Smart Marathon Training: Run Your Best Without Running Yourself Ragged

I just finished reading Jeff Horowitz's fantastic book, Smart Marathon Training. I can't wait to train with his plans; I'm coming off of 2 spring marathons while battling anterior tibia tendonitis in both feet. I got an entry to the NYC Marathon (yea!) so am about to start training again, but this time with his plan! I have been going to physical therapy for my tendonitis, and this book follows EVERYTHING that they've been telling me at PT, and actually provides additional exercises and suggestions to what the therapists have told me. I am SO EXCITED to have this book.I would agree with other reviewers who mentioned that the book is readable without being the least bit boring. I was excited to read it every time I sat down. I also finally just started taking notes from the book. There are many gold nuggets of general running information; I wanted to be able to remind myself of these frequently. I have also suggested that my husband read this book. He has no interest in marathons, but does enjoy half marathons. I feel it would be beneficial to anyone serious about any type of running, but especially for those interested in 10k-plus distance.Six training plans are provided: 3 for half marathon and 3 for marathon.I really appreciate the emphasis on having every workout and every exercise count toward your final goal. His book is so much more than providing a plan for putting in the miles to complete a marathon. This book does an excellent job of explaining why running really is a full-body exercise, and how one should go about training the entire body (through functional, balance, and core exercises, for example). He does a fantastic job of explaining WHY all of this "extra" exercise actually matters. He explains what you should be thinking about when running each type of weekly run: tempo, speed, and long runs. He explains the importance of and gives training suggestions for cross-training (with a focus on cycling since it is complementary to running), and how that allows your running muscles, tendons, etc. to rest between runs. ALL of this can contribute toward injury prevention, and not only injury prevention, but how it can help you improve your times as well.Although I have not completed a marathon with this training, I already know I've made improvements in my running through the similar suggestions I learned through physical therapy for the past 5 months. I am about to start training for a fall marathon, and I'm excited to follow one of this book's plans.

I don't think I have read every book about marathon training but sometimes it seems like I have. Here we have an experienced marathon coach's approach.The basics are all covered here. There is less "atta boy - go get 'em!" than most books about marathon training and more specific advice geared toward more experienced marathoners.Quite a bit of emphasis is given to core training and to the concept of doing one or two less runs per week (to be replaced by cross training), while improving the quality of the remaining work outs. There is even a brief section about ultramarathon and triathlon training.The reason I bought this book was to try to become more inspired to actually do my core work out routine. The detailed section on core work outs and strength training is solid. The training plans near the end of the book seem to be well conceived.The one thing I resent is that I bought this book based on the great reviews on Amazon.com and later read a comment on one of the reviews that pointed out that there are eight short, glowing reviews all posted on the same day by five (or six?) unique reviewers - each of whom has reviewed only this book. Upon rereading these reviews they seem like they were (possibly) all written by the same person, or maybe a group of friends. One reviewer got a marathon PR and another had all their injuries disappear - just three weeks after the book was released - really? So basically I bought the book based on somebody's fake reviews! Whose? - the author? The author's friends and family? The publisher? Who knows. Maybe there really were eight unique reviewers who all posted short five star reviews on the same day but never got around to reviewing any other books - it's hard to say.Anyway - *Smart Marathon Training,* although it isn't my favorite book in the genre, has its merits and is a decent resource geared more toward more experienced marathoners.

This book provides a lot of information and what seems like a reasonable plan for someone who is truly an intermediate runner. I have run two half-marathons prior to ordering this book and was interested in using the training method/plans in this book for my third.Up until now I have been a Couch to 5k-er (c25k) and Galloway walk/runner. I completed both of my half marathons using the walk/run method combined with the mileage plans from Hal Higdon's novice half marathon training plans. Bottom line there... all I have ever done is long/slow runs. I have never been a part of a track team nor have any formal experience with drills, hill repeats, speed work, or tempo runs. So, this book is a good introduction to all of that. However, the training plans in the book start with an "intermediate" level of running experience...which I clearly don't have after reviewing the plans.The intermediate half marathon plan gives a 7 week schedule leading up to the half marathon. The mileage starts with an 8-mile Long Run and 7-mile Tempo Run in week 1! Although I just finished a half marathon last week, I am certainly not at the level to jump right into a 7 mile "TEMPO" run... which is a long hard sustained fast paced effort. My first problem is that I am used to walk/running rather than steady running only. My second problem is that in order to get to a place that I can run a 7 mile Tempo run.. I need a plan... and this is where the book doesn't help me. There is no plan for how to get from a base level of running fitness - to the first week of the intermediate plan. I wish I could find a Horowitz training plan for that gap - because the methods and schedule for his training plan seems ideal for me.

Ok