Run Your First Marathon: Everything You Need to Know to Reach the Finish Line

by Grete Waitz, Gloria Averbuch, Deena Kastor (Foreword)

Do you consider yourself too old or out of shape to run a marathon? Do you fear that you lack the conditioning, motivation, or emotional strength to finish? If so, Grete Waitz, nine-time winner of the New York City Marathon, has a program for you that has proven to help would-be racers do what they thought was complete their first marathon. In this updated and revised third edition of Run Your First Marathon, Waitz

• A sixteen-week training program that has been proven successful time and time again
• Methods for physically and mentally preparing to start and finish a marathon
• Helpful tips regarding equipment, nutrition, and hydration
• Guidance to help overcome motivational and physical roadblocks
• And much more!

With advice on 10Ks and other shorter races, Run Your First Marathon will empower runners with the courage to train, the willpower to persevere, and the tenacity to reach the finish line. Complete with sixty color photographs and information on the most current, cutting-edge trends in long-distance running, this essential reference will make your marathoning dreams come true.

Genres: Nonfiction, Health, Fitness

176 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 31, 2007

About the author

Was a Norwegian marathon runner and former world record holder. Waitz won nine New York City Marathons between 1978 and 1988, more than any other runner in history. She also won a silver medal at the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles and a gold medal at the 1983 World Championships in Athletics in Helsinki.

Reviews

[Timofey Peters · Rating 4 out of 5]

В этой книге всё хорошо, твердая четверка!

Плюсы:

простой язык, понятная структура;
мотивирующие истории;
тренировочная программа с нуля до марафона для любого уровня подготовки и возраста;
упражнения на растяжку с картинками;
множество практических советов и ответы на частые вопросы касательно тренировок, питания, экипировки и других.
Минус, он же плюс — простота, поверхностная проработка некоторых вопросов. Книга очень быстро закончилась, к сожалению, не успел насладиться в полной мере :)

[Ohans Emmanuel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book for getting started! However, I suspect there’s a lot more to learn on the subject

[Dorota · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of several books about running a marathon that I picked up from the library. Hands down, it was my favorite. I read it in a heartbeat. And then re-read it.

All books on running have similar advice and somewhat similar running programs. But this one was just ... cute. I know it's a silly word to describe it but that's what I felt when I was reading it. I loved the way it was published, I loved the photographs. I loved how simple it was, like talking to a friend, not an expert accomplished athlete. More than anything, I love Grete Waitz. She was such a wonderful person and remains such an inspiration. Her book made me cry so many times. It made my heart beat faster. It was touching. It made me feel motivated!

[David · Rating 5 out of 5]

****.5

Grete Waitz is one of my childhood heroes. She ran the NYC marathon like my father, and was a schoolteacher like my mother. A phenomenal record-setting athlete, but humble and generous and gracious. A true champion. None of which means that her book for beginners will be any good of course, so I was prepared to be disappointed. A lot of elite athletes are so far removed from what normal people experience that they tend to not have anything relatable or relevant to say. Or they've done nothing but eat, run, and sleep for 20 years straight and are left devoid of personality altogether, which makes for a dry reading experience.

Thankfully neither is the case here. Despite being the fastest in the world, her transition from track to road was far from seamless, and she didn't sequester herself from the common riffraff. Instead, she spent years expanding the reach of the sport, and this book is the culmination of all that experience, both as a runner and as a teacher.

There are certainly books with more elaborate training plans, incorporating various types of training and lots of technical details and formulae for calculating various thresholds and paces. But as the title proclaims, this is a book for beginners. It does not downplay the importance of vigorous dedicated training, but strips out the advanced techniques and provides a clear path for not just a successful completion, but an enjoyable and rewarding process that will hopefully lead to a lifelong love of distance running.

Note: I read the second edition (from 2010), I think there is a more recent version from 2015 published posthumously which might be a bit more up to date depending on what they changed, but this is the one I managed to find.

[Brian Rock · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an enjoyable, informative, and useful book to help guide the first time marathoner along their journey.

Many books on running and marathon training get bogged down in exercise science and the specifics of workouts. For advanced runners, that's fine. But for the beginner, it can be all too overwhelming. Grete focuses on the basics, and she grounds everything in her own experience as a runner and as a coach who helped many beginners cross the finish line.

The marathon training plan included in the book is fairly barebones, but it's just what you need to finish your first marathon. The plan itself isn't the most important part of the book, and often times people hone in on that and neglect to read the advice the author gives.

The book is also a good balance of running tips and personal stories and anecdotes. It's interesting to hear Grete's own story as a world class runner, as well as some of the other people she included. As a runner, and someone who has done my own fair share of marathons, I found the stories to be heartwarming and compelling.

If you're running your first marathon, or you know someone who is, then this book is a must read. If you're a more experienced runner, you may find the training advice a bit elementary, but the stories are worth reading nonetheless.

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Run Your First Marathon” discussed treadmill runs being easier on the joints since you aren’t pushing off like you would outside. Suggests HR 60-80% of max. Best running surfaces: grass, wood chips, dirt, synthetic track, treadmill, asphalt, sand, concrete, snow. Walk/run combination being helpful. Suggests avoiding music/headphones. Keep a log. Nutrition focus. Load two days before with a lighter dinner/morning meal.

[Victor Deane · Rating 4 out of 5]

An excellent read for anyone interested in running a marathon. Grete who was an absolutely superstar in this sport provides outstanding tips in this book .
Her amazing achievements speak for themselves. I believe Grete still is the perfect role model for young aspiring athletes or running enthusiasts. I highly recommend.

[tugce · Rating 1 out of 5]

M'eh, it's okay if you are seeking more than basic common sense infos to get started. Contained programs aren't well described so they don't fulfill their purpose. There's also a whole lot of grammar issues. Pass.

[Simon Krasilnikov · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book from great people! Very motivating, easy to read, I found all answers I was looking for regarding my first coming marathon

[LaVerne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good basic information for someone looking to run a half or full marathon.

[Mary Pagones · Rating 4 out of 5]

Less useful for the plans and more useful for the stories and encouragement from one of the pioneers of women’s running.

[Rocs · Rating 3 out of 5]

Nice short read of a runner's honest perspective. Some good information and stories.

[Dmitry Demidov · Rating 3 out of 5]

Зря потратил деньги. Но всем начищающим рекомендую ознакомиться. Я, конечно, марафон еще не пробежал, но готовлюсь достаточно давно, поэтому практически ничего нового для себя не нашел. В принципе, меня интересовали только разделы про питание и мотивацию, так что лучше мне было бы просто пролистать их в книжном.

В то же время, в книге достаточно подробно описаны все аспекты подготовки к марафону вплоть до мелочей. Есть программа тренировок для начинающих, упражнения для профилактики травм и вдохновляющие фото с марафонов. Если не знаешь, откуда начать, можно вполне начать с этой книги. Хотя я бы порекомендовал бы любую программу тренировок из интернета, как основу и "Рожденный бегать" для мотивации.

[Colleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I check back with this book every now and again for inspiration. I love how you can adapt her plan to fit whatever you happen to be training for at the time - for instance, I don't have any long-distance races coming up, but weeks 3-5 of her marathon plan constitute a "holding pattern," a base level of fitness that acts as a jumping off point when you ARE ready to begin training. I've been following this holding pattern for a few months now with great results - my times are getting quicker and I've been (knock on wood!) injury-free. I'll definitely be heeding Grete's advice when it comes time to prepare for my first full marathon.

[Kathy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quote, pg. 24, "...it pays to get fit not because you get younger, but because you get older. It helps you to live better, for longer."

I gave this one 5 stars because someone gave her one star and I didn't think that was right. Soooo, I gave her 5 stars to pull up the rating. Haha! I'm running a half marathon in August and this book gave me some great tips and is really helping with my training. Thanks Grete!

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

A practical, easy-to-read guide for someone with as crazy a goal as I have this May. I found some useful tips and came away from the book feeling more motivated and confident in my quest. I appreciate applicable titles - this one is dead on (other than that the title is actually 'Finish Line', not 'Finish LIVE' - ahem, Goodreads?); I wouldn't suggest the book unless you want advice and pointers on running your first marathon.

[Randi Bjerke · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of good information. Respect the distance. "But I also listened to my body and my inner voice. You can do this well." Later reading . . . "Eventually, however, you will reach the point where you may be feeling something you haven't experienced in training. It's a different type of fatigue and muscle soreness, caused by the pounding. You feel it mostly in the quadriceps." "One leg after the other, I'll be there soon; keep on going."

[Alison · Rating 4 out of 5]

I never thought I would want to run a marathon, but after completing a half marathon awhile back and still feeling pretty strong after crossing the finish line, I'm considering it for next year. This book not only answered all of my training questions, but it tells the story of the authors decades of experiences in her running career. I really enjoyed that aspect of it, then it felt sort of like a biography mixed in with the more boring how to information.

[Lesley Looper · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book a lot! There was a lot of good advice in it, and I like the narrative format. Two things from the boook that stick with me so far are 1) remember balance in your life as you train for a marathon, and 2) each marathon is different--"life" happens, so be as prepared as you can be for it.

[Esther · Rating 5 out of 5]

The great Grete. Sound down to earth advice you expect from a good Norwegian chick. Hurry slowly. I also just loved reading her racing anecdotes. Like the truly great, she is humble, with self depricating humor. I'm up to 17 miles right now on my long runs, hoping to do a marathon this spring.
Update: May 15th the deed was done!

[Tori · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is a really quick read and I did pick up quite a few tips so I think it was worthwhile. But, I am in a running group with people who have done a lot of marathons. Most of the tips in the book I feel like I had already heard from other runners.

[Leopoldo Bustos Del Pino · Rating 5 out of 5]

Un muy buen libro para todo aquel que quiera correr un maratón. Está pensado para todos, no solo para expertos corredores. Abarca desde la parte anímica hasta las cosas extras que se requieren para correr los 42 kilómetros.
Lo recomiendo para todos los que disfrutamos de correr.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice simple non wanky book that seems pretty much common sense. Not technical and implies that almost anyone can cover a marathon distance as long as they they follow a few basic rules and are not racing to bust some unrealistic time expectation.

[Steven Margis · Rating 4 out of 5]

A final inspiration leading to my first marathon (Chicago Marathon 2011). An interesting perspective form someone who clearly enjoyed the community of running. Remember that the marathon is the "celebration of the completion of your training."

[Kyla Squires · Rating 3 out of 5]

Includes a straightforward training schedule for a 1/2 and full marathon. Nothing too involved or complicated, mostly just pointers on things like nutrition and preparing for your first race. Great book for a beginning runner.

[Robyn Barreca · Rating 1 out of 5]

I couldn't get past the fact that she crapped herself. Also, found the training plans to be a bit on the light side, not sure that would work.

[Charlotte · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jeg trenger så sårt inspirasjon! Dette var en veldig inspirerende bok, men joggingen går kanondårlig. Uansett så bra at jeg leste hele boken i ett. Mange gode tips her.

[Melody · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very informative I thought.

[Starfire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good information in here, but nothing I hadn't come across in other running books

[Angela McVay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very Basic training plan that a fairly new beginner can do. Very motivating read.