Run with the Champions: Training Programs and Secrets of America's 50 Greatest Runners [Paperback]

Marc Bloom (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 21, 2001

In Run with the Champions, award-winning running writer Marc Bloom feeds the voracious appetite of America's growing running population in two ways: by creating a unique system to objectively rank the nation's top 25 male and top 25 female runners of all time, and by revealing their little-known training secrets and strategies, from what they ate to how they trained for their biggest victories. Any average runner can benefit from the insights and advice offered by running legends like Frank Shorter, Alberto Salazar, Joan Samuelson, and Lynn Jennings. The rankings themselves are expected to create a buzz in the large running community, and the affiliation with Runner's World--the world's leading authority on running--will ensure credibility. This comprehensive book is at once an exciting compendium on elite runners and a terrific training manual.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Revel in the past and kickstart your running future! Marc Bloom dares to rank the nation's top runners, from milers to marathoners, and offers a rare glimpse into what made them tick and how they trained.
Discover:
* Who made the list of America's top 30 men and top 20 women runners of all time
* How the rankings were determined (and how to weigh in with your own opinions!)
* What were the champions' biggest triumphs and disappointments
* How each one trained before his or her biggest races
* How America can restore its running greatness

Beginning with legends Frank Shorter and Joan Samuelson, this unique book contains the thrilling stories of our country's greatest runners-each a lesson in dedication, hard work, and an untiring passion for running. Draw inspiration from the story of Billy Mills (ranked No. 6, despite his short career), then try out his Tee-to-Greens Golf Course Training method. Or, if you have a goal race, borrow a page out of Lynn Jennings' training notebook: the methodical 4-Stage Buildup System.

Both a compendium of running's brightest stars and a valuable manual of training techniques, this book is a true keepsake and a must-have for all runners.

About the Author

Marc Bloom is an award-winning track and field journalist. He is a senior writer for Runner's World magazine and the author of six books. He lives in Marlboro, New Jersey.

Product Details

• Paperback: 224 pages
• Publisher: Rodale Books (April 21, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1579542905
• ISBN-13: 978-1579542900
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,035,444 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Who would attempt it?, January 23, 2002

By 

"rmoye" (Aurora, IL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Run with the Champions: Training Programs and Secrets of America's 50 Greatest Runners (Paperback)

This book is destined to inspire controversy, because of the rankings, the athletes included and those left out. Marc Bloom does what few knowledgeable fans of distance running would ever attempt: to rank 30 of the greatest American male distance runners and twenty American female distance runners. It contains both biographical and and personal information about each runner, as well as a summary of titles won, and lists of personal records for a range of events. Road running enthusiasts may be disapointed by the focus on the track, and indoor acheivements are virtually ignored, but the author does a reasonably good job of trying to provide apples to apples comparisons. This book in invaluable for serious athletes because it documents incredible variation among the training regimes of the athletes profiled. It was a pleasure to read and can be consulted again and again. However, the book is not without flaws. For example, there are only four pages or so for each athlete when more would have been more desireable and easy to include, particularly for exceptional talents or world famous runners such as Jim Ryun, Steve Prefontaine, Sydney Maree, Joan Benoit Samuelson or Mary Decker Tabb. I'm sure that most buyers would have paid more for a thicker book. Second, the descriptions of workouts could have been a lot more precise, or consistent between athletes. Some chapters appear to describe the athlete's greatest workouts, and others are so general it seems like the athlete is keeping secrets. Third, the book includes too many chapters on athletes whose career ended before the 1960s, when the sport was noticeably immature, and American dominance was more a factor of limited competition than athletic prowess. And finally, there are no discussions about the disapointments of the athletes' careers, which any fan would find fascinating. The absence of this element at times reduces the book to a public relations piece.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Look at Best US Distance Runners: Bio/Workouts, May 3, 2005

By 

Daniel Hurley (Chesapeake, VA.) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Run with the Champions: Training Programs and Secrets of America's 50 Greatest Runners (Paperback)

This book surpassed my expecations because it not only masses the best all time U.S. distance runners of both sexes but Bloom does not just give you the workouts but includes compact and effective biographies on each runner that I found the most interesting of all. The fact that Frank Shorter was fair runner in his private HS years but later won the NCAA 10,000 meters is quite amazing and of course so are his marathon medals as well. Bill Rogers virtually borrow gear to get appropriately outfitted for a race (Pre sent him a pair of shoes he still has) and then runs his first 2:09 while stopping to tie his shoe (Bloom didn't mention that Rogers often stopped to drink water). Everyone remembers Jim Ryun but what about Billy Mills the great cinderella story gold medalist of the 64 Olymmpics and asthmatic Bob Schull who also wins in 64 in the 5000. Well both are covered extremely well and Schul wonders like Bloom where the top runners are of today (soccer suggests Bloom). Great personal nuggets of information plus a bit of where are they now in four pages on each athlete. The women are well represented with Doris Brown, the great miler and 800 runner Jan Merrill, Francie Laraeu, Pattie Catalano (2:27 marathon), Joan Bennoit and Mary Slaney. What's great about this book is that Bloom gives you a career look in the few pages he has on each athelete with their PR's and dates and locations along with their greatest acheivements, times, records and victories and touches of ther personal life (Schul's wife was his workout timer). For example both Slaney and Laraeu were well known milers and 1500 specialists but late in their careers both Francie Laraeu and Mary Decker Slaney ran excellent 10ks both qualifying for the Olympics late in their careers. Listed at the end of each chapter is a week out of one of their workouts during their peak period such as Frank Shorter doing intervals on the track with only 50 yards of rest just before the Olympics. Bill Rogers running almost 30 miles a day for over 200 miles a week. Mary Slaney and her impressive track workouts and Pre running 30 second 220s with a 40 second 220 (jog?) for two miles at an overall 9:20 pace. The book also includes recent stars like Bob Kennedy, Suzie Hamilton and Regina Jacobs (now shrouded in controversy).

The hardest part of the book is the rating system, outside the top 30, Bloom lists an honorable mention section but a few deserving folk seem to be missing. Bloom graciously invites you to submit anyone missed on email such as where is Rick Wolhoter the mid 70's dominate 800 meter specialist and later 1500 runner? He's the other guy that fell down in the heats at Munich. And can you believe that Rogers and Shorter still put in over 50 miles a week? If you follow U.S. distance running this is the book. Bloom also has an intro that sounds like "Where have all the U. S. distance runners gone?" He'll give you his best answer.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Inside Training Techniqes Of 50 Top Runners, July 23, 2003

By 

Sundav (Washington state, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Run with the Champions: Training Programs and Secrets of America's 50 Greatest Runners (Paperback)

One of the best books on the training methods of runners I have ever read. The author gives the training methods of 50 great runners. This book is to the point and very informative. One of the best books (if not the best) book on training routines for runners that I have found. Buy it, you won't be disapointed.