Joan Samuelson's Running for Women (Paperback)

by Joan Benoit Samuelson (Author), Gloria Averbuch (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
Samuelson won the Boston Marathon in 1979 and 1983, brought home the gold medal for the women's marathon in the 1984 Olympics, and set the American marathon record in 1984. Thus qualified, Samuelson, with writer Averbuch, here addresses the concerns of both experienced women runners and those new to the sport. The authors give advice on training, racing, injuries, running while pregnant, and stretching. They include a large section on "The Winning Edge," which includes tips for diet, dress, and mind to make runners more competitive. The book is easy to read and provides much information quoted from doctors and other specialists in the field as well as good illustrations and informative sidebars. Running continues to be a popular sport, and this would be a good purchase for most libraries. Recommended.?Lisa J. Cochenet, Winfield P.L., Ill.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist
Olympic Gold Medalist Samuelson, who occasionally still runs competitively, presents sensible training and racing advice. The 38-year-old runner and mother of two begins with specific guidelines for running during pregnancy and when having menstrual problems. She continues with general training advice, safety tips, and race strategies accompanied by charts detailing specific training schedules for marathons, 10K races, and shorter distances. Samuelson always recommends balance and moderation, and unlike others that stress high-mileage workouts and strict low-fat, vegetarian-based diets, hers is a training guide, pure and simple. Although its advice is basic and it confusingly alternates between Samuelson's first-person directives and a third-person voice, the book can be considered a well-rounded running manual and a good addition to collections where other running guides are in high demand. Sue-Ellen Beauregard

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Product Details

• Paperback: 218 pages
• Publisher: Rodale Press (June 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0875962394
• ISBN-13: 978-0875962399
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 5.9 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #293,689 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars inspiring & practical, December 11, 2002

By	Rae Ann Darling Reed "RunnerGirl.com" (RunnerGirl.com, United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I enjoyed the inspirational aspect of Joan's successes and overcoming injury to achieve those successes. This book also motivated me to train harder and use Joan's advice and training programs. She shows us how to balance training with life and be successful in all of it! I highly recommend it to inspire you and take your training to higher levels.

4.0 out of 5 stars Worth the Read, for Beginners Too, June 22, 2006

By	L. Beardsley "Hap Ki Do Chick" (Michigan) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Although Joan won an Olympic medal and I've only run two 5k races, I found this book to be very useful and informative. Some of the training drills are new to me, most actually, and I plan on using them. She also has a training schedule for everything from your first 10k to your first marathon. The book even touches on 5k races and the mile. I don't know that I'll ever want to train for a marathon, but the book was interesting and inspiring, with Joan's personal experiences mixed in with experts's advice on everything from stretching to buying the right bra.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A variety of resources, November 15, 2002

By	John Drew (Concord, MA United States) - See all my reviews

I've found this book to be an excellent basic resource for female runners. I often give it as a gift to runners that I coach, since Samuelson's advice is wonderfully balanced about running and life. While others find it a problem that training advice is mixed with autobiographical info, I found it neither too dry nor too anecdotal. There aren't many good books about women's running--this is one of the best!