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The Science of Running: How to find your limit and train to maximize your performance
If you are looking for how to finish your first 5k, this book isn't for you. The Science of Running is written for those of us looking to maximize our performance, get as close to our limits as possible, and more than anything find out how good we can be, or how good our athletes can be. In The Science of Running, elite coach and exercise physiologist Steve Magness integrates the latest research with the training processes of the world's best runners, to deliver an in depth look at how to maximize your performance.
It is a unique book that conquers both the scientific and practical points of running in two different sections. The first is aimed at identifying what limits running performance from a scientific standpoint. You will take a tour through the inside of the body, learning what causes fatigue, how we produce energy to run, and how the brain functions to hold you back from super-human performance. In section two, we turn to the practical application of this information and focus on the process of training to achieve your goals. You will learn how to develop training plans and to look at training in a completely different way. The Science of Running does not hold back information and is sure to challenge you to become a better athlete, coach, or exercise scientist in covering such topics as:
· What is fatigue? The latest research on looking at fatigue from a brain centered view.
· Why VO2max is the most overrated and misunderstood concept in both the lab and on the track
· Why "zone" training leads to suboptimal performance.
· How to properly individualize training for your own unique physiology.
· How to look at the training process in a unique way in terms of stimulus and adaptation.
· Full sample training programs from 800m to the marathon.
346 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 16, 2014
459 people are currently reading
2646 people want to read
About the author
Steve Magness
10 books324 followersSteve Magness is a world-renowned expert on performance, coauthor of Peak Performance: Elevate Your Game, Avoid Burnout, and Thrive with the New Science of Success and The Passion Paradox: A Guide to Going All In, Finding Success, and Discovering the Benefits of an Unbalanced Life, and the author of The Science of Running: How to Find Your Limit and Train to Maximize Your Performance. Collectively his books have sold more than a quarter-million copies in print, ebook, and audio formats.
Magness has served as a consultant on mental skills development for professional sports teams, including some of the top teams in the NBA. He has also coached numerous professional athletes to the Olympics and world championship level. He has coached seven athletes to top Top-15 finishes at a World Championship, twelve athletes to births on the World Championship or Olympic teams, and guided more than twenty-five Olympic Trials Qualifiers. He helped guide Roberta Groner, a forty-one-year-old full-time nurse, to 6th place in the marathon at the 2019 World Championships.
Magness was a columnist for Running Times magazine and is now the co-host of two podcasts: The Growth Equation podcast, with Brad Stulberg, and On Coaching with Magness and Marcus, with Jon Marcus. His writing has also appeared in Runner’s World and Sports Illustrated. In addition, Steve's expertise on elite sport and performance has been featured in The New Yorker, Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Men’s Health, The Guardian, Business Insider, and ESPN The Magazine.
Steve received his undergraduate degree from the University of Houston and a graduate degree from George Mason University. He currently lives in Houston, Tx with his wife Hillary. Once upon a time, he ran a mile in 4:01 in high school, at the time the 6th fastest high school mile in US history.
Magness has served as a consultant on mental skills development for professional sports teams, including some of the top teams in the NBA. He has also coached numerous professional athletes to the Olympics and world championship level. He has coached seven athletes to top Top-15 finishes at a World Championship, twelve athletes to births on the World Championship or Olympic teams, and guided more than twenty-five Olympic Trials Qualifiers. He helped guide Roberta Groner, a forty-one-year-old full-time nurse, to 6th place in the marathon at the 2019 World Championships.
Magness was a columnist for Running Times magazine and is now the co-host of two podcasts: The Growth Equation podcast, with Brad Stulberg, and On Coaching with Magness and Marcus, with Jon Marcus. His writing has also appeared in Runner’s World and Sports Illustrated. In addition, Steve's expertise on elite sport and performance has been featured in The New Yorker, Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Men’s Health, The Guardian, Business Insider, and ESPN The Magazine.
Steve received his undergraduate degree from the University of Houston and a graduate degree from George Mason University. He currently lives in Houston, Tx with his wife Hillary. Once upon a time, he ran a mile in 4:01 in high school, at the time the 6th fastest high school mile in US history.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 87 reviews
August 13, 2014
Running literature is rife with gimmicks and fluff for 2 very simple reasons:
1. doing something works better than doing nothing.
2. the capacity and propensity to adapt to training varies widely
The first is why previously couch bound sedentary humans might see improvement from silly exercise regimens that have a low improvement ceiling. The second results in testimonials about gimmicky programming from those who tend to adapt quickly to any stimulus.
In the first section, Steve Magness provides the reader a background review of running physiology. It includes more recent research than most books in the physiology/training niche (Daniels, Hansons . . . etc.) but bridging the gap for non-scientist readers is a bit of a fool's errand. Much of what is presented is not necessarily scientific gospel- but scientific consensus is rare even in the realm of exercise physiology. I'd still refer most runners to Dr. Timothy Noakes and the Lore of Running for a mostly complete, if outdated, review of running physiology.
Training manuals tend to follow a predictable outline:
1. running woo (motivation, history, touchy feely stuff)
2. basic physiology
3. what other popular programs got wrong (whatever the current book markets as its secret ingredient)
4. secret ingredient
5. conclusion- every runner follow this exact 16 week program
Part II of The Science of Running instead provides coaches and self-coached runners with woo-free tools to design programs appropriate for a runner, rather than shoving a variety of athletes into a one-size fits all box. Magness explains how to diagnose a runner's strengths and weaknesses and then specifies which workouts will improve a weakness or take advantage of a strength (and why). Workout types are matched with the physiological attributes they improve and the resulting impacts on performance. Furthermore, suggested variations on workout types to tailor it to specific athletes, adaptations, or training seasons are included. My only knock on it would be that the examples provided will leave the majority of runners feeling intimidated by the world-class speeds shown.
My favorite training manual published thus far.
1. doing something works better than doing nothing.
2. the capacity and propensity to adapt to training varies widely
The first is why previously couch bound sedentary humans might see improvement from silly exercise regimens that have a low improvement ceiling. The second results in testimonials about gimmicky programming from those who tend to adapt quickly to any stimulus.
In the first section, Steve Magness provides the reader a background review of running physiology. It includes more recent research than most books in the physiology/training niche (Daniels, Hansons . . . etc.) but bridging the gap for non-scientist readers is a bit of a fool's errand. Much of what is presented is not necessarily scientific gospel- but scientific consensus is rare even in the realm of exercise physiology. I'd still refer most runners to Dr. Timothy Noakes and the Lore of Running for a mostly complete, if outdated, review of running physiology.
Training manuals tend to follow a predictable outline:
1. running woo (motivation, history, touchy feely stuff)
2. basic physiology
3. what other popular programs got wrong (whatever the current book markets as its secret ingredient)
4. secret ingredient
5. conclusion- every runner follow this exact 16 week program
Part II of The Science of Running instead provides coaches and self-coached runners with woo-free tools to design programs appropriate for a runner, rather than shoving a variety of athletes into a one-size fits all box. Magness explains how to diagnose a runner's strengths and weaknesses and then specifies which workouts will improve a weakness or take advantage of a strength (and why). Workout types are matched with the physiological attributes they improve and the resulting impacts on performance. Furthermore, suggested variations on workout types to tailor it to specific athletes, adaptations, or training seasons are included. My only knock on it would be that the examples provided will leave the majority of runners feeling intimidated by the world-class speeds shown.
My favorite training manual published thus far.
January 2, 2015
A big disappointment, as I normally find Steve's blog very informative. Unfortunately this book is very difficult, and not because of the material.
First, it is painfully typo-ridden and misformatted, with Random Capitalization, homonyms, simple letter transpositions, and tables with cut-off contents. Second, it is disjoint on scales large and small. There's a lot of fat to cut and both the first half (which does read like a thesis introduction that grew out of control and was dumped in unedited, I know what my thesis introduction read like before editing) and the back half lack direction and coherence. Each chapter is a grab-bag of thoughts and the system is very hard to see. Plus, we get gems like sentences that suggest doing a workout at marathon pace to start, cutting down the pace each time the workout is done and doing it for the last time at marathon pace. Huh? (The book is also not consistent on whether reducing pace means faster or slower. Confusion is part of the language, but at least be consistent).
There's good material in here, but the cognitive load of digging through the surface problems and then the structural issues makes it hard to have much attention left for the concepts: it is not good as a book. The transition to longer form is tough: I can see myself winding up producing something like this, so it's a bit humbling too.
First, it is painfully typo-ridden and misformatted, with Random Capitalization, homonyms, simple letter transpositions, and tables with cut-off contents. Second, it is disjoint on scales large and small. There's a lot of fat to cut and both the first half (which does read like a thesis introduction that grew out of control and was dumped in unedited, I know what my thesis introduction read like before editing) and the back half lack direction and coherence. Each chapter is a grab-bag of thoughts and the system is very hard to see. Plus, we get gems like sentences that suggest doing a workout at marathon pace to start, cutting down the pace each time the workout is done and doing it for the last time at marathon pace. Huh? (The book is also not consistent on whether reducing pace means faster or slower. Confusion is part of the language, but at least be consistent).
There's good material in here, but the cognitive load of digging through the surface problems and then the structural issues makes it hard to have much attention left for the concepts: it is not good as a book. The transition to longer form is tough: I can see myself winding up producing something like this, so it's a bit humbling too.
July 6, 2023
Informative read that dissected both the art and science of running at the highest levels. For a pretty scientific book it wasn't overly dry but still gave a lot of technical details that I found interesting. I knew I was a little out of my league when the mileage recommendations for the suggested programs started at 80 miles per week, but I learned some stuff, and that's all that counts!
October 26, 2016
(originally published in Canadian Running Magazine, along with this interview: http://runningmagazine.ca/interview-s...)
The Science of Running by Steve Magness is a seminal work in training literature. If you want to improve as a runner, or as a coach, you should read this book as I can almost guarantee that you will learn something. In fact, one of the themes of the book is that improvement comes from change. Of course, you need to be consistent in your training, but the body reacts to stimuli in order to strengthen and grow. If the training isn’t stimulating the body, then the body won’t change and performance won’t improve. The same goes for your knowledge as a runner or coach. You may be happy and comfortable with your training plan, but if you want to get better, you have to push the limits of your knowledge. This book will help you do that.
Before I go on, I have to address what was a great disappointment to me about this book. There are typos and grammatical errors on every page. It seems as if there was no editing done whatsoever before publication. I’ve been following Magness’ blog for years, and I understand he’s no English major, but in the ephemeral online world, this is not a problem. The decision to publish a book, however, gives one the opportunity to clean all of that up. My fear here is that some will dismiss the excellent knowledge in this book based on the decidedly unprofessional presentation. I sincerely hope there is a tidied up 2nd edition.
The reason why this book should stand among, or even surpass Lydiard, Daniels and Coe, is that Magness combines the cumulative and acquired knowledge of coaches with the latest in scientific developments. Magness gets beyond the scientist who insists that the lab results are THE way to train, and bring an analysis of that data to the coach who claims his or her real world experience trumps what is done in the artificial atmosphere of the lab. He recognises the failings of many so-called important scientific discoveries, and of these big name training books: that they rely on average results to prescribe training for specific cases.
The general principles that we find in Lydiard, Daniels and Coe are sound, but they do not account for individual variation. One of the useful discoveries of science is that over time, we’ve learned that runners lay upon a spectrum of fast to slow twitch muscle fibres. Magness proposes that the training for each individual should vary depending on muscle fibre type. This is not a new idea, (John Hadd’s training is based on this principle) but it is new to see it in the context of an entire training system.
The other main idea that may rankle is Magness’ dismissal of VO2max as the prime indicator of aerobic fitness. It has been a few years since he published on his blog his literary review of aerobic training concepts, but those of us who downloaded it then will not be surprised at the stance he takes on this hollowed marker. The science says that VO2max does not correlate directly with performance. There are instances of runners increasing VO2max scores, yet having decreased performances, as well as improved performances being accompanied by a steady maintenance of the VO2max. Magness’ solution to this conundrum is to stop using percentages of VO2max as a way of setting workouts. Instead, he suggests that runners focus on what’s most practical: race paces. It makes sense: while running at 80% of VO2max may elicit some physiological changes, running at 10k pace will teach your body what it actually needs to know.
To be fair, most training books say pretty much the same thing, and this one is no different: there are several ingredients, and they must be mixed and matched appropriately to the race distance and to the individual athlete involved. However, Steve Magness’ The Science Of Running is the first that I’ve read that acknowledges the limitations of the science, as well as emphasizes the importance of individual variation. It is not a recipe book. It is a shopping list. It is left to the reader to consider the needs and appetite of the family.
The Science of Running by Steve Magness is a seminal work in training literature. If you want to improve as a runner, or as a coach, you should read this book as I can almost guarantee that you will learn something. In fact, one of the themes of the book is that improvement comes from change. Of course, you need to be consistent in your training, but the body reacts to stimuli in order to strengthen and grow. If the training isn’t stimulating the body, then the body won’t change and performance won’t improve. The same goes for your knowledge as a runner or coach. You may be happy and comfortable with your training plan, but if you want to get better, you have to push the limits of your knowledge. This book will help you do that.
Before I go on, I have to address what was a great disappointment to me about this book. There are typos and grammatical errors on every page. It seems as if there was no editing done whatsoever before publication. I’ve been following Magness’ blog for years, and I understand he’s no English major, but in the ephemeral online world, this is not a problem. The decision to publish a book, however, gives one the opportunity to clean all of that up. My fear here is that some will dismiss the excellent knowledge in this book based on the decidedly unprofessional presentation. I sincerely hope there is a tidied up 2nd edition.
The reason why this book should stand among, or even surpass Lydiard, Daniels and Coe, is that Magness combines the cumulative and acquired knowledge of coaches with the latest in scientific developments. Magness gets beyond the scientist who insists that the lab results are THE way to train, and bring an analysis of that data to the coach who claims his or her real world experience trumps what is done in the artificial atmosphere of the lab. He recognises the failings of many so-called important scientific discoveries, and of these big name training books: that they rely on average results to prescribe training for specific cases.
The general principles that we find in Lydiard, Daniels and Coe are sound, but they do not account for individual variation. One of the useful discoveries of science is that over time, we’ve learned that runners lay upon a spectrum of fast to slow twitch muscle fibres. Magness proposes that the training for each individual should vary depending on muscle fibre type. This is not a new idea, (John Hadd’s training is based on this principle) but it is new to see it in the context of an entire training system.
The other main idea that may rankle is Magness’ dismissal of VO2max as the prime indicator of aerobic fitness. It has been a few years since he published on his blog his literary review of aerobic training concepts, but those of us who downloaded it then will not be surprised at the stance he takes on this hollowed marker. The science says that VO2max does not correlate directly with performance. There are instances of runners increasing VO2max scores, yet having decreased performances, as well as improved performances being accompanied by a steady maintenance of the VO2max. Magness’ solution to this conundrum is to stop using percentages of VO2max as a way of setting workouts. Instead, he suggests that runners focus on what’s most practical: race paces. It makes sense: while running at 80% of VO2max may elicit some physiological changes, running at 10k pace will teach your body what it actually needs to know.
To be fair, most training books say pretty much the same thing, and this one is no different: there are several ingredients, and they must be mixed and matched appropriately to the race distance and to the individual athlete involved. However, Steve Magness’ The Science Of Running is the first that I’ve read that acknowledges the limitations of the science, as well as emphasizes the importance of individual variation. It is not a recipe book. It is a shopping list. It is left to the reader to consider the needs and appetite of the family.
January 20, 2022
It is VERY COMPLICATED, but what it teaches is important for serious runners.
March 11, 2025
Exactly what I needed, I had been reading different sections of this for a while but finally went ahead and read it front to back. As someone who is beginning as a running coach I wanted to really dig in and understand how to do a good job. Even the sections that I found less useful were full of passages that I found to be incredibly illuminating. I made annotations as I read and suspect I will return to differnt sections throughout my coaching career
November 27, 2014
Oooof. Fitness, nutrition and of course, running, are huge passions of mine...even with having that profound interest in the subject matter, this book was a tough read. I'm giving it three stars because I learned a handful of interesting theories and workout ideas that I'm excited to test out in my next big training block, but finding it took wading through a lot of seriously dry, mind numbing sections.
May 26, 2018
More than enough for who just love to run and run for fitness. It's perfect for sport scientist and coach and who want to maximize their performance.
February 19, 2025
Although this book is tailored to elite runners (which I certainly am not), there are still some great takeaways and tidbits to incorporate into my training. The book is in two parts: 1) The science and 2) Training.
The science was interesting, but much of it over my head or above what I need to understand - interesting though. And the training section was more practical, with nuggets of exercises/philosophies to implement into a training program and how to customize it for your needs/goals.
Rounded up from 3.5 stars, I think there is something here for every runner - you might just have to ignore a chunk of the information curated for the elite runners of the world.
The science was interesting, but much of it over my head or above what I need to understand - interesting though. And the training section was more practical, with nuggets of exercises/philosophies to implement into a training program and how to customize it for your needs/goals.
Rounded up from 3.5 stars, I think there is something here for every runner - you might just have to ignore a chunk of the information curated for the elite runners of the world.
October 23, 2024
I cannot recommend this book more highly to all my runner friends! It is NOT a "popular" type running book, but a book that dives deep into the research and physiology of running and then contrasts this with the "artform" of running from professional coaches. If you want to increase your knowledge and training savvy, this is a must read (or listen). I got it free through my local library to listen to on my work commute. Enjoy!!
September 24, 2024
Very information heavy. I didn’t retain everything but there is definitely some good info so I will reread at some point.
February 17, 2025
the first half was very dense for me without a background in kinesiology, but I found the second half super informative and it gave me a lot of new ideas!
April 8, 2025
Great information. Technical in the biology section which made it hard for a non scientist like me to keep up with. But really enjoyed the balance between the theory and reality of a scientific approach to good racing outcomes.
September 24, 2017
Title & Author: The Science of Running: How to Find Your Limit and Train to Maximize Your Performance by Steve Magness
Publisher & Year: Origin Press; 2014
REVIEW:
“The training of endurance athletes is a complex process that is not entirely understood.” – S. Magness
The quote I chose above perfectly characterizes this book, because The Science of Running read part text book part memoir for me, which partly made the process of reading it difficult and thoroughly enjoying. Difficult, in that this book smacks you in the face with all things running, I mean I was winded after reading the thing. Enjoying, in that Magness pulls you in with his own training observances and pitfalls, which is a very regal concept. I, for one, am not a runner by any stretch of the imagination and have the genetics to back that up, but I wasn’t lost on any of the content used in this book.
There are two sections to The Science of Running, the first section is from a scientific point of view and the second section is from a coaching point of view. Section I has topics ranging from VO2max to neurophysiology, with each topic relating back to how they function as a whole in the exercise physiology of running. Section II is from Magness’ own coaching philosophy and those of other running coaches he has had the pleasure of working with and against. With these two sections along with Magness’ own “My Rules of Everything” and “My Rules of Training” the book is an amazing resource.
Publisher & Year: Origin Press; 2014
REVIEW:
“The training of endurance athletes is a complex process that is not entirely understood.” – S. Magness
The quote I chose above perfectly characterizes this book, because The Science of Running read part text book part memoir for me, which partly made the process of reading it difficult and thoroughly enjoying. Difficult, in that this book smacks you in the face with all things running, I mean I was winded after reading the thing. Enjoying, in that Magness pulls you in with his own training observances and pitfalls, which is a very regal concept. I, for one, am not a runner by any stretch of the imagination and have the genetics to back that up, but I wasn’t lost on any of the content used in this book.
There are two sections to The Science of Running, the first section is from a scientific point of view and the second section is from a coaching point of view. Section I has topics ranging from VO2max to neurophysiology, with each topic relating back to how they function as a whole in the exercise physiology of running. Section II is from Magness’ own coaching philosophy and those of other running coaches he has had the pleasure of working with and against. With these two sections along with Magness’ own “My Rules of Everything” and “My Rules of Training” the book is an amazing resource.
September 28, 2015
This is a decent book, not a great one. This reads like a good second or third draft, not a finished product. There are typos and grammatical errors throughout the book. The most annoying thing us that the author frequently introduces concepts or acronyms without first defining them or explanation.
With that said it is a book that I will study more on the future. His command of the literature and the science cd behind running is very rare and a welcome addition to the all the fluff out there in books, magazines, and the Internet.
This book is for the very serious runner or coach. It is not intended for a casual audience. I'm glad I have it on my shelf but it is in dire need of a good editor.
With that said it is a book that I will study more on the future. His command of the literature and the science cd behind running is very rare and a welcome addition to the all the fluff out there in books, magazines, and the Internet.
This book is for the very serious runner or coach. It is not intended for a casual audience. I'm glad I have it on my shelf but it is in dire need of a good editor.
October 21, 2018
Let me be frank here: I’ve read many books on training for distance runners, and this is easily the best. Moreover, I’ve found that when I’ve integrated the concepts therein into my own coaching, it’s had a sizable, noticeable, and measurable impact. The only reason I’m not giving it 5/5 stars is because of the frequent grammatical errors, as well as the fact that the units of measurement displayed in the sample training plans are inconsistent; if there was a 2nd edition that smoothed out these rough edges, this would be a near-perfect training manual.
March 16, 2023
Solid information and great detail summarizing what we know about running. Information was lacking in some areas such as nutrition and strength training. But overall it was a great book
May 2, 2024
I’ve been reading Steve Magness’s Science of Running book. Like Joe Friel, he places an emphasis on improving race performance rather than trying to maximize various physical attributes (VO2 Max) that are associated with longevity. He is fairly critical of the use of VO2 max as anything but the “size of an athlete’s oxygen engine,” which is clearly correlated with overall fitness but has less purchase for those who are already physically fit.
One of the takeaways from the book for me is that, with consistent effort, I can substantially improve my speed and endurance so that I can improve my performance in running. I’ve been working in a mostly steady state of equally balancing weight lifting (usually 2-3 hours a week) and running (usually 10-15 miles). One of the things I’ve figured out from reading Magness and the Stronger By Science guys is that increasing weight-lifting or running performance will require more sustained attention on either rather than what I am doing now. However, if I make gains in one or the other, those gains will likely remain if it work to maintain them through regular stimulus.
This process will involve periodization of my training where I focus on developing a particular feature for a season and thereby make improvements as I embarrass (Magness’s language) my body adequately and prompt it to adapt to the training stimulus so that it won’t be as embarrassed in that situation as it was during a particular training. With sustained attention on a given goal, whether running or strength, I can more rapidly grow in my aptitudes in that area. For running, the overarching goals are speed, endurance, and lactate threshold training. For speed, power and explosiveness are important, which also relates to weight training. For endurance, there is overall base level endurance and specific race-level endurance. Threshold training is important for maximizing performance and tends to be best as you get closer to speeds needed where you will perform.
Magness suggests that you start with your goal in mind for performance in a particular race (probably 5K or 10K for me). Take into account whether your muscles are more fast-twitch or slow-twitch (or balanced). And then start your training protocol working on the extremes of speed development and base endurance in a base period, and as you get closer to your event performance that you get closer and closer to training runs like your performance, using support training in the interim and always including an occasional (at least once every two weeks) training protocol to ensure that speed and endurance are maintained with stimulus sufficiently enough to prevent you from losing what you’ve gained.
Thus, in the beginning of the base period, I’ll focus on Hill Sprint training (combined with explosive leg strength training) and Easy Runs with limited lactate threshold work, move toward flat Sprint training with Hill training mixed in a bit (e.g., Sprinting up a hill or three on an Easy Run) and Easy Runs, and then transition to focus on Lactate threshold training in the middle period (intervals near 5K or 10K pace) as I continue to do a sufficient amount of easy runs, sprint hills, strides to maintain endurance and speed during this training. He argues that it is much easy to maintain speed and endurance with less frequent stimulus once you’ve developed the characteristic earlier.
Another takeaway for me is that I am probably a fast-twitch muscle type kind of guy. I tend to do better at speed than longer endurance events, I tend to have more explosive ground contact, etc. Magness suggested that people with those muscle types tend to need to keep long runs no longer than 10 miles generally and less than 13 miles on rare occasions. He also indicated that flat sprints are more important than hill sprints in development of speed, although speed training should still start with hill sprints in the base period.
I also think this approach makes sense in weight lifting and it seems to fit with the way that the Stronger by Science guys talk about their training programs. They have four-week programs for beginning, intermediate, and advanced lifters that seem to play on this. So, I put their programs into my Garmin and once I get the equipment I need to support that, I can develop it more fully. But I’ll be fine working maintenance for a season too.
I was thinking that I’d consider developing my running more of a late February through an early December kind of activity with more of a focus on running maintenance from early December until Late February. During this time, I could focus on weight lifting and strength training instead following the Stronger by Science training programs. I still need to think more about how the running schedule will work with this.
One of the takeaways from the book for me is that, with consistent effort, I can substantially improve my speed and endurance so that I can improve my performance in running. I’ve been working in a mostly steady state of equally balancing weight lifting (usually 2-3 hours a week) and running (usually 10-15 miles). One of the things I’ve figured out from reading Magness and the Stronger By Science guys is that increasing weight-lifting or running performance will require more sustained attention on either rather than what I am doing now. However, if I make gains in one or the other, those gains will likely remain if it work to maintain them through regular stimulus.
This process will involve periodization of my training where I focus on developing a particular feature for a season and thereby make improvements as I embarrass (Magness’s language) my body adequately and prompt it to adapt to the training stimulus so that it won’t be as embarrassed in that situation as it was during a particular training. With sustained attention on a given goal, whether running or strength, I can more rapidly grow in my aptitudes in that area. For running, the overarching goals are speed, endurance, and lactate threshold training. For speed, power and explosiveness are important, which also relates to weight training. For endurance, there is overall base level endurance and specific race-level endurance. Threshold training is important for maximizing performance and tends to be best as you get closer to speeds needed where you will perform.
Magness suggests that you start with your goal in mind for performance in a particular race (probably 5K or 10K for me). Take into account whether your muscles are more fast-twitch or slow-twitch (or balanced). And then start your training protocol working on the extremes of speed development and base endurance in a base period, and as you get closer to your event performance that you get closer and closer to training runs like your performance, using support training in the interim and always including an occasional (at least once every two weeks) training protocol to ensure that speed and endurance are maintained with stimulus sufficiently enough to prevent you from losing what you’ve gained.
Thus, in the beginning of the base period, I’ll focus on Hill Sprint training (combined with explosive leg strength training) and Easy Runs with limited lactate threshold work, move toward flat Sprint training with Hill training mixed in a bit (e.g., Sprinting up a hill or three on an Easy Run) and Easy Runs, and then transition to focus on Lactate threshold training in the middle period (intervals near 5K or 10K pace) as I continue to do a sufficient amount of easy runs, sprint hills, strides to maintain endurance and speed during this training. He argues that it is much easy to maintain speed and endurance with less frequent stimulus once you’ve developed the characteristic earlier.
Another takeaway for me is that I am probably a fast-twitch muscle type kind of guy. I tend to do better at speed than longer endurance events, I tend to have more explosive ground contact, etc. Magness suggested that people with those muscle types tend to need to keep long runs no longer than 10 miles generally and less than 13 miles on rare occasions. He also indicated that flat sprints are more important than hill sprints in development of speed, although speed training should still start with hill sprints in the base period.
I also think this approach makes sense in weight lifting and it seems to fit with the way that the Stronger by Science guys talk about their training programs. They have four-week programs for beginning, intermediate, and advanced lifters that seem to play on this. So, I put their programs into my Garmin and once I get the equipment I need to support that, I can develop it more fully. But I’ll be fine working maintenance for a season too.
I was thinking that I’d consider developing my running more of a late February through an early December kind of activity with more of a focus on running maintenance from early December until Late February. During this time, I could focus on weight lifting and strength training instead following the Stronger by Science training programs. I still need to think more about how the running schedule will work with this.
November 29, 2020
When I'm doing something, I always want to know why I'm doing it and how it works. This usually leads to me reading a lot about things and trying to understand them.
The problem with reading about running is that oftentimes, the same truisms and best practices are repeated in self-reinforcing circles. Because some coach used a technique with success in some situation, people use that technique in many situations.
Often times this works out well, but not always...
That's where science comes in, and if you want to understand the science of running you should read this book by Steve Magness. He answered many of the questions I had about running and how the body adapts to running. He also answered many questions I didn't know I had.
The other problem with science is that it's often taken out of context. When people do cite research studies on the internet or in the media, it's usually to highlight one particular training method as being the next best thing.
Steve takes a much more measured approach to things, and this has the feel or a real academic work. Although my graduate studies were in the social sciences, and not the hard sciences, it's clear that Steve did a lot of homework to put this together.
I don't want to get too into the weeds here, but you can read more about my substantive takeaways from the book here.
I will say that this book is not easy to get through. A basic understanding of science will be helpful, although I have no training in human biology or exercise science and I was able to understand things. Steve does a good job of explaining complex scientific topics and relating them to very specific examples that runners will understand. At the same time, some of the sections on science can be quite dense.
Steve explains from the get go that this isn't a book for true beginners, and I agree. But, while he definitely targets highly competitive and advanced runners, I think anyone who is trying to become a better runner would benefit from reading this book.
You'll learn how the body adapts to training, why you should incorporate certain types of workouts into your training, and how to increase your speed and endurance. Although you won't walk away with any specific training plans, you'll understand the components of training plans much better - and you'll be able to adjust any training plan you find to your own needs.
The problem with reading about running is that oftentimes, the same truisms and best practices are repeated in self-reinforcing circles. Because some coach used a technique with success in some situation, people use that technique in many situations.
Often times this works out well, but not always...
That's where science comes in, and if you want to understand the science of running you should read this book by Steve Magness. He answered many of the questions I had about running and how the body adapts to running. He also answered many questions I didn't know I had.
The other problem with science is that it's often taken out of context. When people do cite research studies on the internet or in the media, it's usually to highlight one particular training method as being the next best thing.
Steve takes a much more measured approach to things, and this has the feel or a real academic work. Although my graduate studies were in the social sciences, and not the hard sciences, it's clear that Steve did a lot of homework to put this together.
I don't want to get too into the weeds here, but you can read more about my substantive takeaways from the book here.
I will say that this book is not easy to get through. A basic understanding of science will be helpful, although I have no training in human biology or exercise science and I was able to understand things. Steve does a good job of explaining complex scientific topics and relating them to very specific examples that runners will understand. At the same time, some of the sections on science can be quite dense.
Steve explains from the get go that this isn't a book for true beginners, and I agree. But, while he definitely targets highly competitive and advanced runners, I think anyone who is trying to become a better runner would benefit from reading this book.
You'll learn how the body adapts to training, why you should incorporate certain types of workouts into your training, and how to increase your speed and endurance. Although you won't walk away with any specific training plans, you'll understand the components of training plans much better - and you'll be able to adjust any training plan you find to your own needs.
December 10, 2020
Great book on exercise science.
The author admittingly turned his Masters Thesis into a book, that ended up doing very well and taking off to be quite financially rewarding. Good for him! I am sure there are plenty of thesis/dissertations out there that this path could be pursued and I am all for it.
This book is split into two parts, Part 1 is full of immensely heavy, very deep dive, biology and science of the human body relating to exercise. It was so in-depth that it almost pushed me away... but, I stuck it out and I am very glad I did. This is definitely Master's level material for sure.
Part 2 gets into the working out portion of the book. While the author is dedicated to running specifically, the concepts and ideas presented can be easily transmuted into other types of exercises such as weightlifting, rock climbing, swimming, team sports, so on and so forth. Non-runners, do not let this scare you aware from this, and just be creative enough to be willing to adapt what is presented and gear it towards your chosen exercise/fitness discipline.
I learned a lot from this book for sure and very much enjoyed reading it. However, the fitness industry is super opinionated. There are many people who think that their way is the best over others, for example: fitness methodology xyz (CrossFit, Traditional Bodybuilding, Running, Rock Climbing, you name it) is the best, cardio before vs after vs separate for workouts is the best, diet abc is the best, so on and so forth. The author is totally guilty of this as well, which is expected for this field but still doesn't make me like it anymore. -1 star mainly for that and me disagreeing with some of his blanket statements and opinions.
Overall though, anyone from the dedicated fitness practitioner to someone who wants to get started, this is a great resource.
The author does sort of bash newcomers in the introduction to this book, saying essentially along the lines:
"This is not for beginners, if you want to go read a one size fits all cookie cutter how to move from the couch to your first run, this book is not for you".
If the author wants to narrow his audience like this, whatever.. it's his choice. However, I will disagree in that even if you are in a place where you want to get better and learn more this book will totally support that goal. Do not let the authors elitist attitude that you need to be able to run marathons in order to enjoy this book throw you off.
The author admittingly turned his Masters Thesis into a book, that ended up doing very well and taking off to be quite financially rewarding. Good for him! I am sure there are plenty of thesis/dissertations out there that this path could be pursued and I am all for it.
This book is split into two parts, Part 1 is full of immensely heavy, very deep dive, biology and science of the human body relating to exercise. It was so in-depth that it almost pushed me away... but, I stuck it out and I am very glad I did. This is definitely Master's level material for sure.
Part 2 gets into the working out portion of the book. While the author is dedicated to running specifically, the concepts and ideas presented can be easily transmuted into other types of exercises such as weightlifting, rock climbing, swimming, team sports, so on and so forth. Non-runners, do not let this scare you aware from this, and just be creative enough to be willing to adapt what is presented and gear it towards your chosen exercise/fitness discipline.
I learned a lot from this book for sure and very much enjoyed reading it. However, the fitness industry is super opinionated. There are many people who think that their way is the best over others, for example: fitness methodology xyz (CrossFit, Traditional Bodybuilding, Running, Rock Climbing, you name it) is the best, cardio before vs after vs separate for workouts is the best, diet abc is the best, so on and so forth. The author is totally guilty of this as well, which is expected for this field but still doesn't make me like it anymore. -1 star mainly for that and me disagreeing with some of his blanket statements and opinions.
Overall though, anyone from the dedicated fitness practitioner to someone who wants to get started, this is a great resource.
The author does sort of bash newcomers in the introduction to this book, saying essentially along the lines:
"This is not for beginners, if you want to go read a one size fits all cookie cutter how to move from the couch to your first run, this book is not for you".
If the author wants to narrow his audience like this, whatever.. it's his choice. However, I will disagree in that even if you are in a place where you want to get better and learn more this book will totally support that goal. Do not let the authors elitist attitude that you need to be able to run marathons in order to enjoy this book throw you off.
December 17, 2021
I am a 'recreational runner.' I read all I can about running because I like running, and because I want to learn new ways to train, etc. I found this to be arguably one of the best running books around. However, it's written for the professional coach/runner. From the introduction in p. 1: "This is not your typical watered-down, mass-market training book that relies on cookie-cutter programs. There will be no formulaic training regimes or easy to follow training plans included. Instead, this book is designed to challenge the athlete, coach, or scientist." Regardless of this, I found the book to be excellent, and I'd still recommend it to any runner regardless of his/her level.
In p. 147, the author lists his coaching influences, among them Renato Canova, Antonio Cabral, Peter Coe, and Arthur Lydiard. I am missing Jack Daniels, a 'favorite' coach of mine. (Daniel's Running Formula, 2005 IS referenced at the end in the 'References' list, though).
Steve Magness' philosophy of running could be summarized as "Training stimulus = Adaptation GIVEN adequate recovery and nutrition." This is presumably pretty much the same equation he presented in 'Peak Performance' with Brad Stulberg: "Stress + Rest = GROWTH," where adaptation is growth, stimulus is stress, and recovery is rest.
Finally, a note about the publishing of the book (by Origin Press, 2014). The book contains several orthotypographic inconsistencies that should have been fixed before printing. The design is 'frugal' at best. The book looks more like a thesis typed by a college student, than a commercial book for sale. There are no pictures and no graphs, and the few tables accompanying the text could have been enhanced by a better, more visually appealing design. The same goes to the quality of the paper. The book is large (11x8 in), which I very much like and appreciate. I have read the paperback edition. There is a Kindle edition, but I have not seen it, so I can't comment on it. This does not have any impact of my rating the book with five stars, but if there is a second edition, this is an opportunity for improvement.
P.S. Steve Magness is the man behind 'The Science of Running' podcast, which you may follow at https://www.scienceofrunning.com
In p. 147, the author lists his coaching influences, among them Renato Canova, Antonio Cabral, Peter Coe, and Arthur Lydiard. I am missing Jack Daniels, a 'favorite' coach of mine. (Daniel's Running Formula, 2005 IS referenced at the end in the 'References' list, though).
Steve Magness' philosophy of running could be summarized as "Training stimulus = Adaptation GIVEN adequate recovery and nutrition." This is presumably pretty much the same equation he presented in 'Peak Performance' with Brad Stulberg: "Stress + Rest = GROWTH," where adaptation is growth, stimulus is stress, and recovery is rest.
Finally, a note about the publishing of the book (by Origin Press, 2014). The book contains several orthotypographic inconsistencies that should have been fixed before printing. The design is 'frugal' at best. The book looks more like a thesis typed by a college student, than a commercial book for sale. There are no pictures and no graphs, and the few tables accompanying the text could have been enhanced by a better, more visually appealing design. The same goes to the quality of the paper. The book is large (11x8 in), which I very much like and appreciate. I have read the paperback edition. There is a Kindle edition, but I have not seen it, so I can't comment on it. This does not have any impact of my rating the book with five stars, but if there is a second edition, this is an opportunity for improvement.
P.S. Steve Magness is the man behind 'The Science of Running' podcast, which you may follow at https://www.scienceofrunning.com
August 4, 2020
A very scientific and detailed look at running and training. I listened to the audio book and thought it was read well.
W0w - lots of detail and theory. Great for me, perhaps too much for some. Magness does point out that what runners and coaches adopt typically happens before scientific proof.
There is also good discussion about training, its impact, and who is being trained.
Untrained athlete - almost any regular program will show improvements.
Trained athlete - a more logical training program and more time is needed to show improvement.
Super athlete - may not benefit from training the way a trained athlete does. Because of this, studies that show that some training "works" for a group of athletes really only shows that the training works for similar athlete. Because the program works for them it may not work for you if your fitness is much higher or your age is much greater.
Different training will also do different things to different types of runners. Distance vs sprinters.
Magness also points out that stressors be used to achieve the results the runner or coach wants to achieve. A simple example: Should a long-distance runner train using fuel (calories) along with water on long runs? What is the intent of training? If the intent is to train the body to use limited calories more efficiently then the answer is train without or reduced calories. If the intent is to train the body to not have GI distress when consuming calories on the run (perhaps for an ultra runner) then the answer is yes.
I thought the book was great, but can understand if some find it a little dry or long.
W0w - lots of detail and theory. Great for me, perhaps too much for some. Magness does point out that what runners and coaches adopt typically happens before scientific proof.
There is also good discussion about training, its impact, and who is being trained.
Untrained athlete - almost any regular program will show improvements.
Trained athlete - a more logical training program and more time is needed to show improvement.
Super athlete - may not benefit from training the way a trained athlete does. Because of this, studies that show that some training "works" for a group of athletes really only shows that the training works for similar athlete. Because the program works for them it may not work for you if your fitness is much higher or your age is much greater.
Different training will also do different things to different types of runners. Distance vs sprinters.
Magness also points out that stressors be used to achieve the results the runner or coach wants to achieve. A simple example: Should a long-distance runner train using fuel (calories) along with water on long runs? What is the intent of training? If the intent is to train the body to use limited calories more efficiently then the answer is train without or reduced calories. If the intent is to train the body to not have GI distress when consuming calories on the run (perhaps for an ultra runner) then the answer is yes.
I thought the book was great, but can understand if some find it a little dry or long.
February 15, 2022
Summary: the next best book out there, ideal for when you've reached a plateau and you want to take your training to the highest level. This book stands out if it comes down to building your season, timing the changes in intensity and lots of examples are given. It's really packed with science, some of it applied to lactate and VO2 max testing, but even more so about your metabolic systems, working of the muscles and biomechanics. Even more, it goes on to use those neurological insights, for example, to design workouts that elicit a better adapatation to it. Additionally, it is very insightful on what the limitations of research are when it comes to transferring the findings to real-world coaching. My only drawback compared to Danniels Running Formula is that, in the end, you're overwhelmed with his labels as "specific endurance" or "direct speed support" "speed endurance" or "speed support", "endurance support" or "direct aerobic support", without it being clear anymore to the reader what system he is aiming to stress. Whereas the latter, Jack Danniels, has a very easy-to-use classification with associated paces to train. Yes, it is more of a simplification, especially on the faster-than-race-pace side, but imho it is of more value to the reader.
August 21, 2020
If you have run for long enough, you will have been met with injury, niggles, irritations, tightness and muscular as well as gastrointestinal cramps. You will have been banged up, tossed around and have run through storms of fatigue and with tailwind-blowing gales of finely tuned fitness; you will have seen it all.
During that span, you will have picked up all sorts of correct and incorrect physiological jargon from professionals, running friends, Google-searched bro-science as well as real science. You will have become a running encyclopedia of information of various degrees of quality.
Run long enough, and you will have limped into the physio’s office to tell him or her all about the (name the niggled body part) abductor, piriformis, sciatica, gastroc, soleus, patella, IT band – you know the drill – like an expert.
Now runners new and gnarled veterans alike can have a reference manual good enough to put their physio out of work – well, sort of.
If you are new to running, this book will save you all sorts of agony. Read it.
Read more: https://athleticsillustrated.com/book...
During that span, you will have picked up all sorts of correct and incorrect physiological jargon from professionals, running friends, Google-searched bro-science as well as real science. You will have become a running encyclopedia of information of various degrees of quality.
Run long enough, and you will have limped into the physio’s office to tell him or her all about the (name the niggled body part) abductor, piriformis, sciatica, gastroc, soleus, patella, IT band – you know the drill – like an expert.
Now runners new and gnarled veterans alike can have a reference manual good enough to put their physio out of work – well, sort of.
If you are new to running, this book will save you all sorts of agony. Read it.
Read more: https://athleticsillustrated.com/book...
January 2, 2025
I wanted to like this book, but I would not recommend it. The first half felt like the author copy & pasted his masters thesis / PhD dissertation with very little editing. It was basically a literature review of scientific research on run training. Which is somewhat interesting… but also his main point is “we don’t have a lot of good research because scientific trials on this stuff are hard”. Okee doke. And then the second half is aimed at coaches trying to apply the data from the first half into training plans. I wanted to get nuggets of info out of it, but it was really wishy washy and vague. One of the author’s perspectives that was new to me was his emphasis on “slow twitch runners” vs “fast twitch” (referring to the muscle fibers). A lot of his training advice depended upon which group a runner fell into. But I was not persuaded by the evidence he offered this divide is all that real or meaningful given the tools avail at our disposal.
June 19, 2022
An interesting review on the science of running
The book presents a very comprehensive review of several research topics related to running. However, by covering so many topics, several are superficially discussed. The result is that, by reading the book, one can get a glimpse of the science behind some running or training concept, but the missing details can make the information not so useful. If you are interested in out-of-the-shelf training plans, this is not the right book for you. The author includes some training plans, but be advised they are more for very advanced runners. On the other hand, if you just like to read about running science, without caring about how useful the information will be, this is an interesting book.
The book presents a very comprehensive review of several research topics related to running. However, by covering so many topics, several are superficially discussed. The result is that, by reading the book, one can get a glimpse of the science behind some running or training concept, but the missing details can make the information not so useful. If you are interested in out-of-the-shelf training plans, this is not the right book for you. The author includes some training plans, but be advised they are more for very advanced runners. On the other hand, if you just like to read about running science, without caring about how useful the information will be, this is an interesting book.
July 26, 2024
The book promos clearly states this book is not for the causal runner with tips to finish their 5K. However I was not ready to be overwhelmed with so much data and facts.
Ultimately every runner is different physiologically, psychologically and has different goals and/or events. Hence no one system fits all.
The idea is to review the science, figure out where the limitations to achieve one’s goals are and then develop plans to improve them, and test and repeat.
One minor gripe: without much narrative stories and anecdotes, it a bit harder for the “lesson” of each section to get in. It felt more textbookish at times, best to have as a physical book that can be dog eared, highlighted and reread.
Ultimately every runner is different physiologically, psychologically and has different goals and/or events. Hence no one system fits all.
The idea is to review the science, figure out where the limitations to achieve one’s goals are and then develop plans to improve them, and test and repeat.
One minor gripe: without much narrative stories and anecdotes, it a bit harder for the “lesson” of each section to get in. It felt more textbookish at times, best to have as a physical book that can be dog eared, highlighted and reread.
October 31, 2024
Very geared toward distance running, and if the author decided to stay in that lane and just made the book about that, it would be much shorter and better for that crowd.
As a sprinter and short distance runner who does a 3 km - 4 km run for speed weekly, and one 5km race a year, I then wouldn't have wasted my time trying to glean any useful nuggets from this for myself.
I listened as an audiobook, so the reviews complaining about the typos and such were not applicable to this version. However, a lot of the text within doesn't translate to audiobook format very well and is better seen visually.
Hearing do 800 meter by four intervals for marathon pace and similar sample training plans or guides spoken aloud isn't really useful.
As a sprinter and short distance runner who does a 3 km - 4 km run for speed weekly, and one 5km race a year, I then wouldn't have wasted my time trying to glean any useful nuggets from this for myself.
I listened as an audiobook, so the reviews complaining about the typos and such were not applicable to this version. However, a lot of the text within doesn't translate to audiobook format very well and is better seen visually.
Hearing do 800 meter by four intervals for marathon pace and similar sample training plans or guides spoken aloud isn't really useful.
January 25, 2025
This book contains a solid scientific background on running performance. I found the first half a fascinating review of topics I learned in college exercise science courses. There are also many good sections on training philosophy specific to running that I found useful.
On the negative side I believe it would benefit from being condensed. Many themes are repeated and on more than one occasion I got the feeling that Id read the same sentence repeated verbatim multiple times through out the book. It seems the author wanted to create an in-depth discussion on the exercise science related to running while also providing a training guide. It feels a bit disjointed hence the 4 stars but nonetheless a valuable read.
On the negative side I believe it would benefit from being condensed. Many themes are repeated and on more than one occasion I got the feeling that Id read the same sentence repeated verbatim multiple times through out the book. It seems the author wanted to create an in-depth discussion on the exercise science related to running while also providing a training guide. It feels a bit disjointed hence the 4 stars but nonetheless a valuable read.
March 2, 2025
i enjoyed the general>specific approach to explaining training. run training can be so mf deep but also so simple as well
psychological factors = physical factors: central governor theory dictates that it is the brain that determines how fast we can run and how long we are able to hold that pace for. train your brain to subconsciously feel comfortable at race paces.
what are we training? : what is the specific training adaptation for each workout? identify specific pace ranges and specify training to be relevant to specific training goals. everything needs to be trained but choose specific goals with each workout. can be purely running adaptation, or fuel adaptations, or heat, etc.
psychological factors = physical factors: central governor theory dictates that it is the brain that determines how fast we can run and how long we are able to hold that pace for. train your brain to subconsciously feel comfortable at race paces.
what are we training? : what is the specific training adaptation for each workout? identify specific pace ranges and specify training to be relevant to specific training goals. everything needs to be trained but choose specific goals with each workout. can be purely running adaptation, or fuel adaptations, or heat, etc.
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