The Runner's Book of Training Secrets [Paperback]

Ken Sparks (Author), Dave Kuehls (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 15, 1996

Train with the pros!

More than 50 world-class runners reveal the secrets of their success--and a top sports physiologist explains how their training methods can work for you, whether you've been running for a day or a decade.
Turbo-charge your performance with expert advice on speed training, strength training, nutrition and supplementation, cross-training, stretching, masters running, peaking, injury prevention and much more!

Discover the training methods of elite runners, including:

Dan Held, third at the 1995 U.S. Marathon Championships
Debbi Kilpatrick-Morris, 1995 U.S. Women's Marathon champ
Annie Marie Lauck, top U.S. road racer in 1993
Steve Holman, 1992 U.S. Olympian, 1500 meters
Lynn Jennings, 1992 Olympic bronze medalist
PattiSue Plumer, 1992 U.S. Olympian, 3000 and 1500 meters
Jim Spivey, 1984 and 1992 U.S. Olympian, 1500 meters
Steve Spence, 1991 World Marathon Championsips bronze medalist
Lisa Weidenbach, 1985 Boston Marathon champ
Jaacqueline Gareau, 1980 Boston Marathon winner
Laurie Gomez-Henes, eight-time all-American
Ric Sayre, top U.S. masters runner

Elite runners share their best tips and techniques for:

Speed training
Distance running
Racing strategies
Injury prevention
Eating for competition . . . and recovery
Developing a winning attitude

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

Train with the pros!

More than 50 world-class runners reveal the secrets of their success--and a top sports physiologist explains how their training methods can work for you, whether you've been running for a day or a decade.
Turbo-charge your performance with expert advice on speed training, strength training, nutrition and supplementation, cross-training, stretching, masters running, peaking, injury prevention and much more!

Discover the training methods of elite runners, including:

Dan Held, third at the 1995 U.S. Marathon Championships
Debbi Kilpatrick-Morris, 1995 U.S. Women's Marathon champ
Annie Marie Lauck, top U.S. road racer in 1993
Steve Holman, 1992 U.S. Olympian, 1500 meters
Lynn Jennings, 1992 Olympic bronze medalist
PattiSue Plumer, 1992 U.S. Olympian, 3000 and 1500 meters
Jim Spivey, 1984 and 1992 U.S. Olympian, 1500 meters
Steve Spence, 1991 World Marathon Championsips bronze medalist
Lisa Weidenbach, 1985 Boston Marathon champ
Jaacqueline Gareau, 1980 Boston Marathon winner
Laurie Gomez-Henes, eight-time all-American
Ric Sayre, top U.S. masters runner

About the Authors

Ken Sparks, Ph.D., a former all-American in track and a world-class middle-distance runner, is an associate professor in exercise physiology and health at Cleveland State University in Cleveland, Ohio. He is also the author of The Long-Distance Runners' Guide to Training and Racing. Dave Kuehls is a senior writer at Runner's World magazine.

About the Author

Ken Sparks, Ph.D., a former all-American in track and a world-class middle-distance runner, is an associate professor in exercise physiology and health at Cleveland State University in Cleveland, Ohio. He is also the author of The Long-Distance Runners' Guide to Training and Racing.

Dave Kuehls is a senior writer at Runner's World magazine.

Product Details

• Paperback: 230 pages
• Publisher: Rodale Books (March 15, 1996)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0875963072
• ISBN-13: 978-0875963075
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,046,938 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars NO Secrets Here, September 7, 2000

By 

james f. mcgrath (oak park, IL United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Runner's Book of Training Secrets (Paperback)

I have read many books on running. This is by far the worst. Elite runners give you their training routines. This would be OK if one were an elite runner. Some examples are: easy day run ten miles at 6:00 minute per mile pace. If I could do that, I would write my own book. This book offers nothing new and is not helpful for the average to above average runner who is looking to better their race times.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Must-Read for the Serious Runner, June 21, 2008

By 

S. Rosswog "running geek" (Baltimore, MD USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Runner's Book of Training Secrets (Paperback)

I totally disagree with the negative review of this book! "Training Secrets" provides much, much more than sample training schedules of elite runners. (I agree that this aspect of the book was the least helpful for me, too, but they are added in simply to illustrate training points that are made in each chapter and total maybe 20 pages of a 200+ page book, at most.) I'll never run like an elite, but this book gave me high quality information and changed my attitude from one of a social runner to a serious runner. I simply adjusted the information to fit my current performance level (which is MUCH lower than an elite). My training program improved immediately, and a month later, I saw a significant change in my performance. I was so impressed by the content of this book that I have recommended it to all my running buddies and to my brother, who is a 3:09 marathoner (so far).

"Training Secrets" is well written, concise, and thorough. If you are already very knowledgeable about BEST PRACTICES for base training, cross-training, speed training, treadmill running, injury prevention, and much more, then, yes, this book would be repetitive for you. For me, it's the first book that I have come across that covers everything accurately and concisely, in an easy-to-read and easy-to-reference manner. Plus, I enjoyed the quotes from elite runners that were interspersed throughout the text. They were very motivating. It is a book that is most useful if read from beginning to end.

If "Chi Running" by Danny Dreyer is my Old Testament for running (--the first book that really excited me about distance running technique), then "Training Secrets" is my New Testament!

2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great guide from great runners, March 17, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: The Runner's Book of Training Secrets (Paperback)

Ken Sparks and Dave Kuehl book is exactly what the title says Comprehensive and detailed advice from people who have been successful in competitive running. Not for the weekend or recreational runner perfect for runners who are serious about running faster and improving