Malá červená kniha o behaní

by Scott Douglas, Amby Burfoot (foreword), Tomáš Mrva (translator)

Čo je najväčší bežecký vynález? Je niečo krásne na behaní v daždi? Čo sa môžeme naučiť od Keňanov? To je len niekoľko otázok, ktoré si položil americký autor Scott Douglas v knihe s prekvapivo širokým záberom.

Ponúka rady, ktoré získal po troch desaťročiach behania a dvoch desaťročiach práce športového novinára, ktorý sa stretol s najvýznamnejšími bežcami a trénermi z celého sveta.

Autor knihy sa v 250 kapitolách venuje témam, ktoré zaujmú každého bežca – ako zvýšiť denné, týždenné aj ročné bežecké objemy, ako zvýšiť rýchlosť a ako si užiť behanie bez zranení. Vychádza z vlastnej skúsenosti, že aj človek s priemerným bežeckým talentom môže dosiahnuť nadpriemerné výkony.

Zaujímavé odpovede nájde v knihe ten, kto s behaním len začína, ale aj atlét rozmýšľajúci o presedlaní na behanie či skúsený bežec, ktorý by chcel zlepšiť svoj čas na najbližšom maratóne.

Genres: Nonfiction, Health, Sports, Fitness, Essays

208 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2011

About the author

Scott Douglas is a contributing editor for Runner’s World. He has also been the editor of Running Times and Runner’s World’s news channel. Douglas has written or cowritten several other books, including the New York Times bestseller Meb for Mortals and perennial favorite Advanced Marathoning. He lives in South Portland, Maine.

There is more than one author with this name

Reviews

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd give this 7 stars if allowed. Great stuff. It's indeed a little book, and organized around 250 tips (to help you run farther, faster, more consistently, injury-free, and a miscellaneous section), so you'd think that each would be basically a bumper sticker aphorism a la "train don't strain". But actually, Scott Douglas is such a great writer that he packs a convincing, concise essay into each tip.

Some are well-known points (use a running log; strive for even pace in races), some perhaps less well-known but not likely controversial (treadmills are good for hill repeats; get up as early as you need to in order to run before a plane trip), others contrarian (run with the wind at your back in first half; you don't need to replace shoes after fixed number of miles; ignore 10% rule for weekly mileage increase), but all are informed by the author's 30+ years as a dedicated runner and his exceptional career as a running journalist and author.

Like all of the author's books, chapters, blog entries, etc., there's a lot of humor here (on the edgy, sarcastic side, not the yuk-yuk "isn't that word 'fartlek' funny to say?" side), but also sincerity and passion. I'm a middle-aged paper pusher who's been running since age 14, and have a lot in common with the author (though I was never nearly as fast) -- we even know several of the same people pretty well -- so maybe his views resonate with me more than they might with everyone, but if you have any interest in running and especially performance running (trying to race as well as you can, whatever that level may be), I'd encourage you to read this one.

My personal favorite = tip 245 "nobody likes a martyr": "the quickest way to get others to not take interest in your running is to always be bitching about it. Yes, sometimes it's tiring, or the weather's bad, or you're slower than you were a few years ago....sorry, but almost nobody cares......Running is a gift we give ourselves because we realize it makes our lives better. Try to be a good presenter of that gift."

[Nick · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this book. I love running. Should be enough said LOL. This book can be for rookie runners or even veteran runners looking to get faster times or splits or more endurance. Crammed with lots of helpful tips.

Something that I even added to my re-read list.

9/9/21- just reread this one. 250 tips done! Makes you fall I love with the world of running. Ideas on enjoying it more, leading a healthier life, running on trails, roads, with partners or in groups. Tips on diet, stretching, workouts, dealing with injuries, avoiding injuries. A paragraph or two about anything or every thing you can think of.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Little Red Book of Running is a fantastic reference book for experienced and novice runners, alike. The book is divided into five distinct sections, offering tips on everything from running faster to remaining injury free, and just about everything in-between. Because of the way the book is formatted (250 paragraph to page-long tips), it's easy to pick up and set down without having to remember where you left off. And since it is such a great reference tool, it's definitely one you'll find yourself picking up again and again, whether it's to locate a favorite quote or just to remind yourself of all the reasons you love to run.

[Karla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Takový záchodový čtení s krátkejma kapitolama, ale pořád je tam spousta informací.

249 - An important note about your morning coffee: Don’t leave the house until the coffee has left you.

[Marru · Rating 5 out of 5]

Toto je jedna skvelá kompaktná kniha o behaní, ktorá poskytuje odpovede na najčastejšie kladené otázky a ešte oveľa viac. Ak beháte alebo plánujete s behom začať, túto knihu musíte mať určite doma na poličke. Kniha je rozdelená do 5 kapitol a 250 otázok, neobsahuje žiadne omáčky len potrebné informácie. Číta sa ľahko a určite sa k nej budem pravidelne vraciať po rozumy.

[Michal · Rating 5 out of 5]

must read for every runner

[Kym Chapple · Rating 5 out of 5]

"in the first half of the race, don't be an idiot. In the second half of the race, don't be a wimp" #92

Best book ever. Will be buying it and rereading at regular intervals.

[Charley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is full of great tips to improve your training and outlook for running.

[Cindy Dyson Eitelman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Advice, lots of advice. And surprisingly, none that I really disagreed with. It consists of a thousand or so short essays on different aspects of running, from when and where and how often. And in almost every case, his conclusion is this: it doesn't matter. Do what works for you, try not to get into a rut, and enjoy yourself.

Here's an example:

Always be open to new running experiences. Who knows what aspects of the sport will appeal to you at different times in your running career? After all, have you always like the same kind of music, watched the same kind of movies, eaten the same foods, read the same kind of books?


And so on. Although it has a lot of tips of the how-to of running, this is primarily a book about the feel-how of running. On the how-to side he has an amusing note about why you shouldn't run to your medical checkup appointment--hard running causes short-term changes that could be taken as signs of disease--and he gives a few concrete examples of this.

Now that I look back at it, this will be a useful book to keep around and re-read a time or two--get some inspiration; pick up the points I missed. I recommend it, but with this warning--the articles are very, very short. Some of them could have been five times as long.

[Sijing · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was a quick read of myriads of short tips for running. You can tell the writer’s passion for running as he runs through all seasons and all kinds of inclement weather conditions. The tips are wide-ranging, from analyzing running injuries to running consistently. That fact that they are pithy and short tips means that you need to do a little research on the topics that most interest you to have a better understanding of the issue at hand. Finally, the series of tips titled Transferable Running Virtues Strike a cord in me because they truly explain why running improves my life in general. What makes the book fall short of a even more comprehensive version of itself is the less-than-adequate discussion of the mental side of running, such as focus, will power and so on.

[Reynard · Rating 3 out of 5]

Il titolo italiano è pessimo, chissà perché non hanno semplicemente tradotto dall'originale "The Little Red Book of Running". Ho iniziato il libro con poche aspettative, dovute a una struttura che di solito nasconde pochezza di contenuti. Il libro infatti è diviso in 250 piccoli paragrafi di una pagina ciascuno, una sorta di pillole/consigli sulla corsa. Per quanto i contenuti non presentino quasi nulla di nuovo, devo dire che vengono presentati in modo conciso ma non così banale come mi sarei aspettato. Un libro simpatico, perfetto come lettura prima di addormentarsi. Il mio voto: 3,5 stelle.

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve tried several technical running books lately that all turned out to be huge disappointments. This book was a breath of fresh air. Tons of really practical advice on running, delivered in an economical, delightful style. It filled in a bunch of gaps for me, and I’m much the better for having read it.

[Lestat Nash · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great Foundational Book

As someone who has been running "wrong" for years, this was a great read that helped me better appreciate running as a whole, and learn some new ways to enhance my running and longevity in the sport. Thank you for taking the time to write this, I picked it up at just the right time in my life I would say!

[Michal Haman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kniha, ktorú by mohol preletieť každý záujemca o behanie po pár týždňoch, mesiacoch behania.

Ja som ju prečítal po 15 rokoch behania a stále tam boli rady, ktoré som si zobral.

Základná: Behaj viac!

(áno, kniha vie náhodného bežca motivovať behať viac a pravidelnejšie)

[Brad · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great little book of running tips, tricks and nuggets of wisdom. There are 250 little ideas that will help any runner when it comes to motivation, injury prevention, improvements and training. A little bit of everything so you are sure to walk away with something.

[Mark · Rating 4 out of 5]

Everything you'd expect from a running book- solid advice in bite size pieces.

[Matthew Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Learned alot

As a new runner i learned a ton of information on running i will apply to my running. Trial and error.

[Joseph Bryant · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good solid advice for anyone looking to improve their running, as well as a relief to read about someone else who knows how it is.

[Jan Toth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Druhá najlepšia vec po behaní je čítať o behaní. Žiadne akademické kecy, super rady ako si vypočujete od najlepšieho kamoša - bežca pri pive, že potom hneď ráno máte chuť ísť si zabehať.

[Dan Gobble · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good advice for the expert or the novice, the young or older runners, or anywhere in between. It's the type of book to keep handy and consult with often.

[Michelyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful and fun.

[Robert Rich · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s nothing groundbreaking here, but there are a host of great tips and motivations to love for those of us that cherish this crazy running habit. So get out there and run.

[Tiago Gonçalves · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nheca

[Darragh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty decent for what it is.

[Diana Sofia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leitura interessante, gostei muito.

[Rosaria Giove · Rating 5 out of 5]

Molto molto utile per chi corre ed è alle prime armi, per chi vuole correre e non sa come si fa, e per chi corre da parecchio e vuole motivarsi.

[Camila · Rating 3 out of 5]

This actually helped me a lot. I think it can be useful for some people, especially those who have gotten conflicting advise on running elsewhere, or those who have already run before.

[Darshan Shetty · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick read with many cool tips and conceptual frames for running. The book is very informal in the sense that there are no chapters as such, just good old tips stretching from start to end. In other words, it has resemblance to a blog than a book. The points mentioned are very practical and does not romanticize running too much, which should be appreciated.

[Dan]

oddly enough, i'm trying to prep for a half-marathon in mid-september. i've only been running for about a year and a half, and only more than 2/3 times a week for a few months. so some of the more intermediate advice here wasn't totally applicable to my case, but it was worth reading anyway.

this is very welcoming and pragmatic. i could have used a bit more technical advice and possibly a table of contents at the end. for example, i'm new enough to this to have to google "striders," since douglas assumes i know what they are. if you're looking for someone to set a regiment for you, this probably isn't the book for you. but if you're reading this on the internet, finding a decent running schedule is probably a google away to begin with.

if you're looking to motivate yourself to get off of your ass, read this. it's pretty level-headed - no jocky tough love or whatever. better still, douglas seems pretty indifferent to fancy shoes and protein shakes and fad diets and whatever. the focus is on the act of running and the goal is to get you to do it, rather than to supplement it with lots of complicated gear or rituals.

[Nuno Peralta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Um excelente guia para quem se quer iniciar na corrida ou pretende algumas dicas para melhorar a sua performance.
Gostei bastante, mas peca em dois pontos:
1) tradução "à brasileira", isto é, tudo é traduzido e há conceitos que não fazem sentido (por exemplo, falar de corrida em carreiros em vez de trail).
2) algumas partes exigem um conhecimento avançado de anatomia (especialmente a parte dedicada a lesões e alongamentos), que teria muito a ganhar com algumas ilustrações.
De resto, linguagem clara, simples e motivadora.