Running and Walking for Women Over 40 : The Road to Sanity and Vanity (Paperback)

by Kathrine Switzer (Author) "There is an expression among even the most advanced runners that getting your shoes on is the hardest part of any workout..." (more)
Key Phrases: racing shoes, foot type, walking program, Getting Out the Door, United States, Alternative Routes (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
"This book will give women everywhere the guidance they need." --Grete Waitz, nine-time winner of the New York City Marathon and author of On the Run: Exercise and Fitness for Busy People

"I took up running and fitness walking at age sixty-seven , and it turned out to be one of the best things I ever did in my life. Running and Walking for Women Over 40 will help more women like me get started exercising, and then they'll find out how pleasurable and rewarding it can be."--Reidun Andersen, Grete Waitz's mom

"Katherine Switzer has always been a pioneer, and she's on the right track again with this pioneering book. Almost all the women in my weekly health walking class are over forty, and the fitness results have transformed them. Katherine's book will help get thousands more started today." --Howard "Jake" Jacobson, motivation and conditioning coach to Olympic walks, and author of the forthcoming, Health Walk to Fitness
-- Review

Review

"This book will give women everywhere the guidance they need." --Grete Waitz, nine-time winner of the New York City Marathon and author of On the Run: Exercise and Fitness for Busy People

"I took up running and fitness walking at age sixty-seven , and it turned out to be one of the best things I ever did in my life. Running and Walking for Women Over 40 will help more women like me get started exercising, and then they'll find out how pleasurable and rewarding it can be."--Reidun Andersen, Grete Waitz's mom

"Katherine Switzer has always been a pioneer, and she's on the right track again with this pioneering book. Almost all the women in my weekly health walking class are over forty, and the fitness results have transformed them. Katherine's book will help get thousands more started today." --Howard "Jake" Jacobson, motivation and conditioning coach to Olympic walks, and author of the forthcoming, Health Walk to Fitness

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 196 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin (March 15, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0312187777
• ISBN-13: 978-0312187774
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #203,864 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

286 of 295 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A MUST read, May 6, 2000

By	MotherLodeBeth "MotherLodeBeth" (Sierras of California) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)

Ok ok I admit I saw her on OPRAH and bought the book. ONLY book I bought that I saw on OPRAH, but this is an AWESOME book. I am happy to finally have found a book written by and for a woman over age 40. So many books I have purchased dealing with walking and running were by younger women/men and until you hit age 40 and beyond you just do not know the challenges that ones body goes thru.

I also appreciated learning what it is like for a woman to be a rebel (She was the FIRST woman in the Boston Marathon).I have discovered women over age 40 and 50 become rebels as they discover things about themselves they never knew. Like we CAN indeed become avid walkers and then runners and we CAN finish marathons.

I am still in the walking phase and looking forward to the time when my body can handle a run. This book covers these fears and challenges and issues like knee pain. This is something I am dealing with since I was obese and the extra weight damaged my knees some. But her advise about doing leg lifts to give strength to ones thighs was GREAT advise. The author gives good sound advise based on years of wisdom.

Of course she encourages the reader to see their own doctor and get needed personal help from someone locally well versed in sports medicine etc.

I am buying extra copies to give as Mothers Day gifts to my friends.

39 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for a beginning runner, June 27, 2001

By A Customer

I had been walking and not noticing much in the way of results. I picked up this book and saw her plan for becoming a 30-minute runner. Me running seemed completely absurd, but for some reason I gave it a try anyway. Her plan broke it out into simple steps so that you only had to face running a few minutes at a time to begin with. It actually worked. Using her plan, I worked up to running 5K, and recently finished my first 5K race. You get a great sense of accomplishment, and weight is gradually coming off (with reduced eating too, of course). This really isn't a diet book, but if you want to walk or run, it will tell you what you need to get going. Her plans are simple, easy to understand, and they work.

If you've ever thought of running, but can barely even imagine yourself doing it, get this book and get started. (And then order "The Courage to Start" by John Bingham, a terrific motivational book for the beginning runner.)

72 of 79 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Running and Walking for Women Over 40: The Road to Sanity an, April 25, 2000

By A Customer

Great Book! This book proved an invaluable source for my wife and gave her the confidence she needed to continue her exercise program and strive for even greater success. It also gave me an insight into what types of issues she was dealing with and together we came up with different ideas to help her achieve her goals. Bravo!