What do you think?
Rate this book
1:59: The Sub-Two-Hour Marathon Is Within Reach—Here's How It Will Go Down, and What It Can Teach All Runners about Training and Racing
What will it take to run a marathon in less than two hours?The world’s fastest times for the marathon have been dropping since the distance of 26.2 miles was made official nearly one hundred years ago. But after a noticeable decline that occurred for a half century, the times, while still edging lower, have stalled several minutes north of two hours for the past decade.For the first time, 1:59 examines what it will take for an elite distance runner to go sub–two hours. It will require more than raw talent, optimal body size, and great athletic genes. In order to become marathon’s Roger Bannister and smash this elusive record, this runner must follow a healthy diet and an individualized training regimen that takes advantage of specific environmental factors (“live high, train low”). Because precious seconds count over each mile run, other critical considerations include improved running form and economy, sharpened mental focus, and wearing the right type of racing flats (or even going barefoot).The athlete who finally breaks distance running’s most tantalizing barrier will become a worldwide celebrity overnight. Will the runner be a Kenyan, an Ethiopian, an American, or a marathoner from another country? And how soon will it happen?By providing a unique window into the highly competitive world of elite marathon running, this book also allows running enthusiasts to have a thorough understanding of the true potential of endurance athletes. And in turn, they can apply the same training and racing principles discussed in 1:59 to their own running, whether it’s a 10K, half marathon, marathon, or ultramarathon.
242 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 1, 2014
20 people are currently reading
86 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
August 6, 2016
A repackaging of things the author has written about in previous books. If you're coming at Phil Maffetone afresh and want the lowdown on his "Maffetone Method", pick up The Big Book of Endurance Training and Racing instead of this one.
May 12, 2023
A bir outdated now given 1.59 has been achieved. This book is more of a training for distance running with a few references to running 1.59. I wasnt a fan, the tone is overly pious and condescending. It also offers some fairly odd views on marathon running (drinking water in the race isnt needed and might slow you down?).
Its biggest problem is that 1.59 was achieved by a runner doing all the things Maffetone says you shouldnt do (wear hi teach shos, do anaerobic workouts, liquids, stretching)
Its biggest problem is that 1.59 was achieved by a runner doing all the things Maffetone says you shouldnt do (wear hi teach shos, do anaerobic workouts, liquids, stretching)
February 15, 2024
Admittedly less interesting once it dropped the history, science and journalism side of the 1:59 marathon and became more of a ‘how to start running if you’ve never run before (and make sure your shoes fit properly) guide’.
April 17, 2021
I don't trust anything Maffetone says about nutrition. He makes unsubstantiated claims about the need for red meat, animal protein, fish oil supplements, etc. Show me the research studies that support any of these claims.
His claim that a sub 2 hour marathon will be run barefoot seems quite ridiculous in hindsight. Eliud Kipchoge wore Nike Vaporfly Next% which may have improved running economy by 4%.
I do agree with his argument for endurance athletes to spend the vast majority (80% or more) of their training time in Zones 1 + 2 (in a 5 zone model).
Format: Audible
His claim that a sub 2 hour marathon will be run barefoot seems quite ridiculous in hindsight. Eliud Kipchoge wore Nike Vaporfly Next% which may have improved running economy by 4%.
I do agree with his argument for endurance athletes to spend the vast majority (80% or more) of their training time in Zones 1 + 2 (in a 5 zone model).
Format: Audible
September 21, 2019
A fake doctor (chiropractor) gives some interesting training ideas about getting under the 2 hour mark on marathons, but nearly ruins it with his antiscience nutrition advice and other associated drivel.
February 16, 2019
Interesting, but not much new
March 2, 2023
Sprinters are born, but endurance athletes are made
This book has a simple goal, but a highly ambitious one: to reach a sub-2-hour marathon. Unlike his other “general theory” books, in this book Phil Maffetone uses the tools and tactics directly as an action plan to develop our physique and mentality to be able to run the marathon in just 1 hour and 59 minutes.
Now, as I write this almost a decade later since publishing date in 2014 the sub-2-hour marathon has finally been achieved in Vienna 2019 by Eliud Kipchoge, one of the main contenders expected in the appendix to break the barrier. So, 1:59 is humanly possible.
But of course the rest of us mortals are not a pro runner and won’t likely to reach 1:59, but it’s the effort and science behind it that makes this book so interesting, as we now have the ideal benchmark if we choose to train and live like the pros. Or at least close to it. And for a running geek like me, this is a goldmine.
The book neatly covers all the most important subjects on running, from vitamin D, to running economy, slow twitch and fast twitch muscle fibres, recovery and rest, lactic level, aerobic and anaerobic, heart rate variability, VO2MAX, cortisol, addressing over training, stretching (or why you shouldn’t do it), nutrition and diet, glycemic index, massage therapy, on the right shoes, barefoot running, cadence, altitude training, to how he use time (not miles) for training, and many more, including a special analysis of the Kalenjin people in Iten, Kenya (the de facto Mecca for running) and why they produce so many pro runners.
“Sprinters are born, but endurance athletes are made”, Maffetone remarked. And this mindset indicates that although it is far from easy, we don’t really need a special talent to become a distance runner and that everything written in this book is actually trainable for anyone.
This book has a simple goal, but a highly ambitious one: to reach a sub-2-hour marathon. Unlike his other “general theory” books, in this book Phil Maffetone uses the tools and tactics directly as an action plan to develop our physique and mentality to be able to run the marathon in just 1 hour and 59 minutes.
Now, as I write this almost a decade later since publishing date in 2014 the sub-2-hour marathon has finally been achieved in Vienna 2019 by Eliud Kipchoge, one of the main contenders expected in the appendix to break the barrier. So, 1:59 is humanly possible.
But of course the rest of us mortals are not a pro runner and won’t likely to reach 1:59, but it’s the effort and science behind it that makes this book so interesting, as we now have the ideal benchmark if we choose to train and live like the pros. Or at least close to it. And for a running geek like me, this is a goldmine.
The book neatly covers all the most important subjects on running, from vitamin D, to running economy, slow twitch and fast twitch muscle fibres, recovery and rest, lactic level, aerobic and anaerobic, heart rate variability, VO2MAX, cortisol, addressing over training, stretching (or why you shouldn’t do it), nutrition and diet, glycemic index, massage therapy, on the right shoes, barefoot running, cadence, altitude training, to how he use time (not miles) for training, and many more, including a special analysis of the Kalenjin people in Iten, Kenya (the de facto Mecca for running) and why they produce so many pro runners.
“Sprinters are born, but endurance athletes are made”, Maffetone remarked. And this mindset indicates that although it is far from easy, we don’t really need a special talent to become a distance runner and that everything written in this book is actually trainable for anyone.
May 10, 2021
This book has a lot of the same tips I've seen in other running books but it makes 2 points that I really hadn't seen in other places:
(1) The importance of having an individualized plan
I have been very guilty of this in the past. Downloading some mileage plan from the internet and just sticking to it robotically, without making any adjustments for my individual situation. I think most of us have a terror that if we don't run exactly how we planned we will lose all our fitness but this is not true as long as you don't completely stop training and are eating, sleeping and resting well.
(2) The superiority of planning your runs based on time not distance
This is another point I'm guilty of (and most runners are as well). I always set out to run a specific distance, whether it's 3 miles on a light day or those notorious 20 mile long runs. But I have become convinced that this is counter productive:
(1) Total time on feet may be a more accurate measure of effort than total distance covered. An elite athlete can run 20 miles in 2 hours while a beginner might only run 12 miles in the same time and yet they may be doing the same amount of work relative to their fitness.
(2) Just looking at mileage doesn't take into account the weather. Doing 10 miles on a very hot humid day is harder on your body than 10 miles on a nice cool day. Doing it by time helps compensate for this since you will naturally slow down in unfavorable conditions.
(1) The importance of having an individualized plan
I have been very guilty of this in the past. Downloading some mileage plan from the internet and just sticking to it robotically, without making any adjustments for my individual situation. I think most of us have a terror that if we don't run exactly how we planned we will lose all our fitness but this is not true as long as you don't completely stop training and are eating, sleeping and resting well.
(2) The superiority of planning your runs based on time not distance
This is another point I'm guilty of (and most runners are as well). I always set out to run a specific distance, whether it's 3 miles on a light day or those notorious 20 mile long runs. But I have become convinced that this is counter productive:
(1) Total time on feet may be a more accurate measure of effort than total distance covered. An elite athlete can run 20 miles in 2 hours while a beginner might only run 12 miles in the same time and yet they may be doing the same amount of work relative to their fitness.
(2) Just looking at mileage doesn't take into account the weather. Doing 10 miles on a very hot humid day is harder on your body than 10 miles on a nice cool day. Doing it by time helps compensate for this since you will naturally slow down in unfavorable conditions.
December 8, 2021
A bit outdated in 2021. A lot has happened in running over the last 7 years including the rise of the “super shoes” which is extremely relevant to this topic. I disagree with his training philosophy in some key areas (emphasis on heart rate especially), but there are some good principles that a beginner could glean. He claims that we shouldn’t be surprised if a barefoot runner is the first man under 2:00:00, which seems preposterous given the proven benefit of the super shoes. He also says not to expect women to be far behind, another claim that has not aged well. The current women’s 1/2 marathon record pace, if run out over the full marathon distance, would barely break 2:06:00.
An interesting read, but maybe would’ve seemed more realistic 7 years ago.
An interesting read, but maybe would’ve seemed more realistic 7 years ago.
January 11, 2026
While I'll never even be a 1:59 Half runner, this book lives up to its title that there are things they can teach all runners. It's amazing to see how much the records have fallen since he wrote this - Kipchoge wasn't even on his radar. Some chapters got a little science heavy, but this was an interesting read during some runs this week. I appreciated the unorthodox suggestions like the weight of socks as a factor in going sub 2.
April 22, 2022
I have not read any other of Maffetone's books, but suspect that once you take out the 15% about breaking the sub 2 hour record, the rest of the book is a rehash.
Worth it if only for the Frank Shorter quote, 'Why couldn't Phillipides have died at 20 miles?'
Worth it if only for the Frank Shorter quote, 'Why couldn't Phillipides have died at 20 miles?'
February 25, 2021
Good book to listen while running.
July 5, 2022
A book with lot of information. Philip is known for his coaching expertise and the information in the book can be used to improve pace by all.
October 5, 2022
Very interesting. I am not a runner but loads of insights for anyone.
March 28, 2023
LOVED this wonderful balance between science, economy, and stories!
February 12, 2017
Great historical information on running marathons.
May 11, 2015
How to get faster and run injury free from the iconoclastic coach and health expert. Maffetone continues to preach deceptively simple advice without trying to sell you anything. Learn more about him in Christopher McDougall's (Born to Run) latest book, Natural Born Heroes.
August 6, 2015
Fascinating read. Unconventional, well argued.
Fascinating read. Unconventional, well argued. As a Berliner, I can't wait for the million dollar race to come to town.
Fascinating read. Unconventional, well argued. As a Berliner, I can't wait for the million dollar race to come to town.
June 15, 2023
A good mix of intelligent content that will appeal to all marathoners no matter what level of ability.
January 15, 2023
Some interesting information but gets a bit too technical.
November 2, 2015
ok, typical maffetone
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews