In a Nutshell: This book was born from a class offered by the University of Northern Iowa, and resulted in approximately 200 students completing the marathon with the exception of one. It’s a 16-week program that will take you from non-long distance runner to marathoner. It’s a book and program for those who do not consider themselves runners. It was designed for real people with real jobs and a real dream to cross that 26.1 mile finish line.
Why Buy This Book
The book is broken down into the 16 chapters which correspond to the number of weeks in the program, plus a chapter to getting started and after the race. It gives great insights and testimonials from people in the training course and their reactions to the various stages of the program. You’ll learn how to work through hidden agendas, getting into the flow and how to push through the famous Wall that marathoner’s and long distance runners alike face. The chapters flow with information and individual stories of the original study group that took the class. If you run a little already but are intimidated by the size and distance of the mythical marathon, this book will be your source for the psychological training needed to complete a marathon. The advice from the students is useful and adds the perspective that each person addresses different needs when faced with challenges.
Why Not to Buy This Book
It’s important to have some sort of physical training before buying this book. You can’t go from couch potato to marathoner on this program in 16 weeks without having at least begun a running/walking program that you can manage an easy 3 mile run. If this is not your case, you’ll need to tack on another month of building up to the minimum running requirement of 3 mile stamina. This book is about motivating people but not focusing how to recognize the onset of injuries. If you are a serious runner as is but want to train for a marathon, you might not find the information extremely useful in this book. A race time or intense running program is better found in other running books than this one. If you’ve got what it takes already (psychologically) to run long distances, you might want to pass on this book.
Why I Recommend This Book
Out of all the running books I’ve read, this one seems to have the longest lasting effects on my actual psychological state of mind. I actually use many of these applications outside of running and in any challenge in my life. Being a psychology major, I found this book easy to understand and follow. But that would go for anyone. It really is the book you need to accomplish any daunting goal you’ve set out in front of you. Whatever your “marathon” is, whether it be a start-up business or a cross-country trek, this book will motivate you to get out there and do what you need to do even in the rain, cold and lonely moments of the journey.
The Non-Runner's Marathon Trainer by Whitsett, Dolgener, Kole (1998, Mcgraw-Hill) - Book Review
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