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Running & Walking for Women Over 40
A consistent program of running or walking is the fastest, easiest, and least expensive road to overall fitness and well-being for women and men at any age. For women over forty it can be the key to the most fulfilling years life has in store.Katherine Switzer, a pioneer in women's fitness since 1967, when she became the first woman to officially enter the Boston Marathon is once again blazing a trail with the very first running and walking program designed specifically for women over forty. Now every woman can benefit from Katherine's highly personal, motivational, and step-by-step advice."For women beginning fitness programs at age forty, fifty, and beyond, the results can be nothing short of dramatic. For the first time they are reaching the body weight and physical conditioning they've always dreamed of. Women who have been reasonably active off their lives can also firnd a new and exciting road of fitness ahead of them after age forty. Some even find themselves outrunning women half their age!" --Katherine Switzer
196 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 15, 1998
72 people are currently reading
187 people want to read
About the author
Kathrine Switzer
16 books27 followersKathrine Switzer is the first woman to run the Boston Marathon as a numbered entry. She entered and completed the race in 1967, five years before women were officially allowed to compete in it.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews
February 22, 2018
I enjoyed this book. As I am getting older exercise isn't as easy as it once was. Things hurt that never hurt before. My energy level, and stamina are not what they once were. My body reacts differently to physical stress than it did before. My metabolism certainly isn't what it once was! The lady who wrote this book, a former Olympic marathon runner helps you to find an exercise program that works with your body as it is now, not how it once was. She doesn't push for running and gives equal time and emphasis to walking programs and their health benefits. I feel motivated after reading this to begin making healthy changes.
August 13, 2016
Read my full review: http://bit.ly/1dBtFnQ
My opinion: I found this to be an excellent training book that grabbed me immediately. While I felt that 95 percent of it could be applicable to runners of any age or sex, I was fascinated by the author's information on how menopause affects running capabilities and injuries. .
There is an well detailed chapter that gives descriptions/treatments for common injuries.
I enjoyed this book so much and the information so useful that it is in Amazon cart for addition to my training library.
My opinion: I found this to be an excellent training book that grabbed me immediately. While I felt that 95 percent of it could be applicable to runners of any age or sex, I was fascinated by the author's information on how menopause affects running capabilities and injuries. .
There is an well detailed chapter that gives descriptions/treatments for common injuries.
I enjoyed this book so much and the information so useful that it is in Amazon cart for addition to my training library.
February 6, 2014
I enjoy walking and would some day love to be a runner.
It's been so cold and icy this winter that I haven't been outside much ... plus I've been lazy and tired (so haven't gone to the gym). Hopefully that will change once the weather warms up.
This is a great book for female beginners who are age 40 and up who want to start walking and/or running.
The chapters are:
* Getting out the door - determining your fitness level, setting goals, breathing, etc.
* Starting here, starting no
* A walking program
* A running program
* Equipment and clothing - the right shoes, clothing, bras, fanny packs, etc. to buy
* Braving Mother Nature
* Alternative routes to sanity and vanity - indoor equipment and gyms
* Managing your time
* Eating and exercise
* Your changing body - dealing with menopause
* Safety while running and walking
* Don't let injuries spoil your fun
Along with information, there are also the author's personal notes of what has worked and hasn't work for her ... she has been running for 53 years and has run 39 marathons! I found the colourful pictures of female walkers and runners who are 40+ and their stories motivational.
The author was the first woman to run the Boston Marathon (in 1967) as a numbered entry. Race official Jock Semple attempted to physically remove her from the race. Her boyfriend, Tom Miller, who was running with her, shoved Semple aside and sent him flying. In 1972, women were welcome to run the Boston Marathon officially for the first time ever.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2014/02...
It's been so cold and icy this winter that I haven't been outside much ... plus I've been lazy and tired (so haven't gone to the gym). Hopefully that will change once the weather warms up.
This is a great book for female beginners who are age 40 and up who want to start walking and/or running.
The chapters are:
* Getting out the door - determining your fitness level, setting goals, breathing, etc.
* Starting here, starting no
* A walking program
* A running program
* Equipment and clothing - the right shoes, clothing, bras, fanny packs, etc. to buy
* Braving Mother Nature
* Alternative routes to sanity and vanity - indoor equipment and gyms
* Managing your time
* Eating and exercise
* Your changing body - dealing with menopause
* Safety while running and walking
* Don't let injuries spoil your fun
Along with information, there are also the author's personal notes of what has worked and hasn't work for her ... she has been running for 53 years and has run 39 marathons! I found the colourful pictures of female walkers and runners who are 40+ and their stories motivational.
The author was the first woman to run the Boston Marathon (in 1967) as a numbered entry. Race official Jock Semple attempted to physically remove her from the race. Her boyfriend, Tom Miller, who was running with her, shoved Semple aside and sent him flying. In 1972, women were welcome to run the Boston Marathon officially for the first time ever.
Blog review post: http://www.teenaintoronto.com/2014/02...
March 11, 2011
This rather brief book is one of those where nothing is really wrong with it, but neither is there anything to really grab you. It is practical and sensible and provides sound advice. Switzer and her husband are both lifelong athletes and I think she falls short in motivating the non-lifelong athletes to join her.
August 21, 2014
This was a really helpful resource as a beginning runner who has passed the age of 40. In addition to being a good source of information, it is also motivating to get out there and run!
November 25, 2021
I read Kathrine Switzer's memoir about running the marathon and breaking barriers for women in the world of running, and her career following that momentous achievement. That book was good. This one was disappointing.
I do like how the guide to starting a running regimen, and the one to start a walking regimen, were separated into two different chapters. I was never athletic at all until this past year. My joints are not up to the pounding that long term running would put them through. I have also worked in the medical field and seen injuries that can happen. For me, walking or workouts using trainers on YouTube are my best bet, personally. Still, she is an expert and I wanted to read her insights.
She does have charts listing specific brands or types of products (shoes, athletic wear, sports bras) that might work best for certain people. However, this book IS 20 years old. I doubt most of those styles of athletic shoes are still available, and the technology has improved greatly since then. Still, there is info about if you are flat-footed, have a high arch, or have a normal foot structure, which is helpful.
What I did not like was the part where she provided medical advice about menopause and self defense. To say a woman can not physically overcome a man if attacked is incorrect and demeaning. To give advice about hormone use during menopause is not something she is qualified to do. She is an expert in running, and in marketing. She can only speak to her own personal experience when it comes to menopause, and should not lay out guidelines for others. I actually can't take estrogen because it raises my blood pressure to hypertension levels, so no I will not be starting estrogen replacement therapy when my time comes for menopause. I felt that some of this section of the book, as well as little snippets throughout, included outdated information.
If you want to get involved in walking or running, sure you could read this, but I think with 20 years gone by, there are better, more up to date resources available. Try a couch to 5K type of program, maybe. Unlike in 1998, when this book was released, there are countless trainers on YouTube and other social media websites who can give good training advice and workouts that are more up to date.
I do like how the guide to starting a running regimen, and the one to start a walking regimen, were separated into two different chapters. I was never athletic at all until this past year. My joints are not up to the pounding that long term running would put them through. I have also worked in the medical field and seen injuries that can happen. For me, walking or workouts using trainers on YouTube are my best bet, personally. Still, she is an expert and I wanted to read her insights.
She does have charts listing specific brands or types of products (shoes, athletic wear, sports bras) that might work best for certain people. However, this book IS 20 years old. I doubt most of those styles of athletic shoes are still available, and the technology has improved greatly since then. Still, there is info about if you are flat-footed, have a high arch, or have a normal foot structure, which is helpful.
What I did not like was the part where she provided medical advice about menopause and self defense. To say a woman can not physically overcome a man if attacked is incorrect and demeaning. To give advice about hormone use during menopause is not something she is qualified to do. She is an expert in running, and in marketing. She can only speak to her own personal experience when it comes to menopause, and should not lay out guidelines for others. I actually can't take estrogen because it raises my blood pressure to hypertension levels, so no I will not be starting estrogen replacement therapy when my time comes for menopause. I felt that some of this section of the book, as well as little snippets throughout, included outdated information.
If you want to get involved in walking or running, sure you could read this, but I think with 20 years gone by, there are better, more up to date resources available. Try a couch to 5K type of program, maybe. Unlike in 1998, when this book was released, there are countless trainers on YouTube and other social media websites who can give good training advice and workouts that are more up to date.
May 24, 2025
This book was helpful for gaining some motivation to run. I learned a few benefits of running that I had not heard elsewhere. Thanks to this books explanation, I might have found a treatment for the heat hives I’ve been suffering from for about 5 years now. I kept stopping when they happened, but since I powered through them and built up a good sweat while running they’ve not returned! It’s too soon to know how long it will last, but it’s exciting nonetheless.
This book is dated. I’m not sure if there are newer editions whereas I bought my copy used, but there is repeated references to pay phones and precautions to take that are not as necessary in the world of cell phones. Plus the food pyramid and some of the nutritional advice is a little outdated but still good. I like that she explains the importance of not following a low-fat diet. So important for muscle and brain health, not to mention weight loss.
Still a great book and I recommend to any women who are nearing or are over 40 who walk or run or want to begin.
This book is dated. I’m not sure if there are newer editions whereas I bought my copy used, but there is repeated references to pay phones and precautions to take that are not as necessary in the world of cell phones. Plus the food pyramid and some of the nutritional advice is a little outdated but still good. I like that she explains the importance of not following a low-fat diet. So important for muscle and brain health, not to mention weight loss.
Still a great book and I recommend to any women who are nearing or are over 40 who walk or run or want to begin.
June 2, 2021
I think this book would be a 4 or 5 for someone over 40 just starting out in a running/walking program. But as someone who has been running for 12 years (and started at 40) there was very little information in it that I have not read before, already know , or could use. The chapter on menopause was interesting but also nothing earthshakingly fresh or new about the information presented. I did enjoy reading Kathrine's personal insights through the various chapters.
July 7, 2017
Best for beginners. Having been a runner for over 30 years, not as much here for me. I hoping for running training programs, specific tips for longer distance running, managing heart rate, how to watch for joint degradation, how late in life one can expect to reasonably run (stories from women running into their 60s, 70s, 80s).
June 8, 2025
4.0 / 5.0
There is a good amount of information in here if you source through it carefully. I would rely more on the plan you and your healthcare provider build, but the motivation tips, the goal-setting techniques, and the interspersed stories are good for the overall readability of the book.
Until Next Time, MC
There is a good amount of information in here if you source through it carefully. I would rely more on the plan you and your healthcare provider build, but the motivation tips, the goal-setting techniques, and the interspersed stories are good for the overall readability of the book.
Until Next Time, MC
March 25, 2019
I was really wanting to read this book because of who wrote it. But it was so very basic and nothing special. I wish she would have shared more of her own experiences throughout. It's okay, but nothing that really grabs you.
August 12, 2018
Great read with good advice
September 8, 2018
Verrrrrry practical, if not exactly unique in information you could get elsewhere. I liked her personal notes best, because the strength of this book is definitely on her reputation and experience!
February 1, 2014
A pretty basic book, with a fair amount of info to get started.
I really like that it is geared for women over 40, and includes a lot of general info like training plans, guides to stretching, clothing and also includes indoor work outs, if you can't get outside.
I didn't like the nutritional information. I have been doing lots of reading on that subject lately and find the food pyramid outdated and incorrect.
The info on hormone replacement therapy was cautionary but the author seems to encourage it. I personally am very opposed.
The thing I found extremely offensive was to profile several breeds of dogs as dangerous, or as ones to watch out for while walking or running. It is not ever the fault of breed of dog, it is always the fault of the environment they are kept in, or how they were treated (I don't want to say trained) by humans. Many small dogs are more vicious than the breeds the author mentions.
I really like that it is geared for women over 40, and includes a lot of general info like training plans, guides to stretching, clothing and also includes indoor work outs, if you can't get outside.
I didn't like the nutritional information. I have been doing lots of reading on that subject lately and find the food pyramid outdated and incorrect.
The info on hormone replacement therapy was cautionary but the author seems to encourage it. I personally am very opposed.
The thing I found extremely offensive was to profile several breeds of dogs as dangerous, or as ones to watch out for while walking or running. It is not ever the fault of breed of dog, it is always the fault of the environment they are kept in, or how they were treated (I don't want to say trained) by humans. Many small dogs are more vicious than the breeds the author mentions.
February 1, 2014
Manual very helpful and clear to start walking and then running without encountering any errors that might cause us to abandon the project, or even be harmful to our health. Recommended for those who think that by it's too late to start after 40 years of age.....
Manuale necessario e decisamente utile e chiaro per iniziare a camminare e poi correre senza incappare in errori che potrebbero farci abbandonare il progetto, oppure essere anche dannosi per la nostra salute. Consigliabile per chi ritiene che ormai sia troppo tardi.....
THANKS TO NETGALLEY AND DIVERSION BOOK FOR THE PREVIEW!
Manuale necessario e decisamente utile e chiaro per iniziare a camminare e poi correre senza incappare in errori che potrebbero farci abbandonare il progetto, oppure essere anche dannosi per la nostra salute. Consigliabile per chi ritiene che ormai sia troppo tardi.....
THANKS TO NETGALLEY AND DIVERSION BOOK FOR THE PREVIEW!
September 8, 2016
This book is somewhat outdated, but the author is a serious and accomplished runner and she's at her best when she sticks to giving advice about walking and running. Ignore her advice about hormone replacement therapy. She obviously had no medical expertise in that area, just opinions. As a survivor of estrogen based breast cancer, I think she had no business trying to tackle the subject of HRT.
July 2, 2012
Well - I got the walking down but it has always been on my bucket list to run a 5K ...I guess the test will be if I keep up and can run a race in 10 weeks....Seems like good sensible directions- I anticipate it is a matter of follow-through...
March 1, 2014
I received this book free to review from Netgalley. To me, the information seems rather basic and shallow and just like things most people already know. I did not find anything new or motivational or interesting in this book, which is what I had been hoping for.
January 21, 2014
Was a great book to help get started and to increase the amount of running. I will probably buy this book as is is a great reference book
April 3, 2012
good tips
May 25, 2013
Not a huge amount of new info, and some outdated (Like recommending hormone replacement therapy.) But encouraging anyway.
October 9, 2013
Really basic book. Could use an update. Wish I had found it a year ago when it would have been useful.
September 11, 2016
This was a fantastic book to get me motivated to get up and move!
September 16, 2014
Really good, basic info. for the new runner. The book is a bit dated (16 years old), but the tips are helpful and the writing style is easy to understand.
January 9, 2020
Why
It just tells you what you need for your walking and how to prepare for a schedule. It also lets you know the kind of illnesses you can expect and what to do if it happens
It just tells you what you need for your walking and how to prepare for a schedule. It also lets you know the kind of illnesses you can expect and what to do if it happens
March 23, 2020
Some good stuff, very newb friendly.
April 5, 2022
It's precisely what it says it will be. I don't feel like it was super brilliant or clever, but it does seem like a really good book for its niche.
December 29, 2012
Not bad.. rehash of info in a lot of running magazines....
February 28, 2013
Great book for starting out!
October 16, 2013
Lots of good information.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 31 reviews