as the weeks went by, the distances increased just as Galloway had promised. Injury free, we showed up in Portland, ran the entire race together, stepped on the finish line together, and experienced that incredible feeling of taking on a task that seems impossible, and succeeding.

The book is interesting, full of anecdotes, warm, and encouraging. Think you're too old or too slow to ever run a marathon? Pick up this book, and think again!

I am finding this book practical and informative, but redundant with Galloway's previous book. One or the other would seem more useful than ordering both...and if I had to choose, I might purchase the other book for it's comprehensive information about injury prevention and treatment. Still, compared to other books on marathon by other authors, this book is encouraging, helpful, specific and especially appropriate for the non-traditional athlete: the older, female, injured or less athletically inclined among us who are still motivated to do a marathon for whatever personal reasons.

Best book I could find for a beginner marathon-hopeful such as myself. It is a folksy book written by a pro for the beginners and the more advanced runners. There are several easy to follow training regimens based on one's goals and levels of experience. The author is not overtly selling his own training services for running marathon, though they do have a world-class training program. I will be running my first marathon early next year. This book gave me nice tips to build my stamina while avoiding injury.

As an older beginning runner who has completed a handful of 5Ks these past few months, the idea of a marathon is one of those "why not" ideas that has been creeping into mind. After reading this book, that goal sounds more realistic than ever before.

In my judgement, Mr. Galloway does a nice job of breaking down the details and convincing any runner that, despite someone's age or athletic abilities, not trying to ever run a marathon will cause more anguish years from now than training to run one. I obviously can not speak for advanced runners but I recommend this book to anyone who has broken out of the run-walk combo program and is ready to add some mileage to their workout.

I first heard about this book when I began training earlier this spring for the Chicago Marathon (2006). The national AIDS Marathon Training Program, the group I am training with, uses Galloway's program, and I wanted to cover all my bases during training. This book provides a great deal of mental support for the beginning marathoner, and I believe would be most beneficial to those who have never run regularly before. My only complaint is that it could use even more nutritional advice. All in all, though, it's a strong reference book to have around during training.

I used this book to run my first marathon at the age of 50 in 2006 and successfully completed the marathon injury free. I bought two more copies for my daughters and we are going to run the Yakima, WA marathon together, this being a first time for them. I highly reccommend this book for anyone considerning a marathon. Success will be yours if you follow the training guides in the book.

I began running using another of Galloway's books. Then I thought anyone who did a marathon was insane. Now that I've done ultramarathons (farthest was 57.12 miles), well, guilty as charged.

This is a great book for anyone who thinks they can't complete a marathon, or who isn't too sure. He has great advice, and I use the Galloway method during ultras, and it helps immensely. He covers almost everything imaginable, including a temperature gauge to tell you how to dress for whatever condition you're in. There are plentiful training calendars depending on your goal (finish a marathon, best your time, qualify for Boston, etc.).

I started running when I weighed about 240 pounds. In 3 months I went from couch potato to finishing my 1st marathon (which is much sooner than what he suggests, so don't panic). Without this book, I doubt I would've even tried much less succeeded.