Magical Running

by Bobby McGee

NOW RUNNERS CAN TRAIN THEIR BRAINS ! Although there are hundreds of different training methodsnone seem to work for long. Why? Fitness without the right attitude will not bring running satisfaction. Performance and fulfillment lie in the way a runner perceives and thinks. Running success is in the mindathletes tend to assume that training and talent precede performance, and that a strong mental approach is something you either have or dont have. The truth is, the harder you train mentally the better you perform physically, and your improvements will go as far as your mind will take you. Success in running ultimately lies with how a runner uses his or her mind in their approach to the sport. Despite having assisted and coached an Olympic marathon gold medallist, world record holders and world champions, the author presents a book about effectively training the mind, and is not about training the body. The contents of the Magical Running fully reflect the mental preparation work the author has done with athletes throughout his career. The concepts have been thoroughly tried and tested in all levels of competition from the Olympics to local events. Mc Gee has devised a simple, yet highly effective mental skills development system, which all runners can use to significantly increase both their physical performance and the satisfaction they experience from their running. The book presents 12 key areas in which runners of all abilities learn about mental programming and are then guided in the design of their own individual mental strategy. Both the concepts and the presentation are unique; requiring action on behalf of the reader to continually design and redesign his or her approach to the sport. The book is a rare How-to in the field of motivation, not just quotes and motivational rah-rah statements. The material requires some deep delving and thought on behalf of the readerallowing him or her to truly discover and create what they really require of their sport. A number of famous world-class athletes provide anecdotes in support of the concepts and exercises in each chapter, confirming that running success is as much a function of attitude as it is of training. The book is easy to read and succeeds in making the often complex and hard-to-apply principles of psychology and philosophy immediately available to all runners and aspirant runners. Magical Running can be used as affectively by high schoolers as it can by world-class competitors and every runner in between. All runnersfrom those who run around the block three times a week to aspiring OlympiansWILL find something in Magical Running that will carry them for the rest of their running days, and even beyond.

237 pages, Paperback

First published April 3, 2000

Reviews

[Joshua Bradley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gifted to me by my coach, I found Magical Running to be a powerful ally in creating a mental, emotional, and perhaps, spiritual practice for performance as well as wellbeing. I liked this book so much I’m thinking of incorporating it into a 3-month class to kick off a magical year.

[Jenny]

Love it! Went to this clinic..the guy is amazing and great read for any triathlete hoping to improve their running & enjoy the process.

[Larissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

the best thing I learned was to set more than just targets in my running