I could not trust even my closest friends to do the job for me. I was worried that they might try to sell you a lie. I feared that they might come up with some words like “James is an above average runner” or worse still, “James is actually quite good at this running thing”. I am not. But I have run across America, 3200 miles in ten weeks during the worst heat wave in living memory. Not many people have done that. I have run in many amazing places over really long distances. Ernest Hemmingway said “there is no skill to writing, you just have to sit at the typewriter and bleed”. That has been my approach to both my running and my writing. I am not sure Churchill had ultra running in mind when he famously quoted his qualifications but that is all I have to offer you here: no skill or talent just blood, sweat, toil and tears smeared over 350 pages and six years. This is not a treatise on how to achieve ultra marathon awesomeness. It is an honest account of what ultra marathon running does to a person. I sincerely hope you don’t finish reading this book with the opinion that I am any good at this. I hope you don’t describe me as being “super human “ or “crazy” or other terms I have grown used to over the years. Instead, my goal is that you might complete the fourth line of this series of logical statements in a similar way to the way that I did at the start of this journey: 1. James is a pretty regular guy 2. He’s done some amazing stuff 3.I’m a pretty regular guy/girl 4. -

    Instructing runners in Finland, Mexico, Venezuela, Denmark, Japan, the USA and New Zealand, Lydiard has continued to refine his methods, and this manual contains information on exercise physiology, diet, injury prevention and cure, discussion of Lydiard's methods and revised training schedules.

    After my dad's major health scare, it was time for me to change everything. Little did I know how much I would learn after taking on some physical exercise. A radical diet change allowed me to lose a forth of my body weight and it gave me boundless energy to get outside and explore. It’s not clear to me why I chose running ultra marathons of all forms of exercise, since I was unable to run beyond 1 mile just a few years prior. But since that fateful day, I’ve never looked back. I was finding that sometimes the experiences of training for ultra could be just as rich and fulfilling as the ultra event itself.

    Between them they won three Olympic gold medals, two silvers, one bronze, and broke a total of twelve middle-distance records. As far apart as possible in terms of class and upbringing, their rivalry burned as intense on the track as away from it. The pendulum swung between the pair of them—each breaking the other's records, and, memorably, triumphing in each other's events in Moscow in 1980. The Perfect Distance is both a detailed re-creation and a fitting celebration of the greatest era of British athletics.

    There was some sort of bike race on and I half watched while lighting another cigarette off the butt of my last one for a minute before switching channels again. Just as I hit the button on the remote the commentator mentioned something about the athletes swimming before and running afterwards as well as racing the bike. I thought he said something about the run being a marathon but that couldn't be right. This sparked my interest and I switched back, but he was talking about something else so I waited for him to get around to describing exactly what this race was. I didn't have long to wait as he said they first did a 2.5 mile swim, then 112 miles on the bike all topped of with running a marathon. I was stunned. I didn't think that would be physicially possible and as I lit another cigarette I wondered how many days did they have to do it. I guessed it would have to be three days. Swim the first day, bike the second and run the third but it still sounded like a crazy thing to do. Then he said that they did it all in the one day, one after another without stopping. I was completely incredulous. And hooked. I remained glued to the TV and learned that these bronzed, muscular Greek God looking athletes weren't all professionals either. There was an amateur or "age group" race as well Although I could hardly tell the difference between the pros and amateurs. They all looked unbelievably fit. As I sat there mesmerised I swore to myself that I'd race there someday. I'd stop smoking and drinking and somehow do "The Ironman" At the time I had no idea what that meant or how I would do it and after a while as things have a way of doing I got busy with life and I forgot all about The Ironman and Hawaii. I forgot until several years later when I had actually given up smoking and had taken up triathlon. It had taken me two years and sixteen races of swimming breast stroke before I learned to swim properly. I never once looked even remotely like Kona material but I wanted to have a go at doing an Ironman. It took another three years before I plucked up the courage and lined up for my first one in Nice, France. I finished in the last quarter of the field, hours behind the athletes racing for those precious Kona slots. Nothing I had done up to then had given any indication that I should have had a reason to believe I had a chance at qualifying, but three years later when I asked Aisling, my wife if she thought it was possible she immediately said yes and then she added let's do it. Aisling's belief in me started us on a journey that led to me treading water on the most iconic start line in triathlon, waiting for the cannon to fire at the start of the Ironman World Championships in Hawaii. This is how we overcame all of the odds and discovered what it would take to get to the Ironman World Championships. This is our Kona story.

    From short sprints to Olympic distance events, this guide from Triathlete magazine provides athletes with different plans for every skill level, and shows them how to build up their training to reach their ultimate goal. Good-humored narrative text accompanies detailed workout schedules, guidelines, weekly goals, and coaching tips. Including off-season training advice and photo-illustrated stretches and exercises, this is the book triathletes need to stay at the top of their game.

    Winning gold in consecutive Olympic Games has only strengthened this need and desire.Over the last 4 years Alistair has been on a journey to learn from the best, talking to elite figures across multiple sports as well as leading thinkers and scientists, to understand what enabled these remarkable individuals to rise to the very top, and to push the limits of human capability in their relentless pursuit of perfection.Alistair uses these fascinating interviews, along with extensive research, to explore a range of sports and environments – athletics, cycling, football, rugby, horseracing, hockey, cricket, golf, motor racing, snooker, swimming and ultra-running – to reveal how talent alone is never enough and how hard work, pain, pressure, stress, risk, focus, sacrifice, innovation, reinvention, passion, ruthlessness, luck, failure and even a lockdown can all play a crucial part in honing a winning mentality and achieving sustained success.

    The gear you select and how you use it can mean big results—or bigger disappointment.FASTER takes a scientific look at triathlon to see what truly makes you faster—and busts the myths and doublespeak that waste your money and race times. In this fascinating exploration of the forces at play in the swim-bike-run sport, astronautical engineer and triathlete Jim Gourley shows where to find free speed, speed on a budget, and the gear upgrades that are worth it.FASTER offers specific, science-based guidance on the fastest techniques and the most effective gear, answering questions like: •    Which wetsuit is best for me? •    What’s the best way to draft a swimmer? •    Should I buy a lighter bike? •    Deep dish or disc wheels? •    Are lighter shoes faster? •    Who’s right about running technique? Gourley reviews published studies in peer-reviewed journals to show what scientists have learned about swim drafting, pacing the bike leg, race strategy for short and long-course racing, and the fastest ways to handle transitions.FASTER will change how you think about your body, your gear, and the world around you. With science on your side, you'll make the smart calls that will make you a better, faster triathlete.

    Follow along from two different perspectives as Scott Fauble and Ben Rosario share all of the highs and lows over the course of the 18 weeks leading into NYC. Fauble and Rosario take an unprecedented dive into what exactly goes into professional marathon training, and they tell a compelling story along the way. This edition includes a chapter on the 2019 Boston Marathon where Fauble ran 2:09:09 and finished in seventh place.

    This glorious volume is the first book to set the marathon on the large world stage and examine the historic and universal appeal of this ultimate individual challenge.Hundreds of powerful images by such renowned photographers as Helmut Newton and Susan Meiselas, along with personal reminiscences from many well-known marathoners, capture the endless hours of practice and the overwhelming rush of emotion at crossing the finish line. Examining the marathon through the lenses of history, philosophy, sociology, athletics, pop culture, fashion, and science, the book salutes the determination and courage of those who willingly push themselves to test their personal best.

    In this book, he gives riders of all abilities an insider's guide to getting fitter, faster, and on to the champion's platform. With photographs and illustrated exercises, The Ultimate Ride helps build a strong foundation for incremental leaps in fitness, times, and techniques. Nutritional advice, goal-setting methods, and mental exercises complement the physical training tips, to make this the only cycling fitness book an enthusiast will ever need.

    I have trained with and raced with elite athletes and winners from all over the world but I started not knowing what I was doing and was scared to death when I did my first race. I wish I had this book when I started out. I would have saved myself a lot of heart ache and stress! I wrote this to help all triathlon rookies get over their nerves and enjoy this fantastic sport.”“Triathlon for beginners” is the start to finish complete guide which covers all the areas of training and racing including:• Where to start – types of races, what you need to know and where to begin• Jargon buster – helping you understand the terms of the sport so you can understand what people are talking about when they say “T1” or “Brick”!• Training rules and techniques• Swimming technique and etiquette• Running technique and how to prevent injury and run faster• Cycling in a pack what to do and what not to do• Transition – how to lay it out, what to bring and how to be effective• Understanding nutrition and why it is key, how best to manage your nutrition and what is best to eat for triathlon training and racing• Race day – what to look out for, how to prepare and what to expectThis guide takes you from start to finish so you can feel confident and comfortable when you train and race. Here are some of the comments we have had from readers...I loved this book!I have completed a few triathlons- sprint and Olympic distance. This book really simplified what is important to focus on. There is so much to know and learn that sometimes you feel overwhelmed. It is an easy, entertaining read but packed with good knowledge that made a big difference to my racing.Charlotte Campbell, World Games triathlon gold medallist I wish this was around before!I did a number of Triathlons over the last few years. When I first took it up I had to ask people’s advice which at best was disjointed and worst, confusing. I also read some very good stuff on the internet, however this was also disjointed and incomplete. This book would have been ideal, as it puts it all together clearly and concisely.Liam Harrington; sprint triathlete

    Having spent 10 years scaling the lower echelons of the sport, the time has come for Martyn Brunt, one of Britain's least successful athletes, to reveal all about how he got involved in all this nonsense in the first place.

     And ladies, if you are carrying some extra weight and don't look or feel much like a marathon runner right now, you may be feeling a little overwhelmed by the wealth of marathon training advice out there...none of which seems relevant for you. DO NOT PANIC!!!! You have plenty of time to get yourself organised and prepared for the biggest adventure of your life....and plus size marathon runner and life coach Julie Creffield will walk you through every stage of the process with her unique mix of humour, realism and practicality. Covering everything from chesticle chaffing, to mingeries...swamp arse, to blister popping. This book goes where no other book dares to go, with its warts and all account of training as a larger lady. Julie committed to running her first marathon back in 2005 weighing in at 20 stone and unable to run to the top of her road. She has gone on to run 4 marathons, a 40 mile ultra marathon and hundreds of other races as well as inspiring and coaching thousands of women around the world to survive and thrive in the world of long distance running. As the creator of the award winning blog The Fat Girls Guide to Running she has transformed the landscape of plus size running, and has worked closely as a coach with more than 100 women to help them train for their first ever marathon. She knows the kind of doubts that women have about their own abilities, and the complexity of marathon training while working and raising a family. Many of the marathon training books out there are great in an ideal world, but let's face it, how many of us live in that ideal world. This is a marathon book for those of us in the real world...and you won't find a more honest account of what preparing for and completing your first marathon feels like. The book will cover everything from - Deciding if the distance is even for you - Securing your race place - Reviewing your habits and deciding your approach - Creating a robust and doable plan - The types of running sessions you need to include - How to get rid of the negative voices in your head - Avoiding injury - Fuelling your marathon journey - Building your support team - What to expect on race day - How to deal with the aftermath...and what to do with your medal This book will give you the confidence, know how and common sense to see you through what is sure to be some of the toughest months of training you will ever do. It will also help you see that so many of the skills and behaviours you pick up during marathon training are applicable to other areas of your life too. If you want to get to the start line and the finish line in one piece...this is the book for you.

    You can feel that impact in the muscles, ligaments, and bone structures throughout your body. Thankfully, Yoga for Runners addresses both the physical and mental demands of the sport. Whether you are new to yoga or have practiced for years, Yoga for Runners provides you with the most effective poses--88 poses in all. Each pose is described in detail to ensure correct execution, maximizing the physical benefit and decreasing the risk of injury.You'll learn how simple yoga techniques can be incorporated into your existing running workouts and routines to eliminate chronic aches and pains. Discover how each pose can be sequenced to address a specific need, such as strengthen and lengthen the hamstrings, strengthen and increase mobility of the hip joint, eliminate lower-back and upper-body discomfort, speed the recovery process after a practice run or a race, maintain a strong core, or just restore and rejuvenate to prepare for an upcoming event. These sequences target all troublesome muscle regions. Anatomical illustrations and descriptions explain why these poses and sequences decrease your risk of acute or chronic injury as well as why they are beneficial to your training regimen.After just a few weeks of following Yoga for Runners, you will feel stronger, more balanced, more in tune with your breathing, and more aware of your posture and technique. Your entire running experience--endurance, strength, breathing, and mental sharpness--will be more productive, positive, and enjoyable.